Bad Reputation, A (18 page)

Flora was heartless—until Wendall. “You don't strike me as heartless, Big Mike.”

He laughed his deep laugh. “Keep believing that, my dear.”

Jerry and Big Mike reminisced a while longer until Big Mike checked his large gold watch. “It's not a good idea for me to stay too long in one place these days, and we don't want Honor popping up unexpectedly. Thank you very much for lunch, Jerry. Madeline, a pleasure to meet you. We'll be in touch.”

As the black Hummer drove away, I said. “Big Mike isn't what I expected at all.”

“He was on his best behavior.”

“Are you saying he isn't always a perfect gentleman?”

“I'm saying you never want to cross him.”

We went to the kitchen where I helped Jerry clean up. “He said something interesting while you were making coffee. What would you think about opening your own restaurant?”

He spooned the leftover vegetables into a plastic container. “That's a lot of work.”

“But does it sound like something you'd like to do?”

“Well, I like to cook.”

“And you're a very good cook.”

He put the container into the fridge. “I don't know, Mac. Guess I never thought of it. Open a restaurant in town, you mean? Most people are happy to go to Deely's.”

“When they want burgers and fries. What if you offered a different menu? You're always making me the most wonderful breakfasts. What if you had a breakfast café?”

He scraped the last of the casserole into another container. “Open just for breakfast? That's not a bad idea. But where would we get the money to start a business like that?”

“I have a feeling Big Mike might bankroll you if you were serious about the project.”

He licked the spoon clean. “Oh, I see. You two have a plan.”

“Think about it. You are an expert at making pancakes and omelets for everyone from seven to eleven. You have the rest of the day free, your evenings are free for shows and choir cantatas, and you make a little extra cash. Unless you've heard anything from your interview.”

He opened the fridge and put the second container on top of the first one. “Oh, about that. There's a snag.”

“What sort of snag?”

“The fellow who interviewed me at Southern Foods was Dean Snyder.” He paused to let this sink in.

Uh, oh. “Snyder. As in Flossie Mae?”

“And Geoff and Sean. Dean's their cousin.”

Flossie Mae Snyder was one of Jerry's former séance customers and a big believer in the spirit world. Her nephews, Geoff and Sean, made a living debunking anything paranormal and thought Jerry took advantage of their aunt. “Does Cousin Dean side with the spirits or the Snyder boys?”

“Let's just say I didn't get the job.” He put dishes into some hot soapy water. “Tecknilabs said they'd get back to me. I hope another Snyder cousin isn't lurking in the bushes.”

“The downside of the small town.”

“So this plan of yours is something to consider. I don't have any experience running a restaurant, though.”

“Think of it as conning people out of their money for bacon and eggs.”

He laughed. “I'll call it the Breakfast Con Café.”

“Since you're giving up cons, how about calling it The Good Egg?”

“How about Flapjack City? No, wait. Pancake Palace.” He put his arms around me. He gave me a kiss. “What other plans do you have for me?”

“Well, as much as I'd like to stay here and fool around, we have a letter to find.”

I'd been concerned about having Big Mike visit. Seeing his old friend and mentor might have made Jerry homesick for his carefree con man days. But he was excited about this new possibility, and if his reputation kept him from getting other jobs, a restaurant of his own might be the solution.

Now I needed to solve this case and get rid of Honor Perkins, not necessarily in that order.

Chapter Nineteen

On the way to Flair For Fashion, I told Jerry about Flora's visit, my discovery at Fred's Garage, and what I'd learned from Ginger Alverez.

“So the Mystery of the Dark Blue Honda has been solved,” he said, “and Bea has moved up to Suspect Number One.”

“If I can find a motive.”

“Well, like Larissa, Bea seems to have a grudge against the world.”

“There has to be something a little more concrete than that.”

Pamela greeted us in a reserved manner. I could tell she was still irked at me for considering her a murderer. Jerry and I went into the little office. He started looking through the next filing cabinet while I tackled another stack.

He tugged open the next drawer. “What are you going to do about Bea?”

“I'm going to talk to her again and see what she comes up with.”

“If she starts throwing bricks at you, you'll know for sure.”

I set a pile of paper aside and started leafing through another. “She had to be hiding somewhere in the gallery.”

“Maybe she came in after Pamela left. Anyone could get in the back, right?”

“Right.”

“There wasn't anything worth stealing, was there? Just Bea's broken pictures and Ginger's ping-pong birds.”

We didn't have any luck finding the letter. I needed to stop by my office, and to my surprise, there was a box at my door with a pink sapphire inside.

“Good grief, Big Mike works fast.”

“Helps to know the right people.”

I turned the sapphire so the light caught in the frosty star. “It looks exactly like Pamela's. How do I get in touch with Honor?”

“Let's go out to her lair,” Jerry said.

***

Tinsley Acres was a failed housing development outside of town. Several giant houses had been built before the developers and the contractors disagreed on terms and money. The houses now sat empty and forlorn on their once green lawns, driveways cracked and windows blank. Honor's car was parked behind the second house, a massive pink brick mansion.

I thought Honor was taking a big chance staying in the area. “I don't get it. With the police on to her, why didn't she leave town?”

“She wanted this sapphire, so now that problem's solved.”

I started toward Honor's car, but Jerry went to the front door of the house and knocked.

“I'd be very surprised if she didn't find a way in.”

Honor opened the door. She grinned. “Welcome to my home. So nice of you to drop by.”

Jerry handed her the sapphire. “We can't stay. Here's what you came for, it's been fun, so long.”

He'd taken her by surprise. She held the sapphire up to the light to inspect it. “Wow, that was fast.”

“You really ought to think about packing up. I can't promise there won't be a police car checking out the neighborhood later today.”

“Jerry—” She gave me a glare. “Would you mind if we had a private conversation?”

“No problem.”

I went back to the Mazda and leaned against it while they talked. I couldn't help but notice the builders had left a small pile of bricks by the driveway. Nice new pink bricks with sharp corners.

Jerry stood with his arms folded. Honor fiddled with the sapphire. This time there wasn't a handy air vent, but I could see her expression, and my old suspicions crept back in.

Honor was definitely in love with Jerry.

It all made sense. They'd been partners in crime, ran some schemes, had narrow escapes together, and palled around at Big Mike's. She didn't believe he'd gone straight, so what better way to get his attention than to run some cons to get him involved? Maybe not the break-in at Billie's. I didn't think Honor knew the connection to me there, but she was a crafty woman. She knew about me, and it wouldn't have been difficult to look up my pageant career and see some of the other girls I'd competed against. Certainly by sending him a fake letter about being sued she sucked him in. And horning in on his séances was a joke that backfired when Aunt Gloria showed up. I still didn't know how Jerry managed that.

But a brick through my window? Not a very subtle way of showing her displeasure at me personally, the woman who ruined a perfectly good con man's career—and disrupted what Honor saw as a chance to rekindle her delusional romance.

All this about owing Big Mike was another way to catch Jerry's interest and keep Honor in Celosia. She probably didn't believe he'd be able to come up with a pink star sapphire. Thank goodness he did. I wanted her as far away as possible.

Jerry turned to leave, and she caught his arm. There was no mistaking the look in her eyes. I didn't have to hear her to know what she was saying
. I don't believe it's over. You can't be serious about leaving the game, about leaving me.

Did Jerry realize this? He must have realized something. Instead of jerking away, he patted her hand and pulled free. For a moment, Honor looked desolate. Then she went back inside, slamming the door behind her.

Jerry came back to the car. “She's a little upset.”

“Well, you two have a history.”

“Fun for a while.”

“It's more than that.” He looked puzzled, so I explained. “She's in love with you, Jerry. I think she always has been.”

He gave a short laugh. “No way. We're friends, that's all. We hung out at Big Mike's and did stuff together, but we never did anything you'd call romantic.”

“Oh, I think hanging out and doing stuff together was very romantic to Honor.”

He still didn't believe me. “Well, why didn't she tell me?”

“Jerry, during our college days and after, you went through a whole string of little blondes. Honor knew she couldn't compete. She was happy to be with you when the two of you were running a con. She probably told herself, well, those blondes may be pretty, but they can't cheat people the way I can. Trust me. I know all about appearances.”

Jerry glanced back at the house. “I guess I wasn't very sympathetic.”

“I wouldn't say it's your fault, but now we know why Honor is staying here.”

“If she felt this way about me, why did she decide to do all this now? She knows I'm married.”

“When was the last time you saw her? Maybe she's been out of the country, or in jail. Maybe the fact that you're married represents more of a challenge.”

“She has to know she can't break up my marriage.”

“Jerry, she's a con artist. Anything's possible, right? Oh, and that brick I was telling you about? It used to be on that pile right there.”

He stared at the bricks. “You're kidding.”

“Your old pal is more dangerous than you think.” He started toward the house, and this time I was the one to catch his sleeve. “She may not have you, but she has the jewel she wanted. If she isn't gone by tomorrow, I'll call the police.”

He stood in the driveway. For a moment, I thought he might ignore me and confront her. Then he turned back to me.

“Let's go.”

***

On our way out of Tinsley Acres, Jerry had a phone call from another cast member of
Oklahoma
asking if he'd come by the theater. I dropped him off and decided to stop at Burger World to talk with Deely. He was wiping the counters and straightening the menus in their metal holders.

I sat down at the counter. “Heard you're thinking of retiring.”

“Shoot, no. Could use some more business, though. Times are tough.”

“What would you say to opening the place for breakfast?”

“Can't get enough help for the mornings.”

“What if you had another cook? Someone who's very good at making breakfast foods?”

He stopped wiping. “You talking about you, Madeline? Didn't know you was a cook.”

“Not me. Jerry. Breakfasts are his specialty.”

Deely rubbed his chin. “Well, now, I'd be willing to give it a try. People are always after me to open for breakfast, but my regular cook, he only likes frying burgers. Jerry ever worked short orders before?”

“I'm sure he could get the hang of it.”

“Wouldn't need anything fancy like eggs Benedict or stuff like that. Just the basics. And I can't pay a lot to start. Business picks up, we'll go from there. Have him stop by and we'll talk about it.”

“Thanks,” I said. And thank you, Big Mike.

***

When I stopped by my office, the first thing I saw was a piece of plywood in the space where my window had been. It was ugly. It made the room dark. And I decided, why wait? Enough ugly darkness. Honor was an annoying, vindictive woman who needed to be gone right now. I called Chief Brenner and told him I had a very good idea who broke my window, and if he sent a squad car to the second house in Tinsley Acres, the one made of the same pink brick, he could pick up Ms. Honor Perkins, and I'd be happy to press charges.

After speaking with the Chief, I had a phone call from Billie with an update on her break-in. “The insurance paid for everything, and believe me, I'm going to be very careful who I let in the house from now on.”

“I'm pretty sure that woman is out of the picture.”

“Good. Sure you don't want to enter Mrs. Parkland? Could be fun. I'll help you with your hair and makeup.”

“That sounds sooo appealing, but no.”

“You won't believe this, but your mother called me and urged me to try to convince you. Isn't she thoughtful?”

“What's
your
mother's number? I'm going to set her upon you.”

Billie's hoot of laughter made me hold the phone away from my ear until she'd finished. “Don't you dare! Thanks for your help. And please visit me again soon. Don't make me have to have another burglary to get you over here.”

I'd just said good-bye when I heard loud voices outside. I got up to investigate, and to my surprise, Honor and Aunt Louise were on the sidewalk right in front of my office building. Aunt Louise was screeching like a demented crow.

“There she is! There's the woman who called up Gloria and scared me out of my wits! You give me back my money, you thief!”

Honor held both hands up, trying to placate her. “But you wanted to see your sister.”

“Not like that! How do I know she isn't going to haunt me the rest of my days? I can't live my life expecting her to pop up like that at any minute. And never once did she say a thing about where my half of the inheritance is hidden! You've got a lot of explaining to do, missy!”

If she'd had a cane or an umbrella, she would've been smacking Honor over the head. I hurried out to break up the brawl.

“Hold on, Aunt Louise. Settle down. Madame Mystere doesn't want a scene on the street.”

Aunt Louise had a claw-like hand on Honor's arm. “She'll get a scene and like it! She needs to learn how to control the spirits and not have them jumping out at decent living folks!”

I could tell Honor was trying to get away without breaking Aunt Louise. “Sometimes the spirits are like that.”

“Well, I don't like it! Do something about it!”

Annie came running down the sidewalk. “Sorry, Madeline. She got away from me. Sorry, Madame Mystere.” She gently pried her aunt's fingers off Honor. “We talked about this, Aunt Louise. No more séances. Gloria's not going to come back.”

“It's going to take a six-pack of root beer to convince me, my girl!”

“We can do that. Sorry, Madeline.”

Honor and I stood and watched Annie lead her protesting aunt down the sidewalk.

When she was sure Aunt Louise couldn't hear her, Honor said, “Good lord, what a crazy old witch! I thought the experience the other night cured her of talking to dead people. That kind of scene isn't good for business.”

“Since you won't be staying in Celosia, your business doesn't matter. Did you just happen to be in the neighborhood?” She probably saw the police car and made a run for it. “Maybe you stopped by to pay for my window?”

She didn't react to this. “I wanted to talk to you.”

If she wanted me to beg and plead for her to go away, she was in for a long wait. “We don't have anything to talk about.”

“I don't know how you did it, but you changed him. He was one of the best.”

“He's still the best,” I said. “It's just that his priorities are different.”

“What, being a musician? Playing for dinky little community theater productions? Please.”

“No. He wants to be a father.”

This seemed to deflate her. “So that's true.”

“Yes.” I decided it was time for a scam of my own. I remembered Jerry had said he'd almost told her I was pregnant. I remembered what he'd told me about making eye contact and speaking in a neutral tone, and considering all my stomach troubles and strange cravings, something might really be true, or true enough to convince Honor. “I have a doctor's appointment next week. I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant.”

As I'd hoped, Honor didn't believe that an ex-beauty queen could tell an expert lie. For a moment, she looked at a loss for words. “Oh. That's…that makes things different.”

“You can stay in town and run all the little games you like, but Jerry is going to be too happy about a baby and too excited about setting up our nursery to come out and play with you.”

She thought it over. “I came here to cause trouble.”

“I figured that out.”

“I wanted Jerry to see that this wasn't the life for him. I wanted him to be with—to be on my team again. I guess I was wrong. But I don't want to come between him and his son or daughter. That's not my style.”

“Thank you.”

“I like to think I'm smart enough to know when it's time to move on.”

“You could always change, too, Honor.”

“Oh, I'm staying in the game.” She showed off the pink star sapphire ring sparkling on her hand. “I put one over on Big Mike, and nobody does that.”