Maddie Cochere - Two Sisters and a Journalist 01 - Murder Under Construction (17 page)

She interrupted with a laugh, “I’m just teasing you. Are you up for visitors today?”

“Sure,” I said. “I’m stuck on the sofa for a few days, so drop in any time.”

“I’ll be by after dinner,” she said.

I hung up the phone.

“What time is it?” I asked Glenn.

“Three thirty,” he said. “Sorry about dropping off there. It was a late night for all of us.”

I smiled, but didn’t know what to say. I thought he would be gone by now.

“You’re going to need some dinner soon,” he said. “How about if I grab some Chinese takeout for you? You can eat it right out of the container when you’re hungry.”

I appreciated his concern. “That’s sounds great.”

We sat in awkward silence for a few minutes before he asked, “Can I call you, Jo?”

I knew what he meant, but I blurted out, “You can call me anything you want, but don’t call me late for dinner.”

He chuckled. I shook my head, threw my palms up and said, “I’m sorry.” I was sure he thought I was an idiot.

“I’d like to ask you out,” he said and then added few seconds later, “when you’re feeling better and can get around.”

I was uncertain. “I don’t know. It seems kind of weird in a way.”

“Why? Because you used to babysit me? That was a long time ago. We’re both adults now. I’m twenty-eight, and you’ll forever be twenty-nine, so I’ll catch up with you next year.”

The look on his face was endearing, and I couldn’t help laughing. I started to tick off the pros and cons of dating him in my mind. The age difference bugged me, but I would probably get over it. I originally thought he was a twit, but now he made my heart flutter when I saw him. He was normal. At least I assumed he was normal and wouldn’t try to kill me. My family would love him. He was a hometown boy and a police officer. Ooh, that could come in handy when I started my own investigation business.

I flashed a smile his way and said, “You can call me.”

~ ~ ~

The General Tso’s chicken Glenn had dropped off hit the spot. I limped to the kitchen with the empty container to throw it away. After a quick trip to the bathroom, where I shut and locked the door and did more swearing under my breath, I hobbled back to the living room. I was surprised to see Jackie and Big Arnie standing inside the front door.

Jackie appeared slightly embarrassed. “Pepper said to walk right in.” She turned to Big Arnie and said, “Arnie, this is Jo Ravens.”

I limped over to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Arnie, I had no idea I’d be seeing you so soon.”

He grasped my hand in a firm grip and pumped it several times. His voice was as raspy as Mama’s, but infinitely deeper, as he said, “When Jackie told me you wanted to learn the ropes about being a P. I., I figured the sooner we get started, the better.”

I repositioned myself on the sofa while they settled into chairs.

Arnie appeared to be looking me over. “You took a shiv in the ass, did ya?” he asked.

It never occurred to me Arnie might be coarser than I was used to. Mama was like Bertie. They were both crass and enjoyed toilet humor. Arnie would probably be more gritty and down-to-earth crusty. I’d probably have a harder time controlling my swearing if I spent time with him.

I replied, “I was stabbed with a large knife in my left buttock.”

Jackie tried to contain a laugh but ended up letting out one loud snort.

“I saved some information for you, Jo,” she said. “I couldn’t put it in the article, but we know how Stewart killed Paula. He murdered her in her apartment. Terry called her from Mexico but told her he had come back early and was coming over for an early-morning quickie. Paula was naked in her bed when Stewie slipped into the apartment and killed her. After he dumped her body, he cleaned her bedroom and made the bed with fresh sheets and blankets. The police found the bloody bedding in a garbage bag in his trunk. He was still driving around with it.”

My mouth fell open. “I was on a date with Stewie, and evidence to Paula’s murder was in the trunk?”

She nodded and flashed a creepy smile at the same time.

“They always get caught,” Big Arnie said. “That wise guy thought he took care of everything when he cleaned the bed, but he was biding his time getting rid of the evidence. It comes back to bite ya in the ass every time.” He looked over at me. “Speaking of ass. I’ve been investigating crimes for over thirty years,” he said. “I’ve never been shot or stabbed. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure,” I said. I couldn’t hold back the smile spreading across my face.

“You’re a big girl. That’s good. You’ll command more respect. A little tiny girlie won’t get very far in this business.”

I was pretty sure that wasn’t a compliment, but I did accept his words as approval.

“What do we do first?” I asked.

He didn’t hesitate. “You listen. Since you won’t be going anywhere for a while, I’ll stop by a few days this week and tell you about some of the cases I’ve worked on in my career. You can learn a lot by listening. Then, when you can walk good again, we’ll see what’s on the agenda. What do you say?”

I smiled from ear to ear. “I say I’m in, Mr. Baranski.”

“Oh, geez,” he said with a level of disgust. “There will be no calling me Mr. Baranski. It’s just Arnie. I know everyone calls me Big Arnie, but not to my face they don’t. Got it?”

I nodded my head. Arnie it would be.

~ ~ ~

“What can I get for you?”

Glenn and a few of the other Buxley police officers and firefighters had just won a softball game against a team from Patterson. Most of the guys had gone to Parker’s Tavern for fish and beer, but as I was still tender and avoiding crowds, we decided to grab a bite to eat at Chummy’s.

I had never been inside Chummy’s before, and I was pleasantly surprised at the retro sixties decor. It was clean and bright with an upbeat atmosphere.

“I’ll have a southwestern salad and an unsweetened tea,” I said.

Glenn placed his order. “Make mine a deluxe cheeseburger with a chocolate milkshake.”

I smiled. It was shaping up to be a very good day. I was excited to be with Glenn, and I looked forward to what the future might bring with him. In addition, Arnie had called this morning and told me to hurry up and quit my job. He needed my help full time to investigate a counterfeit shoe operation. I didn’t tell him I never went back to Buxley Mortgage after the stabbing, but I happily told him I would meet him at Parker’s on Monday morning.

A courier delivering business cards followed Arnie’s phone call. They were plain white with black lettering. My name was in the center followed by A. B. Investigations. The number to the red phone was in the lower left corner. I was officially working with Arnie Barnaski.

As we stood at the counter waiting for our food, one of the workers walked by on her way to the drive-thru window. She recognized me from my numerous trips through the drive-thru and gave me a little wave.

“Welcome to Chummy Burgers and More. Go ahead with your order,” she said cheerfully into the microphone.

The voice came through the speaker loud and clear, “I’d like two cheeseburgers and two cups of black coffee.”

She winked at me as she headed for the milkshake machine.

###

About the Author:

Maddie Cochere spent five years working for a major weight loss company by day and playing racquetball by night. Her writing career began by writing operations training manuals for both corporate and franchise weight loss centers. Children’s books came next, and Maddie spent the next twelve years in sales of children’s books. It was only natural to use her experiences from the weight loss industry and playing racquetball as inspiration for Susan in her Susan Hunter Mysteries.

Easy-breezy reading from Breezy Books!

Murder Under Construction
–
Two Sisters and a Journalist #1
– Jo Ravens has a knack for stumbling upon dead bodies. In this first book in the series, she finds a dead girl in a construction site and attempts to solve the murder with the help of her sister and their journalist friend.

Coming 2014!

Murder Is Where the Heart Is
–
Two Sisters and a Journalist #2
– Amateur private investigator, Jo Ravens, is reunited with her ex-husband when there is a murder in the family.

Be sure to check out the Susan Hunter series from Maddie Cochere:

The Susan Hunter books are not your typical mysteries, and Susan is not your typical sleuth. Often, she is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and things go downhill quickly. All of the books cross genres of chick lit, mystery, romance, humor, and action, bringing you a fast-paced, easy-breezy read.

Sunshine Hunter, A Susan Hunter Mystery #1
–
Working in a weight-loss center by day and a racquetball club by night, Susan Hunter enjoys her life, the sport, and her friends. … When she finds out her new boyfriend of three months is actually married, she bolts with her best friend to Florida for a week. But someone has followed them, and they are now being stalked. To make matters worse, a murder has been committed back home in Carbide City, and Susan is involved. … Humorous, sometimes ominous,
Sunshine Hunter
is entertaining and perfect for easy, breezy reading!

Big Apple Hunter, A Susan Hunter Mystery #2
–
Susan enjoys her life, racquetball, and her friends. … But now she has life-changing decisions to make. Should she accept the new position with Slimmers Weight Loss? Should she give in and move the relationship with Mick to the next level? … When Darby has business in New York City, Susan jumps at the chance to tag along, intending to indulge in a weekend of shopping. It doesn’t take her long to realize she’s being hunted in The Big Apple. And what does the stalker have to do with Darby’s new client? It becomes a matter of life-and-death when the stalker shows up in Carbide City demanding something that Susan lost in New York.

Sin City Hunter, A Susan Hunter Mystery #3
– Susan is in Las Vegas for ten days of work and play. Her parents come in from Dallas to spend some time with her and have their own fun. But fun turns to terror for Susan when a magic act goes wrong. … When a man is murdered, Susan knows who did it. Unfortunately for her, the killer knows that she knows. Her actions in Sin City ultimately put not only her own life on the line but that of Mick’s as well.

Big Easy Hunter, A Susan Hunter Mystery #4
–
When Susan is accused of being a cat burglar, and a serial rapist is on the loose over by the mall, she takes off for New Orleans to attend a wedding and finds even more trouble in The Big Easy.

Windy City Hunter, A Susan Hunter Mystery #5
–
It’s two weeks before Christmas. Susan and her best friend, Darby, travel to Chicago to compete in a national cooking competition. They aren’t in Chicago an hour when they stumble upon a murder crime scene. The lead detective on the case is egged on by an eager insurance investigator, and Susan and Darby quickly become suspects. To make the weekend even more complicated, one of Darby’s cooking ingredients is sabotaged during the contest, and unbeknownst to them, they befriend a local art forger. With Mick away in England, things become desperate for them in The Windy City.

Maple Leaf Hunter, A Susan Hunter Mystery #6
- Susan and Mick have a romantic weekend planned in Niagara Falls and Toronto before her big meeting with a children’s book publisher. When they decide to spend the following week at a fishing lodge on the Ottawa River, Darby, Nate, and Alex decide to come along, too. A Sasquatch, gold hunters, a kidnapping, and dangerous men all make for another unforgettable vacation for Susan.

Visit the official website of Maddie Cochere at Breezy Books:
http://www.breezybooks.com/