The Black Feather (27 page)

Suzanne walked with him to the door while her mother was busy inspecting the house.

“I assume you’re leaving to try and find Eric.”

Thad nodded. “I am.”

“When do you think you’ll be back?”

“I have no idea, but better not wait up for me.”

“Mom is going to think she’s a prisoner in a gilded cage. Are you sure you can’t stay around and help me keep her entertained?”

“I would think you’d appreciate the time alone with her. The woman saved your life, Suzanne.”

“I’m still trying to get over the surprise of that. I’ve spent my life thinking my parents didn’t give a fig about me, and now I find out they do care. It’s kind of strange, but in a nice way.”

“Give a fig?” he repeated with a lopsided grin.

She smiled in return.

“Another one of Nanadoo’s sayings. I wish you didn’t have to go. I don’t want anything to happen to you. You’re the first guy I’ve met who can cook a real meal.”

“I seduced you with my cooking? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around.”

“I’ll cook dinner if you’ll stay and afterwards we can share that big tub in the master suite.”

“Thanks, but it’ll have to wait. And for the record, I don’t want anything to happen to me, either.”

“Are you going to where Eric lives?”

“No, I had his apartment checked and he hasn’t shown up. Muriel mentioned a restaurant he used to meet with her and Tina late at night. He still goes there. He’s friends with a waitress working that shift. Apparently she’s always had a crush on Eric. I want to see if he’s been in touch with her.”

“She may not want to tell you if she’s trying to protect him.”

“I’d still like to talk to her.”

“It seems kind of sad to think of him going back to their old hangout.”

“Sometimes people hold onto the past because they’re afraid to face the future after losing someone they loved.”

Suzanne touched his arm.

“Are you talking about Eric, or yourself?”

“Why would you think I meant myself?

“I thought you might be referring to Ann Marie Cameron. What was she to you, Thad?”

The muscles in his arm tightened beneath her hand before he pulled away.

“I guess it was dumb of me to think you’d let that go. If a person throws enough mud some of it is bound to stick.”

“I’m sorry. I just . . .”

“Wondered if I was responsible for her death?” he cut her short, his voice clipped and unfriendly.

“No! I can’t imagine you ever deliberately leaving someone to die. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Then why did you?”

“I’m not sure.” Suzanne shoved her hands behind her, hiding her fidgeting fingers.

“I don’t have time to explain things right now.”

“You don’t have to explain anything to me. Please forget I asked.”

“As if I could. Just so you know, I get tired of having to justify myself to satisfy morbid curiosity.”

He turned away and walked out of the house. Thad thought Suzanne might come after him and felt grateful when she didn’t. His throat tightened when painful memories grabbed at him like cold, hard fingers squeezing to cut off his breath.

Thad dragged in a mouthful of the bracing evening air. No matter how hard he’d tried to forget the past some scars went so deep it seemed as though they would never heal. But now wasn’t the time to reopen old wounds while he was trying to prevent new ones from occurring. He shook off the anger, got into his truck and drove away, concentrating on what he had to do.

Thad knew from talking to his client earlier that the man had kept in touch with Eric, sharing their grief over Tina’s death. But that hadn’t been all he’d shared with his late daughter’s boyfriend. The older man, blinded by his mourning had poured out details giving the younger man enough knowledge to send him to Catalina Island and the Harold’s condo.

Only time would tell if it turned out to be a mistake, or a blessing. It’d be pretty amazing if Eric ended up outdoing everyone by being the one to topple the Montanes. Thad drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. A lot of people were involved in this case, some more intimately connected than others. But the common denominator that joined them all was the evidence Wendell Conway had collected.

The Montanes needed the phones to stay out of prison and keep their criminal activities going. Muriel wanted them to avenge her dead lover, as did Eric. His client thought they would bring him closure in his daughter’s death. And he couldn’t forget the Martins who wanted the phones for the money they hoped to get to cover Aaron’s gambling losses.

What about himself? Why was he so anxious to get his hands on the phones? To bring the Montane brothers down? Definitely. But Thad knew he needed to prove that he could do this job right. He thought of Suzanne. He didn’t want to have another young woman he cared about coming to a tragic end.

His best hadn’t been good enough before. He’d been exonerated, but that didn’t mean he’d forgotten what had happened. Sometimes a man needed more than vindication to free him from the past. Sometimes he needed to prove to himself that he still had what it took to protect his own.

Twenty-seven

Thad entered the brightly lit restaurant as a large man was exiting. They bumped into each other; and for a moment Thad felt an odd sense of awareness, before the man hurried away. Thad shook off the feeling and walked inside to the combined odor of fried foods and strong coffee filling the air.

Opened 24/7, the surroundings showed the deterioration of too many customers and not enough time to thoroughly clean up after so much wear and tear. He assumed they would be pretty crowded during regular dining hours since he knew what a popular chain diner it was with their reasonable prices. But it was late now and only three other customers occupied the premises.

He saw an elderly man at a nearby table with his head dipped low over his plate, as he ate his ham and eggs. Thad felt his own stomach rumble with hunger. A man and woman sat in a booth further away ignoring the mugs in front of them, apparently opting instead to concentrate on their conversation.

A young waitress dressed in black jeans and black tee shirt sauntered toward him. Her dark hair with its blond streaks wobbled atop her head in an untidy bun. She greeted him with a practiced smile.

“One?” Thad nodded.

“Table or booth?” she asked while pulling out a menu from a rake near the register.

“Booth.”

“This way.”

Thad followed her slender swaying hips past several booths lined up along a wall of windows. She continued across the dark carpet, spotted here and there with stains varying in size and color. He noticed some of the red vinyl seats were split and peeling in places reminding him of slashes against a bloody background. He shifted his eyes away. That certainly wasn’t something he wanted to be thinking about when he was about to order a meal. The girl stopped at the last booth in the row, thankfully with its seats still intact.

Thad slid behind the table; and she placed the menu in front of him.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to decide.”

He handed her back the menu without opening it.

“I already know what I want.”

She lifted a questioning brow.

“Ham, and eggs over; hash browns, wheat toast, black coffee, and a glass of water. I’ll take the drinks now, please.”

“Well, that didn’t take long. Are you always so sure of yourself?”

He caught the hint of flirtation in her voice and decided to cultivate her interest in the hopes of getting information. Muriel said the waitress who had the crush on Eric was named Billie. Thad intended to explore the possibility that this might be the same woman.

“Depends on the situation. I’m new here. Just got in from a little town in Iowa. So far I’ve been sneered at, flipped off, and darned near rear ended; and that’s just coming across town from my motel.”

“You’re in the big city now. You’re probably going to find things are done a lot differently here.”

“I can see that. I have to tell you I sure do appreciate your friendly face.”

Her tired eyes brightened at his compliment.

“I’ll put in your order and bring those drinks right away,” she said, scooping the menu off the table.

“Thanks. My name’s Jim Lucas and you are…?”

“I’m Billie Paget.”

Thad didn’t let the relief he felt show on his face.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you – you’re my first new friend. Have you worked here long?”

“A little over three years. I’ll be right back.”

Thad watched her hurry away thinking how hungry some people were for a simple compliment. But he would say what he had to if it helped him find Eric. He pulled out his phone and called his office giving them Billie’s full name, the restaurant’s name, and location.

“Get me everything you can on her, including directions to her home, as soon as possible.”

He slid the phone away, just as she came back with his coffee and water.

Thad smiled at her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Your food won’t take long. We’re not exactly rushed right now as you can see.”

“It is quiet.”

“That’s one of the reasons I like this shift. I’d rather not be too busy after working at my day job, plus going to college.”

Thad decided that explained why she looked so tired. “You have two jobs and you go to school? That’s commendable. What’s your major?”

“I haven’t declared one yet. I can only take a couple classes at a time and I just started last year. I’m thinking of going for accounting. I work in my brother-in-law’s pawn shop during the day waiting on customers and doing his books. I like doing the books.”

“You mustn’t have much time for fun being so busy. How does that sit with the man in your life?”

“No man. No problem.”

“A pretty girl like you. I find that hard to believe.”

Pink color tinted her cheeks. “Well, there is a guy and I’d sure take the time to have that fun if he wanted to join me.”

Going with what Muriel had told him, Thad hoped Billie meant Eric.

“Does the guy not want you because he has someone else?” he infused sympathy into his tone encouraging her to share more details.

“He did, but she died, and he can’t get over her death. So far he just wants us to be friends.”

Bingo! Once again he kept his expression bland to hide the excitement he felt at her confession.

“I’m sorry for your friend’s loss. I’m sure his grief will ease given enough time.”

“I don’t know. It’s been several months already. I keep trying to be there for him, but so far he only calls me when he’s feeling lonely.”

“Well, that’s a start. Has he called you lately?”

“It’s been a while. The last time I heard from him he said he had to go out of town and didn’t know how long he’d be gone. I was hoping he’d call from wherever he went, but he hasn’t.”

“You could always call him.”

She shook her head.

“He doesn’t like me to.”

The cook called to Billie that Thad’s order was ready. She hurried away. Thad took a sip of his coffee and let his eyes travel around the place. The elderly man finished his meal and was walking to the register with the bill in his hand. Billie arrived with Thad’s food and set it in front of him.

“Enjoy. I have to take care of the guy at the register. I’ll be right back to see if your food’s okay.”

“No rush.”

Thad cut into the thick slice of ham and followed that bite with a couple mouthfuls of egg and potatoes. He watched the old man pay Billie and shuffle through the double doors leading out of the restaurant. Thad couldn’t help comparing him to the younger, stronger looking guy he’d collided with when he arrived.

He started to take another bite of food and froze. His fork dropped causing it to make a clattering sound on the plate. Now he knew why he’d had that odd sensation brushing against the big man. This wasn’t their first encounter.

“Son of a . . .” Thad cut off the softly spoken curse, reached into his wallet, tossed some folding money onto the table, and waved to Billie, as he hurried toward the exit.

“Hey! Is everything okay? I have fresh coffee,” she held up the pot she carried.

“I have to leave. Money’s on the table. Thanks.”

He hurried outside and scanned the parking lot. The guy was probably gone. Then again, maybe not. The flash of a small flame lit up the cab of a dark colored pickup truck as someone lit a cigarette. Thad walked to his own vehicle, slid inside, and shoved his key in the ignition.

He knew in his gut this was the man responsible for knocking him unconscious and rolling him down the hill on Catalina Island. If he was right that meant this could very well be the man who put the black feather in Liam’s golf cart. Thad had to admit he wouldn’t mind having a chance to get even if this really was the guy who attacked him from behind.