The Telltale Turtle (The Pet Psychic Mysteries) (27 page)

"Without anyone asking you if we're related." Colin kissed her and Corey called him for something.

Mary Catherine knew she'd never get a better opportunity. Before they needed Mindy for the next show, she pulled the girl into a corner already occupied by a plastic plant that needed dusting. "I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but did Colin tell you something?"

"Something like what?"

"Something important that could affect your relationship and might have changed your mind about marrying him."

Mindy smiled, and patted her hand. "If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, I know all about it. But thank you for sticking up for me. Colin told me you threatened to tell me yourself."

Mary Catherine felt like a weight was lifted from her heart. "I'm so glad. I just wanted you to start out fresh. And if women can't stick together over these things, the world would certainly be a bad place."

"I think knowing about that woman who lured Colin away from me will make us stronger. He won't be alone again for anything like that to happen."

"You're a wonderful, forgiving woman with a big heart." Mary Catherine hugged Mindy. "I don't think I could be as forgiving. I hope the two of you are very happy together. If not, I'll know who to blame and it won't be you!"

Mindy kissed her cheek. "You've been such a wonderful friend the last two years. I don't know what I would've done without you.

Colin and Corey called Mindy for a new show setup. Mary Catherine was glad she'd had the opportunity to talk to the girl. If Mindy was okay with Colin's unfaithfulness, it certainly wasn't a problem for her. And she loved to go wedding gift shopping. But first she had to find out what was going on with her car.

She waited for Danny on the street in front of the radio station, cell phone against her ear, as she tried to maneuver through the maze of people who didn't know if repairs were being made to her car. Baylor sat beside her on the bench watching traffic go by on Water Street. He loved colorful cars; one of the reasons she'd chosen the red Mini Cooper.

By the time Danny got there, Mary Catherine had learned her car was in the shop and insurance funding had been released for repairs. Her agent said her insurance rates would go up, even though the wreck wasn't her fault. They were calling it a malfunction and checking to see if the same thing had been happening to other cars like hers.

She'd argued with her insurance man for five minutes about the rate hike, but in the end, she knew she couldn't beat that system. She'd be more likely to understand a snail on her doorstep.

She got in the car with Danny and told him about Colin and Mindy. He was surprised too. "Colin's lucky to have someone like her. Not everyone would forgive something like that."

She agreed as her cell phone rang. It was Detective Angellus. "Not that I'm encouraging the stunt you guys pulled last night, but I wanted you to know the man confessed at the station too. He called you after being paid for each call."

"Who paid him?" she asked, thinking about her cousin.

"He never met the person. After the initial contact, there was money left on his doorstep. We're following up. Leave it alone and let us do our job."

"What about my apartment?"

"You're clear there. We picked up some prints and some partials. I'll let you know if any of them turn out to be anything. In the meantime, in light of what's happened, we'll have a police car sit out there for a while. We'll hope whoever it is doesn't come back again."

"Thank you, Detective Angellus. How is Bo-Bo doing?"

"He's fine, I guess. I'll talk to you later."

Mary Catherine changed her mind about going home. She took out Charlie's business card. "If you don't mind, will you take me to this address? I think it's down by St. James Episcopal Church in the historic district."

"You got it." Danny turned the taxi around in the Cotton Exchange parking lot. "I thought we hated him?"

"I think he's right and I might need him, unless I want to live with Buck for the rest of my life, which I don't."

"I could protect you." He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "You know I'm here for you. After all we've been through together; I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"That's very sweet and I appreciate it, but we need to resolve this. Angellus is a good man and probably a good detective. But I need someone to work outside the system. I don't want anyone to protect me for the rest of my life. We have to find out what's happening and why."

"Okay. I didn't want you to feel like you had to ask that scumball for help. You have amigos, MC. You know that, right?"

"Yes, thank you." She squeezed his shoulder. She couldn't find the words to tell him that Charlie might end up being more than a friend. She knew the signs were there but she was resisting this time. Maybe she wasn't ready for another romance yet. Or it was just the circumstance of their meeting.

Charlie lived in an old house that had been made over into what looked like four apartments. His name was on one of the top floor mailboxes when they checked the door. Mary Catherine had insisted she'd be fine, but Danny had come with her anyway. She pressed the buzzer by Charlie's name and they waited.

After another two tries on the buzzer, Charlie's voice called out, "What do you want?"

"It's Mary Catherine. You said I could call on you. Can I come up?"

There was no response for a long moment. Finally his voice rasped, "Come on. I'll buzz you in."

Danny opened the door as the buzzer sounded. Mary Catherine put one hand on his shoulder. "I think I should go up alone."

"That's loco! I should go up with you. You don't even have Baylor to claw his eyes out if he messes with you."

Baylor's sentiments echoed his from the taxi where she'd left him. "I'll be fine. I'm a good judge of people. You and Baylor wait down here, please."

He shrugged. "All right. But I don't like it. What if he's the guy who attacked you at your apartment and Baylor is wrong?"

"I don't think he is. But I think he can help solve what's going on. I haven't treated him very well and I want to talk to him alone." Mary Catherine smiled and walked into the old house, the ornate stained glass door closing lightly behind her.

MARY CATHERINE STARTED UP the steep stairway, looking at the crisscross network of stairs above her. She'd already looked for an elevator; there was none. By the time she'd reached the first landing, she wished she'd sent Baylor and Danny instead.

She was breathing hard by the time she reached Charlie's door. She pounded on it and the door came open. "Charlie?" She wasn't sure if she should go in.

"I'm here," he said in an unsteady voice.

The room was dark but Mary Catherine could see the outline of furniture and clothes strewn everywhere. It was nothing more than a large living room that was made into a sitting area, kitchen, and bedroom. She could fit all of it into her sitting room. There was a bad smell that reminded her of a cheap bar: whiskey and cigar smoke. Was she in the right place?

"Sorry the place is such a mess."

She tried to tell from the direction of the voice where Charlie was located. It was definitely his voice but she didn't believe he lived here. Something seemed wrong-or maybe she thought she knew him better than she did. Lucky thing for her she was taking her time and being cautious at this stage of her life. "Where are you?"

"Actually, I think I made a mistake. You should go."

"Charlie, I made it up the stairs, I think I can handle seeing you. What's wrong?"

"I think I know who hurt you; who was looking through your apartment."

She tried again to peer through the darkness. It was no use. She could see the outline of a window behind a large blind. She walked over and lifted it, sunlight streaming into the room.

"What the hell did you do that for?"

Mary Catherine pulled the blind open all the way and made sure it was secure. "I think you need to take a shower and I'll make some coffee. Then we'll talk." "

I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time now. I'm not a rescue animal you can understand."

"We'll talk about that when you get out of the shower." She ignored him and started cleaning her way through the room. She wasn't much of a housekeeper herself and understood a certain amount of disorder, but this was ridiculous. There were week-old pizza boxes heaped on top of two-week-old Chinese carry-out. No wonder the place reeked.

Charlie's puppy whined from the corner of the kitchen area. She bent down to stroke him and see if he had any idea what was going on. Baxter was sad and confused. His relationship with Charlie was good, but the man was unhappy. Was there anything Mary Catherine could do to make him happy?

She wasn't sure. When she looked up, Charlie was standing beside her. He hadn't shaved and his eyes were bloodshot. From her wilder days, she knew he was hung over. Empty Jim Beam bottles on the counter told their own story.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here because you said you'd help me." She stood up straight and stared back at him. Baxter was right. He was a mess. She'd seen worse, but not in a long time.

"Didn't you hear me? I think I know who hurt you and I'm pretty sure I led him to you."

She bustled away from him, giving herself the excuse of looking for coffee. "I'm sure you didn't mean to. You've been very kind to me. I know you wouldn't hurt me."

"I'm not so sure." He ran his hand across the dark stubble on his face. "These days I'd do anything for money. It wasn't always like that. This damn curse of knowing things ahead of time has ruined my life."

"Maybe. But I know you can help me. The police can't. I need you to pull yourself together, Charlie. I know what it's like to know things other people don't know. I know what it's like to be ridiculed for it. I wasn't always a world-famous talk show host, you know. I've had some dark days. There have been whole years I didn't see daylight. I know what blackness looks like inside."

His eyes assessed her face. "So I was right. You're here to save me from myself. I knew it the first time I saw you.

She laughed. "I've never tried to save a human being. I don't know for sure that you need saving. But I know I need your expertise and I'm sorry I doubted you. Will you help me?"

He stood there for so long, not moving or speaking, she didn't know if he was going to agree to help her. Finally, he nodded. "All right. I'll get dressed. But you don't have to clean up while I'm gone. It might not be much of a life, but it's the only one I have. Save me some dignity at least."

"I'll make some coffee."

"I think the pot's over there." He pointed toward a pile of clothes and food containers that seemed to be on a tiny stove. "Coffee is above it in the cabinet."

Mary Catherine didn't move until she heard the water running in the shower. She really hated that she wasn't as drawn to Buck with his big house and fat bank account as she was to Charlie with his messy apartment and obvious issues with society. She'd always made the right choices with the men in her life. They were wealthy and good to her. She loved every one of them and felt they'd enriched her life. She wasn't sure if she could be the guiding light in the darkness for a man like Charlie.

She fed Baxter and made a pot of coffee. She wasn't sure about that either, since she never made coffee at home. She wished there was a coffee shop she could pop out to and come back with a cup, but she did her best with what she had.

Danny called and she assured him and Baylor that everything was all right. She might still be a while so if he had any pressing engagements or wanted to take a fare or two, that would be fine. "With the cat?" Danny asked. "I don't think my fares would like that. When are you coming down?"

"As soon as I can. Charlie is ... sick."

"Okay. I'm supposed to run a package out to the airport. I'll do that and come back for you."

"Thank you. You're the best. Baylor, behave yourself or no extra tuna tonight."

The cat meowed loudly, unhappy with her threat and not afraid to give her one of his own; it was very unpleasant trying to sleep with a cat jumping up on you.

Mary Catherine ignored him and closed her cell phone. She looked in the tiny refrigerator but there was nothing to eat. Charlie looked like he needed food as much as he needed coffee. She finally found a box of Rice-a-Roni in the cabinet and while that wasn't what she had in mind, it was better than nothing. She found a dirty pan and washed it. By the time Charlie emerged from the bathroom, it was nearly cooked.

He sniffed appreciatively. "You found food?"

"I'm pretty good at that." She brushed an angry spider out of a coffee cup she found hanging on the wall. "That and talking to animals. And marrying well. Those seem to be my gifts."

She poured him a cup of coffee and found a plate for the rice. Charlie looked and smelled better as he sat down at the table she'd uncovered. "You know, I wouldn't have taken you for a domestic kind of woman."

"Oh? What kind of woman do you think I am?"