Part 15 (2/2)

”On the contrary, everything he fed me was absolutely delicious.” She leaned in close and fairly purred, ”And dessert at his place was to die for. A man with good taste who can cook. He's a rare gem, that one.”

”Ah, yes, he's something.” My jaw ached from clenching it so tight. ”Then why are you here?”

”For the game, of course.”

”But I thought it was a gentleman's game only.”

She arched a shapely blond eyebrow. ”Darling, I've got money to burn, and I'm quite entertaining. What gentleman do you know who would turn me down?”

I couldn't argue with her there.

”The more intriguing question is, what are you doing here, standing by Mr. Pendleton's BMW?”

”Admiring the model. Although this vehicle isn't half as impressive as your car.”

”Thank you for noticing. I'm rather fond of Martin myself. Wasn't that your adorable little . . . bug . . . I saw back at the Laundromat?”

I smirked. ”Why, yes. Yes, it was my cute little bug. At least my good ole Punch is reliable, unlike my home appliances. My washer broke, so I was doing some laundry.”

”I get that, but that still doesn't explain why you're here.”

”I took a walk while my clothes are drying.”

”Impressive. That's quite a ways to walk, especially at night with the streets being unsafe and all.”

”Don't you worry. I can take care of myself. Or if I get into any real sc.r.a.pes, I'll simply call Mitch.e.l.l.”

”Hmmm, well, lucky you.”

”Aren't I, though?” I wrinkled my nose.

Her smile stiffened, and then she tipped her head slightly to the side. ”It was a pleasure, Ms. Meadows. If you'll excuse me, I have a game to win.”

”Good luck.”

”Darling, didn't your mother teach you anything? Luck has nothing to do with it.” Her tinkling laughter trilled out behind her as she strutted into the restaurant with a walk she must have been perfecting all her life.

I spun on my heels and stomped away, counting to one hundred. Mitch.e.l.l had some explaining to do. Dessert at his place? I mean, come on. That was going a little above the call of duty in my book.

I kept marching along, realizing the walk was much farther than I had first thought. The snow was coming down in droves now, a storm beginning to rage outside, matching the one churning in my insides. I really needed to get some snow tires. My bug would have a hard time getting me home in one piece at this rate.

I inhaled deeply and tried to take my mind off the weather and one truly infuriating detective. I thought back to the phone call Alex Pendleton had received. It had sounded like whoever was on the other end of the line had been pressuring him to make the deal go through.

Had Alex been desperate enough to kill for it? After all, he had said the truth could not come out and he would never survive jail. I still needed some hard evidence to link him to the murder. Hopefully, the device I'd planted under his seat would turn up something more concrete. In the meantime, I'd keep digging.

A weird feeling crept over me, like someone was watching me. I had almost made it back to the Laundromat, but I could swear someone was following me. I'd been too distracted to notice before, but I was definitely getting that eyes-burning-into-my-back kind of feeling now.

I picked up the pace. I couldn't even call for help. In my haste to sneak into Pendleton's car, I'd grabbed the bugging device but had forgotten my cell phone at home. Not too smart for a detective. Then again, no matter what Captain Walker said, I wasn't a real detective. Just an amateur sleuth. Launching myself into a jog, I glanced behind me and was certain I saw a shadow duck behind a building.

My jog became a sprint, and I dropped my keys as I dug them out of my pocket. Unlike Pendleton, I still locked my car even in Divinity. Force of habit I was regretting at the moment. Scrambling to pick them up, my hands shook as I unlocked my bug. I checked the backseat to make sure I was alone, then threw myself inside. I slammed the door, quickly locked it, and frantically searched the street but didn't see anyone.

I took a moment to wilt down in my seat. When I caught my breath, I turned the key in the ignition and thanked the good Lord for letting my old bug sputter to life. I pulled away from the curb and began to navigate the snow through town toward my house. Looking in the rearview mirror, I did a double take. A car was following right on my behind. I couldn't get a good look at the make or model or even the driver, so I decided to test my theory.

I turned down a random street, and sure enough, the car followed. A few blocks more, I turned down another street, and once again, the car followed. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. I hadn't imagined anything. Someone really was following me.

Stomping on the gas, I barreled down another street and tried to lose my stalker. I wasn't even sure what street I was on anymore, I just knew I had to get away. My winds.h.i.+eld wipers whipped wildly back and forth now, but I still couldn't see through the blinding snow very well.

I turned onto what I thought was another side street, went right over the median in the center of town, and into the park. I clipped a tree, went into a 360-degree sideways skid, and ran smack-dab in the middle of an enormous s...o...b..nk.

The car behind me stopped, and someone got out. I could barely make out the shape of a human being walking toward my car. I yanked on the handle and heaved my body against the car door, trying to open it. Finally it gave way, and I jumped out, slamming myself into the guy until I lay flat on top of him.

I raised my fist and got ready to pummel him good when a deep voice said, ”Tink, what the h.e.l.l are you doing?”

”D-Detective Stone?” I stuttered in shock, staring down into dark eyes that haunted my sleep, and then I scowled. ”Me? What I'd like to know is what the h.e.l.l are you doing . . . Mitch.e.l.l.”

14.

I scrambled off the top of Mitch and got to my feet to inspect my car. ”Great,” I said as I circled her, and then gasped. ”Oh my G.o.d, look at the dent in the side. The pink flower is all crinkled.”

”Relax, Tink. Big Don can pop that right out.” Mitch stood and brushed all the snow off his jeans. ”Why were you driving like a bat out of h.e.l.l in this weather?”

”Because you were chasing me. Not too smart in this weather, Spanky. I could have ended up cras.h.i.+ng through the ice, and it would have been all your fault.” I jabbed a finger in his direction. ”I thought you were the killer.”

”My fault? You shouldn't have been out in these conditions, anyway. I was making a final round to ensure no crazy fool was in trouble. I should have known better.” He threw his hands up in the air and then paused. ”Hold on, back up a minute. Why would the killer be after you?”

”h.e.l.lo, I am still a suspect, and I was the last person to see Amanda Robbins alive. Maybe the killer is afraid she told me something incriminating before she died.”

His face grew concerned. ”Has anything else happened?”

”Um, well, no.” I couldn't tell him about the digoxin in my cupboard and pocket. It sounded too suspicious for even me to believe. But I could tell him about my stalker. I would feel better if at least one other person was aware I could be in danger. ”Someone was following me when I was walking from Nikko's back to the Laundromat, though.”

”Are you sure?” He studied me.

”Positive. I saw their shadow duck behind a building.”

”Are you crazy, Tink? You have no way of protecting yourself.” He glared at me, shoving a hand through his hair. ”You must be trying to get yourself killed.”

”Oh please. I was fine.” I wasn't stupid. I had the pepper spray I'd borrowed from his apartment, but I couldn't exactly tell him that without suffering the consequences.

”You weigh nothing.” He gestured toward my body with his hands. ”A strong wind could break you in two.”

”Um, no, that would be my mother,” I said, feeling a warm rush wash over me following the path of his eyes. ”I enjoy food way too much.”

”You'd never know it.” He started pacing, and I could literally see the wheels turning in his mind. ”Speaking of food, who was with you at Nikko's?”

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