In Deep Shitake (A Humorous Romantic Suspense) (14 page)

“Turn left at the next light.” Mo shook her head as if it would clear away the confusion. “I mean I just can’t believe it.”

“Would you please stop saying that?”

“I can’t.”

Ross made a production of turning his head so he could glare at her.

“Well, I can’t. For one thing, Clarence couldn’t have been more than ten years old when your movie came out.”

“Thanks,” Ross said wryly. The light turned green, allowing him to drive the car forward again.

“Not that you’re old.” Mo smiled.

He turned the car onto the street that would lead them over the
Talmadge
Bridge. “You’re making me feel ever so much better.”

“You know, they say fifty is the new thirty.”

“I’m only forty.”

“Really?” Mo tried to sound naïve, even as she suppressed a chuckle. He was so fun to tease. She relented at his sour expression. “Oh come on, you know you’re devastatingly attractive.”

He
grinned
“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, and you look younger than your age. You don’t look a day over … thirty-nine.”

A laugh broke from Ross. “You are a brat, aren’t you? If I wasn’t driving this car I’d—”

Mo felt goose bumps creep up her body as she waited for him to finish. But she was never to hear the end of that provocative
threat.The
trill of her cell phone ringer interrupted his words.

 
“The Love Boat theme?” Ross chuckled.

For once Mo found the cell phone at the top of the junk pile that was the contents of her purse.

“Yeah, just my little job related joke.” Looking at the caller I.D. she frowned. “Oh pickles, it’s Harry.”

Harry didn’t wait for a greeting. “Mo, you missed your meeting with that new client.”

“Shitake.” Mo looked at her watch: 2:30 p.m. “I’m sorry, Harry. Can you reschedule? I was following up on Clarence and… it’s a long story.”

“Don’t tell me it’s going to get us bad publicity or—worse yet—sued? I'd fire you for real.” Harriet’s voice was loud enough to carry out of the phone and was audible inside the car.

“Hello, Harry,” Ross called to her from the driver’s seat.

“Who’s that with you? As if I didn’t already know,” Harry muttered. “I suppose he knows about my little performance earlier.”

“Yes, but everything is fine. He’s hired me to do an investigation.” Mo glanced apologetically at Ross. If there was anything that would distract Harry it was the idea of a paying client.

“Really?” her boss asked gleefully. “How’s it going?”

“Okay. Except we’ve got this horrible reporter, Stewart Milton, hounding us.”

“You can provide the details later,” Harry assured her. “I’ll handle the new client.”

“Great.” Mo would rather stay with Ross...because of business of course.

“But there’s a price.” Mo heard the merriment in
Harry's
voice even over the cell phone towers.

“Oh no! Not that.”

“Yes. You have to watch one episode of Survival and talk about it with me for at least ten minutes.”

Mo groaned. “No. That’s too cruel. I thought you were my friend.”

“I am. But I’m also your boss and your boss wants you to watch Survival."

“And my friend?”

“Your friend wants you to enjoy watching it.”

“Yeah, right,” Mo groused.

“You have fun with the super spy, honey,” Harriet teased. “But don’t get us sued.” This time she was serious.

Mo was silent when she hung up. How was she going to explain her harebrained claim to Ross? She didn’t know what had led her to tell such a flaming lie to Harry. Mo realized that somewhere during the conversation with Harriet she had become afraid that her boss would order her to abandon the Clarence thing and meet with the new client. Mo had said the first thing that had come to mind that would allow her to stay with Ross for a little longer. Bananas.

The car was almost over the bridge now. “Turn right when you get to the bottom,” she said.

“What was all that about?” Ross asked.

“Harry loves reality shows. She just can’t find anyone she can talk to about them. Anyway, it’s ridiculous. Don’t worry. I’ve survived episodes of Survival before. I can do it again,” she assured him.

There was silence in the car.
Neato
. Ross had totally missed that comment about him hiring her for an investigation.

“So I’ve hired you for an investigation?” Ross asked with a quirk to his lips. He really seemed pleased. “Well, I suppose I’ll just consider it as something along the lines of the old saying: keep your friends close and your enemies…in a dog house where they belong.”

She laughed.

“All right then," Ross continued. "I suppose being the client affords me certain privileges. Naturally, I give the orders. Oh yes, I’m fairly certain that I’m going to enjoy this.”

She’d created a monster.

The convention center’s parking lot came into view and was a veritable sea of vehicles. Ross parked the Mercedes as far from any other car as was possible which meant a long hike into the building.

They scanned the crowd in front of them.

“How on earth are we going to find your Clarence in this mob? I don’t even know what the bloke looks like.”

“Fortunately, I have connections,” Mo replied.

* * * * *

Getting in couldn’t have been any easier if they’d used his celebrity status to gain easier access. Mo and Ross walked directly to the front of the line of conventioneers waiting to get in and then the female security guard, who seemed to know Mo, ushered them forward. A ticket or pass was unnecessary. At a door that read "Security Personnel Only", Mo barely paused before entering.

Inside, the guard glanced in their direction.

“Hi, Mo,” the guard greeted and then turned his gaze back to the bank of television monitors, each of which displayed an area of the enormous building and its grounds. Most monitors showed the throng of costumed people crowding the main halls.

The only other occupant was a young man, in a blue dress shirt and khakis, typing on a computer keyboard at a desk in the corner of the room.

When he spotted them, the young man jumped up before moving toward them with a smile. “What are you doing here?” He grabbed Mo and pulled into a hug.

Ross appraised the stranger as he would if he were casting an actor for a part. The young man was tall, tan and muscular. He had short brown hair and green eyes that sparkled. This man could easily be cast as a male model or professional athlete.

“
Hola
, Leo.” Mo kissed him on the cheek.

Ross had an instant dislike for the stranger who seemed so friendly with Mo.

“How’s my baby brother today?” She pulled away and then smiled back at Leo.

Baby brother? Ross liked him better already.

“I’m here to get a favor from my favorite sibling,” Mo said, lightly punching Leo in the arm.

“I’m your only sibling,” Leo replied.

“A mere technicality.” Mo laughed. “We’re trying to find someone in this horde.” She motioned to the monitors. “You know Clarence from the agency?”

“Yeah. Squirrelly guy. And who’s he?” Leo asked, looking at Ross. Sudden recognition struck. “Hey, you’re—”

Ross felt himself inhale and stiffen for the blow.

“Ross Grant.”

He exhaled in pleased relief.

Leo held out his hand and then Ross clasped it in a firm shake.

“Yes, that’s right,”
Ross
said.

“I thought your portrayal of that doctor battling drug addiction in High Medicine was inspiring.”

Mo’s expression was pricelessly surprised.

“Thank you,” Ross said with what he knew must be a
sillysmile
. “It’s very refreshing to have someone mention any of my work apart from the Stephen Dagger character.”

Leo grinned. “Oh.
The Stephen Dagger character.
I remember a certain poster…” He looked archly at Mo who glared in return.

Her expression said “Don’t you dare.”

Ross wondered what she didn’t want her brother to say?

* * * * *

Mo knew she would have to kill her brother if he kept this up. He could tell she was squirming and he thought her discomfort was oh so funny. Leo knew very well that Mo wouldn’t want Ross hearing about the Stephen Dagger poster she once had. No doubt, if he wanted to, Leo could phrase the disclosure of the information for Mo’s maximum discomfort.

With a gleam in his eye, Leo opened his mouth.

“
Dammit
.” The old guard at the monitors swore and stood up. “Those animal characters in the Japanese anime room are at it again. They seem to think this is some kind of plushy convention.” The guard grabbed a walkie-talkie from the desk. He marched toward the door and then threw it open. “And those temporary guys we hired are on break again. Great. Just great. This is the fifth time today that I’ve had to break up a furry orgy,” he groused.

“Go ahead,” Leo said. “I’ll keep an eye on the monitors.”

“Stupid fur balls,” the guard muttered as he pulled the door shut behind him.

“Where were we? Oh yes, I was reminiscing about the Stephen Dagger poster,” Leo said. “I remember seeing that poster—”

“Never mind that. We need to find Clarence,” Mo interrupted. “He probably arrived about an hour ago.”

Leo allowed himself to be diverted. Mo knew she was going to hear about this later. He would claim she owed him big time.

“It shouldn’t be hard to find him if he’s here.” Leo returned to his computer to sit down. A few keystrokes later, he brought up a digital image of the line of conventioneers at the entrance to the center. At the front of the line was a Freddie Kruger look-a-like. Behind him stood a
wookie
. And behind him was...son of a
buscuit
!

“Is that a live image?” Mo asked.

Leo nodded.

“Why? What do you see?” Ross asked coming closer. “Is it Clarence?”

“No. It’s nothing,” Mo answered, waving at Leo to continue running the cameras.

A click of the mouse and the images moved to fast rewind. The line of conventioneers moved backward. Should she tell Ross she’d seen Milton waiting to get in? No. Such a revelation would open a whole new set of issues. She would just have to make sure they avoided the reporter.

Leo glanced over his shoulder. “Are you Mo’s boyfriend?”

“No,” Mo shouted. Lowering her voice, she said, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Lover?”

“Leo. Shut the duck up.”