Maggie Lee (Book 11): The Hitwoman Hires a Manny (4 page)

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me."

Before he could explain, the waitress arrived, delivering his heaping plate of food, and my sandwich. "You haven't eaten your pickles," she pouted prettily.

"Saving the best for last," he answered easily.

"Need anything else?"

I half-expected her to give him her phone number on the spot.

He shook his head. "We're good."

Shrugging, she walked away.

I systematically spread mayonnaise on the bread of my sandwich, waiting for him to get to his point.

Instead of finishing his story, he began to eat his burger.

I took a bite of my sandwich, and chewed. My nervousness made it taste like chalk.

Finally, when he'd finished half the burger, he started talking again. “As bad as he was, he was good at not getting caught. Until one day, a thief with a conscience, who was probably trying to save his own ass, ratted him out."

"I still don't understand why you’re telling me this."

“Arnold swore that once he got out of prison, he would make the guy pay," Jack continued relentlessly. He waited a second, letting that sink in.

A pit gaped in my stomach, as I put together the pieces. He said this was about my family. Was it my father who'd helped to put Arnold away?

I put down my sandwich and folded my hands in front of me, trying to appear calm. "What’s he saying?"

He shrugged, and looked around again to make sure no one was listening. Leaning closer he whispered, "How well do you know the guy your aunt is engaged to?"

Stunned, I sat back in my seat. "Templeton?"

Jack nodded.

I tried to digest the new information. Sure, I'd always known something about Templeton was sketchy, but overall, he'd been decent to me. Still, it made a certain kind of sense, that he was a thief with a conscience. "You're sure…?"

Jack shrugged a shoulder. "At one point, he had quite the life of crime."

I frowned, knowing that it probably wasn't past tense. After all, I knew he frequented a poker game with known criminals, and he was overly fond of visiting the local pawn shop. I didn't say any of this to Jack, I just sat silently, trying to make sense of my thoughts.

He ate some more of his burger, quietly waiting.

I wondered if it was some sort of reporter’s trick. Staying silent in the hopes that someone would inadvertently blab something useful.

Finally, popping a French fry into his mouth, he asked, "You okay?"

I nodded.

"I know it's probably a lot to take in, especially with your dad and all."

I studied his face, trying to figure out exactly what he was getting at. It was pretty common knowledge that my dad, Archie Lee, had lived quite the life of crime. Petty crime mostly. What wasn't common knowledge was that he's now in the Witness Protection Program. Not that he did anything to get him there himself, it's a deal I cut for him.

"Loretta will be heartbroken," I said finally.

"Maybe she likes the bad boys," Jack teased lightly.

Considering she'd once been married to one of the biggest drug dealers in town, he was probably right, but I didn't tell him that.

"I don't know why you're telling me all of this now." I picked up my sandwich and took a bite, determined to not let him know how much it upset me.

Jack sighed. "Because Arnold is getting out of prison. I'm worried that he'll go after the guy who put him there, and that you'll get caught in the crossfire."

There was none of his usual sarcasm in his voice. He seemed sincere.

"Thanks for letting me know." I reached across the table and stole one of his French fries.

He lowered his head and shook it, chuckling softly.

"What?" I demanded.

He looked up at me. "Any other woman, I tell that a violent criminal may be stalking a member of her household, would freak out. Your only response is to keep eating."

I shrugged. "It takes more than that to make me hysterical."

His smile faded. "Does it take more than that to make you concerned?"

I shook my head. "I'm worried. I'll talk to Templeton."

"And what's that going to do?"

"I don't know. But I'm sitting in a diner, and you've just given me this news, so it's the only plan I have at the moment."

Chapter Three

I was still mulling over what to do about Templeton when I returned to the B&B. As I pulled into the driveway, I realized that Aunt Susan was preparing to plant flowers around the house. Plastic bags filled with topsoil dotted the yard. I made a mental note to try to make sure I wasn’t around when she began the work. I had no desire to get pulled into her latest beautification project.

I knew something was up the moment I walked inside. The place practically reverberated with excited energy.

"Is that you?" Aunt Loretta called.

"If you mean, is it Maggie, then yes," I replied.

"Stay right there. Stay where you are," Aunt Leslie ordered.

I stayed in the kitchen.

"Maggie?" a high-pitched female voice whined.

I walked over to the door that led to the basement, and whispered, "I'll be down as soon as I can.”

DeeDee, my Doberman pinscher, sighed heavily on the other side of the door, as though I were asking her to wait decades not minutes.

"Hungry," she complained.

"The beast is always hungry," God opined from his spot between my breasts.

"Can you both just cut it out?" I had the feeling that I wasn't going to like whatever Leslie and Loretta were up to.

Loretta’s stilettos clicked toward me.

I did my best to school my face into a neutral expression.

She stuck her head in the doorway, and waved a silk scarf, like it was a flag of surrender.

I had no idea what that meant.

"Cover your eyes," she demanded.

"Why?"

"So as not to ruin the surprise."

My stomach lurched. Surprises in my family were rarely good. "I'm good without the blindfold."

She shook her head. "I insist."

Grudgingly, I took the length of fabric and tied it around my head so that my eyes were covered. "Happy?"

She took my arm to guide me out of the room and I almost retched at the scent of her sickeningly sweet perfume. The effect of which was magnified by the loss of my sight. "This way."

We shuffled awkwardly down the hallway, until we reached the sitting room.

"I hope you like it," Loretta said.

"Like what?"

"It's going to be a shock," Leslie warned.

Bile burned the base of my throat. Whatever this was, it wasn't good. I fought the urge to rip off the blindfold, and run away screaming. Clenching my fists, I forced myself to keep breathing.

"I'll take it off on three." I felt Loretta move closer to me.

I braced myself. I tried to remember all the terrible things I'd survived recently: the car accident, Katie's condition, some messed up assassination attempts. I'd survived them all and whatever this was I would survive it.

"One," Loretta whispered in my ear.

"Breathe," Marlene urged.

I cocked my head in the direction of my sister. "You're in on this too?"

"Two," Loretta practically cooed.

I took Marlene's advice, and sucked in some oxygen, certain I was going to need it when I witnessed whatever this big reveal was.

"Three!" Loretta shouted, tearing off the blindfold.

I blinked, trying to make sense of what I saw. The normally antique-filled sitting room had been transformed into a fairyland. Gauzy pink curtains hung from the windows, a pink shaggy throw carpet covered most of the floor, and a canopy-covered bed took center stage.

"Do you like it?" Leslie asked nervously.

I focused on the pile of stuffed animals covering the bed, their plastic eyes stared back at me, willing me to say I loved them.

"I told you she doesn't like surprises," Marlene said softly.

I swung my gaze around the room, taking in a toy chest, television, and bookcase. "Where did everything go?"

"It's in storage," Loretta explained.

"We thought this was the best option for Katie." Aunt Leslie patted the bed. "This way, you won't have to carry her up any stairs. We even changed the powder room for her. Would you like to see?"

I nodded, allowing Loretta to lead me toward the bathroom. Gone were the lace-trimmed finger towels and French milled soap. They had been replaced by Princess towels and bubblegum flavored toothpaste.

"It's a-amazing," I stuttered.

"Most of the things are from her old room," Loretta said. "We thought that by bringing them here, it might make it feel more like home."

A knot of guilt closed off my throat rendering me speechless.

"We thought for sure you were on to us," Loretta said, leading me back into the room. "Especially that time when you saw Templeton and I removing the painting."

I swallowed hard, and forced words out. "I don't know how to thank you. I couldn't do this without you. I – –" I took a shuddering gasp, trying to ward off the tears that threatened to silence me.

"That's what family is for," Leslie said softly. "We're here to help you in any way we can."

"Besides," Marlene rushed to my side and hugged me tightly, "we couldn't do this without you."

Loretta patted my arm. "Now tell me, how did you like your first day at The Corset?"

Chapter Four

I must admit that I was feeling pretty good when I ran down the stairs and into the basement. I felt supported by my family, and the logistics of bringing Katie home from the hospital suddenly seemed less daunting.

"Gotta! Gotta!” DeeDee panted.

I hurried across the basement, climbed a couple of stairs, and threw open the storm cellar door, so that she could get outside and relieve herself.

"I don't know why she carries on, your boyfriend was here, and he let her out earlier," Piss, my one-eyed cat, drawled.

"Patrick?" I asked, looking to see what he'd left me.

"Do you have another boyfriend?" God mocked from my chest.

"Out," I ordered. Stalking over to his terrarium, I pushed the lid aside, and dumped him, rather unceremoniously, inside.

"Sensitive skin," he grumbled.

"Oversized ego," I countered.

"Under the pillow," Piss purred, answering the question I hadn't even voiced.