Maggie Lee (Book 7): The Hitwoman and the 7 Cops (4 page)

“Don’t you dare defend that man,” Susan railed. “It’s bad enough when your mother does it, but you don’t get to do it too.”

“Leave the child alone,” Loretta admonished. “She’s right. We don’t know it’s Archie’s fault.”

“We don’t know? We don’t know?”

Both men in the front of the vehicle flinched as Susan’s voice hit a note that set my teeth on edge.

“What we know is that every time he comes back into our lives, every single time, something terrible happens.”

“Not every time,” Loretta corrected, twisting the mascara-blackened tissue she’d used to blot away her tears.

“Name one. Name one time.”

In a misguided attempt to keep the peace, or maybe he was trying to protect his eardrums, the marshal entered the fray. “Ladies, we don’t know—”

“We know. We
know!
” Susan screeched.

I shrunk down in my seat, wishing I were anywhere else besides there.

“Sit up, Margaret.” Susan grabbed my shoulder and tugged upward as though that would fix my posture.

“Why are they going this way?” Loretta fretted. “They should have taken Dogwood to Elm.”

“I’m sure the ambulance can find its way to the hospital just fine,” I soothed, deciding it was more appealing to deal with her hysterics than the ravings of Susan.

She patted my hand gratefully. “Of course you’re right, dear.”

Susan couldn’t help but butt in with, “Just like I’m right about Archie.”

“Will you please just
shut
up?” I requested in a roaring whisper.

“Margaret! You weren’t raised to be so disrespectful.”

“I said
please
,” I reminded her.

“Girls—” Loretta dabbed ineffectually at fresh tears.

Susan and I rounded on each other and said in unison, “Now look what you’ve done.”

We stared at each other accusingly; each convinced we were in the right. Who knows how long our duel would have lasted if the sound of laughter hadn’t drifted to us from the front seat.

Incredulously, I turned to discover the source. Detective Bashful’s shoulders were shaking uncontrollably as he leaned over the steering wheel.

“Young man,” Susan warned indignantly.

Imagining how it all must have looked and sounded from his perspective, I found myself chuckling to.

“Don’t you encourage—” Susan huffed.

Unable to hold back any longer, the shy detective guffawed. “She said
please
.”

“Knock it off, Brian,” the marshal warned sternly, even as the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

The detective’s laughter was contagious and Loretta and I joined him.  Susan, crossing her arms over her chest, sat ramrod straight, turning her head and pretending to stare out the side window. Mike did his professional best to hide his smile behind his hand. The rest of the trip passed in blessed silence.

When we arrived at the emergency room, Loretta and Susan jumped out of the car and were accompanied by the marshal inside. I, glad for any break, stayed in the car while Brian parked.

“I wasn’t laughing at you,” he apologized as we crossed the parking lot.

“Sure you were. Who could blame you? My family’s antics are something to behold.”

“You should see mine.”

I glanced over at him. Now that he’d gotten over his initial nervousness, I noticed he was a good-looking guy with an engaging smile.  “Susan’s not totally wrong. Bad things do tend to happen when my father’s around.”

“But you were the one who got his Witness Protection deal, weren’t you?’

I shrugged. “He’s still my dad.”

“I get that.”

“I really have no idea where he is.”

He nodded, motioning for me to walk through the hospital’s automatic door first. “Uncle Larry said he didn’t think you would.”

I came to an abrupt halt and whirled around. “Uncle Larry?”

He hung his head sheepishly.

“You’re not Mike’s brother?”

“Cousins.”

“And they let you work together?”

A guarded expression shadowed his gaze. “Special circumstances.”

“Archie Lee is that big a deal?”

“No, but the Lubovsky family is.” Something in his tone made me think that there was something he wasn’t sharing, but before I could ask, Loretta hurried up to us.

“Good news,” she enthused breathlessly.

Aunt Susan, arms still crossed, followed a pace behind. “He’s not going to die,” she said drily. She didn’t sound enthused about the update.

I mustered some faux enthusiasm. “That’s wonderful.”

Susan rolled her eyes and marched away as Loretta enveloped me in a bear hug.

I wrinkled my nose as I was assaulted by her too strong, too sweet perfume. I hugged her in return and then stepped back, desperate for some air.

“They’re going to keep him overnight for observation, but they say once they’re done stitching him up, I can go see him.”

Plastering on a smile, I nodded. “Wonderful.”

My jeans pocket buzzed and I flashed a sincere grin. “Gotta take this.” I pulled out the cell phone. Glancing at the display, I realized I didn’t recognize the number. I felt a surge of hope. Maybe Patrick had found DeeDee.

Walking away a few paces, I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello.”

“Greetings, Ms. Lee.”

A shiver snaked down my spine as I recognized the cultured voice of the woman on the other end. “Ms. Whitehat” as she liked to be called, worked for a mysterious organization… and blackmailed me to do work for them occasionally.

“This isn’t a good time,” I said quickly.

“I’d imagine not, what with a U.S. Marshal and a police detective standing within earshot.”

I closed my eyes, feeling sick to my stomach. She seemed to always know exactly what was going on in my life.

Before I knew what was happening, a hand was pressed to my lips silently, and someone was trying to pry the phone from my fingers. Opening my eyes, I hung onto the phone and glared at Marshal Griswald.

Luckily I had a free hand and he didn’t. Batting away the fingers that covered my mouth, I said quickly, to warn Ms. Whitehat, “I’m telling you I don’t want your stupid subscription.”

Mike yanked the phone from me and pressed it to his ear. His eyes grew wide as he listened to what she said. He glanced at me with a mixture of surprise and revulsion.

My heart sank. Whatever Whitehat was telling him, he was obviously shocked. She could be telling him about my contract killer status, or Archie’s location, or what had happened to Templeton.

Thrusting the phone back at me without making eye contact, he hurried away and down the hall. I watched him disappear before I raised the phone back toward my head. “What did you say to him?”

She laughed, not a pleasant tinkling sound, but something rough and almost metallic… like she was rusty at performing the action.

“I told him that it was time to renew your subscription to
Piggy Magazine
.”

“What?”

“It’s got all the latest news for competitive eating enthusiasts.”

“Oh,” I said slowly. “Thanks I guess.”

“Your secrets are safe for now, Ms. Lee. If you want them to stay that way, you’ll have to do something for me.”

Leaning against the wall, knowing I wasn’t going to like the request, I watched Susan and Loretta bickering in the distance, being watched carefully by Brian. “What?”

“I need you to save a cop.”

Another cop?

Who was going to save me?

Chapter Five

I didn’t have time to worry about saving myself because the moment Ms. Whitehat delivered her decree and disconnected the call, I felt someone tugging on my sleeve.

Turning to find Aunt Loretta nibbling on her lower lip like a bunny with a carrot, I asked, “Is something bothering you?”

She nodded, glancing up and down the hall furtively.

“Please tell me you’re not hiding my father.”

“Of course not. I just don’t want those men to overhear.”

“Hear what?” I leaned back against the wall, anticipating I’d need the support when she finally got around to saying whatever it was she was so nervous about.

“I think it might have been Leo,” she confessed on a whisper.

“Who?”

“Leo. My ex.”

Aunt Loretta had a lot of exes, so it was kind of hard to keep track of who was who. I smiled at her gently. “Which one is he again?”

“Leo.”

It took all my self-restraint to keep from raising my gaze skyward. I exhaled slowly before saying as pleasantly as I could, “So you’ve said, but without a context, I’m having trouble placing him.”

“Leo. The one who wants The Corset. You know, the store you’re supposed to be helping me save.”

I nodded, wondering why I’d ever agreed to try to help Loretta keep her beloved lingerie shop out of the clutches of this Leo fellow. It’s not like I even like lingerie. My idea of nice sleepwear is an oversized T-shirt that doesn’t have holes or coffee stains. Most of mine have coffee stains, not that it matters, because it’s not like anyone ever sees them.

“Have you found it yet?” Loretta prodded.

“A sleep shirt?”

“The deed. You said you’d help me find it.”

“I’m trying, I’m trying, but honestly, without more to go on, it's hard.”

“I’m sure Leo did it.”

“Did what?” I asked carefully.

She looked up and down the hallway, assuring herself no one was within earshot. “Attacked Templeton.”

“If that’s what you think, maybe you should tell the marshal or detective. “

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because Leo is a police officer.”

At that moment I was really glad I’d decided to lean against the wall. My knees practically buckled at the thought of another cop in my life.  “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Loretta pressed her palm to my forehead as though checking me for a fever like she’d done when I was a kid. “You don’t look well, my dear. Are you feeling alright?”

I wasn’t, but I couldn’t tell her that. “So you’re saying the man who gifted you the building The Corset is a cop?”

“That’s what I said.”

“How did he afford a building like that?” Of course as the question left my lips, I knew the answer. I hung my head, spearing my fingers through my hair, half-tempted to rip it out as I considered this latest problem. Loretta was going to war with a dirty cop. The last time I’d done that, Paul Kowalski had almost killed me. My stomach churned traitorously.

“Are you okay, Miss Lee?” Brian called from the other end of the hallway.

“You can’t tell anyone,” Loretta begged as he hurried toward us.

I nodded my understanding.

The detective peered at me worriedly. “Do you need to sit down?”

“That would be nice,” I said weakly.

Offering me a steadying arm to lean on, he led me to the nearest chair.

“I’ll go get you a cup of water.” Loretta toddled off.

The detective stepped back and watched me. “Did something happen?”

I shook my head.

“Because if there’s something you wanted to tell me…”

Thinking that he’d arrest me in a heartbeat if I told him half of what I was thinking, I forced myself to look up at him. “I’m fine. Really. It’s just been a lot. My father and then Templeton and then Piss.”

He made a funny face. “Piss is the cat?”

“Yes.”

“And you named her Piss?”

“Oh no. The vet’s office we adopted her from called her that and she won’t tell us her real name so…” I shrugged.

“She won’t tell you?” He eyed me strangely. “And who’s this we?”

“The dog and God and me.”

“You adopted your cat with God?”

“Godzilla. He’s a brown anole.”

“You named your lizard God?” His voice cracked incredulously.

“Well his name is Godzilla, but he prefers God for short, but I didn’t name him, Katie did. He’s hers.”

The poor detective looked like his head was spinning as badly as my gut. “And Katie is?”

“My niece.”

“The girl in the hospital,” he crowed victoriously, as though he were relieved to have finally understood something I was talking about.

I nodded.

“Everything okay?” the marshal asked, striding up to us.

Brian nodded. “Yeah.  She just wasn’t feeling well.”

“We’ve got a lead on your father’s location.” Mike watched my reaction carefully.

If he was expecting me to look upset or nervous, he was disappointed.

“That’s good, right?” I asked.

“If the lead pans out.”

“So I guess you don’t need me anymore.” I got to my feet.

Mike and Brian shared a loaded look. I wondered what unspoken message they’d just conveyed back and forth.

“We’ll take you and your aunt home,” Brian said.

“That’s very kind of you,” I said. “But you don’t know Loretta. She won’t leave Templeton’s side. One time, when I was seven or eight, she slept in my bed with me for three nights straight, waiting for the fever I had to break.”

“We’re talking about your high-maintenance aunt, right?” Mike asked, amazed.

“Afterward, she put rouge on my cheeks because I lost all my color when the fever broke.” I smiled fondly at the memory. It was something I hadn’t thought about in a very long time. “My aunts have their quirks and their faults, but they have their good sides too.”

“Well, Susan is demanding to be taken back to the Bed and Breakfast,” Brian informed me.

“To clean up the mess,” I murmured. “That’s Aunt Susan’s role in life, to clean up the messes the rest of us make.”

“She’s pretty insistent.” The marshal glanced down the hall to wear Susan paced impatiently. “So if you wouldn’t mind.”

“No problem.” I was eager to get home too. I needed to find out what had happened to DeeDee. Plus, now that I knew that Loretta’s ex, Leo was a dirty cop, I was more motivated than ever to find the damn deed and get the ownership of The Corset settled.

The ride back to the B&B was quiet. Brian concentrated on driving. Mike clicked away at his phone. Aunt Susan glared out the side window, obviously still irked at me for having told her to shut up. I just closed my eyes and counted the cops currently connected to my life. I had Patrick, Marshal Griswald, Detective Griswald, Leo,  and whoever it was Ms. Whitehat needed saving. Five cops. One half-assed hitwoman. I was lucky I didn’t get carsick.