He gave it up. “Yeah, okay, Chico-Danny told me he’s well regarded. You’re in good hands with him. But I hate this.” He streaked his fingers through his dark hair, making it stand upright.
She gave him a huge grin. “Glory be, so karate is all right with you, even if I end up better than you in a couple of weeks? Don’t you sneer at me, I’m getting good. Oh, by the way, thank you for hiring Sergeant McClusky. Did you know the poor man has the beginnings of prostate problems and was using the bushes? Mrs. Deffenbach nearly caught him in the act last night. I offered him a bathroom, which he gratefully accepted.”
Jack stared at her, nonplussed. “The man’s a professional, he was a cop for thirty-five years. Are you saying you made him?”
“I’m afraid so. I know every car that belongs in the Colony, everyone does. He told me he’s using his son’s clever new hybrid, a Prius, and moves it around often. There are a couple of the hybrids in the Colony, which is the only reason I didn’t tune into him right away.”
“So he told you all about keeping an eye on your house at night?”
“Yep, he did. Sergeant Ed’s a very nice man, Jack. Even with you inside, I kind of like the idea that he’s outside.”
“Even with the extra protection, I’m thinking I could do more, like kidnap you, take you to Budapest. It’s a beautiful place.”
“I’d like to go, but I don’t have a vacation until the second week in September.”
He pictured them there, strolling hand in hand along the Danube, walking over one of the many bridges to the Pest side. He’d show her the bullet holes he’d seen gouged in some of the buildings by Russian guns in the long-ago revolution.
Mary Lisa roused herself, went to the railing, and called out, “Hey, anyone want some nonfat milk with some Oreos?”
There were yells and cheers, and the herd of teenagers stampeded toward them.
She said over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen, “It’ll cut down on their beer consumption, always a good thing. And who in the world doesn’t like Oreos?”
He marveled at her as she emptied a brand-new half-gallon carton of milk into a dozen glasses and handed out Oreos to the oil-coated, windblown, starving teenagers, all of whom appeared to know Mary Lisa, her kitchen, her bathroom, and her two televisions very well.
“Hey, you’re Mary Lisa’s cop, aren’t you?”
It was the teenage girl who’d helped him that day Mary Lisa was shot at on the beach. “Yeah, that’s me.”
A little milk mustache adorned her upper lip and she looked adorable with Oreo crumbs on her chin. She was also lovely enough to make a young man’s teeth ache to look at her, with her long streaked blond hair tousled and windblown, and an almost-but-not-quite thong covering a tad of her perfectly tanned butt. She said in a serious voice, her hand on his forearm, “My name’s Holly and I live four doors down. We all live around here. And I want you to know we’re keeping an eye on Mary Lisa. Nobody is going to shoot at her here again, that’s for sure.”
Jack put his hand on hers and said, “Thank you. I really appreciate that, Holly.”
He heard Mary Lisa laugh, let the sound settle deep into him, and knew he was right where he wanted to be. He supposed he might be living down here, maybe joining up with local law enforcement.
One of the teenagers turned on the TV and Jack wandered into the living room. He wanted to watch Elizabeth broadcast the news.
He heard a cell phone, heard Mary Lisa’s voice, then dead silence.
He couldn’t help it, he was on his feet and turning toward the kitchen when she walked out, still holding her cell phone open in her hand. If he didn’t know better he would have thought someone had whacked her on the head.
He was at her side in a moment, his hands on her shoulders, shaking her. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
“Weirdest thing,” Mary Lisa said after a blank moment, looking up at him, “that was my mother.”
SIXTY
Soap operas are the most popular genre of television drama in the world today. No other form of television fiction has attracted more viewers in more countries over a longer period of time.
Mary Lisa was breathing in the wonderful aroma of her beef taco, loaded with the hottest sauce Tia’s Tacos served, waiting as long as possible to sink her teeth into that crunchy shell so she could make the whole experience last. She was also trying to wait until Jack got here with his own lunch, a Machu Picchu burrito that required more prep time. Last she saw him, he was hanging by the counter turned away from everyone, speaking on his cell phone, probably to Detective Vasquez. She closed her eyes a moment, hoping if she didn’t look at her very favorite food, all hot and crispy and not two feet from her mouth, she wouldn’t have it all chowed down by the time Jack got back to the car.
“You’re finally alone.”
A familiar voice. Mary Lisa opened her eyes and said, “Go away, Puker. Don’t forget the restraining order. I’ll call the cops, don’t think I won’t.”
“No reason for that,” he said as he opened the passenger door of the Mustang and slid into the seat beside her. “I saw your big bad cop inside, tied up on his cell phone looking real serious, and figured this was my chance. Let’s go, Mary Lisa. We haven’t got much time.”
She opened her eyes to see a nasty little pistol aimed at her, two inches from her chest. He saw the instant she realized what was happening, and chuckled.
“Yep, it’s me. Yours truly. Let’s go. You and I have lots of stuff to do and I don’t want your cop to see you leave.”
He shoved the pistol against her ribs. “Now, Mary Lisa, or I’ll have to shoot you right here, and all we’ll have are death photos of you I’m sure will move the world to tears.”
Her gun was in her purse lying by her left foot on the floor. She knew she couldn’t get it out of the purse fast enough. She considered laying on the horn. That would bring Jack running.
“No more stalling. Now, dammit, or you’re roadkill, Mary Lisa!”
He sounded like he meant it. She tossed her taco out the window, turned the key in the ignition, and backed out of the parking lot.
“Go right on PCH.”
She heard him draw a relieved breath when she turned onto the highway. It was unfortunate, but there weren’t any cars coming so she wasn’t able to delay for even an instant.
He’d been in her life for so long as a nuisance, as a two-faced weasel, nothing more than that. But now, he had a gun and things were different. He was different. He was deadly, and she knew that all the way to her soul. She realized something was very wrong with him, even more wrong than she’d imagined. And now he was planning to kill her? But why? “You gonna kill me, Puker?” she asked.
He smiled, looking happy as a clam, the wind blowing through his hair. “You’ll just have to sweat this one out, won’t you?”
“Where are we going, Puker?”
“Dammit, don’t call me that! I’m tired of your disrespecting me like that, Mary Lisa.” He shoved the gun hard against her arm. “It’s really not the time for it.”
It hurt, but she didn’t flinch or groan. She glanced over at him. “Give me one reason why I should respect you. For heaven’s sake, Puker, you’re holding a gun on me. You’ve shot at me, you tried to run me down!”
“It wasn’t anything personal, Mary Lisa,” he said. “I got some really nice photos from that car hit, made five grand on them. See, it was just business. Now, shut up and keep driving.”
“Where are we going?”
“Go past Pepperdine.”
Should she floor it? Crash her car, maybe draw a cop? Not here, not yet.
Pepperdine University stretched across the hill to her right. The beautiful Pacific and Amarillo Beach sprawled out to her left. They passed Puerco Beach.