Tanya’s house was off Duval and was separated from the street by a six-foot-high picket fence. Destiny stopped in front of the wooden gate, reached inside and drew out a key hanging on a string from the post. Her hands were shaking and she fumbled with the key, but somehow she managed to unlock the gate. Pushing it open with her shoulder, she stepped aside to let me in. While she relocked the gate, I looked around.
The porch light was on and it cast a glow over a hodge-podge of plants and flowers in the yard. A narrow stone path meandered through the tropical splendor. Even my untrained eyes recognized this was a well thought out garden. There was an indefinable symmetry to the landscaping, and I liked what I saw. The yard was wild and free and it told me more about Tanya than I had learned working for her over the previous months.
A wooden porch ran along the front of the house. Two wood chairs and a double swing sat in front of a multi-paned window. A paint-splattered tarp was spread out in the corner. I glanced at the freshly painted ceiling while Destiny ran up the stairs.
She followed my gaze. “The blue on the ceiling is supposed to keep the wasps from building their nests up there. Here on the island you can only paint the houses certain colors. Any changes or repairs have to be approved by some committee or something. I’ve been told dealing with them is a real pain-in-the-ass.”
“I’ve never heard the wasp thing,” I said.
“Personally I think it’s a bunch of crap, but who knows?” Destiny moved forward, shook herself, and knocked on the door before opening it. “Honey, I’m home,” she said in a little girlish voice.
Destiny entered the house, but I hesitated to follow. Standing out on Tanya’s porch I realized I was more than a little interested in her. Since we’d ended the evening with her pissed off at me, I wasn’t too keen on walking into her house with Destiny. The last thing I needed was for her to get the wrong idea about Destiny and me. Somehow, I knew she wasn’t going to be happy when I walked through the door.
“Cut the bullshit, Gail,” I heard Tanya say. “What the hell kind of trouble have you and Billy gotten into now? And don’t move another step until I get you a towel. You’re dripping all over the floor.”
Before Destiny could answer, I took the plunge and went inside. “I could use one myself.”
Tanya looked over, did a double take, and shot me an angry look. She wore little bunny slippers and a silky white robe. When she realized I was staring at her she adjusted the robe, tightening the belt around her waist.
“This is great,” she said in a tired voice.
“Sorry,” I said, even though I couldn’t think of a single reason why I should apologize.
“Sorry. What the hell for? There’s no law saying you can’t hook up with anyone you want.”
“This isn’t what it looks like,” I said.
“Right-let me guess. The two of you happened to be passing by and decided to stop in for a cup of coffee.”
“Oh stop being such a drama queen, Tanya.” Destiny took off her jacket. She tossed it, along with her purse, onto a wicker chair and walked over to the sofa.
“Don’t you dare sit down until you dry off,” Tanya said. She ran over to the chair and snatched up Destiny’s jacket and purse. “I’ll hang these in the kitchen. The two of you wait here until I get back with those towels.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Don’t thank me, but take your shoes off and don’t you dare take another step until I get back.” She started walking toward the back of the house and, when she passed Destiny, she added, “What the hell happened to Billy? I thought he was spending the night at your place.”
“That worm took off and left me in a bad predicament,” she said. “Wes here saved my ass.”
“And let me guess. Now he’s expecting to get a little of it?”
“Don’t be so crass,” Destiny said. “First of all, we’ll only be here a couple of hours. And if it makes you feel any better, I’ll sleep with you and he can sleep in Alvin’s room.”
Tanya didn’t reply. Instead, she kept walking until she reached the hallway where she turned right and disappeared. I heard her rummaging around and a moment later she walked back into the room carrying two blue towels. She threw one in Destiny’s direction and moved over to stand in front of me.
She held the towel out so I was forced to reach for it, and when I took hold she gave it a little tug before releasing it to me.
“What’s your problem?” Destiny asked. “Come on Tanya. It’ll be like old times. Like a slumber party or something.”
“Old times my ass. You should have told me you were bringing Wes with you instead of Billy.”
“I told you, Wes saved my life for Christ’s sake.”
“So that makes him like a little puppy dog or something? You have to bring him home with you and feed him?”
I was getting tired of playing the invisible man so I cleared my throat. When the women looked my way I said, “Maybe it would be better if I leave. I can come back for Destiny in the morning.”
“Shut up,” they said in unison.
“Look, it’s obvious my coming here was a mistake. All I wanted was to catch a couple hours sleep before we go see Elvis.”
“This is about a damn psychic?” Tanya cast a stormy look my way. “You’re crazier than Gail, you know that? What, do you think some psychic is going to tell you who killed your friend?”
“This isn’t about Nick. Destiny’s got herself in a jam and I’m trying to help her out.”
“Her name’s Gail,” Tanya said. “The least you can do is call her by her real name.”
“Thanks for caring Sweetie, but Wes can call me whatever he wants. I’m not ashamed of what I do.” To emphasize her point, Destiny pulled off her top, unclipped her bra, and began to towel her hair. “I’m gonna hit the little girl’s room and get some sleep,” she said, before heading off toward the back of the house. “Tanya, I’ll let you show Wes where Alvin’s room is.”
“You’re so thoughtful,” Tanya said, but the sarcasm was lost on Destiny, who continued walking out of the room.
Tanya spun around. “Did you like the show?” She folded her arms and glared, daring me to say anything. I could feel the heat building within her and I decided to play it safe.
My grandfather once told me that in a confrontational situation, the person who speaks first loses, so I stuck my hands in my pants pockets, tried to act nonchalant, and waited. It didn’t take long.
“I understand you have a job to do,” Tanya said. “I understand your friend is dead and you feel you owe your mother something. But I didn’t expect you to hook up with Gail. She’s not your type.”
“Well, in all fairness you don’t know what my type is. Maybe I’ve got a thing for big girls with big boobs.”
“They’re not real, you know.”
“Maybe it doesn’t matter to me,” I said. “Maybe I’m a shallow letch looking to get laid.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’ve watched you at the bar. I’ve seen you shake off a dozen girls while you were working. At first I thought maybe you were gay.”
“I’m not.”
“I know. You shake off the guys who hit on you too. Ever so polite to both male and female.”
I shrugged. “Nothing wrong with being polite, is there?”
“No.” Her lips quivered and for a moment I thought she was going to smile. “Gail likes a challenge. I can see why she might be attracted to you. You’re a little taller than her. She hates short guys. And you’re the strong, silent type. You’re almost good looking in a Lyle Lovett sort of way.”
“I like to think of myself as a Brad Pitt kind of guy.”
“And I’d like to think I look like Jessica Alba, but I don’t. I’m still a little fuzzy on how the two of you got together though. I watched Gail leave with Billy.”
“We’re not together. Let’s just say Billy let her down and I happened on by and picked her up.”
“You’re not going to tell me what happened, are you?”