Out of Body coa-1 Page 18

  Marley cleared her throat. “That will be for me to decide,” she told him. “I don’t do anything if I don’t want to.”

  “I want you to stay out of it,” Gray said.

  He didn’t even show signs of chagrin, Marley noted. Amazing. “I appreciate your concern. Now I have to get home. It’s been nice to meet you, Mr. Fisher.”

  “Call me Gus. Will you come back, please? You don’t have to bring him.”

  Gray shook his head at his father. “Come on, Marley. I’ll see you home.”

  She decided not to refuse.

  A clear rush of awareness warned her that a family member was asking to make contact. She opened reception. “Who is it?”

  “Uncle Pascal.”

  This wasn’t going to work, having Sykes lead Uncle Pascal to her. “You and Sykes are in my black book. Now, please leave. I’m in the middle of something.”

  “This is short. There’s a policeman looking for you. Detective Nat Archer. Says he needs you fast.”

  Chapter 22

  Gray insisted on going with Marley to see Nat.

  Willow waited for their cab a block from the precinct house. Her lime-green accents were impossible to miss. She stood on a corner drinking from a green plastic bottle, apparently oblivious to the thick veil of mugginess that had settled on the city.

  At her feet with a familiar disgruntled glower on her face, sat Winnie. Her favorite, Great-Dane-size plastic bone propped her mouth wide-open.

  A beer truck backed up in front of the precinct and the driver took advantage of the pause to sing along louder with KWOZ.

  “I guess the dog’s your boss,” Gray said.

  “Yep.” Willow had called when they were leaving Gus to say Winnie had been searching for Marley all day and was going into a decline. If “decline” meant a dog looked sleek, shiny-eyed, well-fed and pissed, then Winnie could be in one.

  “Your sister’s different from you,” Gray said.

  Marley hoped he was only referring to Willow’s glaring green-and-white uniform, but suspected it could be something else.

  “What’s she angry about?” he continued.

  She looked at him sharply. He must have picked up an undercurrent when he met Willow in the shop. “Maybe I’ll explain one day. Let’s get out here.”

  They left the cab and hurried the last few yards. Rather than leap with joy at the sight of Marley, Winnie turned her back, thumping Willow’s shin with one end of the massive plastic bone in the process.

  “Winnie,” Marley said, running to greet the spoiled little beast. “Don’t you love being with Auntie Willow anymore?”

  Marley scratched her dog’s head. Immediately, Winnie all but threw herself into Willow’s arms, snuffling and managing to sound as if she was sobbing. She didn’t let go of her bone.

  “Hey, sis,” Willow said, grinning. “This dog is what you made her.”

  “She’s what you’ve helped her become,” Marley said, giving Willow a poke in her ribs. “We’ve ruined her perfectly. Thanks for bringing her to me.”

  Willow stood and looked up at Gray. Marley was short, but Willow was shorter, and Gray’s face was a very long way up for her. She studied him speculatively, took a step or two back and gave him a slow once-over. “Mmm,” was all she said.

  “Are you going right back to the shop?” Marley said, taking hold of Winnie’s leash. She was anxious for Willow to leave.

  “One of my people called in sick,” Willow said. “I’ve had to take her jobs all day. I’ve still got an apartment to do on Clay. We only work in the Quarter,” she informed Gray.

  “What do you do?”

  “I own a maid service,” Willow said. “Mean ’n Green. D’you live in the Quarter?”

  Marley wanted to shake her sister. Willow never missed an opportunity to look for business.

  “Marigny. My dad would really like you and we’ve been looking for someone. We’d send a cab for you.”

  Marley ground her back teeth.

  Willow crossed one green-and-white hightop sneaker over the other and deep thought furrowed her brow.

  “Of course, you don’t go out of the Quarter,” Gray said, “I understand.”

  “You’re so busy,” Marley said, imagining Gus sparring with Willow—and some of the things Willow might decide to share. “You wouldn’t be able to do the job yourself.”

  “I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do it,” Willow said, and her eyes twinkled. “Yes, I’ll fit you in somehow, Gray. We provide our own supplies and transportation. We can also run errands, do the grocery shopping, and we do clean windows. We do minor repairs, too. Gardening. Organizing. Mean ’n Green will consider any task.” She whipped a fold-over card from the pocket of her shirt and gave it to him. “Talk to you soon. Bye.”

  She swung away and swung back. Her expression blanked. For seconds she stared at Gray and Marley saw her swallow. “Bye,” she said, more quietly, and rested a hand on his arm. “I’m glad we’ve met.”

  “I like her,” Gray said while they watched Willow dodge between pedestrians on the sidewalk.

  “Me, too.”

  “You didn’t get a call about Nat wanting to see you,” Gray said. “How did you know?”

  She didn’t meet his eyes. “I thought we were finished with the third-degree.” She had also hoped that since he hadn’t mentioned it before, he hadn’t noticed.

  “I was waiting to see if you’d tell me the truth.”

  Marley started toward the precinct. “I don’t owe you anything. I heard the detective was looking for me. You don’t need to go with me, but if you do you’ll find out I’m telling the truth. Nat’s got something to tell me.”

  “Ouch!”

  “What?” Marley stopped. “What’s the matter?”

  “Your dog slammed her weapon into my ankle.”

  She wouldn’t allow herself to laugh. “Winnie is very protective of me. She doesn’t like it when someone gives me a hard time.”

  “Hard time? Me?” He widened his eyes. “I couldn’t give you a hard time if I tried.”

  She walked past black, wrought-iron gates and up to the precinct house. Once inside she stopped and turned a sweet smile on Gray. “I’d rather go straight down to Nat’s office without passing the front desk barracudas. Can we do that?”

  “Sure.” He held her elbow and guided her toward a door.

  “No dogs,” a voice boomed at them.

  Gray looked over his shoulder. “This one’s evidence,” he said and pushed Marley through the door ahead of him.

  No one chased after them.

  Downstairs, he knocked on Nat’s door and pushed it open without waiting to be asked. When Nat saw them, his feet slid from the desk and thudded on the floor. “Your uncle said he didn’t know where you were. He tracked you down pretty fast.”

  “We’ve got cell phones,” Marley said, knowing how snide she sounded and making sure she didn’t catch Gray’s look. “I don’t know what we did without them.”

  “Yeah,” Nat said.

  He took a mouthful from a paper cup. “For you?” he said, holding the cup up to Gray.

  “No, thanks.”

  “You?” Nat said to Marley. “It’s vodka. Good stuff. Bong.” He pulled out a tall, elegant bottle from a drawer in his desk.

  She didn’t think cops drank on the job, except in mystery novels. “Not for me, thank you.”

  “You don’t know what you’re missing. Had a nice day?”

  Marley took a moment to respond. “Great. Thanks.”

  “You, Gray?”

  “Memorable,” Gray said.

  A silent pause followed. Nat took several sips of vodka and hummed. Then he set down his paper cup, but kept on humming.

  “You wanted to see me,” Marley said.

  “I did—do. Nice dog. There’s something about Boston terriers. Glad you brought her back. C’mere, puppy.”

  Winnie considered, but not for long. She trotted to Nat and rolled on her back.

&n
bsp; “Slut,” Marley muttered.

  Nat scratched the dog’s belly. He made the mistake of trying to take hold of one end of her bone, but let go when she snarled.

  “What’s up?” Gray said.

  “I had a command appearance with Blades.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Shirley Cooper died hard.”

  Gray cleared his throat and Marley didn’t miss his significant glance in her direction.

  “You don’t have to edit material for my tender ears,” she said.

  “How’s the case looking?” Gray said. “Anyone interesting on the radar so far?”

  “Apart from you, you mean?” Nat said. One side of his mouth flickered up. “We’ve got some interesting clues.”

  “Did Blades come up with something you can work with?”

  “Loads of it,” Nat said.

  “If you want a swab from me, say the word,” Gray said.

  Nat nodded. “Marley, you really thought you saw Liza Soaper and Amber Lee after they went missing?”

  The room was too hot. She shifted in her seat. “Yes.”

  “This kind of thing has happened to you before?”

  “Yes.”

  “Couple of times with search and rescue?”

  “Yes.” Let him work out whatever he wanted.

  “Get to the point,” Gray said.

  Winnie gnawed loudly.

  “I don’t recall askin’ you to be here,” Nat said to Gray. “I know you’ve made yourself responsible for Ms. Millet’s comfort, but I’ll make sure she gets home when we’re through here.”

  Gray turned to her. “I won’t stay if you don’t want me to,” he said.

  “I want you here.”

  “Well, I don’t,” Nat said. “And this is my turf, friend.”

  “Is she under suspicion of something?” All expression had left Gray’s features.

  “Smart-ass,” Nat said. “Stay if you want to, but keep your mouth shut.”

  Nat punched at his phone and ordered a pot of coffee. Then he turned to Marley and said, “I like to get coffee at the little place next door. Do you want some? Or would you rather have something else, Marley?”

  “Coffee would be fine.” She didn’t really want anything.

  “I’ve still got a bag of Tootsie Rolls,” Nat said, looking smug that he’d remembered her reaction to the candy yesterday.

  Marley’s mouth watered instantly. “If it’s not too much trouble.” She didn’t figure it would be like giving him a hold over her because she ate his candy.

  Gray took out his cell phone and called directory enquiries. He asked for the number of Aunt Sally’s in the French Market. While Nat and Marley stared at him, he got through to the shop and asked if they could deliver a large box of mixed pralines.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Marley said to Gray.

  “One-upmanship,” Nat muttered. He tipped Tootsie Rolls into his blue plastic bowl and held it in front of her. She couldn’t believe it when she heard Gray talk the French Market candy store into making an emergency run to the station in the name of promoting law and order.

  “Sheesh,” Nat said when Gray slipped his phone away and sat there, smirking. “The chief better not hear you did that.”

  “He doesn’t pay my salary anymore,” Gray said.

  This time Marley controlled herself and put only one candy in her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored the warm flow of sweet energy.

  “You tracked down a kidnapped boy,” Nat said.

  She smiled. “I was so lucky.”

  “You don’t like anyone to know you’ve been involved in their rescue.”

  “You’ve been poking around in my business,” Marley said.

  “There are others incidents I could mention.”

  “I love Tootsie Rolls.”

  “More than pralines?” Gray said.

  “Mmm, no. I don’t like anything better than pralines.”

  “Nothing?”

  She looked at him. His gaze didn’t as much as flicker. Her own most sensitive little muscles contracted hard enough to make her shift in the chair.

  “How difficult is it for you to make the kind of contact we’re talking about?” Nat asked.

  “The kind of contact?” Marley gave him a slightly puzzled look. “What does that mean to you?”

  He shrugged. In another of his vividly white shirts, his tie loose and with long, muscular legs stretched out in front of him, he was noteworthy, Marley decided.

  “We’ve got a situation on our hands,” he said. “People are starting to get panicky. They want something, anything, so they can think we’re getting somewhere.”

  “Only you’re not, even with the loads of evidence Blades found.”

  “Thank you, Gray,” Nat said. “No, we’re not. I can’t say too much, but this is a fucking—sorry. This could get out of hand if we can’t get a break. That’s why I’m coming to you, Marley. When you don’t have anything, you might as well try anything, even if it’s really far-fetched stuff.”

  She kept a straight face. “That bad, huh?”

  Even Nat’s dark skin turned a ruddier shade. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Sure you did,” Gray said. “How come all the evidence you’ve got isn’t helping?”

  “You don’t…You can’t even guess what we’re faced with. It’s no joke, Gray. Marley, if you could give us some help, we’d be grateful.”

  “And the pay’s great,” Gray said.

  She frowned at him. Her shirt stuck to the metal chair and the seat dug into the backs of her knees. “What can I do?” she asked.

  “Take one of your trips and find Liza and Amber.”

  She gaped, then collected herself. “Just like that?”

  “Would something that belongs to them help you?” Nat asked. “I read that’s the way it can work. It wasn’t easy but I managed to shoehorn a couple of things out of Danny Summit, and Liza Soaper’s landlady came up with a scarf. Says she wants it back to keep it for Liza.”

  Marley wasn’t finding this so funny anymore. She had used personal objects to make contacts, but only when she had no alternative.

  “You’re not fooling anyone,” Gray said. “Something’s changed and if I had to guess, I’d say it’s a recent change. It might help Marley. Why not share the news?”

  “Because I don’t have to,” Nat said.

  “Then maybe Marley doesn’t have to put herself on the line for you, either.”

  Winnie gave a sudden, protracted moan and rolled from side to side.

  “She doesn’t like conflict,” Marley said, standing up. “I need to go somewhere calm until she settles down.”

  Gray got up and joined her. Again, she didn’t feel like telling him she’d go alone.

  “Would you think about what I’ve asked you?” Nat said. “I could call you in an hour. We really are against the wire on this one.”

  “I’ll get back to you,” Marley said. “Please don’t call in an hour. I doubt if I’ll be able to answer the phone.”

  Chapter 23

  Pearl Brite left Alexander’s by the side door into an alley. She liked singing to the afternoon crowd because the club manager said she kept a steady clientele showing up to hear her. But she wanted to move up. She wanted to be a headliner in one of the big clubs.

  This was the dead time in New Orleans. Apart from the tourist shops, much of the city’s retail had closed up and although it was getting darker, the lights in the Quarter didn’t show up enough to work their magic.

  She had been paid by check. Although she told Lenny she needed the cash, he said they couldn’t spare the change. That was a lie. He knew the banks were closed and figured he had a chance of floating what little she earned at least until tomorrow. Lenny was so tight with money she had to ask for hers every week, and he made her wait around until she was almost too embarrassed to stay at all.

  It was past the point when she could ride her bike home before complete darkness fell, but sh
e didn’t have the price of a cab. Her dad had a deal that she was always to call if she wasn’t sure she’d be safe on the trip home. He would get out his old Ford truck and drive to pick her up, peering over the steering wheel because even with glasses he didn’t see so well. They lived in Marigny, close to Kenner. She wanted her own place, but didn’t have the heart to leave her father completely on his own.

  With the helmet her dad insisted she wore, Pearl walked toward the far end of the alley where she locked her bike in a rack pushed back in the covered entry to a mostly unused warehouse. The place kept the bikes out of easy sight and so far she’d been lucky enough not to have it stolen. A small, dark-colored van just about blocked the exit to the street, but she figured she could get past.

  Mist started to turn into rain. She tipped up her face and smiled. Rain made the ride slower, but she didn’t mind—unless it got really dark.

  The van’s engine turned over and the vehicle moved toward her, but very slowly. Pearl waved and pointed toward the warehouse. The driver gave his horn a light tap and waved at her out of his window. He stopped on the other side of the entrance.

  Pearl kept going, anxious to get started toward home. A hot bath and whatever her dad had made for dinner was a friendly beacon to head for.

  She broke into a run, not wanting to keep the van driver waiting.

  Her dad would be mad when she turned up after dark, but she could always talk him around.

  Traffic on the cross street passed with a steady hum, the headlights starting to shine on wet pavement.

  Pearl glanced at the van when she veered left to get her bike, but she couldn’t see the driver through the windshield. Just the same, she waved again and mouthed, “Thank you for waiting.”

  The building doors, almost always shut, were wide-open. Usually Pearl didn’t like that because she couldn’t see very far into the gloom. This evening a light shone just inside. Just as well since someone had shoved the bike rack inside, complete with her bike.

  She checked over her shoulder, expecting to see the van drive on, but it stayed where it was.

  Her stomach tightened and sweat popped out along her hairline. This was no place for people who scared easily. She’d get going and take the main streets rather than the smaller, more deserted ones that were her shortcut.