Page 13 of Five for Silver

“How can anything look like a Merc?” Joshreached for a doughnut from the box, sprinkling sugar all down hisfront as he took a huge bite. “Other than a Mercedes.”

Ally peered through her thick framed purpleglasses at him. “Why name your dog after a car? Why not a bike?Harley.”

“That’s a nice name,” Josh replied, rufflinghis sugar covered hand through his blond hair. He was leaning backin his chair with the front two legs off the floor and Chad thoughtabout tipping him over to see him flap his arms and squawk.

“Or Davidson,” Ally continued. “He lookslike a Davidson.”

She was still staring at Chad, and raisedone of her thin eyebrows as if it would make him consider the name.She was a small woman, but fierce, and usually Chad would foldunder the weight of her dark eyed stare, but this time hedidn’t.

“He’s called Merc.”

She tutted. Her black hair shimmered with ahint of purple as she turned her head to share a disappointed lookwith Josh.

They were both perplexed by the name, but hecouldn’t tell them the truth behind it, couldn’t tell him it was aplay on Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio being Romeo’s best friend andthe whole notion of a dog being man’s best friend.

Ally picked a doughnut from the box, butrather than take a huge mouthful like Josh, she tore off pieces fitfor a squirrel.

“We’re really fitting into the detectiveseating doughnuts and drinking coffee all day stereotype, huh?” Chadmumbled.

Ally pushed a pea-sized amount past herlips, and Josh stuffed the rest of his doughnut in his mouth with agroan.He licked his fingers once he’d swallowed it down.

“So … when can I meet him?” Josh asked.

“You want to meet Merc?”

“Of course I do, it was me that set you upin the first place.”

Chad snorted. “That sounds like we’redating.”

Ally cleared her throat. “Which reminds me,I want a formal introduction to this fella of yours, Frank,” Shewagged a finger at Chad.

“Me, too.” Josh added.

Chad folded his arms. “You’ve met him.”

“He had a mask on, unless he’s thathideously ugly you don’t want me to see him.”

Chad went to retort, but couldn’t.

“Oh, shit,” Josh said. “He’s not a lookerthen.”

“He’s…self-conscious about hisappearance.”

Josh pulled a face. “No need to say anymore,I get it.”

“You don’t, but back to Merc,” Chad said,flapping his hand. “How about Saturday?”

Josh opened his mouth to reply, but snappedit shut when Faye popped her head into the room.

“Dave wants to see you,” she said.

Ally lifted her hands to the ceiling.“Rejoice. About time. Has he finally decided how our man died?”

“Stab wound,” Josh said, “Thought that wasobvious, he had about fifty.”

“Twenty-eight,” Chad corrected. “Dave wasn’tcertain whether it was the one through the heart that killed him orthe one in thegroin.”

Ally reached over and shut Josh’s mouthbefore any doughnut could fall out. He swallowed, paling. “I don’twant to see that.”

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