Page 105 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection
“Sure, after he’s had a few million worth of therapy.”
Logan chuckles. “I don’t think he’sthatbad. But I’d be nervous letting him be unsupervised around littles. Can you imagine what he’d do if Mary Lisa pawed him the way she was pawing you?”
“She’d be missing those acrylics for sure.”
“Yeah, I can’t really see that going well.”
The phone dedicated to De Leon, which is resting on my thigh, vibrates.
De Leon: Clear. Tell the driver the Blue Chestnut Country House in Huxham. I’ll meet you there in thirty. Next time you talk smack about me with Logan, I’m letting the mercs have you.
I curse colorfully. “Lo, I’ve gotta go. Ourfriendis listening.”
Logan curses even more colorfully. “Stay safe, Maxie. I need you more than any witness.”
“You got it, buddy.” I hang up and tell the driver our destination. He takes the change in stride and now that I’m off the phone, offers a running commentary about the best places for “a gravy” to go with my pie and chips.
“Ask Miz Skirmish at the desk to warm those up for you. Nothing worse than cold chips, mate. Appreciate you not eating in the car.”
It hadn’t occurred to me. The mercs’ appearance made my throat so tight and created such a fucking vortex in my gut that I don’t think I could choke down a single fry, hot or cold.
The friendly driver drops me off at the end of a gravel lane lined by cedars. Blue Chestnut Country House is a sturdy brick building with slight pretensions in the form of two white columns framing the door. But the lady who greets me and introduces herself as Leeza Skirmish, doesn’t have any. She’s warm and bustling and gets me seated in what she calls the “second lounge,” a room with small wooden tables, wingback chairs, and a tiny bar I’m surprised Miz Skirmish can fit behind, until my “man friend” arrives.
I keep my amusement to myself as I settle into the gingham-checked chair.
She offers me a drink to go with my pie and fries, and when I ask, warms them up for me as the driver said. I’m still picking at the thick fries, which really aren’t half bad with vinegar and salt instead of ketchup or mayo, when De Leon arrives.
He’s carrying our bags, which he drops at the door, before throwing himself heavily into the chair across from me.
In the slanting sunlight through the “second lounge’s” windows, I can see the bruising down the left side of his face.
“Backup at our b-and-b,” he explains.
“Miz Skirmish’ll probably give you some frozen peas for that. You won’t be able to go out in public tomorrow without attracting some attention if you don’t get something on it.”
De Leon fingers his jaw. “Eh. You didn’t save me a pie.”
“I did. Miz Skirmish has it in the kitchen. She’ll heat it up for you. Nice lady.”
De Leon nods. “She’s a friend of a friend of a friend. She won’t say a word about us being here to anyone. We lay low today and tomorrow.”
“I’m fine with that. I have some calls to make.”
“Today was more of an adventure than I’d have liked. But you did good. No great harm done, and now we know they’ve got at least three on you. Two men and a woman.”
“Think they’ll switch it up now? They must know I spotted them.”
De Leon waits until the cheerful, pink-cheeked Miz Skirmish comes and goes. He orders us both beers, so I guess he thinks we’re out of danger for now.
“Would you recognize their faces if you saw them again?” De Leon asks.
“Yeah. I’m good with faces.” And names. Dates of birth. Social security numbers. Just don’t ask me to interact with people one-on-one.
“Okay, good.” Miz Skirmish arrives with his pie, steaming on a blue-patterned china plate, which is a little incongruous, and De Leon dives in. Between bites, not looking up at me, he says, “Stop bad-mouthing me to Logan.”
“I wasn’t bad-mouthing you. I’m legit concerned about unleashing you on littles. I know they seem like they’re playing dress-up or something. They’re not. They live this?—”
“I get that,” De Leon growls, before sinking a long drink of his beer. “Maybe I was a little glib when I was asking you questions. It’s not academic curiosity. Maybe I feel the same thing you do.”
