one of my toes. I winced.
“I will feel him out, but I can’t promise anything. I just got home. I haven’t even visited my beeyard yet.”
“Well, Matt and Shaneika will be here at 3 p.m. Apparently they want to talk with you about your lawsuit against the city. Matt wants you to have a clear mind, so take it easy on the pain killers today.”
“I know this is hard for you to understand, but I am doing the best I can. A fifty-year-old asthmatic body doesn’t heal as fast as a thirty-year-old one, but I’ll think about what you said. Does everyone know about my private stash?”
“I put everything back – love the hidden safe by the way – and told them you would be ready to do your therapy plus the meeting today.”
“You’re a good man, sister.”
“Ahh, movie patter. You’ve been reading about the black bird lately.”
“ The Maltese Falcon was playing late last night. I got up at two and watched part of it.”
Franklin did his Humphrey Bogart impersonation. “Listen. When a man’s partner is killed, he’s supposed to do something about it. It doesn’t make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you’re supposed to do something about it.”
I clapped my hands. “Can you do Sydney Greenstreet as the Fat Man?”
“No, but I can do a hell of a Peter Lorre. Did you know what Peter Lorre said to Vincent Price at Bela Lugosi’s funeral?”
“Do you think we ought to drive a stake through his heart just in case?” I replied.
Franklin’s face fell. “You always steal my thunder.”
“Ask me something hard. Oh Franklin, don’t be so childish. You seem to be angry that I actually lived through that night. Look at it this way. You are younger, healthier and stronger than I. You’ll be living long after I’m dead. Now, doesn’t that make you feel better?”
“Oddly, it does.”
“Well, good. Now I feel like crap.” Looking down I was a wrinkled and stained mess. “I guess I need to apologize to Jake.”
“What you need to do is do your therapy, get cleaned up, then have breakfast, which I will make for you. Look pretty for once.” Franklin analyzed me. “Yes, a man might take your mind off your troubles,” he mumbled.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing, just thinking.”
“Franklin, how about a quid pro quo? I will talk with Matt but . . .”
“Whaddja need?”
“Can you get on your computer and find out about the Silver Creek Vineyard and the Dunne family?”
“Like what?”
“Anything you can find out – bank records, lawsuits, just anything about Jamie Dunne’s death. Pleeeease!”
“You got it.” Franklin gave me a goofy smile. “Like old times. I just hope this doesn’t end like our last investigation together.”
“You and me both, sister. I’d like to get started on solid foods.” I sat down on the bed. Suddenly, the thought of getting into my bathing suit just overwhelmed me. As if reading my thoughts, Franklin helped take off my dirty clothes and put on one of Jake’s muumuus. “While you are swimming, I will check your room for snakes.”
“Oh goodness, please!”
“Shampoo and soap are by the outdoor shower. Now git, girl.”
I limped out to the pool area looking for Jake. He was already in the water, which was steaming in the cool morning air.
“Come on in, Boss Lady, water’s fine.”
I carefully clung to the railing as I took one slippery step and then another until I was chest deep in the water. It did indeed feel warm and cozy. Jake must have turned the heat up. Jake handed me water weights. “Wait a minute, Jake,” I said. “I need to talk with you.”
He shook his head. “You don’t need to say a thing. It was a bad day, that’s all. Look, I have had tough battle-hardened s.o.b.s beg me to off them when they got hurt. They couldn’t handle the pain. What your body was telling you was that we need to look at alternative ways to handle the pain, because you’re getting used to the patch. I already
“I will feel him out, but I can’t promise anything. I just got home. I haven’t even visited my beeyard yet.”
“Well, Matt and Shaneika will be here at 3 p.m. Apparently they want to talk with you about your lawsuit against the city. Matt wants you to have a clear mind, so take it easy on the pain killers today.”
“I know this is hard for you to understand, but I am doing the best I can. A fifty-year-old asthmatic body doesn’t heal as fast as a thirty-year-old one, but I’ll think about what you said. Does everyone know about my private stash?”
“I put everything back – love the hidden safe by the way – and told them you would be ready to do your therapy plus the meeting today.”
“You’re a good man, sister.”
“Ahh, movie patter. You’ve been reading about the black bird lately.”
“ The Maltese Falcon was playing late last night. I got up at two and watched part of it.”
Franklin did his Humphrey Bogart impersonation. “Listen. When a man’s partner is killed, he’s supposed to do something about it. It doesn’t make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you’re supposed to do something about it.”
I clapped my hands. “Can you do Sydney Greenstreet as the Fat Man?”
“No, but I can do a hell of a Peter Lorre. Did you know what Peter Lorre said to Vincent Price at Bela Lugosi’s funeral?”
“Do you think we ought to drive a stake through his heart just in case?” I replied.
Franklin’s face fell. “You always steal my thunder.”
“Ask me something hard. Oh Franklin, don’t be so childish. You seem to be angry that I actually lived through that night. Look at it this way. You are younger, healthier and stronger than I. You’ll be living long after I’m dead. Now, doesn’t that make you feel better?”
“Oddly, it does.”
“Well, good. Now I feel like crap.” Looking down I was a wrinkled and stained mess. “I guess I need to apologize to Jake.”
“What you need to do is do your therapy, get cleaned up, then have breakfast, which I will make for you. Look pretty for once.” Franklin analyzed me. “Yes, a man might take your mind off your troubles,” he mumbled.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing, just thinking.”
“Franklin, how about a quid pro quo? I will talk with Matt but . . .”
“Whaddja need?”
“Can you get on your computer and find out about the Silver Creek Vineyard and the Dunne family?”
“Like what?”
“Anything you can find out – bank records, lawsuits, just anything about Jamie Dunne’s death. Pleeeease!”
“You got it.” Franklin gave me a goofy smile. “Like old times. I just hope this doesn’t end like our last investigation together.”
“You and me both, sister. I’d like to get started on solid foods.” I sat down on the bed. Suddenly, the thought of getting into my bathing suit just overwhelmed me. As if reading my thoughts, Franklin helped take off my dirty clothes and put on one of Jake’s muumuus. “While you are swimming, I will check your room for snakes.”
“Oh goodness, please!”
“Shampoo and soap are by the outdoor shower. Now git, girl.”
I limped out to the pool area looking for Jake. He was already in the water, which was steaming in the cool morning air.
“Come on in, Boss Lady, water’s fine.”
I carefully clung to the railing as I took one slippery step and then another until I was chest deep in the water. It did indeed feel warm and cozy. Jake must have turned the heat up. Jake handed me water weights. “Wait a minute, Jake,” I said. “I need to talk with you.”
He shook his head. “You don’t need to say a thing. It was a bad day, that’s all. Look, I have had tough battle-hardened s.o.b.s beg me to off them when they got hurt. They couldn’t handle the pain. What your body was telling you was that we need to look at alternative ways to handle the pain, because you’re getting used to the patch. I already
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