Snow Blind - Lori G. Armstrong [9]
“We could sit tight until Luella shows up to take Vernon out and then follow them.”
“To what end?”
I reached for my smokes and lit up while I let my temper wane. “Here’s where I remind you this is the reason I argued against this case. Legally, Amery is powerless. Her grandfather can do whatever the hell he pleases with his money. It sucks that Prairie 27
Gardens just arbitrarily raised their rates and are displacing old people. Do I think the rate increase has bearing on this case? No. Granted, there is an issue with Gramps sneaking out and the lax security measures, but it doesn’t seem Amery is asking us to focus on that issue. Was she?”
“No.”
“In order to make any kind of accurate assessment of Prairie Gardens supposed security problems, we’d have to be there, or live there twenty-four/seven and God knows there isn’t a retainer big enough to make me do that. Amery doesn’t have that kind of cash or she would’ve hired a lawyer to deal with the power of attorney or legal guardianship bullshit.”
His smile was half-feral. “Jerking a knot in my tail, partner?”
“I know you, Kev. You were all soft and sweet with her, which means you’ve developed a big-time crush.”
“So?”
“So, are you thinking helping her out will make you more appealing on the ‘Trust me I’m a big dick’ front?”
“Did it for you and Martinez? He’s constantly mooning around you.”
I wasn’t surprised he’d brought up that sticky situation. I’d worked for my lover, Tony Martinez, once officially before we hooked up, once as a favor after we’d established a relationship. True, our relationship came about only because Martinez had hired me, and as much as my inner tough girl sneered, I’d be utterly 28
lost without that relationship.
Still. Kevin was comparing what I had with Tony to his crushlike feelings for Amery? Wrong.
“It’s not the same.”
“Why not?”
“Because Tony and I knew each other months
before we became involved.”
“You mean before you slept with him.”
“I can’t believe you’d be stupid enough to sleep with her right off the bat.”
Kevin aimed his gaze at the brownish pile of snow outside his grimy window.
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Jesus. When?”
“Yesterday.” He squirmed. “She showed up around quitting time, right after you’d left. We went out for happy hour, one thing led to another and . . .”
“And she made your Mr. Happy very happy.”
Silence.
“Thrilled as I am that you finally got laid—”
“Tread lightly here, Jules. I’m not going to provide a play-by-play of how she ended up in my bed.”
Damn. “Am I your friend right now? Or your business partner?”
“Partner.”
I sucked down the last of my cigarette, swishing the spent butt in my empty Diet Pepsi can. “I vote we go with my original suggestion and follow Luella and 29
Vernon. It’s not like we have anything else to do.”
“True.” Kevin closed his eyes, nestling his neck in the headrest. “What time was Luella picking Vernon up?”
“One o’clock. About five minutes from now.” I glanced at his profile and saw the smoking hot man he was. No wonder Amery jumped him last night. Sometimes I forgot my partner was such a delish dish. When Reva caught sight of my “hot partner” her baby blues would bug right out of her head.
“Christ, I’m tired.”
“Marathon sex ’til the wee hours will do that to you.”
“You would know.”
Not recently. Not that I’d share that tidbit with him. “Shouldn’t you park where we can watch both entrances?”
“Probably.” He drove us to a better vantage point.
“Do you know what Luella looks like?”
“Indian. But we shouldn’t have a problem recognizing Vernon.”
“Yeah? Describe him, smarty.”
“Old man. Stooped over a cane. Fluffy white hair. Big nose. Wrinkled face. Dentures.” I hunkered down in my seat, cold, despite Kevin leaving the Jeep heater running.
Kevin snorted. “You just described Einstein. You have no fucking clue what old Vern looks like, do you?”
“Nope. Does it matter? How many old guys will be getting picked up in private vehicles by an Indian woman in the next few minutes?”
30
“Fine. So what if