For the Birds: Rose Gardner Investigations #2 (Rose Gardner Investigatons) Page 5

  I didn’t believe that for a hot minute. “So are you plannin’ on quittin’ the landscaping business to work on becomin’ a P.I.?”

  “Of course I’m not quittin’. But if we want to be P.I.s, we have to either go to school or shadow a real P.I. for two years. This is our start.”

  I was about to protest, but hadn’t I intended to talk to her about the missing parrot? Bruce Wayne was right—I did like investigating. Why keep denying it? Plus, I could see Neely Kate was excited about this. After everything she’d been through—and I knew she’d faced some demons last week back in Oklahoma—I didn’t want to disappoint her.

  “Okay, let’s check this out. But only if you agree that we’re not callin’ ourselves Sparkle Investigations.”

  She pursed her lips. “Well, of course we’re not, silly.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. This conversation had gone better than I’d feared.

  “We’ll be usin’ Kermit Cooper’s agency name. Moppet Investigations.”

  I almost argued with her, but she was right. If we were using his name, we wouldn’t need one of our own.

  Neely Kate chattered the whole way to his office, and I could tell she was nervous, which surprised me. Then again, this was what she’d wanted for months—she was bound to be anxious now that we were finally doing it.

  Neely Kate had plugged the address into her phone and the automated voice guided us to our destination: a run-down, rusted mobile home surrounded by weeds and dirt. It was just outside the city limits.

  “Um . . .” I said as I stared at it. “Are you sure this is it? There’s no sign or anything.”

  “Yeah,” she said, trying to stay upbeat. “I bet he just doesn’t put much money or effort into his office because he’s busy workin’ cases. And he doesn’t need a sign because his business is all word of mouth.”

  “Yeah . . . maybe.” I parked the truck, and we walked up to the rickety front porch.

  Neely Kate glanced up at the narrow stairs and porch, then down at my pink skirt and white top. “Maybe you should wait down there until he answers so you don’t get anything on you.”

  “Okay.”

  She marched up the steps and knocked on the door.

  “It’s open,” came a gruff voice from inside. “Come in.”

  Neely Kate gave me an excited grin and opened the door. I quickly climbed the stairs and followed her inside.

  She had to be disappointed at what she found, but she hid it well. The place looked nothing like an office and every bit like a teenage boy’s room—and it smelled like one too. A middle-aged man was sitting in the recliner watching the news.

  “Mr. Cooper?” Neely Kate asked.

  “You them girls I heard about?” he grunted, keeping his gaze on the TV.

  “Yeah,” she said, not sounding as confident. “That’s us.”

  “I hear you wanna be P.I.s.”

  “That’s right,” she said. “Jed Carlisle said you’d train us.”

  Jed? I gaped at her in shock. Jed had set this up?

  “Yep, I said I would.” He put his hand on the arm of his chair and pushed himself up out of it. Once he was standing, he turned to get a look at us. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a P.I., but Kermit Cooper wasn’t it. He looked to be anywhere from his mid-forties to mid-fifties, and if he was agile enough to run from the criminal element, his physique didn’t indicate it. His button-down white shirt was covered with multiple stains—enough to suggest he’d worked on collecting them. He had a couple days’ growth of beard, and his partially balding head could have used some of the hair from his chin. His eyes narrowed as he took us in, and he pointed a finger at me. “You plannin’ to wear fancy clothes like that all the time?”

  “Actually, no,” I said. “I’m usually dressed in—”

  “Save it for someone who wants to hear it, sweetheart. I don’t care if you show up wrapped in tin foil, not my business.”

  My mouth dropped open.

  Neely Kate winced and gave me an apologetic look.

  “Now, I don’t get a ton of cases,” he said. “But I just got one this afternoon. Right before Carlisle called me.”

  Well, that wasn’t a coincidence . . . What was Jed up to?

  “The info’s still on the copy machine from when it was faxed in.”

  “Faxed in?” I asked. What decade was this?

  Neely Kate shrugged her shoulders as she turned around and tried to find the copy machine. I spotted it on the floor, partially covered in empty takeout bags, and pointed it out to her.

  She squatted in front of it and grabbed a single sheet of paper from the tray while I tried to hide my disgust at the pigsty where Kermit Cooper apparently lived and worked. The only thing of interest in the whole place was a circular map of the world on his wall by the kitchen table. The North Pole was in the middle, the continents were spread out around it in a circle, and a thick white circle bordered the entire thing.

  “This is an interestin’ map,” I said, deciding that I might as well try to break the ice if we were going to be working together. “I’ve never seen one like it.”

  He released a loud grunt. “That ain’t for you, Miss Fancy Pants.”

  So much for small talk.

  Neely Kate looked up from the paper. “It’s about a lost parrot.”

  How many lost parrots could there be in Henryetta? I started to tell her about the flyer in Levi’s office, but another grunt from Kermit convinced me to wait until we left.

  “So what happens next?” Neely Kate asked him as she lowered the paper to her side.

  “Here’s how it’s gonna work,” Kermit said, moving closer. I resisted the urge to pinch my nose to block the wave of BO coming my way. “You two are gonna go look for the damned parrot.”

  “Jed said you were gonna teach us,” Neely Kate countered. “We’re supposed to be apprenticing with you.”

  “Ever heard of the phrase do one, get paid for none?”

  “Um,” I said, pursing my lips. “I’m pretty sure it’s see one, do one, teach one.” I’d learned that phrase during my Grey’s Anatomy marathons.

  “That be them doctors’ motto when they train younger folk . . . This one’s mine. You two will go out and find that bird, and then I’ll collect the money.”

  Neely Kate’s eyes widened. “You’ll get the money?”

  “You said you wanted to apprentice, and apprentices don’t get paid.”

  This was sounding like the worst arrangement ever. “So let me get this straight,” I said. “If we do all the work and you get paid, what do we get out of it?”

  “I’ll sign off on your hours, and you’ll get to sit for the P.I. exam.”

  And there was the crux of it. Neely Kate was dying to be a real P.I., and unless she went to school, she had to apprentice with someone. But I found it hard to believe this guy was a legitimate investigator, even if the license I saw tacked to the wall said otherwise.

  Neely Kate gave me a pleading look, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her no.

  “So are you gonna give us any guidance?” I asked.

  He rolled his eyes. “Looky here, Miss Fancy Pants, I don’t see you lasting two hours, let alone two days, so I don’t feel like wasting my time. If you solve this case, then we’ll talk about me trainin’ ya.” He waved a hand in dismissal. “Y’all are just a couple of bored housewives who’ve seen too much Cagney and Lacey. You two chickies are on your own for this one.”

  I was about to tell him that we’d solved multiple cases and we didn’t have to prove anything to him, but Neely Kate beat me to it.

  “Lacey?” she asked. “You mean that girl from The Bachelor?”

  I stared at her in disbelief. There was so much to take offense to in his statement, and that was what Neely Kate had picked up on?

  His mouth dropped open; then he shut it and shook his head. “Never heard of Cagney and Lacey? What in the hell is the world comin’ to?”

  I was asking myself the same thing.<
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  “You two get,” he said, waving his hand toward the door. “Let me know when you find the bird.”

  I didn’t waste any time exiting the trailer, and Neely Kate was right behind me with the paper in her hand. We hadn’t even gotten to the truck when I spun around and confronted her.

  “You better start doin’ some fast talkin’, Neely Kate.”

  “About which part?”

  “All of it!” I took a breath, then said in a calmer tone, “Let’s start with Jed.”

  She grimaced. “He found out that I want to be a P.I., so he set this up.”

  “That’s all well and good,” I said, “but that’s not what I’m talkin’ about, and you know it.”

  Her cheeks turned pink.

  “Look,” I said with a heavy sigh, “I know you two left town together. I was hopin’ you’d tell me more, but you haven’t said a word. Neely Kate, I want to know how it was you wound up together on your trip in the first place.”

  She glanced away toward the trailer. “Kate was sendin’ me threatening letters.”

  “You said those stopped.”

  “I lied.”

  Tears stung my eyes. “Why?”

  Her own tear-filled eyes turned to face me. “I was ashamed. I . . . did something in Oklahoma, when I went back there after high school, and Kate hinted that she knew about it. I went to see Skeeter last week, hopin’ he’d been keepin’ tabs on Kate.”

  I wrapped my arms over my chest, ignoring the stab of pain I felt at the mere mention of James’ name. “He talked to you?”

  “Yeah. He wasn’t very happy that Merv and I had gotten into a disagreement.”

  “Over what?”

  “Merv told me I wasn’t welcome at the pool hall and tried to make me leave.”

  Something in her voice caught my attention. “What do you mean ‘tried to make you leave’? Did he get physical with you?”

  “Jed intervened.”

  “So he did?” I was going to march in there and give that man a piece of my mind.

  “Rose,” she said with a tiny smile. “Did you ever consider this might be why I didn’t tell you? You’re all riled up, and it happened a week ago.”

  “Justifiably.”

  “Okay, you’re right, but it’s done. I broke Merv’s nose and messed up his hand, and all I got was a few stitches.”

  I gasped in horror and reached for her shoulders. “You got stitches? Where? How do I not know this?”

  “On the back of my head. You couldn’t see them, and I didn’t want to worry you. We’re gettin’ off track. And, no, before you ask, Skeeter didn’t hold what happened at the parley against me. He took my side in the disagreement and sent Jed with me to talk to Kate.”

  “James sent him as a bodyguard?” Somehow that relieved me.

  “No. He sent Jed to ask Kate what she knew about an account. Of course, she refused to tell him anything, and she said we both had to come back this week or she was gonna spill my secrets. Since I didn’t know what she actually knew, I decided to find out who she’d talked to in Ardmore.”

  “And James sent Jed with you?”

  Her mouth twitched. “No, Rose. He insisted Jed come back, but Jed refused. Skeeter fired him.”

  I took a step back. “What?”

  “Jed hinted this has happened before—Skeeter has a temper and fires him on occasion—but he’d decided he wasn’t goin’ back to work for Skeeter this time. That he was done.”

  I took several seconds to process what she’d just said. “But they both changed their minds, right?” I finally asked. “Because you said Jed came back as soon as he found out Scooter was missin’.”

  “No,” she said quietly. “Jed’s helpin’ him find Scooter, but that’s it. As soon as they find him, Jed says he’s done.”

  I couldn’t believe it. Jed had been James’ best friend since they’d been kids. How could either of them throw away their friendship like that? “What’s Jed gonna do now?”

  “He doesn’t know.”

  I studied her for a second. “So what did you find in Ardmore?”

  Her blue eyes locked with mine, and she remained silent.

  “You’re really not gonna tell me?” The hurt crept into my voice.

  She reached out and grabbed my hand and clung to it. “When you’re lookin’ at me now, what do you see?”

  I tried to pull my hand free, but Neely Kate held it tight.

  “What does that have to do with any of this?” I asked.

  “Please, Rose. Just answer the question.”

  I took a breath and decided to give her a real answer. “I see a woman who’s fearless. She sees what she wants and goes after it. She doesn’t take crap from people—as evidenced by the damage you inflicted on Merv—and she stands up for the people she loves. She doesn’t back down from anything.”

  She nodded, still holding on to my hand, but there was a new sadness in her eyes. “That’s who I am now. But that’s not who I was in Ardmore. I was weak and . . . I . . . was so far from strong. I want you to see the me now, Rose, not that weak, stupid girl.”

  “I won’t think any less of you, Neely Kate.”

  “I know that on some level. Deep down, anyway.” She dropped my hand and shrugged. “It’s like you and Levi.”

  I jutted my head back in surprise. “What about me and Levi?”

  “You still haven’t told him about your visons, have you?”

  I cringed. “No, but—”

  “Do you really believe he’ll think less of you?”

  “I don’t know . . .”

  “Well, he won’t, but you’re still not ready to share that with him.”

  I could see where she was going with this, but I wasn’t buying it. “That’s like comparing apples and oranges. You and me are a heck of a lot closer than me and Levi. And whatever Kate claims to know scared the pee out of you. I want to help you.”

  After a moment of silence, she took a step closer. “I’ll tell you one part of my past—a big part—and that’s all I’ll tell you for now, okay? I’ll tell you the rest when I’m ready. Like we said earlier, we’ll do it a little at a time.”

  I wanted her to feel safe telling me all of it, especially since I was pretty sure she’d told Jed. But I was thankful she was telling me anything at all. “Okay.”

  She took a breath and held it, her hands shaking.

  I grabbed her hands and held them between my own. “There’s absolutely nothing you can tell me that will change my opinion of you, Neely Kate.”

  She nodded, but the look in her eyes suggested she didn’t believe me. Just when I feared she’d changed her mind, she whispered, “I killed a man.”

  I let the surprise wash over me, then offered her a shaky smile. “So have I.”

  “I’m not sure this one was self-defense, Rose.”

  I wasn’t prepared for that, but I nodded. “I’m sure you had a good reason for doin’ what you did. The police obviously let you off.”

  “The police don’t know anything about it.”

  I let that roll around in my head for a moment. If the police didn’t know about it, did that mean Neely Kate was still at risk? “They don’t know how he died?”

  “They never found his body.”

  I took several breaths, my imagination running wild, but she was watching me like a hawk with fear in her eyes. I pulled her into a hug. “I trust you, Neely Kate. I trust that you did what you had to do.”

  She hugged me back and started to cry.

  “Did you really think I’d turn my back on you?” I whispered in her ear. “You’ve had a hard life. I suspected you’d been in some rough situations that required violence, just like with Merv.” I grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “There won’t be any judgment coming from me. We just need to worry about Kate.”

  “I don’t think she knows the whole story. Just bits and pieces.”

  “And what does Jed say?”

  “He thinks I’m safe.”

/>   I nodded. “Then we’ll trust Jed.”

  She watched me for a second. “You’re not gonna ask for more details?”

  “Not unless you want to share them. I only need to know the names of the skeletons in your closet. I don’t necessarily need to know how they got there or what they’re wearin’.”

  She threw her arms around me and squeezed. “I love you, Rose.”

  “I love you too.” I squeezed her back for several seconds, then pulled away and said, “Now tell me how in the Sam Hill we ended up at Kermit Cooper’s trailer.”

  Her face flushed. “Jed.”

  I gave her a coy smile. “So you two . . . ?”

  She gave me a hesitant look.

  “If you’re worried I’m upset and don’t approve, put those concerns to rest. You’ll never find a more loyal man than Jed Carlisle.” I grinned. “And he’s pretty cute too.”

  She flushed more.

  “And if you’re ever in a bind, Jed is the man you want on your side. I’ve seen him fight off three men and win . . . and that was after he started off tied to a chair. He was amazing to watch.”

  Her face fell slightly. “Do you . . . like Jed?”

  My mouth tipped into a sad smile. “No. Not like that.”

  “Skeeter,” she said in a resigned tone.

  “I’m not sure whether to deny it or confirm it, but I’m trying to move on.”

  She nodded. “I’m just surprised you’d be romantically involved with the criminal leader of the county.”

  “First, we’re not romantically involved. They’re just feelings.” And an amazingly hot kiss, but that was a moment of weakness on both our parts. “He shows me a different side of him,” I said. “A side no one else sees. Not even Jed.”

  She nodded again, then put her hand on my arm. “But he’s still a criminal.”

  My lips pressed together as I tilted my head in agreement. “So is Jed.”

  “Jed wants out,” Neely Kate said. “He wants to do something legit.”

  And so did James, deep down in the part of him that he didn’t let the world see. Jed was free to go and forge his own path, but James would be left with his thumb in the dike of the criminal world, trying to keep it contained. If he left, all hell could break loose.

  What in the world was I doing standing here defending James Malcolm, even if it was only to myself?