“Scotty,” she called. “Come kiss me goodbye.”
He flew into the foyer and slid across the marble floor. “Bye Mommy. Bye Daddy.” He hugged my sister’s leg and she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek.
Allen ruffled his hair. “Be good for Aunt Rose, okay?”
“Kay,” he said before running off.
“Where are you guys going anyway?” I asked.
Allen frowned. “To your parents’ house, of course.”
I looked at Jacks, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze. “It’s a hospital thing. You’d be so bored.”
Realization flitted across Allen’s face as he stood next to Jacks with his mouth hanging open. “Oh yes, bored. God, these things are so boring. Wouldn’t be there unless we had to, right Jacqueline?”
I forced a smile on my face. “Sure.” I waved one hand. “You two go on.”
My smile left as soon as they did. Fact is, I’d rather have my tooth drilled without anesthetic than go to my parents’ house. What did I have in common with a room full of doctors? Still, I knew I hadn’t been invited, not because I didn’t find talk of gallbladders and golf games fascinating, but because my parents were ashamed of me.
“Wow,” Roxy said. “That was harsh.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s all fine. Let’s go find Scotty.”
He was in the den watching
When the pizza came, I turned off the TV and we ate in the kitchen. After he was done eating, Scotty begged me for candy.
“We have a whole new bag of Snickers for the trick-or-treaters.” He pointed to the cabinet above the refrigerator. “That’s where Mommy hides it.”
“How do you know where she hides it, Sport?” I asked.
“Duh, because that’s where she hides the cookies.”
“Well, maybe you can have a piece after lunch tomorrow, because your mom said no sugar tonight.”
“Ah man.” He pounded his little fist on the table. “That sucks!”
Roxy nodded. “That does suck.” She pulled out a piece of gum and stuck it in her mouth.
“Can I have a piece of gum?”
“No, this is special gum. I’m trying to quit smoking because it’s a bad habit, so I chew the gum instead.”
He paused for second, his blue eyes narrowed. “Maybe if I quit picking my nose, I could eat candy.”
I grinned. “It doesn’t hurt to have dreams.”
We played Old Maid and Go Fish until it was time for Scotty to go to bed. Normally we’d play Candy Land, but since sugar was a forbidden substance, I didn’t want to rub it in.
At eight-fifteen, I watched him brush his teeth, listened to his prayers, and together, we read his favorite book. By that time, he’d just about conked out. When I kissed his forehead and left the room, I felt a pang in my chest. Sometimes I envied my sister.
Back downstairs I flopped onto the sofa next to Roxy.
“Okay,” she said, “spill.”
I filled her in on the decrypted list—‘Names, dates, and numbers? WTF?’—my conversation with Sheila —‘Packard’s totally getting some on the side’—and my run in with Manny—‘Maybe he’s a pimp in charge of a secret prostitution ring.’
“A prostitution ring in Huntingford?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Stranger shit has happened.”
“I just want Axton back.”
“You’ll find him. In the meantime, if you want to know what’s going on in that tanning salon, we could always break in.”
“Who are we, Charlie’s Angels? With my luck, I’d get caught.”
“I never get caught. Well, not since I was twelve.”
“Is that why you spent time in juvie?” I knew Roxy had a tough childhood. She’d mentioned her stay in Juvenile Hall over the years, but never told me why.
She shrugged. “I put syrup of Ipecac in my foster father’s beer.”
“Oh.”
She played with a flounce on her skirt. “He deserved it, trust me.”
“I do.”
“Seriously, though, if you want to break in after hours, I’m your girl.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
Roxy and I watched TV until Jacks and Allen came home an hour later. I gave them an update as Roxy pulled on her cardigan and I grabbed my purse and dug out my keys. “Okay sis, I’ll call you next week.”
“Rose, I’m sorry about tonight. I should have told you we were going to Mom and Dad’s house. It’s just after the salmon incident the other day—”
“It’s okay. Really.” I gave her a quick hug.
She kissed my cheek and said goodnight.
Roxy and I were walking toward our cars when she glanced over at me. “Sorry you didn’t get invited to the hospital thing.”
“No biggie.”
“Yeah, well, if you were my daughter, I’d be really proud of you.” She grabbed a piece of my hair and gave it a tug. “Even though you still don’t have your degree, you loser.”
I drove out of my sister’s neighborhood and hooked a left on Crabtree Lane. When I pulled up to the cigar bar, Dane was waiting for me out front, looking handsome in a dark jacket and slacks. He smiled when he saw me pull into the lot and headed over, opening my door after I parked.
His blue eyes sparkled as his glance took me in from head to toe. “You look beautiful.”
I pushed a lock of hair behind one ear. “Thanks. You look nice, too.”
He leaned down and kissed my cheek. When he pulled back, his hand lingered on my shoulder. “Still no word from Ax?”
“No.”
“Let’s have a drink and you can fill me in on the latest.” He slipped his hand around to my lower back and escorted me inside.
Penn’s Cigar and Fine Tobacco was a one story mellow brick building near my parents’ country club. Arched leaded glass windows looked out onto the street and the golf course beyond. The warm lighting inside made the club chairs and round mahogany tables seem rich and inviting. Expensive-smelling smoke hung thick in the air.
Dane helped me out of my coat and handed it to the check girl. Then he cupped my elbow and guided me to the bar.
I gracefully slipped onto a tall barstool and arranged my dress so I didn’t flash my official sexy panties to the world. I smiled at Dane as he slid an arm along the back of my seat.
“Mind if I smoke?”
I shook my head.
“Order me a Hennessy? I’ll be right back.” He slid off the stool and walked toward the humidor.
The bartender made his way over. I ordered for Dane and ordered myself a glass of wine, feeling like I was in over my head. I knew my parents would have felt at home here, but I didn’t know anything about cigars or cognac. Most of the wine I drank came out of a box.
I took out the picture of Axton from my purse. The bartender placed our drinks in front of me and set a cigar cutter next to Dane’s snifter.
“Have you seen this man in here?” I asked, handing him the picture.
“Sorry. Why are you looking for him?”
“He’s missing.”
He handed back the photo. “I haven’t seen him.”
I tucked the picture in my purse. “Thanks, anyway.”
