“Will you admit my worry has some justification?”
She rested her head on his chest. “I worry about you, too, you know.” She couldn’t bring herself to say cancer. “There’s risk for both of us in chasing after-bad guys.”
He thought about the threat from the Ninja, but said nothing.
“We agreed we didn’t want to be old stick-in-the-muds. That’s why I opened the shop and you drive the homeless around. Keeps us young.” She smiled up at him. “Isn’t playing detective sort of fun?”
“So is bungee jumping, I’m told.”
“We’ll have to try that. Darling, let’s not worry-”
“Tomorrow will take care of itself. Well said, my dear.” He kissed her. “Let me tell you my news.”
She listened. “Do you think this Henry is right about Amanda Sykes?”
“Tough call,” he said. “Ever since his skiing accident, Henry’s mind is in and out. He can remember something vividly, then a moment later not know it at all.” He stroked his chin, felt whiskers. “I’m inclined to believe him. The two are of an age. They could have gone to school together.” He stopped. “Damn, why didn’t I check Henry’s records while I was there. That would have settled it.”
“You can’t think of everything, dear. The fact Henry knew a nickname for her, especially one like Cyclone for Sykes-”
“That is sort of convincing, isn’t it?”
She sipped her brandy. “Let’s assume Jamie’s mother is Amanda Sykes.”
“Who once had a romance with then-Congressman Justin Wright.”
“Where’s Amanda Sykes now? Out at the Kinkaid castle? If she is, how do we get in there to rescue her?”
“Whoa, dobbin, you move too fast.”
“You should’ve seen me on the freeway.”
“Thank God I didn’t. I may, hopefully, soon answer at least one of your questions.”
“I’m all ears.”
“And such pretty ones.” He kissed her. “I stopped at your competition and bought a bouquet of flowers.”
“Oh?”
“I had it sent out to the castle, but I didn’t want it to look like it came from me. “
She kissed him back. “Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Her name is Maria Angelo, a cook or something out there, and a friend of Addie Kinkaid. I wrote a note giving her my cell number. Addie is rather hard to reach.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
“We’ll hope so. I didn’t want the message intercepted by one of the Ninja, so I wrote in Spanish-and you know how good my Spanish is.”
“You should have come to DeeDee’s Flowers. Se habla Espanol. What did you think you were saying in your note?'
“That Addie was in trouble and needed her.”
“She probably thinks you wanted a date.”
“Then she’ll definitely call. You didn’t happen to get that number Marco was calling when you so rudely-”
“I did of course.”
He had just jotted it down when his cell phone rang. “I couldn’t be so lucky, could I?” Spanish, his understanding nil, assaulted his ear. All he got were the names Maria and Addie. “Habla mas despacio, por favor.” If that slowed her down, he couldn’t detect it.
“Let me try.” Doreen took the phone from him.
He stood there feeling helpless, listening to Doreen’s si, si’s and yo comprendo’s. She even threw in an es verdad or two.
“What do you want me to tell her?”
“That Addie Kinkaid lost her home and is living at the Salvation Army temporarily. Also-” Doreen’s streak of Spanish silenced him.
“What else do you want to know?”
“I didn’t know your Spanish was so good.”
“I’m good at lots of things.” Her grin was wicked.
“Ask her if she knows where Josh is. Addie wants to reach him.”
He realized he might understand some of it, if he made the effort. But Doreen was doing her thing, so he gave up and quickly became bored. He fixed himself a highball then remembered the call he intended to make. He used the house phone. Lupe answered on the second ring. He told her about the rumor on the street. “There’s a number to call if you see the boy. I’d like to know whose it is, but I’d have to ID myself and that’s not too hot an idea.”
“What is it?” Then, “I’ll give it a shot first thing in the morning.”
Doreen ended her call and stood there, looking smug.
“Do I get to learn anything?”
“That drink looks good. May I have one?”
“You’ve had a cognac.”
“I’m in training for lushdom. Maria is most upset about Addie. I told her she was okay and you were keeping an eye on her.”
“Thank you, I forgot to add that.”
“She says Josh, whom she calls nino, is not a bad boy. He probably has no idea his mother is on the street. It is not his fault, etc. etc.”
“Where is the rotten kid, does she know?”
“Maria suffers inordinately that she does not know. The last she heard he was in Denver at an auto show.”
“Which I already knew. It’s something anyway. I’ll get on it. You spoke an awful lot of words to learn so little.”
“You should improve your Spanish. It’s a flowery language.”
“Why, when I have you.”
“One other thing. I asked if there was a woman staying there, young, perhaps in her 20s, light brown hair.”
“And?”
“Maria works in the kitchen and has nothing to do with house guests.”
“Too bad, would’ve been nice.”
“She thought perhaps Josh would know.”
“If we only knew where Josh was.”
He warmed leftover stew in the microwave while Doreen tossed a salad. They were just starting to eat when there was a rap at the kitchen door. He answered. It was Karen, clutching a small, male hand. He looked like Oliver Twist about to ask for “more.”
“What’s happened?” Doreen asked. “Aren’t you and Jamie going to Fresno?”
Karen looked at her hands, her feet, into space, anywhere but at Doreen.
“I guess I know the answer to that,” Doreen said softly.
“I can’t…do this no more, DeeDee, it’s too much…responsibility, I’m scared.”
“But Jamie’s mother-”
“I don’t hardly know her. She had no right. I did my share. It’s time for…”
“I see.” Doreen firmed her lips.
“Me and Marco and Tommy got a life to live, too.”
Doreen went to Jamie, picked him up. “It’s quite all right, Karen. I’ll see that Jamie is cared for.”
Guilt was a scar on Karen’s face. “I’m sorry, it’s just-”
“It’s all right, Karen.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Take care of him myself, of course.” Now she laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. I haven’t forgotten how to
