Chapter 15
Sunday Evening …
Nan immediately hopped to her feet, heading inside her apartment for her front door.
And, with Mugs racing beside her, Doreen followed Nan. “Do you know what this is about?”
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I don’t know who all that could be.”
They went out to the hallway to find Richie berating a young man. Doreen reached over and gently patted Richie on the shoulder. “I understand everybody is upset,” she said. “Let’s just calm down now.”
The young man looked at her, sneered, checking her from head to toe and back up again. “And who are you?”
Richie bristled, and Nan immediately got irate. Then the kid took a look at the animals at Doreen’s feet, and his lip curled. “Oh, that’s disgusting,” he said. “A dog and a cat. What the hell’s that on your shoulder? Some sort of a tumor?”
“Now I know who you are,” Doreen said with a smile. “You must be the very greedy and ill-mannered grandson of poor Rosie. The fact of the matter is, the woman’s not even cold yet, and here you are, trying to get your hands on her stuff.”
“It’s not like she’s got anything anyway,” he snapped. “And why is that?” He sneered again. “It’s not fair. There should be something for me.”
“Why is that?” Doreen asked. “Why do you think you deserve anything?”
“She’s got nobody else to leave it to,” he said.
“I think a lot of cat shelters need donations,” Doreen said, not liking this guy one bit. “And definitely some dog shelters need money too. I’m sure there is even one for birds somewhere, and Rosie would definitely like to help the animals.”
Richie nodded. “She definitely would have,” he said. “Why should you get any of her money?”
“Because I’m the only family she has, old man,” Danny said, shoving his face into Richie’s.
Immediately Doreen got into his face. “Elder abuse is not allowed in this place,” she snapped. “Now you march yourself out of here, or else I’m calling the police.”
“The police won’t listen to you. You’re nothing but a washed-up, drippy old maid,” he said with that sneer once more. “Besides, this is my grandmother’s place.”
“Good. I’m glad you mentioned that,” Doreen said. “Because it’s the end of the month, and her rent is due. So you better fork out that money right now, young man. Otherwise, you’ve got no business coming here at all.” She glared at him, but she had her phone out and was already dialing Mack.
“Who are you calling?” Danny asked. “Give me that phone.” And he tried to grab the phone out of her hand.
Immediately Mugs started to growl. In a very soft voice, Doreen told Danny, “Touch me again, and that dog will take your foot off.”
He glared at her and down at Mugs. “You’re some freaky lady,” he said. “Nobody will listen to you.”
“Well, we’ll see,” she said. “Because Richie’s grandson is a cop too, and nobody touches my nan without Mack knowing about it.”
Mack picked up the call and said, “Doreen, what’s the matter?”
“Rosie’s grandson is causing a stir and attacked poor Richie in Rosemoor, when he tried to stop him from messing up Rosie’s room,” she said. “I came down to visit Nan, and Danny’s in the hallway, causing all kinds of commotion.”
“He has no right to be in Rosie’s room at all,” Mack said, his voice harsh. “Who let him in?”
“I doubt anybody let him in. He’s the scuttling little fish that would sneak his way into the place and search her room, not giving a darn about his own grandmother. But it’s a crime scene now, isn’t it?” she asked with a note of satisfaction. “So I suggest you get here right now and secure the room and make sure this guy spends the night in the jail.”
“I’m not sticking around to be put in jail,” Danny yelled. “What? Are you some weirdo? That’s my grandmother’s room.”
“That does not make it your room,” Doreen said. “And, in case you hadn’t gotten the memo, her death wasn’t normal, and they’re treating this room as a crime scene. That means you’ve been interfering in her room, so you’re not going anywhere.”
“You can’t stop me,” he said. Then he shoved his face at her phone and said, “Neither can you, asshole.” And he tried to turn and bolt.
But Mugs jumped up on his kneecap as he pivoted, and he tripped. As he went down, Goliath came out of nowhere and skidded along his back, leaving deep gouges in his shirt.
Danny screamed about being under attack.
“Doreen, what’s the matter?” Mack cried out.
“Well, Danny made a threatening move on me, so Mugs and Goliath got a little defensive,” she said. “Now Danny’s on the ground, crying like a baby. Are you coming?”
“Do I have a choice?” he asked with a heavy sigh. “Darren is coming too. We’ll be there in five.”
She patted Richie, who was looking a little worse for wear after the confrontation. “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “I’d be fine except that Danny’s still here.”
Doreen looked at Danny on the floor and said, “You’re such a loser.”
“I’m not,” he said, shifting to his knees.
“You tormented your poor grandmother for whatever few pennies she had,” she snapped. “Whatever happened to you getting a job and looking after yourself?”
“I had a job,” he said. “It’s not my fault I got laid off.”
“So what are you doing here, if it isn’t searching her place for money?”
“I was looking for her will,” he said. “It’s supposed to be all mine.”
“What’s all yours?” she asked. “You said Rosie doesn’t have anything.”
“But something was paying for this room,” he said. “This is not a cheap place to live in.”
“No, it’s not,” she said, “but let’s get real. Probably her pension was paying for this.”
“It was her investments and savings,” he snapped. “And they now come to me.”
“Only if a will says so,” she said. “But I wouldn’t trust that anyway.”
“Who is her lawyer?” Nan asked Danny.
“I don’t know if she has a lawyer,” Danny
