Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide by Lois Winston

Author:Lois Winston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lois Winston
Published: 2019-07-20T00:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

“You’re kidding,” said Zack when I told him my idea after we dropped Mama at her condo. “Tino Martinelli? The guy involved in the murder of your ex-CEO’s mistress?”

“You make it sound like he had something to do with her death. He didn’t.”

“Yet he made some questionable decisions in conjunction with that death, decisions that could have landed him in prison.”

“Granted, but in the end he came clean, stepped up, and helped catch a killer who was about to strike for a third time. Besides, he’s a former Marine. How perfect is that?”

Zack scrubbed at his way-past-five-o’clock shadow. “I don’t know.”

“He’s got a good heart. That’s what got him in trouble in the first place. He acted out of some misguided sense of family loyalty.”

“So do Mafia hit men. That doesn’t excuse them.”

Score one point for Zack.

“Marines are supposed to be rational thinkers,” he continued. “They’re trained to use reason and logic and keep emotion out of the equation.”

“There were extenuating circumstances. Besides, no one is perfect.”

“What makes you think he’d even be interested?”

“I received a Christmas card from him today. He’s working security for some tech company and bored out of his mind. I think he’d jump at the challenge to straighten out three delinquents-in-training.”

Zack slowed for a traffic light and turned to face me. “You really think this is a good idea?”

“Tino wouldn’t hurt a fly. And he’d do anything for me.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

I playfully swatted his arm. “In a brotherly way.”

He shook his head and sighed. “Since I’ve never met the guy, I have to bow to your judgment, but you need to let Ira know what happened with Martinelli a few months ago.”

“I will.”

~*~

First thing the next morning, after the boys left for school, I phoned Tino. He answered with an excited, “Mrs. P.!”

“Hey, Tino, it was good to get your note.”

“I miss our adventures. Life is downright boring lately. You haven’t replaced me, have you?”

“Never! You’ll be first on my list the next time I go undercover as a reality TV producer.”

He chuckled. “We had some fun with that, didn’t we?”

“Putting aside we were interviewing possible killers?”

“Well, yeah, there was that. Still, it was kind of an adrenaline rush, right?”

Personally, I could use a little less adrenaline in my life. Then again, I wasn’t an ex-Marine. They probably required a certain number of cc’s per day to survive. “I’m off work until after New Year’s. Any chance you’re free for coffee or lunch today?”

“You miss me?”

“Absolutely! And I also have a proposition for you if you’re interested.”

“Why, Mrs. P., you cougar, you!”

“Not that kind of proposition!”

He laughed again. “Only kidding. But if you ever change your mind—”

“Tino!”

“Just pulling your leg, Mrs. P. Anyway, I’m off until after New Year’s, and I’d love to meet for lunch. You’ve certainly piqued my curiosity. I can’t wait to hear about this proposition of yours.”

We made arrangements to meet at a diner on Route 22 at noon. When I ended the call, Zack said, “I’d feel more comfortable going with you.

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