The Red Riley Adventures Box Set by Stephanie Andrews

Author:Stephanie Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: humor, thriller, women sleuths, amateur detective, vigilante, chicago
Publisher: Piscataqua Press
Published: 2018-03-06T00:00:00+00:00

“I’M SORRY, KAY,” SAID Uncle Elgort, seated uncomfortably in the easy chair. “I didn’t realize how bad things had gotten.”

We were sitting in my mom’s room at Honeywell. She was sitting on the side of her bed, staring out the window. Nick stood by the bookshelf, perusing the titles. I sat next to Mom on the bed, brushing her long auburn hair. She paid no attention to any of us.

“The Christmas cards coming every year,” Elgort went on. “I assumed she was more cognizant.”

“She had help sending them,” I said, glumly. The good news, of course, was that Mom hadn’t been distraught by the announcement of my death on the evening news. The bad news, of course, was that she hadn’t much noticed when I came by to tell her I was still alive.

Nick pulled out a copy of Blood Meridian and was examining it carefully.

“I suppose it’s for the best,” I sighed. “There’s no one now. Apart from Marty and Ruby, and they are well aware of the risks.”

Nick looked up from the book. Raised an eyebrow at me.

“Well, yes. The Shelbys. But I’m pretty sure you lot can look after yourselves. Mom would have been happy, I think, to know that we’ve reconnected. She was always more copacetic about it than Dad.”

“Your father was a police officer, Kay. And we were criminals. You couldn’t expect him to be pleased with his brother’s choice of profession.”

I turned and looked at Uncle Elgort.

“Were criminals?”

“Well,” he coughed. “I suppose yes, we are still criminals in a way.”

“In many, many ways,” said Nick.

“True. But no more of the violence. No more bending others to our will. Now we just look for the mistakes of others, and exploit them for our benefit.”

“And,” I chimed in, “your targets are certainly not innocent.”

“For the most part,” said Nick, with a dour expression.

“Well, certainly Dexter,” I argued.

“Without a doubt, Dexter,” said Elgort.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get any more information on Negron,” I sighed.

“Not yet, my dear. Not yet. There will be other chances.”

“And Dexter?” I asked.

“He seems very interested in our little proposition, the recycling of the guns. He told Hansen that he needed to talk with his people.”

“Negron?”

“I assume so, but perhaps the mayor himself. Who knows where this will lead. We shall see. In the meantime, your job is to find Selena Salerno without her finding you, and continue to push for information about Antonio Negron.”

“Simple,” I said lightly, standing up and clapping my hands. Mom flinched, and I hurried to rub my hand on her shoulder, put her at ease. “I’ve always wanted to go to Mexico.”

Nick turned around sharply, wanting to interrupt, but not wanting to tell me what to do. Elgort showed no such restraint.

“Under no circumstances are you to go anywhere near Negron, Kay. Do you understand?”

I didn’t like to be given orders, but I also remembered the look of fear on Selena’s face when she spoke of Negron. She was the biggest bad-ass I’d ever met, and she was terrified.

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