Three Deuces Down by Keith Donnelly

Author:Keith Donnelly [Donnelly, Keith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, investigation, fiction, Three Deuces Down, detectives
ISBN: 9781603060738
Publisher: NewSouth Books
Published: 2008-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

29

The weekend after Sarah Ann’s funeral, at Mary’s insistence, we purchased and decorated a Christmas tree. Being an orphan for most of the last two decades, I had basically ignored Christmas. When I did think of the subject, I was generally sad. Mary, on the other hand, was getting excited and it was contagious. The two inches of snow on the ground added to the holiday enthusiasm. I knew exactly where to find the forgotten ornaments of my childhood, and memories flooded over me as I found a special place on the tree for my favorite ones. We drank eggnog and sang Christmas carols. I shook my head in disbelief. I felt like a kid.

Mary had asked if her kids, Susan and Jimmy, could join us for the holidays. Even though I thought it was a rhetorical question, I dutifully affirmed. I was glad she wanted them to meet me. I could not believe how important she was becoming in my life. I was a bit frightened by the idea. Mary was settling into the less-than-exciting life of a small-town cop. Drunk and disorderly, domestic violence, and traffic citations made up most of her day. But she said it was a nice change and that she enjoyed being with me.

As Christmas drew closer, I had put private detecting on the back burner and was paying closer attention to the stock market. There were bargains to be had and I was intent on having them. Roy had called a few days after the funeral saying that he and Fleet were going away for the holidays to Fleet’s house on Amelia Island. He said Fleet wanted me to go back to work on the case after the first of the year. I asked what case and Roy said finding Ronnie Fairchild or whatever the hell his name is. I said I would think about it.

The Monday before Christmas, I was in the office when the phone rang. A female voice said, “Hold, please, for Carlo Vincente.”

I held.

“What’s happening with the case you are working on?” Carlo asked in his low growl.

“It’s over. We found the girl’s body a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been meaning to call you.”

There was silence on the other end. Carlo was probably unhappy that I had not called.

“I am very sorry to hear that,” Vincente said. He sounded sincere. “Such a pity.”

“Yes, it is.”

I waited through more silence.

“Are you going to continue to look for our friend?”

I was curious that he did not use Joey’s name. Maybe he thought his phones were bugged. “I haven’t decided,” I said.

“The father wants you to, I assume,” Vincente said.

“Yes.”

“Then you will.”

“What makes you think so?”

“I am a good judge of character,” he said. “It’s the reason I am still alive. You will keep looking and I am betting in the end you will find our friend. I would like to know when that happens.”

“If that does happen, why should I tell you?” I cringed at my own brashness—easy to crack wise with the devil when he is eight hundred miles away.

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