Val Fremden Mystery Box Set 3 by Margaret Lashley

Author:Margaret Lashley [Lashley, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zazzy Ideas, Inc.
Published: 2020-03-21T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“And then what happened?” Laverne asked, hanging on my every word.

We were in her kitchen and my Destiny was a gonner.

I’d arrived home looking, smelling and feeling like a pole cat stuck in a sewage treatment plant. I’d stripped off naked in the garage and thrown my hot pants, halter and the rest of Destiny into the garbage bin.

I’d just finished showering with Lifebuoy and Clorox when Laverne had called me, wanting to talk face-to-face.

She’d said it was urgent, so I’d thrown on some comfy clothes and dropped over, my hair still damp and smelling faintly of Ty-D-Bol. One look at me and she’d told me to tell my story first.

“Then I had to call Layla and give her the bad news, Laverne. The battery’s gone forever.”

Laverne cocked her horsey head and frowned. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry about that.”

I sipped a cup of brown liquid Laverne had said was coffee, and glanced around at the veritable army of Vegas memorabilia crammed in every nook and cranny of her place. A shiny Frank Sinatra figurine smirked and winked a holographic blue eye at me, amplifying my suspicion that every joke ever played in the world was somehow on me.

I set down my cup and picked up Doo-Doo Daddy. I’d brought him along for dramatic effect. I slammed the ugly lump of porcelain on the counter and threw my arms up in frustration.

“I don’t get it, Laverne. What kind of idiot would waste money on stupid crap like that?”

“I sure don’t know, honey.”

Laverne took my hand and offered me a kind, sympathetic smile. All around her, from every bookshelf, countertop and window ledge, hordes of diminutive figures mirrored her expression with their painted-on lips and eyes.

My cheeks flamed from the unintentional insult I’d just hurled. But fortunately, my poison dart had flown right over Laverne’s head. Her kindly smile never missed a beat.

I cleared my throat and shifted my gaze back to the hideous figurine on the counter.

“Right. So, when I called her back, Layla told me she’d give me ten bucks for it. But I tell you, Laverne, it’s worth more than that to me to be able to smash his crappy little brains in for making me climb in that dumpster!”

Laverne pursed her lips and touched my forearm.

“By the way,” I said, “you wouldn’t happen to have a hammer I could borrow, would you?”

Laverne bit her lip. “What about your bet with Tom?”

“I just lost twenty grand, Laverne. Losing my bet with Tom is nothing compared to that.”

Laverne burst into tears.

Shocked by her unexpected response, I nearly missed catching her when she fell into my arms. I held her awkwardly as she sobbed into my shoulder.

“Geeze, Laverne. I’m sorry. It’s just that.... Okay. I won’t smash it. Stop crying, okay?”

“Oh, it’s not that,” she sobbed.

“What is it, then? J.D. troubles?”

Laverne pulled away and sniffed. “No. Well...yes. But that’s not it either.”

“Tell me, Laverne. What’s bothering you?”

“Oh, Val! I did something horrible back when I was in Vegas! I thought the past was behind me.

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