Death by Pins and Needles by Susie Black

Author:Susie Black [Black, Susie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary; Cozy; Fashion Mystery; Contemporary Whodunnit; Mystery Solved by Amateur; Women sleuths; Fashion Murder Mystery; Sassy heroine
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2022-11-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Queenie grinned. “Guess the second set of tires is on Johnny.”

I wish. “Guess again. Somebody monkeyed with the tires. The tow truck guy said it’s the reason the valves were so loose.”

Hope’s hands flew to her cheeks. “My God! You were almost killed.”

I pinched my cheeks and grinned. “Yeah, but this time Lady Luck smiled on me.”

Sonia blew out a breath. “My advice is don’t push the envelope any further.”

Queenie waggled her finger. “She’s right. Maybe you ought to quit before Lady Luck changes her mind and she gives you the middle finger salute next time.”

I might have been thrown, but nobody’s keeping me down. I’m too close and stubborn to quit now. Bucking broncos be damned. “Are you guys nuts? This is just starting to get interesting.”

Queenie gave me the stink eye. “You are aware dead is forever, right?”

And? “If I don’t stand up for myself, who will? Bobby Javadi enjoys messing around with classic cars. Maybe he messed with mine. The only way to find out is to get in his face.”

We finished our coffee and Queenie dropped me off at Johnny’s station. I followed him into the garage. My convertible sat suspended on the rack. Johnny pressed the lever and lowered the car to eye level. He squeezed the valve stem of the front right tire and wiggled it around. “I’ve got good news and bad news. Whaddya want first?”

I quaked at the paltry sum of my checking account balance. “Definitely, the good news.”

He said, “Ok. The good news is we only replaced the two rear tires. The front two are undamaged. We only replaced their valve stems.”

Hot diggity dog. Waaaay better than I expected. “Maybe the insurance company won’t cancel me.” I held my breath. “And the bad news?”

His face clouded over. “The tow truck guy was right. These tires were tampered with. The valve stems were purposely fouled. How all four tires didn’t blow is amazing. You’ve no idea how lucky you are. You pissed someone off. Somebody worked awfully hard trying to make you dead.” He took an oil-stained rag out of the back pocket of his uniform. He wiped his greasy fingers clean and fondly cuffed my chin. “Whatever you’re doing, stop doing it.” He grinned a toothy smile. “I’ve got two kids you’re helping put through college.”

I live to serve.

****

Sonia asked, “You and Bobby discuss your tires?”

I sighed. “Not yet.”

Hope gave me the stink eye. “Come to your senses yet?”

I snapped like a cranky croc. “Meaning?”

Hope snapped back. “Tell Buster’s wife and let the cops deal with it.”

As if. “No way. I called Bobby at Garvin Auto, but the receptionist said he didn’t come in. I inquired about his work schedule. She said she had no information, and passed me along to Bobby’s boss. He said Bobby got injured at his other job and is on medical leave. I pushed him for an answer, but the boss wouldn’t say when he’d be back.”

Sonia clucked her tongue. “Geez, that’s awful. Any idea what happened?”

I held my hands out.

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