Flame and Fortune by Jana DeLeon

Author:Jana DeLeon [DeLeon, Jana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: J&R Publishing

Chapter Thirteen

When we finished up with Christina, it was time for all of us to head home and get ready for Nora’s party. We’d double-checked with Beatrice, and so far, Nora wasn’t on the hook for the still explosion so either the arson investigator had bought her story about not knowing her husband had one or he simply didn’t want to deal with an old lady and her illegal-booze-making habits. I was voting on the latter.

I hadn’t heard from Carter since I’d seen him at the General Store, but I hadn’t figured I would. Between the fire, the explosion, Brock’s suspicious death, and the upcoming run of parties planned, he had his hands full. Gertie had tried to talk him into making a stop by Nora’s, at least to pick up some of Molly’s food, but he’d even held out on that idea.

I took a long shower and pulled on jeans, T-shirt, and tennis shoes, happy to be back to regular clothes for my outing. Because I hadn’t eaten since we stopped at the bakery that morning, I had a pre-party snack, then fed Merlin and made some notes on the case. I got a text from Ida Belle as I was shutting down my laptop and grabbed my cell phone and gun and headed out.

I could see Ida Belle’s Lord-give-me-strength expression as I walked down the steps and figured I had a good idea what it was about. That was confirmed when I climbed into her SUV and took a look in the back seat at Gertie. She’d gone all out.

Her hair was streaked with pink highlights and spiked up in all directions. Her black tank top had lime green words on it that read I’m with the Queen. Her pants were turquoise and pink spotted, and she informed me gleefully that they glowed in the dark. Around her neck was a purple feather boa with flashing yellow lights. Her feet were clad in clear platforms with a huge bottom…with something moving inside.

“Are there goldfish in your shoes?” I asked.

She nodded. “Not real ones, of course. But they’re in this gel and they flex so it looks like they’re swimming. Aren’t they cool?”

“Not the word I’d choose,” Ida Belle said.

“I’m just glad I don’t cover your medical insurance,” I said. “Those shoes look like a minimum of a sprained ankle night.”

Ida Belle nodded. “Twenty bucks and I’ll put you down for ankle in the betting pool.”

I passed her a twenty and Gertie shook her head.

“Oh ye of little faith,” Gertie said. “It’s a new year. That means another opportunity for a new me. You two could use a makeover, too, you know. Maybe approach this year in a different way than the past.”

I stared at her. “It wasn’t long ago that I left the CIA and DC, moved to Sinful, adopted a cat, quit my job, acquired a boyfriend, and for Christ’s sake, I just wore a sequined dress and a tiara on a parade float. If there is any more change in my life, I might spontaneously combust.

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