Marja McGraw - Bogey Man 02 - Bogey's Ace in the Hole by Marja McGraw

Author:Marja McGraw [McGraw, Marja]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery: Cozy - Vintage Restaurant - Los Angeles
ISBN: 1610090470
Publisher: Marja McGraw
Published: 2012-03-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

While the customers began leaving in small groups, Chris kept his eye on the street outside. The truck had passed Bogey Nights twice and then seemed to disappear. Chris didn’t trust that he was really gone. He left by the rear door of the restaurant, after turning off the back lights, and hot-footed it to the front to check out the street. I watched out the window with some amusement – Chris was doing a male version of tiptoeing.

He returned through the rear as I was locking the front door.

“Did you see him?” I asked, meeting him in the dining room area.

“I did some fancy footwork and saw him parked down the street.”

Hiding a smile, I said, “Yeah, I saw some of that fancy footwork.”

“He’s going to have to cool his heels for a while. We’re not leavin’ this juke joint until I have a few things put in place.”

I almost rolled my eyes, but caught myself in time. “We’re not a cheap bar so don’t call Bogey Nights a juke joint. We’re a supper club with a cocktail lounge.”

“I know, I know. But juke joint sounds more forties.”

That stopped me cold. Chris never actually talked about trying to sound forties. He just did it.

“Okay. So what’s the plan?” I asked, recovering.

Chris pulled on his ear lobe and grinned his best Bogey grin at me. “I want you to take Lila and May for a ride. The big lug is going to follow Jasmine’s car when she leaves, thinking Addie’s in it.”

“But if he followed us here, which is what we think, then he’s not going to know what her car looks like.”

“I’ve got that covered. I’m going to pull Jasmine’s car up out front and the women will all climb in, with Addie making a big show of it. Then I’m going to have Jasmine get back out and look through her purse, like she forgot something. She’ll pull into the driveway and she and Addie will switch places with you and the dogs.”

“The dogs?” Now I was really confused.

“I want Jasmine’s car to look full. I don’t want the palooka to realize we’ve pulled a switch. When you leave, turn left out of the driveway. That way you won’t be driving past him and he won’t see that two of the passengers are dogs.”

“Gotcha.” I was beginning to catch on.

“While you and the ladies are leading him on a wild goose chase, I’ll take Jasmine and Addie home. After you’ve driven around, in the opposite direction from Jasmine’s house, you can take Lila and May home. We can leave your Jeep here for the night, and then switch cars tomorrow.”

“I don’t suppose you have a simpler plan,” I said hopefully.

“Take it or leave it, that’s the plan.”

“Okay. You know, our employees must think we’re nuts. There’s always something going on.”

“If they don’t think we’re goofy now, they soon will.”

I found the Church Ladies in the lounge, standing up and ready to leave. I explained the plan to them.

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