Nina Wright - Whiskey with a Twist

Everybody in west Michigan knew that Odette was the best schmoozer on this side of the Lake. So I merely nodded.

“I’m going to introduce O. to my Chicago contacts,” the developer said.

“’O.’?” I repeated. “Odette lets you call her ‘O.’?”

“Doesn’t everyone call her that?”

“Not if they want to keep their teeth.”

“Whiskey is funny,” Odette told Liam. “You’ll get used to it.”

“She’s not that funny,” Kori said.

I stared at O.’s perfectly marcelled waves. How the hell had they remained unruffled by the chopper’s tornadic blades? Come to think of it, shouldn’t Liam’s short hair also be mussed? I was pretty sure mine was a mare’s nest, and I hadn’t been that close to the copter. Maybe O. and L. were already sharing hair gel.

“And now if you’ll excuse me,” Liam said, “I need to find my wife. Could you direct me-?”

The eavesdropping members of Team Fleggers pointed as one to the exhibit hall.

“Thank you,” Liam said, acknowledging the group onstage. “I like your shirts. Never been a dog-show enthusiast myself.”

“Me, neither,” Kori announced. “Susan made me do it.”

We all watched as she and her uncle jogged together toward the arena. Then I arched my eyebrows at “O.” and waited for the rest of her story. She arched hers back at me but said nothing. We went on like that for a minute or so. I could feel the Fleggers’ collectively curious gaze.

“Can we step away from the nut jobs?” Odette asked. “Or did Dr. David draft you, too?”

“Nope. I’m still a free agent.”

I gestured toward the motel, thinking we might adjourn to my room.

“Definitely not,” Odette said. “I refuse to set foot in any establishment known as the Barnyard Inn. Isn’t there a Starbucks around here?”

“We’re in Amish Country,” I said. “The best we can hope for is a cheese bar.”

“Where are the Amish?” Odette asked. “I didn’t see any as we flew in.”

“I’ve been wondering that, too, ever since I got here! The closest I’ve been to anything Amish is holding one of their brochures.”

“It’s a scam,” Odette intoned. “There are no real Amish anymore. Only actors.”

“I don’t think that’s true…”

But suddenly I wondered if it might be.

“We could take my car,” I suggested. “Drive around a little. See if we can find us some Amish. Some real Amish.”

“What about Abra? Did you lose her again?”

“Only for a few minutes this time. She’s in room 18 with her new boyfriend. Don’t ask.”

Odette declined my Amish search invitation. She expected to be airborne again soon.

Trying to sound neutral, I said, “What’s up with you two?”

“We’re getting the word out on Big and Little Houses. Working night and day.”

“Mostly nights?”

“Whatever it takes to get the job done,” Odette replied blandly. “Liam is tireless.”

Before I could insert my foot all the way into my mouth, my cell phone rang. The tune of the ring told me it was my ex-husband. Odette knew it, too.

“Tell Jeb I said hello. Also, tell him to take better care of you. You don’t look good.”

“Always nice to be jacked down.” I fumbled for my phone.

“Whiskey, I’m going to sell every last home in that subdivision,” Odette said. “Don’t ask me how. Don’t ask me when. And for god’s sake don’t accuse me of anything. Just because you can’t trust your man doesn’t mean you can’t trust other men. Now go get sleep or food or sex. Whatever it takes to make you human again!”

She stalked off, and I opened my phone in time to catch Jeb.

“Hey,” I said.

He wanted to know about the latest shooting. Both Jenx and MacArthur had already called him.

“What I really want to know is why you didn’t call me,” he said.

Jeb didn’t sound like his laid-back self. He sounded either hurt or annoyed. Maybe both. I tried to explain that there was too much going on, what with Abra departing and Fleggers arriving.

“Abra runs away every chance she gets,” he said. “And you knew Dr. David and Deely were coming. Those aren’t excuses, Whiskey. You should have called me.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe I needed you to call me. So I could be sure you care. Sometimes I’m not sure you do.”

“You’re not sure I care?”

“Sometimes, no, I’m not. Sometimes you seem more interested in other people.”

“What other people?”

“Like the person who invited me here. You told me I should go to the show. You said it might help my business if I did. And I believed you. But now I think you just wanted to please Susan Davies!”

The silence on the other end of the phone was thunderous.

“Hello?” I said finally.

“I’m speechless,” Jeb said. “If you believe what you just said-. Well, I have nothing to say.”

“Convince me not to believe it!” I cried.

Then my stomach made a sound like a dying sperm whale-loud enough, I was sure, for every dog in the RV park to hear it. I expected a chorus of sympathetic howls.

“What’s the matter?” Jeb said.

“I don’t feel good. Odette said I look terrible. Oh, I forgot to tell you, she’s here. With Liam. They came by helicopter.”

“Liam showed up? Then he’s gotta be worried about Susan. So I have a right to be worried about you,” Jeb said. “In addition to being pissed at you. What do you want me to do? Should I come get you?”

“I can’t leave! Abra’s missing!”

Then I remembered that she wasn’t. Anymore. We just had to get her and Silverado out of room 18. I hastily explained that to Jeb.

“Anyway, I have my car here,” I added. “As soon as I can load Abra up, I’m heading for home. I should be there in time for dinner.”

My stomach roiled again, and I wondered when or if it would be safe for me to actually eat.

“I don’t know about food,” I said, “but we can talk. Do you want to talk?”

“We need to talk,” Jeb said firmly. “You got some crazy ideas in that head of yours.”

Just then I noticed Matt Koniger. He was about fifty yards away, striding toward the exhibit hall, with a dog. One dog. Silverado.

“Excuse me,” I told Jeb. “I’m gonna have to call you right back.”

Of course there were other blue-gray hounds at the show. But Matt had been on a mission to retrieve that one. Plus Abra. I wondered how he’d managed to remove Susan’s dog from Kori’s motel room without Kori’s key. She had been with me, and then she’d gone off with her uncle. What I really needed to know was what had happened to Abra.

“Didn’t anyone tell you?” he said.

I shook my head.

“The door to room 18 was ajar. I found Silverado on the bed watching TV, but Abra was gone.”

What little strength I had left leaked from my muscles like water from a shattered vase. Matt reached out a hand to steady me.

“Easy,” he said. “You need something to eat. Let’s go to the concession stand. My treat.”

“No burgers,” I murmured.

“No way,” he agreed. “I recommend hot dogs or nachos.”

I wasn’t sure my stomach could handle either.

Inside the arena the competition had resumed. Perry Stiles must have decided that the show should go on.

A second show was in progress. In the concession area Susan and Liam were having a conversation with Kori and Odette. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected in that department, but it wasn’t a four-way chat. The group had taken over a table in the concession area, where Silverado, Matt, and I were pointed now. I couldn’t wait to see how Susan would express her gratitude to Matt for returning the lost dog. Most likely, she’d save some of her enthusiasm for their next trip to the side door.