Janet Evanovich - Full Scoop

"Ouch!" Zack jumped.

Maggie snatched her hand away. "Sorry about that."

Queenie sighed and shook her head.

"What is that, battery acid?" Zack asked, glaring at the cotton ball. "That hurt worse than having my arm broken."

"You don't want to risk infection," Maggie told him.

"Who says?"

"It won't take me long to clean it if you could just be still for a minute."

"Somebody hand me a bullet from my gun so I can bite it," Zack said, wincing. "Better yet, just shoot me."

"Are all FBI guys wimps?" Queenie asked.

"Can I ask you a question?" Mel said. When Maggie gave her a questioning look, the girl added defensively, "It's nothing rude." She looked at Zack. "Did you fall off a building or something? Or get hit by a car?"

"I ran into some bad guys on my last case. Things got a little sticky before we arrested them."

"What did they do wrong?"

Maggie dropped the cotton ball on the floor. Zack felt her breasts brush his arm as she bent to pick it up and toss it aside. "Huh? Oh, the usual. Drugs."

"The bandage on your forehead is dirty," Maggie said. "I really need to change it."

Zack looked at her. "Is this some kind of compulsion you have?"

Everest grinned. "If my sister was here she'd insist on doing your hair."

Maggie wished Everest's sister would come over and shave the man's beard. She should have taken a closer look at the picture on his badge. "Stop complaining or I'll take out your tonsils," she said.

Zack gritted his teeth but said nothing as she finished treating him. She stepped away. "Are we done, I hope?" he asked.

"Yep. You have a nice new bandage."

Queenie suddenly slapped her hand over her mouth. "I forgot to get the ice cream out of my car."

"I'll get it," Mel said, standing.

Queenie suddenly moaned. "Oh, no, I just remembered my car is smashed." She covered her face with her hands. "My baby!"

Everest patted her shoulder. "It's okay, Granny Queenie. I checked while Zack was making Dr. Maggie swear not to let me slam him again if he got up off the driveway. Your car is fine. Dr. Maggie's fender has a dent in it though."

Zack was watching Mel. "Hold on a second," he said as she reached the door. "I'll go with you."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Why?"

"I need to get my bags from the van." He shrugged. "Maybe have another look around."

"I'll go too," Everest said. "I want to see how this FBI stuff works."

Zack looked at Maggie. "Before I forget, I'm having a state-of-the-art-alarm system installed first thing in the morning. Sensors on every door and window," he added. "I'll give you and Mel the code and show you how to use it. It's very simple."

"You're staying here?" Maggie asked.

"How do you think he's going to protect you and Mel?" Queenie asked.

Maggie nodded. "Oh, yeah."

"You must be pretty sure that Carl Lee Stanton is going to show up," Mel said.

Zack gave her an easy smile as the three of them headed to the door. "If he makes it this far," he said, "which is highly unlikely considering everybody in the free world is looking for him."

Maggie watched them go through the door. She was glad Zack was playing down the danger. She tossed the dirty bandage and used cotton balls into the trash and returned her medical bag to the top of the refrigerator.

"You okay?" Queenie asked.

Maggie nodded. "I have a lot on my mind. Surprising as it might seem," she added with a rueful smile.

Mel came through the door with the carton of ice cream, and Queenie put it in the freezer. The phone rang in Mel's room, and the girl started from the kitchen.

"Don't forget what we talked about," Maggie reminded.

"I know, Mom. My favorite Uncle Zack is visiting."

Maggie waited until she heard the door close to her daughter's room. "I should probably go in and have that talk with her," she said to Queenie. "Get it over with," she added.

"Doesn't the poor girl have enough to think about right now without you dishing out more?" Queenie asked.

Maggie no longer knew what was best for Mel. "I'm already frazzled over the waiting," she said. "Waiting and not knowing if or when he'll show up. And we've just begun."

"This is probably a good time for you and Mel to take a little vacation," Queenie said.

"I'm booked solid next week," Maggie said. "I've got new patients coming in. If I cancel they might go someplace else. I need those patients, Queenie." It was all Maggie could do to pay her overhead some months, not to mention living expenses and putting a good chunk of money into Mel's college fund each month. As much as she scrimped, she hadn't made a deposit in her savings account all summer, but she knew it took time to build up a solid practice.

"Is it worth the risk?" Queenie asked after a moment.

They were prevented from discussing it further when Zack and Everest walked through the door carrying Zack's luggage. Maggie noted the serious look on Zack's face. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"I need to replace a couple of light bulbs," he said, setting the small suitcase and a shoulder bag out of the way. Everest placed an olive-colored duffel bag beside them. "The one by the back door is out."

"I keep forgetting to replace it," Maggie said, getting up from the table.

"This is a good time to do it."

Maggie nodded. FBI guys probably changed their light bulbs once a week. "I'll grab a box of bulbs from the laundry room."

"I'm going to check out the inside while you do that."

"You'll have to knock on Mel's door," Maggie told him. "She's on the phone. It could be hours before she gets off."

"That was so cool," Everest said quietly when Maggie re-entered the room. "Zack doesn't miss a thing. I can learn a lot from watching him. He says I have what it takes to be FBI. Plus, he promised to put in a good word for me. I'm going to join the gym right away and start working out, and then I'm going to buy a gun and go to the firing range so I can practice, and then I'm going to sign up for the exam. I have to go to the library and see if they have any FBI books I can study." He had to pause to catch his breath.

"But what about your choir job?" Queenie asked. "I thought you were going to sing for the Lord."

He looked thoughtful. "I could maybe start an FBI choir."

Queenie pulled a set of keys from her purse and looked at Everest. "Well, before you strap on your pistol harness, Agent Everest, Granny Queenie needs a favor. Would you please look in the trunk of my car and get my satchel?"

"The satchel?" he asked.

"Yes. And there's a box of white candles back there that I'll need."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, heading for the door once again. He tossed her a grin. "I like the sound of Agent Everest."

Queenie gave a satisfied sigh. "That young man is so polite. Impeccable manners too," she added. "If I didn't know better I would think I had raised Everest. But I'm not sure about this FBI business. If he leaves I won't have anybody to scare people for me."

Maggie had other things on her mind. "Why do you need your satchel?"

"Oh, I thought I'd make up a protective floor wash. It can be used for a personal protection wash as well, but you already know all that." She got up. "Better put on some water to boil."

"Please tell me you're not going to boil a bunch of basil and smell up this whole house," Maggie said. "Please tell me you don't expect Mel and me to bathe with it because it's not going to happen."

"And I'll leave a jar of basil with you to sweep up with as well," Queenie said, obviously choosing to ignore the question.

Maggie didn't put up an argument as Queenie went about her business. Not that she could say or do anything to stop the woman once she made up her mind. Queenie had tried more than once to convince Maggie that many of her remedies were as good as or better than modern medicine, but Maggie did not use them, and she strongly opposed root work or other practices for harmful purposes.