Janet Evanovich - Full Tilt

Jamie chuckled and sat on the foot of the chaise. "Don't be silly, there's no place I'd rather be right now than with my best friend. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay until I think how close you and Max came to being shot on my own property." Her eyes misted. "I could have lost both of you."

Beenie, ever watchful, handed Deedee a tissue. "And then to think that a man was actually brutally killed outside my front door." She shuddered.

"He was a very bad man," Beenie said. "A coldblooded killer."

She sighed wearily. "I know. But this has always been a happy place. Now, we have security guards running all over the place."

Beenie sniffed loudly. Both women looked up. "I'm sorry," he said, snatching a tissue from the box. "I feel so sad. My nerves are shot, and every time I get anxious I start eating chocolate. I've gained three pounds. And look at my nails." He held them out. "I've started biting them. I've had to take off my rings so as not to draw attention to them."

"Oh, Beenie," Deedee said. "It's going to be okay. Once this nasty business is behind us we'll both go in for a manicure. In the meantime, there are a million things to plan."

He looked hopeful. "Like what?"

"I'm going to be the mayor's wife. I think I need a whole new look. My husband will be a public servant."

"Yes, you will definitely need a new look. You'll want an elegant-working-girl look. We'll have to tone down the makeup and choose a simpler hairstyle." He drummed his fingers along his bottom lip. "Oh, my?"

"What?" Deedee said.

"Some of those diamonds must go. They flash like a Kmart blue light special when you walk into a room."

Deedee reared back as though afraid he would try to snatch them from her. "Forget it, Beenie. I didn't say I wanted to dress like Mother Theresa."

Beenie shot Jamie a look of pure exasperation. "You would think I was asking her to give up a kidney."

Jamie chuckled, happy to see Deedee and Beenie focused on a new project. Anything to take their minds off what was happening downstairs. "Why don't I let the two of you slug it out? I need to call Phillip." She suspected she'd better tell him about the latest events herself instead of letting him find out from Lamar.

"Try to rest for a few minutes," Beenie told Deedee. "I can ask the chef to slow down dinner. He'll want to bite my head off and shove it down the garbage disposal, but I don't care."

"Maybe I will rest for a moment." Deedee looked at Beenie. "Where's Choo-Choo?"

"Last time I saw him he was curled on a rug in front of the kitchen fireplace. I think he was cold, poor baby. Let me get him for you."

* * * * *

Lenny walked into the motel room where Mitzi was watching General Hospital. "Where's Vito?" she said.

Lenny sat down on the other bed. He was dirty and sweaty, his brown hair plastered to his scalp. "Dead."

Mitzi bolted upright. "What the hell are you talking about? Is this some kind of joke?"

Lenny shook his head. "No, man, he's dead as hell. Some bad-ass dude on the security team got him. Got a black patch on his eye and all these scars on his face." Lenny shuddered. "I saw the whole thing." He drew a line across his throat. "It was nasty."

"Did you finish your business and collect the money?"

He shook his head. "Hell, no. Everything happened so fast I barely had time to get out. I'm telling you, this dude would have gladly cut my heart out if he'd known I was with Vito."

Mitzi slapped him hard. "Listen to me, retard.

I've gone through pure hell waiting for you guys to pull this thing off. Now my husband is dead and what do we have to show for it? We're not going anywhere until the job is done, and we're paid. You got that?"

"You don't understand," Lenny said. "Vito and I were supposed to kill someone."

Mitzi gaped at him. "Vito was serious about that?"

"Yeah, man. Only we couldn't get close enough to the target to off him."

She took a deep breath. "Then you and I will have to do it."

"The police are looking for me, Mitzi. They'll recognize me the minute they lay eyes on me."

"Not when I get finished with you." She pulled a pair of scissors from her suitcase. "Sit."

* * * * *

"Has anyone seen Choo-Choo?" Beenie asked once he'd searched the kitchen and several other places the dog enjoyed sleeping.

"I haven't seen him," the housekeeper said.

"Do I look like a dog-sitter?" the chef snapped.

Beenie planted his hands on his hips. "No, you look like a nasty old grouch who hasn't been laid since Julia Child started cooking." He looked at the man's assistant who shook her head sadly.

"I haven't seen him, either," she said.

Jamie came downstairs a moment later and found Beenie still searching. "Should we look in the other bedrooms?" she asked. "Choo-Choo may have become frightened with all the people in the house."

"That's the problem with this place," Beenie said. "There are far too many bodies around. I should ask Big John if he's seen Choo-Choo." Beenie shivered. "I keep wondering how he got the name Big John, know what I mean?"

"He's a large man," Jamie replied.

"Large is what I've been thinking as well."

They searched the other bedrooms. One of the security guards helped. The little dog was nowhere to be found.

Finally, Beenie and Jamie knocked on the door to Frankie's study. They found him, Max, and Lamar deep in discussion.

"Choo-Choo is missing," Beenie said. "I don't know what to do."

"Oh, hell." Frankie's shoulders sagged. "This is bad."

Jamie heard footsteps behind her and turned. Deedee had come downstairs, obviously wondering why Beenie hadn't brought up her dog.

She glanced around at the serious faces. "What's going on?" she asked.

Beenie burst into tears.

* * * * *

Phillip entered the living room quietly where Jamie was trying to comfort Deedee. Although Deedee's housekeeper had dispensed with the burned rug and drapes and cleaned the area from top to bottom shortly after the small fire, the smell of smoke lingered.

"I thought I'd stop by and see how things are going," he said. "I hear the pooch is missing. Any ideas?"

Jamie shook her head. Two hours had passed and there was still no sign of Choo-Choo or the man called Lenny Black. "Security is still searching the grounds," she said. "We think Choo-Choo may have slipped out of the house unnoticed and could be hiding on the property. He's not used to all these people."

"He's gone," Deedee said. "Whoever is doing this terrible thing took my dog, too."

"Honey, why would anyone bother with an innocent pet?" Jamie said.

Deedee met her look. "Because this person is cruel and obviously very sick and doesn't care who he hurts."

Jamie wished Frankie were there for Deedee, but he and Max were still holed up in the library with Lamar. Security Chief Duncan and Big John were at the police station giving their reports and looking at mug shots in hopes of finding Lenny Black's picture. Swamp Dog had been questioned at length and was now walking the grounds, a hero in the eyes of the other security guards. Jamie didn't trust him, had no idea whose side he was on or whether he was playing both sides, and as the sky darkened outside, she became even more concerned. She could only hope that Max was having the man watched.

Beenie came into the room, twisting his handkerchief, his face shrouded in guilt. "Can I get you anything, Deedee?"

Jamie felt sorry for him. "Why don't you prepare Deedee a Frappuccino?" she suggested, knowing Beenie would feel better if he kept busy.

"I already fixed her one," he said. He glanced around and sighed. "Lord, my head is all screwed up. I must've left it in the kitchen." He hurried away. When he returned he carried a small silver tray bearing a tall mug. "It was on the library table in the foyer," he said. "I don't even remember putting it there. I just don't know what's come over me." He set it on the table beside Deedee. "Some of the ice has melted. Do you want me to prepare a fresh one?"