The Devil's Dwelling Page 5

  “I think they spotted us.”

  “Let’s see if they try to loose us.”

  Within moments we were in a fast paced car chase. The man riding shotgun lowered a gun out the window getting off a few rounds. Mona swerved the Explorer from side to side trying to dodge the flying bullets. I lowered my gun out the window and got off a few shots planting a few holes in the trunk of the car.

  “Mona back off, we can run a check on the license plate and get a make on them.”

  “That’ll teach them to mess with us.”

  The white sedan sped off toward Russellville. Mona pulled to the side of the road and we headed back to the office.

  The office was a mess. Linda was setting in her chair tied up with gray tape. Her mouth was sealed shut with the tape and the flower from her hair was stuffed in her mouth with petals sticking out from around the tape.

  “What the hell?” I almost laughed at the site of Linda with her flower sticking out of her mouth.

  I started pulling the tape trying to untie Linda. She kept moving her head back and forth wanting me to remove the tape from her mouth. I knew if I took the tape from her mouth she would be screaming in my ear from the gray tape pulling the hair from her arms. Best I leave it on for the time being.

  Mona headed for Peewee’s office. There sat Peewee at his desk chewing on his stogie.

  “What’s going on here?”

  “Not much, Linda’s been pretty quiet and I’ve been napping on the sofa.”

  “You’ve been napping? Linda’s tied up out front and files are scattered all over the office.”

  “What the hell. I didn’t hear anything.” Peewee pushed back from his desk, stood up and walked into the front office. Placed his hand on his hips and shook his head at Linda.

  “What the hell happened?” He looked around the room. “You got a mess to straighten up here.”

  I got the tape off Linda’s mouth. She spit the flower out and started to scream. I put my hand across her mouth to silence the scream and she bit my hand.

  I yanked my hand away. “What did you do that for?”

  “Put your hand on my mouth again and I’ll chew it off.”

  “Okay, your right I shouldn’t have closed your mouth. So what happened?”

  “Two guys came in looked in Peewee’s office and turned back to me. Tied me up and got into my files. I don’t like people getting in my files. I have them in perfect order. Now I’ll have to file everything again.”

  “Wait a minute, did they take anything?”

  “They took one of the files but I don’t know which one. I’ll need to go through my record book and file everything again before I know which one is missing.”

  “Did you get a good look at them?”

  “They were in my face.” I guess that’s a good look. Both had dark hair shaggy around the collar. They were about thirty and slim built. One had a sickle tattooed on his forearm.”

  “Is that all you can tell us?”

  “One walked with a limp. The other guy called him peg leg.”

  “I told him that wasn’t nice and that’s when he jerked my flower from my hair and stuffed it in my mouth and taped my mouth shut.” She stomped around the office picking up the scattered files.

  EIGHT

  Linda lifted her head long enough to say hello. She flipped a file shut, placed it in the file cabinet and slammed the metal drawer shut with a bang.

  “One more down. I can’t believe all the papers are so mixed up. I had everything in it’s file.” She wiped the tears with the back of her hand. “It’s such a mess.”

  “I have an idea.” Taking the file from Linda I punched two holes in the top of the paper and took a metal strip for holding papers in files from the cabinet and placed a metal strip across the top through the holes, slid a paper through and clasped it down. “Now, they won’t fall out.”

  Linda placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot . “Why didn’t someone show me that before?”

  I walked into Peewee’s office with Mona on my heels. Peewee was leaning back in his chair. I’m waiting for the day the chair snaps and Peewee finds himself on the floor. It would sure give me a boast for the day.

  “We’re here for our checks.” I put my hand out rolling my fingers back and forth. “Gimme gimme gimme.”

  Peewee pulled his middle desk drawer open, fumbled through looking for the checks. “It doesn’t look like they are here.”

  “Give me the damn checks or you’ll be looking or a couple of bounty hunters.”

  Peewee laughed as he pulled the checks from his shirt pocket and handed them over.

  I handed Mona’s check to her.

  Mona pushed the check to her bosom. “Wow! This is awesome. Finally money in my bank. Fredericks here we come.”

  I stopped off at the local bank for Mona to cash her check.

  The bank manager asked if she wanted to open a bank account.

  “Not this time but when I get caught up you’ll have my business. That’s because you took care of me today.”

  “I cashed your check because you are Tiffany’s friend and Peewee’s checks are always good.”

  “Whatever?” She pointed at her chest and stuffed the bills in her bosom. “This here’s a pretty good bank.”

  Fredericks shingle is hanging in old town. Many of the buildings have been renovated to look like the fifties. It’s mostly a tourist attraction. Frederick’s has been here for years with the same facade and the same customers. Ladies in their late thirties to their late fifties trying to look sexy. Now for Mona she doesn’t have to try, she’s already there.

  I parked in the diagonal parking slot in front of Bill’s Billiards. Mona and I stepped out of the Explorer. Out the door came two long haired hoods. Bill was on their tail.

  “You better stop or I’ll shoot.” Bill lowered his gun and fired off a few rounds. Shots were flying in both directions. They jumped in their white sedan and sped away. Not before Mona was yelling. “That’s the guys. The guy that tied me up.”

  We jumped back in the Explorer and were on their tail. Mona, leaned her head out the window firing off a few rounds.

  “Dang, I’m trying to hit their tire.”

  A loud bang and the white sedan swerved from one side of the street to the other. It started to roll over and over and stopped on it’s top. Two guys pulled themselves from the wreckage and headed into the neighborhood before we could stop. We bailed out of the Explorer. Mona took the Main street and I hit the alley. I jumped from one back yard to another. I swung over a fence and stopped in my tracks. A vicious pit bull greeted me with the fur on the back of his neck standing to attention, slobbers dripped from his jaws, his lips turned up to show his teeth and a growl came from deep in his throat. Knowing this is not a good sign. I fired a shot toward the garbage can making a pinging noise. Mr. Bad Dog looked away as I jumped on the picnic table and vaulted myself over the fence piercing my hands with redwood splinters.

  Mona came hobbling down the alley carrying one boot with her skirt riding above her hips. She pulled on her skirt with one hand while toting the thirty eight in the other.

  “Damn boot heel broke. I’ve got to get myself a ‘bounty hunter’ wardrobe.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “I don’t know but one thing I know stiletto heels it aint.”

  The palm of my hand bled as I pulled the splinters one at a time with my tweezers.

  “Ouch! Dang thang is deep.” Mona grabbed my hand, took a look and said. “It aint no big thing.”

  I jerked my hand away and headed for the rig.

  We rounded the corner to see Sheriff Reagan accessing the crime scene.

  “Hi Sheriff. What happened here?”

  “I don’t know Tiffany, but I bet you can tell me.”

  “Not me, I just walked up on the scene.”

  Sheriff Reagan gave me a nod to get the hell outta there. Mona and I obliged his request and headed back to Frederick’s.
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br />   I parked the Explorer in front of Frederick’s this time hoping no one would come running from the building shooting as if they were making a gangster movie.

  Mona pulled her good boot off. “I can’t wear these boots in the store.”

  “Sure you can.”

  I grabbed the heel on the good boot and twisted it off and handed it back to Mona.

  “Good as new.”

  Mona pulled on the boots. Hopped from the Explorer ready to take on Frederick‘s.

  “Damn nails in the bottom of these boots are sticking me.” She walked on the side of the boot and made her way into Frederick’s.

  I found myself gazing through the show window at all the whip ass clothes, thongs, garter belts, bustier, hot pants, and halter tops and enough lacey things to outfit a wedding party. I was looking for the whips and chains to show up at any time.

  Mona hit the door running. She went through every rack with the store clerk going behind her straightening the racks. She paraded in front of the mirror with every outfit.

  “I’ve got the perfect bounty hunter outfit.” Mona yelled from behind the dressing room curtain.

  “Get ready to feast your eye on this.”

  One long leg protruded from behind the curtain, Mona jerked the curtain back and there stood a kick ass ‘bounty hunter‘. Black hot pants, camouflage shirt, unbuttoned past her black lace bra, with rolled up sleeves and a stand up collar. She finished off the look with a pair of laced up black leather boots just past her ankles, in a one inch heel.

  “Damn, girl you look good.”

  “I’m also getting camouflage hot pants and black shirts for work.”

  “ You’ve got bounty hunter written all over you.”

  Mona piled a heap of clothes on the counter, pulled a wad of bills from her bosom and paid the clerk. She gathered the bags up in her arms, peeked over to find her way to the door and tripped over the threshold as she headed for the rig anchoring her hip on the Explorer she managed to open the back door and tossed her treasured buys.

  I took a second look at the show window and shook my head.

  NINE

  It started raining early in the afternoon. When I turned onto Momma’s street there she stood balancing three Tupperware pie takers with one hand, an umbrella and her purse in the other. I stopped the Explorer just short of her, jumped from the rig, opened the back door and grabbed the pie takers. I set the pies on the back seat while Momma tried to close her umbrella. The umbrella wouldn’t close. I opened the passenger door and gave Momma a boost. I gave her a little too much push and Momma flew across the car and hit her head on the rear view mirror.

  “What the hell, you trying to kill me?”

  She twisted the mirror to see a poop knot on her forehead.

  “Look what you’ve done. I’ll have to explain to the ladies and they’ll never believe me.”

  She pulled her hair down on her forehead to cover the knot giving her the football helmet look.

  I tried to close the umbrella to no avail. I wrapped my hand around the umbrella holding the spokes to the pole and tried to wedge it between momma and the dashboard. The umbrella popped open obscuring momma’s view.

  “Now what have you done? I can’t see where we are going.”

  “Good thing you’re not driving.” I laughed and jumped in the driver’s seat and headed for Peggy’s with Momma lashing out with words I’d never heard come from her mouth.

  We arrived just as Bo’s Taxi dropped off Bella and Della. Momma jumped from the rig and ran through the steel gate locking it behind her. Della too short to reach the lock was shaking the gate screaming for Momma to unlock it. Momma jumped on the porch and jerked the door open and stepped inside. Calmed herself in the foyer, removed her raincoat, shook the rain off, hung it on the coat rack and quietly walked into the living room.

  Peggy’s house is a shotgun style built in the forties. From the foyer there’s a long narrow living room, the dining room and then the kitchen and laundry room are at the far end. The bedrooms each lead off the living and dining room.

  “What’s all the commotion out front?” Peggy asked as she mopped up a puddle from the rain drippings off Momma’s raincoat with a towel.

  “Just Della and Bella arguing on who’s gonna pay Bo for the taxi ride.” Momma said.

  On my tip toes I reached over the steal spikes and unlocked the gate. Bella and Della pushed me aside heading for the front porch. Della slipped falling on her butt. And yelled for Bella to help her up.

  “I gotta get out of the rain. I might catch my death of a cold.” Bella said running to the porch.

  I grabbed the pie takers from the back seat and headed for the door. Della rolled over and was now on all fours looking like a big ass barrel giving me enough room to get past her two hundred pound five foot frame.

  I was doing a balancing act with the pie takers when Peggy answered the door. I handed Peggy the pie takers and ran back to Della placed my hands on my hips and looked down at the pathetic rain drenched soul.

  “Now, how we gonna get you off all fours? I sure as hell can’t lift you.”

  Bella came from the back yard with a plastic scarf on her head pushing a wheel barrel.

  “Out of the way.” She yelled as she pushed the wheel barrel under Della. She pushed down on the handle bars lifting Della’s front off the sidewalk.

  Della stood up straight and wiped the rain from her face.

  “Thanks, Sis.”

  Bella smiled. “No problem Sis you’d do the same for me.”

  They locked hands and skipped to the house.

  The living room was lined with three card tables. Table one, two and three.

  Momma was setting at table two with three other ladies leaving Peggy and I to set with the Baker twins.

  Peggy announced it was time to start playing BUNKO. Dice started hitting the tables. Each taking their turn to roll the die three times trying to roll one’s. Someone yelled BUNKO and everyone switched chairs. I moved up to table two and Momma had to stay at table two. Again the dice were rolled. Again BUNKO and I moved to table one leaving Momma at table two and joining her were Bella and Della. The dice started rolling and the yelling started.

  “We are rolling three’s you fool.” Momma yelled.

  “We are rolling two’s.” Bella yelled back and the fight was on.

  Momma crawled across the card table grabbed a hunk of Bella’s hair pulling her across the table. The table collapsed in a splat on the floor. Another twin on all fours. Della grabbed momma by the hair pulling her out of her chair. Momma grabbed Della’s hair and a free for all broke out. Peggy was screaming for everyone to stop. I pulled my Glock from my purse and fired a shot. Everyone froze and put their hands toward the ceiling.

  “Stop this nonsense, you hear me? The next out break I’m gonna shoot someone.”

  “She’s a bounty hunter and she shoots people.” Momma said as if she was proud of my profession.

  “Silence, total silence.” I yelled and fired off another shot.

  “Now pick up the tables and clean up this place.”

  Della ran to the back yard to fetch the wheel barrel.

  “What are you doing bringing a wet wheel barrel in my house?” Peggy stomped her feet.

  ‘We gotta pick up Bella.” She pushed the wheel barrel past Peggy and headed for Bella. Bella was on all fours and Della shoved the wheel barrel under her and lifted her up.

  “Thanks, Sis.”

  “Any time.” Della pushed the wheel barrel past Peggy to the back yard.

  The ladies picked up the mess. Straightened the legs on table number two and set down at their tables.

  “Momma, Della and Bella apologize.” I demanded.

  “Okay, I’m sorry.” They said in unison.

  “Now let’s play BUNKO.” Peggy said with her nervous voice cracking.

  We made it through the first session and Peggy prepared to serve the dessert. She took the lids off the pie takers and the aroma of
coconut cream pie filled the house.

  I made my way to the kitchen and helped with serving the pie and coffee.

  Everyone was devouring the pie when I heard momma bragging about her pie making skills.

  Della scrapped her plate clean. “I had to force it down. What do you put in it boiled cabbage?”

  Momma rose to the occasion. Grabbed a partial pie and pushed it in Della’s face. Della wiped the pie from her face and licked her fingers.

  “I didn’t want to look like a pig but I knew if I said something bad about your pie I would get one in my face.”

  Della laughed. “Pretty smart, huh?”

  I dropped Momma off around nine o’clock. An array of colorful flickering lights like the fourth of July came from the living room. Daddy was probably snoozing on the sofa with the TV flickering. Momma got the empty pie takers and the broken umbrella gathered up in her arms and headed for the house. I waited for Momma to get in the house before heading off down the street.

  The streets were quiet, so quiet it seem spooky. A few blocks from the office I saw the black sedan parked behind our competition, Mr. Graham’s Bail Bond’s office.

  “What the heck.” I murmured to myself.

  I parked around the corner. Made sure my Glock was fully loaded and made my way to the office window. Mr. Graham was setting with his feet propped up on his desk. I moved in closer to get a good look at his guests. Hoping I could hear their conversation. I stepped back to get a good footing and stepped on a big black cat. The cat squealed and ran across the street. Out the back door came two guys dressed in black with guns drawn. I dropped to the ground hugging the wall. They saw the cat make it’s way across the street. Their guns went back in their holster and they walked back into the office.

  “Just a cat out prowling.” One of the men said.

  I made my way back to the Explorer and jotted down the black sedan’s license plate number.

  I used my key to enter the apartment. The lights were out. The TV was blaring with Lucy and Ethel working on a belt sorting chocolates. Mona was asleep on the sofa and woke as I entered reaching for her 38.