run out. Then you’ll put officers in the position of endangering themselves and others to protect you. It’s not right, Harley, and besides that, it’s illegal.”
Guilt replaced indignation. He had a point. She stared out the windshield of her car at the hedgerow that provided a barrier between the parking lot and the next yard, and thought that maybe the days of her amateur sleuthing should end.
“Okay,” she said, “even if someone is murdered in front of me, I’ll stay out of it. I’ll just be Harley Jean Davidson, tour guide extraordinaire. That make you happy?”
“Delirious with joy. Do I have your word on that?”
She hesitated. Anything could happen. Breaking her word to a friend was serious stuff. If something beyond her control happened, it’d hurt their friendship. She’d rather make him mad now than risk irreparable damage later.
“No. Look, Bobby, I don’t intend to get in trouble. I promised Tootsie I’d help out all I could, but I’ll tell you everything I’ve found out and you do with it what’s necessary. Of course, the way things have been happening around and to me lately, I can’t promise I won’t get involved at all. The best I can do is say I’ll do my best to stay out of police business.”
After a short silence, Bobby said, “If you weren’t my friend, you’d probably have already faced charges. Next time you obstruct or interfere in a police investigation, you’ll be treated like any other Memphis citizen. You’ll be arrested.”
Gulp.
Chapter Six
“ So what did you say when he said that?” Tootsie’s expression was part fascination, part concern. Harley sat in the office chair across from him, bare legs crossed, swinging one foot and debating her future.
“I just said ‘Fine’ and then told him what I’d found out. We hung up, but it wasn’t on the best of terms.”
“I’m sorry, baby. This is my fault.”
“How is it your fault? You’re not the one committing murders. The only thing you’ve killed lately is a little time listening to me whine. I’m done now. You can go back to work.” She stared glumly at the chewed tips of her fingers. Not a nail left. They’d been growing out pretty well before all this happened. Now it looked like rats had been gnawing at her hands.
Tootsie sighed. “I shouldn’t have asked you to investigate for me. If I hadn’t been so desperate, I’d have known better.”
“Desperation seems to be contagious lately.”
“Look, let the police handle it. Don’t risk more trouble. It’s not worth it.”
Harley looked at him. “Then I guess those bags under your eyes are the newest fashion? It’s worth it, girlfriend. If for no other reason, so you won’t keep looking like a reject from a Salvation Army sale.”
Tootsie’s gasp of horror as he put a hand to his mouth made her immediately feel guilty. His eyes got big, and his lips quivered. “Salvation Army?” he echoed in a high voice.
“No, no, not really,” she said hastily, “I used the wrong words. You just don’t look like your usual snazzy self, that’s all. It’s nothing a good night’s sleep and peace of mind wouldn’t fix quick enough. I swear it.” She got up to put an arm around him, patting his shoulder to soothe his ruffled nerves.
He put his face in his palms. His voice was muffled. “I can’t sleep. All I can think about are those dead men and some vicious beast running amok on our vans. It’s not just business I’m worried about, it’s the danger to our clients. Is it just our company that’s the target? Why is it happening only to us?”
The last came out in a kind of wail, and Harley didn’t know quite how to react. This was a Tootsie she wasn’t used to seeing. She kept patting his shoulders, covered by a wrinkled blue silk shirt. This was so unlike him and indicative of his distress.
“I don’t know,” she said finally, “but I
Guilt replaced indignation. He had a point. She stared out the windshield of her car at the hedgerow that provided a barrier between the parking lot and the next yard, and thought that maybe the days of her amateur sleuthing should end.
“Okay,” she said, “even if someone is murdered in front of me, I’ll stay out of it. I’ll just be Harley Jean Davidson, tour guide extraordinaire. That make you happy?”
“Delirious with joy. Do I have your word on that?”
She hesitated. Anything could happen. Breaking her word to a friend was serious stuff. If something beyond her control happened, it’d hurt their friendship. She’d rather make him mad now than risk irreparable damage later.
“No. Look, Bobby, I don’t intend to get in trouble. I promised Tootsie I’d help out all I could, but I’ll tell you everything I’ve found out and you do with it what’s necessary. Of course, the way things have been happening around and to me lately, I can’t promise I won’t get involved at all. The best I can do is say I’ll do my best to stay out of police business.”
After a short silence, Bobby said, “If you weren’t my friend, you’d probably have already faced charges. Next time you obstruct or interfere in a police investigation, you’ll be treated like any other Memphis citizen. You’ll be arrested.”
Gulp.
Chapter Six
“ So what did you say when he said that?” Tootsie’s expression was part fascination, part concern. Harley sat in the office chair across from him, bare legs crossed, swinging one foot and debating her future.
“I just said ‘Fine’ and then told him what I’d found out. We hung up, but it wasn’t on the best of terms.”
“I’m sorry, baby. This is my fault.”
“How is it your fault? You’re not the one committing murders. The only thing you’ve killed lately is a little time listening to me whine. I’m done now. You can go back to work.” She stared glumly at the chewed tips of her fingers. Not a nail left. They’d been growing out pretty well before all this happened. Now it looked like rats had been gnawing at her hands.
Tootsie sighed. “I shouldn’t have asked you to investigate for me. If I hadn’t been so desperate, I’d have known better.”
“Desperation seems to be contagious lately.”
“Look, let the police handle it. Don’t risk more trouble. It’s not worth it.”
Harley looked at him. “Then I guess those bags under your eyes are the newest fashion? It’s worth it, girlfriend. If for no other reason, so you won’t keep looking like a reject from a Salvation Army sale.”
Tootsie’s gasp of horror as he put a hand to his mouth made her immediately feel guilty. His eyes got big, and his lips quivered. “Salvation Army?” he echoed in a high voice.
“No, no, not really,” she said hastily, “I used the wrong words. You just don’t look like your usual snazzy self, that’s all. It’s nothing a good night’s sleep and peace of mind wouldn’t fix quick enough. I swear it.” She got up to put an arm around him, patting his shoulder to soothe his ruffled nerves.
He put his face in his palms. His voice was muffled. “I can’t sleep. All I can think about are those dead men and some vicious beast running amok on our vans. It’s not just business I’m worried about, it’s the danger to our clients. Is it just our company that’s the target? Why is it happening only to us?”
The last came out in a kind of wail, and Harley didn’t know quite how to react. This was a Tootsie she wasn’t used to seeing. She kept patting his shoulders, covered by a wrinkled blue silk shirt. This was so unlike him and indicative of his distress.
“I don’t know,” she said finally, “but I
Similar Books
