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As predicted, Carter showed up around nine-thirty that evening. Gertie and Ida Belle sipped their coffee as if he’d never entered the room.
He clucked. “Is that the way you’re playing this?”
“Do I look like I’m in the mood to play?” Ida Belle lifted her coffee, pretended like it might take too much energy to drink it, and returned the mug to the table. “What do you want, Carter?”
“I’d like to know why an arm’s dealer sent a female enforcer to Louisiana. I’d also like your opinions about her scout. Seems Landry is considered one of the best thanks to the way he can blend into a community. What can you tell me about these two?”
“You’ll have to ask them, dear,” Gertie said, sighing.
Carter focused more intently on Gertie and Ida Belle. “Something’s off here.” He paced behind the table. “Alright. That’s it. Give it up. What did you do?”
“Do?” Ida Belle balked at that. “Have you forgotten the threat you made before you left Celia’s tonight? Why, we’ve spent most of the night cleaning up that mess.”
“You made the mess,” he reminded them. “Let’s not forget that.”
“We made the mess by ourselves, did we?” Ida Belle placed her flattened palm beside the placemat and tapped three fingers. “We had a lot of help.”
“And I’m sure Celia helped with clean up.”
“She didn’t,” I said. “Gertie, Ida Belle, Ally, and I handled everything.”
“And the paint is still there,” Ida Belle informed him. “I haven’t the faintest idea how to get that wall paint out of grass.”
“I suppose it will stay there until she hires someone to mow,” Gertie said.
“Is a thank you in order?” Carter asked.
I peered up at him and instantly knew it was a trick. “Something more than gratitude?”
“They had a free pass. I should’ve hauled all of you off to jail,” he said. “Speaking of which, I want answers and want them now.”
“An interrogation will have to wait until morning,” Walter said, entering the kitchen. “Gertie isn’t feeling well and Ida Belle is staying with me this week. We have plans. Understand?”
Ida Belle’s look was priceless. Gertie yelped as if she were equally amused. Realizing our laughter could cost us later, I pressed my lips together and tried to focus on anything except Walter’s blushing girlfriend.
“If the four of you expect me to believe that Ida Belle isn’t capable of answering questions because she’s weak in the knees for my uncle, or that Gertie suddenly has a medical emergency, you’ve forgotten one small detail.”
“You’ve heard these stories before?” I asked, hopeful.
“No.” He dragged his hand down his face. “I mean, yes. I’ve heard their excuses many times, but I have a trump card to play this time.”
“What?” I asked.
“Who,” Ida Belle corrected me. “He means you.”
“Exactly,” Carter said. “So the rest of you are excused. I’ll interrogate the one that Farah mentioned numerous times.”
Gertie straightened in her chair. Ida Belle took a big gulp of coffee. Walter pulled up a chair. And I simply shrugged.
“Guessing everyone caught their second wind?” I smiled. “I guess that happens after a pot or two of coffee.”
“No, that’s not it. These three never leave one of their own behind.” He looked pleased with himself. “And I was betting on that.”
“I’m starting to think you and I need some distance.” Ida Belle bumped her hip against Walter’s. “He knows me almost as well as you do. The only way that could happen is if you’ve been giving away our secrets.”
“Don’t blame my uncle,” Carter said firmly. “You and Gertie have a well-established reputation, and Fortune just so happens to land in Sinful right after Marge dies? I want to know what’s going on. Is she under your protection?”
Ida Belle straightened her spine. She was forever proud of her leadership standing.
“Of course she is, dear. All of our friends are. You know that.”
“Wasn’t speaking to you, Gertie,” Carter said, eyeing Ida Belle.
“Rude,” Gertie said, pushing away from the table.
“Answers.” Carter pointed at me. “You. Answer me. Why does an arms dealer want you dead or alive?”
“I resemble someone he used to know?” That wasn’t an entire lie. Since arriving in Sinful, I’d begun to think of myself as Sandy-Sue Morrow, the librarian and beauty queen that I was pretending to be.
“Uh-huh.” He shook his head. “Try again.”
“Carter, did you or did you not catch two bad guys today?” Ida Belle asked.
“Both are connected so it’s a two-for-one, but enough! I want answers or you’re all sleeping in a jailcell tonight, right next to those who came here to kill Fortune.”
“Have a seat,” I said reluctantly.
“Might as well go in the living room,” Ida Belle said. “More comfortable there.”
Walter nodded. I shrugged. This move suggested there was a more deliberate plan in motion. Who was I to question it? My cohorts were far more experienced.
“I’m making more coffee. Can I get you something to drink, Carter?” Gertie called out.
“Got a root beer?” he asked.
“On the way,” she said.
I could almost see the smiles on the other side of the kitchen wall as I acknowledged the unfolding opportunity.
A few minutes later, I sat on the couch next to Carter and watched as he downed his beverage. This was way too easy.
Minutes later, he sank into the sofa cushions and stared up at the ceiling. Gertie and Ida Belle stood over him. Walter shook his head as if to say he couldn’t believe he was party to this.
“What’d you put in my drink?” Carter asked, already nodding off.
“It’s not a benzo,” Gertie assured him. “It’s completely safe and you’ll sleep like a baby. Tomorrow morning, we’ll have all the answers you need.”
“Tomorrow morning, I’m... taking you all... to jail.”
“Right,” Walter said, helping his nephew get comfortable.
Once he was out like a light, Walter pointed at Ida Belle. “This is the last time that I help with your capers. From now on, when Carter’s involved, I’ll choose him.”
Ida Belle patted his arm. “Of course you will.”
“You’ve been saying that for a decade or longer,” Gertie said. “And you always choose Ida Belle.”
She blushed as she looked up at him. “It’s nice to be chosen.”
“I know what you mean.” He draped his arm around Ida Belle’s shoulders. “Time to go. Fortune needs her rest. When Carter wakes up, he’ll be full of questions and fury.”