Harry
Cedric opened his front door. “I know why you’re here.”
“Oh yeah? Why?” Harry asked.
“Same as always. You need a sounding board. Come on in.” He left the door wide and wandered toward the kitchen. “If you want coffee, make it yourself.”
“I’m trying to cut back.”
Cedric snorted. Harry didn’t have to see his best friend’s face to know he rolled his eyes.
“How’s Natalie?”
“Good. Listen—”
“Grace?”
“Fine. They’re both fine. That’s not—”
“Dead girl’s parents?”
“I’m not discussing an open investigation.”
“I know.” Cedric zipped his lips shut and flung the equally imaginary key away. “What did her parents have to say?”
“Mia Dixon had a date around the time she was found. They didn’t know much of anything about him since she lived by herself. Hell, they didn’t even know she was missing until they were informed of her death.”
“Daaamn. Somehow that seems worse.”
“They didn’t know this guy’s name or anything.”
“What about her friends?”
“Got Rudy on that now, but I don’t expect much. I have a suspect. Guy that works for Mikey.”
Cedric widened his eyes and whistled. “That shop sure attracts the crazies.”
“You ain’t kidding.”
“Tell Mikey about it?”
“No. He’d just fire him and then I couldn’t keep my eye on the asshole.”
“How long ago was that Mia killed now?”
“Three weeks—you forgot, didn’t you?”
Cedric glanced at this refrigerator where he kept his appointment notices and a calendar of events. An invitation to Brayden’s birthday party was stuck under a magnet of a woman in a hula skirt that read “Hawaii” in white letters.
“You asked me to pick you up for Brayden’s party.”
“Oh yeah. That’s tonight?” Cedric limped to the refrigerator and read the card. “Shit, I knew there was a reason I bathed and dressed today.”
“Let’s go.”
“Are they having food or should we stop someplace first?”
“Yes.”
“It isn’t no greasy pizza is it? I can’t handle that anymore.” He rubbed his gut.
“Nope. Good food. Didn’t you read the invite just now?”
“I’ve never been to Cocoa’s before.”
The roads had iced over since this morning’s thaw. Harry’s repaired Buick Century fishtailed on the turn out of Cedric’s subdivision. His friend held onto the oh-shit bar by his head.
“You said you have a suspect in the Mia Dixon murder?”
“Alibi checked out but…”
“Seemed untrustworthy. Why?”
“Waitress at Hector’s says he came over and they had sex. She couldn’t say the exact time he left.”
“Yeah, but it seems hard to believe he’d leave after oiling his dipstick and go kill someone. If anything, he’d be chill. I don’t know about you, but I pass the fuck out after sex.”
Harry busted out laughing. “Must be Superman.”
They arrived at the restaurant and pulled up to the valet. Normally Harry would park his own car. The exception occurred tonight, as mid-February didn’t agree with him. Right as he and Cedric left the warmth of the car, a stiff, cold breeze tunneled up the back of Harry’s jacket. His eyes burned in the air.
Inside Cocoa, he and Cedric headed down a hallway off the front entrance area to a private room. Natalie had come earlier and helped set up for the party. The large room had a bar along one wall and ten eight-top tables. Several kids Brayden’s age huddled around the birthday boy and his cell phone. A few people he assumed were their parents mingled with one another and Mikey.
Grace saw Harry and waved. She came over. “Hi, Dad, Cedric. Thanks for coming.”
Harry handed her an envelope for Brayden and kissed his daughter’s cheek. Cedric hugged Grace.
“Drinks?” Cedric asked her.
“Yeah, cash bar.”
He beelined, or rather beelimped, leaning on his cane more than usual, over to the bar. He planted his ass on a stool.
“Dad, you can hang your coat on the hooks over there?” Grace pointed to the wall near the arched doorway to the room. Harry wrestled with his coat, swearing about having to have worn it in the first place. “Damn winter…fucking thick ass jacket,” he grumbled.
“My, you’re in a pleasant mood,” Natalie said behind him.
Harry mumbled and pivoted. She smirked. Over her shoulder he glimpsed Grace embracing Cam Blackwell. What the…? He ground his molars. Natalie moved into his field of view.
“Harry before you go nuts, he’s a nice guy. You might like him if you—”
“What? Give him a chance? He ran my daughter off the road.”
“There was no evidence of that, you said so yourself.”
“Just because I can’t prove it, doesn’t make it untrue.” Harry stomped over to Cam and tapped him of the shoulder, Natalie tight on his heels.
The asshole turned around. Grace gave Harry a don’t-make-a-scene look.
“Hi, Detective Hunter.”
“Don’t call me that,” Harry snapped.
Cam raised his palms in surrender. “Hey, I meant no disrespect. What exactly do you object to? Detective or Hunter?”
“Both.”
“Duly noted. What should I call you then?”
“Never call me.” Harry glared at Cam, snarling.
Grace’s jaw dropped. “Dad, seriously? This is Brayden’s birthday party.”
“Harry, when did you get here?” Brayden asked from behind him. If one more person snuck up on him again tonight…Jesus Christ.
Harry spun and looked down at the kid. “I just got here.”
Maybe it was the overhead lights, but Brayden’s eyes appeared shiny with unshed tears. His smile widened at the sight of his future grandfather.
“Cool. Thanks for coming.”
Harry leaned down a bit. “I brought you a card and I was hoping we’d go shopping for fishing gear in a few weeks.”
Brayden smiled. “Awesome.” One of his friends called his name from across the room and he trotted away.
When Harry straightened everyone except for Natalie had left to join other conversations.
“Let’s go sit down, clearly you’re hungry and they set out some rolls,” she said.
They sat at a table next to one occupied by Cam, Needles, and a few folks he didn’t know, although some faces were familiar. Directly across from Harry was Cam. Harry stared.
Cedric plopped into the chair next to him. “Are you going to eyeball that guy all night?”
“What do you think?” Natalie asked, reaching for a garlic roll. She burped. “Mm…excuse me.”
Harry chuckled. Natalie had been doing that a lot recently. She moaned when she bit into the bread. “I never eat the rolls here. I had no idea what I was missing.”
Cedric grabbed one too. “Like Mama used to make.”
“Your mother made rolls like this?” Natalie asked.
“No. Someone’s mother did though.” Cedric and Natalie laughed.
Harry’s eyes never left the other table. Cam talked with a blonde waitress filling his water glass. She looked familiar, although not because she worked here and he’d eaten at this restaurant before. It was something else. He couldn’t hear the conversation. She blushed. Ol’ blue eyes must be handsome or charming.
Needles sat on the other side of Cam, glaring at his nephew. He shoved his glass at the young woman. Her mouth gaped, yet she took the glass and filled it. She went around Cam then set it down. When she leaned forward, Needles turned his head and looked down her shirt, which had the first three buttons undone. Even Harry saw the lace of her bra.
A waiter set a bowl of lettuce that looked like lawn mower clippings on the table, and a caddy of three different dressings. Natalie put the dandelion leaves on her plate, drizzling ranch all over them.
“Would you like some before I pass the salad?” she asked.
“No. I don’t eat weeds,” Harry told her out the side of his mouth.
She inhaled deeply. “It’s not weeds.”
“She’s right. This is a spring mix,” Cedric interjected.
Harry’s brows knitted together. “What do you know about lettuce?”
“I’ll have you know I’m somewhat more cultured than you.”
“Pfft. If you say so.”
The waitress moved away from Cam. A hand cuffed Harry on the shoulder. He slipped his own hand inside his blazer. Oops. Pulling his Glock out at a kid’s birthday party probably wasn’t a great idea.
“Enjoying your salads?” Brad Winston, owner, chef, and Mikey’s best friend asked.
No. “Yeah, great.”
Brad ignored the sarcasm. “Good. Main course should be out soon.” He found Brayden and Mikey at another table. The kid smiled and laughed at something that was said.
Mikey raised his water glass at Harry. “He’s looking forward to the fishing trip up north, it’s all he talks about.”
“Me too,” Harry said. Being in tune to everything was his job. Despite being distracted, a woman’s giggle caught his attention. The blonde waitress again. Cam spoke with animated hand gestures. She laughed again. Was she enjoying the man’s sense of humor or did she want him?
Natalie ate another roll, complete with more moaning. Should he be jealous of bread? His girlfriend sat munching, sighing into her food. He was an ass. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pressing her to his side. “Sorry for being an embarrassment.”
“Oh, I’m not embarrassed. I’m old to enough to know that your behavior isn’t a reflection of me.”
Ouch.
A slew of wait staff entered the room carrying huge round trays of plates. Steam rose toward the ceiling. Whatever Brad had whipped together smelled delicious.
Natalie put her hand up to her nose.
“Is something wrong?” Harry asked.
She shook her head.
The staff served Brayden’s table first. His eyes went round as a big plate of spaghetti was placed in front of him.
“Excuse me, sir.”
Harry sat back, allowing a waiter to set a plate down. “Thanks.”
“I love spaghetti,” Cedric said, reaching for the grated parmesan cheese.
Harry couldn’t eat, except if he didn’t, he’d regret it later. He cut his noodles and ate. Spaghetti sauce slopped on his chin and a few drops speckled his white shirt and gray tie. He held the tie and examined it.
“I can get the stains out, leave it, don’t rub it in,” Natalie said. Prior to her speaking she’d been quiet, only picking at her food.
“Is something the matter?”
“I’m not feeling all that great.”
“You wanna go home?”
“No, it’s Brayden’s night.”
They ate in silence. Or rather Cedric and Harry did. Natalie mainly pushed the noodles around on her plate. After the dishes were cleared, the blonde waitress and another gal set out a cake and other desserts on a long table next to the bar. All the kids gathered around Brayden and sang Happy Birthday.
Harry searched the adults who rose from their chairs, watching Brayden blow out his candles. Cam led the blonde through the archway with his hand on the small of her back. She no longer had an apron tied around her waist. The asshole worked fast.
Without thinking Harry followed them. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled the cell from his blazer. A series of texts went off, all from Natalie.
Where are you going?
Can’t you stop being a cop for one night?
Never mind. I’m leaving.
He looked back and saw Natalie putting on her coat. She headed toward him with her head down, hands shoved into her pockets and purse slung over her shoulder.
He now had an excuse to leave the party, and perhaps tail Cam. Maybe prevent a murder too. “Let me walk you to your car.”
“Don’t bother stopping me.”
“I’m not stop…” Oh, she wanted him to. Duh. Her eyes met his.
“Tell Grace, Mikey, and Brayden I wasn’t feeling well.”
She walked quickly toward the exit, and handed a valet a ticket. “You don’t have to come with me. See ya, Harry.”
What was that supposed to mean? “Nat?”
His girlfriend stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss on his cheek. He waited until her car arrived. She wore a mid-thigh skirt and heels. The woman had terrific legs. The kind he loved wrapped around his hips.
Harry leaned a hand on the wall next to the glass entrance for a long time after she left. He went back to the party, grabbed some cake, and sat next to Grace. “Your buddy Cam left.”
“Yeah, I know,” Grace said.
“With that blonde waitress.”
“So?”
“Doesn’t it bother you? This is a kid’s birthday party.”
“Mikey only invited him and Needles to be polite. I don’t care what he does. The only thing that bothers me is how you treated him.”
“I apologize to you, then. Not him.”
“Did Natalie leave?”
“Yeah, she wasn’t feeling good.”
They sat in silence while he finished his piece of cake. Ten minutes later Cam returned, sans the waitress. That was quick, Harry thought. The guy’s face looked flushed.
Needles said something to Cam, but with all the conversations going on around him, he couldn’t hear a damn word. Why was he so interested anyway? Harry needed to go home. Truth was, the pair disturbed him on many levels. Cam’s uncle shook Mikey’s hand and left the room. He never came back to the party.