The adults shared a laugh at the two girls’ exchange. Denise and Lisa began walking toward their house.
Denise stopped in mid stride. She turned toward Nick again. “I forgot to tell you, Nick. A guy at the school this morning asked me where you were, after Gus left Jean off. Jean and Lisa were talking for a moment while I was standing there. When they went into school after Gus left with Deke, he approached and asked casually if I knew where you were. Jean had mentioned you were on a business trip. The guy seemed to know you so I told him you were away on business.”
“Was he a huge guy?” Denise had Nick’s complete attention.
“No. He was your height, dressed in a suit.” Denise paused, trying to remember the meeting details. “I thought he was a cop. He talked like he knew you. I’m sorry if I gave him more info than I should have, Nick.”
Nick walked over to give Denise a quick hug. “Don’t give it a thought. I’ll bet it had to do with the school thing, or it could be a guy I know. I’m sure he’ll call me if it’s someone I know. You two get on home. Say hi to Ray for me.”
Denise gripped Nick’s hand as he turned away. “We will, Nick. Thank you.”
“I’ll see you both I’m sure. Tomorrow’s another day in school land. Get your homework done, Lisa, and enjoy the rest of your night. See you both tomorrow… probably.”
With waves and goodbyes Denise walked off arm in arm with Lisa.
“This is bad… isn’t it, Dad?”
“Don’t worry about it. I know how to see if this added nuisance is a problem. I’ll admit it most likely is. It has nothing to do with Jean the Assassin though. It involves the mundane task of hacking into the school’s video surveillance. I’m betting the guy who approached Denise didn’t figure on my extended conversation with Denise. When we get home, I’ll make sure I investigate this blip on our radar along with the other one we haven’t had a chance to tell you about. I made it home with terrific progress in our ongoing path to a book tour. Then I find out Gus has jinxed us, and everything is falling apart here.”
“Oh… you are so funny, El Muerto. I do like your finding out what this guy who approached Denise looks like. Do we need to make a pact of silence as to your interaction with Denise? Your exchanges seemed pretty damning to me.”
Jean slapped Gus’s arm. “Pay no attention to Gus, Dad. I wasn’t liking the sex change idea for his avatar Jed in your novel. I’m liking it more and more now though.”
“Oh… oh you little brat.” Gus pointed at the giggling Jean as she ran ahead and danced delightedly at her sendup of Gus. “This means war, girl!”
Jean danced, changing her rhythm to a hip swaying bring it gesture with her hand. “Get over yourself, Uncle Gus. Dad may have saved Denise. He did not buckle under her atempt to seduce him. He was fantastic… you traitor.”
Gus enjoyed his entire put down at the mercy of Jean. While laughing at his upbraiding, he kept a close eye on Nick. His friend walked toward home, holding Deke to him. Gus and Jean hurried over to fall in step with him. “What’s the plan, Nick?”
“Just as I hinted at earlier. I need to find out who it was Denise talked to. If my hacking into the surveillance cameras at the school doesn’t help, I’ll have to wait for a clue. That could get dangerous, especially since we have those other two in the wind. If I find out who Denise talked to, then I can make a plan to deal with him.”
“Are you admitting to not having all the answers, Dad?”
Nick waited until Gus and Jean finished guffawing over his alleged shortcomings. “I’m forming my answers now with some suppositions on where this killer is. Your Mom had a run in with a pal of Tracy’s too.”
Nick filled in any details Gus had left out, explaining the Tracy situation completely to Jean, knowing she would watch for Tracy and the pimp. “I’m sure Gus gave you his take on Tracy, now you know she’s on our radar.”
“You saved her life. We bought Tracy clothes and helped hide her. Why would she do something like that?”
“Money, and possibly a connection with the guy asking where I was at the school. It would make me feel better if this wasn’t a coincidence. I hate coincidences. If the guy talked to Denise, found out I was on a trip, and then your Mom gets hassled at work, that scenario seems feasible. When that didn’t work out, Tracy then trying to extort a quick ten grand to head for parts unknown follows right along the same twisted path. No use discussing what to do until I can find out who Denise talked to. Where’s Tracy now, Gus?”
Gus glanced down at his iPad. “Still at the jail. No calls.”
“Good. I’d like to not have to worry where Tracy and the pimp are until I can see if they’re tied in with the suit Denise talked to.”