Glancing at him, I yelled at my heart to knock it off. “Why do you say that?”
I didn’t realize my mistake until O’Connor asked, “Say what? I didn’t say anything.”
Flushing, I muttered, “Nothing, just talking to myself.”
Making a disgusted noise, O’Connor increased his speed which wasn’t hard with his yardstick legs. With him gone and only Mandy holding back, I waited for Gabriel to answer.
“That guy, Jack Adams.” Gabriel shook his head as if he didn’t want to say anything. “Man, that guy’s dead.”
“What?” I screeched. “What do you mean dead?”
“Dead? Who’s dead?” Mandy asked, grabbing my arm. I shook her off and waited for Gabriel to explain.
“Find him, and you’ll know what I mean.” Frustratingly, that’s all I got from him before he and the rest of them took off. Ugh. I hated that. Why couldn’t they leave like normal people? That way, I could chase after them and demand an explanation. No cryptic messages. No half answers. Just them, me, and a set of kitchen knives.
I was still a bit shook up from Gabriel’s revelation about the dead guy, a guy I didn’t even know. But being who I am, my mind went to Jack Dawson in Titanic. Another dead Jack to add to the list.
I’ll never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go. Fuck you, Rose. He could have fit on that door.
Mandy grabbed me again, and I finally turned to her. “Mandy, Jack isn’t going to be of help to us. Jack’s dead … or will be.” I frowned and shook my head. “Still not a hundred percent sure on that part. But find Jack and find him now.”
12
Finally, back home, I had the day to myself. Or what was left of it. Mandy and Detective Eyebrows were going to search out the dead guy - shudder - and let me know what the next step was.
Not that I didn’t have enough on my mind already. Maybe being a consultant wasn’t such a good idea. Neither was doing these dishes.
I glared down at the bubbling soap making my fingers all wrinkled and pruny. I really needed to invest in a dishwasher.
Sadly, that requires getting a new apartment, something I was loath to do. I’d been in this tiny apartment since I’d graduated from college. It was all I could afford with what little money I had saved up during my student years. Leaving now would be sad.
But think of the dishes you wouldn’t have to wash, a little voice in my head coaxed.
That would be nice. No wrinkly fingers that remind me of old man balls. How did I know what they looked like? Don’t ask. Let’s just say don’t get drunk and Google. You’ll find some fucked up shit on the internet.
Once again though, I was back to square one. To have non-wrinkly hands, I would need to get a dishwasher. To get a dishwasher, I needed money. Money I wasn’t going to get on a bartender’s salary.
You could always do that thing.
What thing?
You know the psychic shop. Find some incense and some bangles, and you’re set.
Pfft. I’m not going to do that.
Why not? Could make us some good money. Maybe even better than the bar.
Because it would be ridiculous. I can see myself now, Madame Jane, let me tell your future. No, wait. That’s not right. No one would come to see a psychic named Jane. Now, Madame Patrice or Madame Eliza, those are solid psychic names.
I shook my head at my internal monologue, wondering how I ever thought I was sane. Saving me further insanity, my phone rang.
Mandy.
Wonder if she found Jack yet.
I wiped my soapy hands off on the back of my jeans and grabbed my phone. “What’s up, sweet cheeks?”
“Don’t call me that.” Mandy huffed into the phone. “Can’t you answer the phone like an adult? What if I’d been the captain or worse, your father?”
“I do check my I.D. before answering, you know.” Besides that one time with the captain earlier this morning but she didn’t need to know about that.
“Anyhow,” Mandy drew out. I could just see her rolling her eyes, her hand on her hip as she contemplated why we are friends. Believe me, I know. It’d happened before.
“Did you find Jack?”
Mandy sighed, the sound showing how tired she was already.
“I’ll take that as a no.” I leaned against the counter and crossed my arm under the one holding the phone.
“Doctor Marshall gave us the information he had on file, but it was wrong.” No surprise there. “Luckily, we looked him up in our system, and we have one Jack Adams with priors.”
“Oh really?” My brows raised in surprise. So, the guy actually existed. Well, I knew that. Gabriel wouldn’t have said what he had if good ol’ Jack was made up. I didn’t share my doubt with Mandy. Instead, I asked, “Is he our guy? Maybe there’s another Jack Adams. It’s not a very original name.”
“Well …” Clicking followed by tapping made me believe Mandy was on the computer. “He was arrested for assault and stalking. Apparently, he has quite a problem keeping girlfriends. There are five restraining orders against him, all from women.”
“So, Jack is more Jack the Ripper kind of Jack and not the Jack Dawson kind of Jack,” I muttered, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach.
“He hasn’t killed anyone. At least, that we know of.” Mandy tapped away on her side of the phone again. “We have an address for him, but it’s the same one Doctor Marshall had.”
“So, either Jack lied, or he moved,” I mused. I had a feeling it was the prior.
“Right. He has his mother listed as his emergency contact, so we’re gonna try there and see if we can find him. Maybe you could get with the spirits and find us an address?”
I knew what she really meant. Ask the angels if they can find our missing stalker. I understood Mandy couldn’t really say angels in the office. Not with Detective I-Believe-In-Real-Police-Work trailing her ass.
“You need to stop hanging out with O’Connor so much. Your sarcasm is showing.”
Mandy snorted. “No, I need to stop hanging out with you. I try to work as little as possible with him. So, if anyone is rubbing off on me, it is you.”
“Hey, I resent that,” I cried out, placing a hand on my heart as if she had hurt me. She couldn’t see it, but the emotion was real. “I could pretend everything is cupcakes and rainbows like you, but I’m aware that those rainbows are just light reflecting off the water and those cupcakes are full of dirt.”
“Such a romantic you are.” Mandy laughed. “I don’t know how some lucky guy hasn’t snatched you up yet.”
“Well, the celestial cock blockers would be one reason,” I grumbled. My vagina made its own cry of distress, demanding I pay attention to it. “I have cobwebs where a penis should be. Sagging boobs where a guy’s hands should be holding them up. Seriously, Mandy, I need cuppage!”
Mandy laughed until she snorted like a pig. “You are deranged.”
“No, just horny.” I quipped back and then as if I had said the magic word, Michael appeared in my living room. “I got to go, one of those spirits you want me to interrogate just showed up.”
“Behave,” Mandy warned. I could just see her wagging her finger at me through the phone.
“Yes, mom.” I hung up and turned my attention to Michael. “What’s up?”
Michael either didn’t hear me or ignored me. He glanced around my apartment, his eyes searching for something. It was a bit disturbing to see him walking through my couch and table.
“What are you looking for?” I tipped my head to the side my curiosity peeking with every move he made.
“The cock.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise, I choked out, “The what?”
Michael finally looked up at me, his face serious as the grave. “You said you have three cocks blocking you, but I don’t see any farm animals in here.”
Almost fainting from utter humiliation, I stuttered, “There are no chickens in my apartment.” I refused to call them cocks in front of him. The very thought of it made my face heat.
Curiosity covered his face, and if I hadn’t been wishing for the ground to swallow me whole, I’d think it was cute.