“Anyway, you’re perfect just the way you are.” Tanya tossed the half-eaten pizza slice back into the box and wiped her hand on her jeans. “Did you get that e-mail at school asking if anyone knew of any public officials, as in police officers, who could speak at the At-Risk seminar?”
Cali cut her gaze toward Tanya. “You think I’d ask the detective? Don’t think so. Plus, I volunteered at the last seminar. This Charmin face got the cookies and juice donated.”
Tanya grinned and picked up the jacket. “Well, Mr. Little Dickhead is a nice dresser. Is he married?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care.” Cali bit into her pizza as the question bounced around her head. Had he worn a ring?
“What does he look like?” Tanya leaned in with interest.
“Burt Reynolds.” Cali spoke around the pizza in her mouth.
“Who?”
Cali swallowed. “Burt Reynolds, the movie star. That’s who he looks like. But with blue-green eyes. And maybe taller. A little more shoulders.”
“Ug, that Burt guy is an old fart.”
“Well, the detective is a younger fart, maybe thirty.”
Tanya grinned. “Does Mr. Little Dickhead have a nice ass?”
“Haven’t checked,” Cali told her, but unwillingly she tried to envision it.
“Well, have you checked out his pockets?” She dangled the coat out in front of her, and brown leather danced in the air.
“No.” Cali hadn’t thought about going through his pockets. But now that Tanya had mentioned it, Cali’s curiosity zinged to life, and the wine gave her courage. Not that she needed courage. They weren’t going to steal. Just snoop. “Go for it.”
Tanya dug her hand into the first pocket and retrieved a half-eaten pack of breath mints. “Well, he cares about his breath.” She grinned and went treasure hunting in the second. She pulled out a candy bar wrapper. “He has a sweet tooth.” She patted the coat down then turned it inside out. “These coats always have a few hidden pockets.” Then she found one. It even had a zipper. She unzipped it and reached in. “What do we have here?” Opening the pocket, she glanced inside. Her mouth dropped. Tanya collapsed on the sofa and giggled.
“What?” Cali downed the last sip of her wine.
Tanya’s eyes glittered with humor. “We’ve given him the wrong nickname.” She held up a condom packet. “It’s extra large.”
They both fell back, snorting with laughter.
~
“He does look like Burt Reynolds, doesn’t he?”
Her mama had followed her to Tanya’s house, Cali thought. Even in her sleep she worried that it wasn’t normal to dream so much about someone who’d died.
“He has great shoulders, too.” A smile sounded in Mama’s voice.
“I wouldn’t know.” Cali kept her eyes closed.
“It was sweet of him to give you his coat.”
“He’s not sweet.” Cali pushed her hand into the pillow.
“He’s got a lot happening now. He’s not normally that gruff. He doesn’t even like himself right now.”
“Well, I’ve got a lot happening now, too.” Cali nuzzled her pillow with her cheek.
“That’s why you should understand. Ease up on the guy.”
Cali rolled over and looked up. “Mom, you’re dead, and you’re still trying to meddle in my life.”
“I’m not meddling, I’m just...okay, so I’m meddling. That’s what mothers do.” She dropped down on the edge of Tanya’s sofa bed and looked around the room. Her bracelets jingled. “You could teach this girl a thing or two about decorating.”
Cali sat up. “You always were a bit of a decorating snob.”
“No, I was a real estate professional. I knew what looked good.” Her mom lit up a cigarette. “But I like this girl. You two have a good time together. It was good hearing you laugh.”
Cali pulled the blanket up around her knees to ward off the chill.
Her mom’s expression grew somber as she helped Cali fix the blanket. “You spent way too much of your time with me these last few years. I should have stopped you, but I was selfish.”
A hitch of emotion stuck in Cali’s throat. “I wanted to spend time with you.”
“I know.” Her mother smiled, but it faded quickly. “You need to be very careful. The weasel, Stan is still looking for you. Listen to the detective. He’s going to help you. And you’re going to help him. Sometimes I love the way life works out.”
“Help him do what?” Cali dragged a pillow into her lap.
“I can’t tell you all my secrets.” She glanced at Cali as if she knew things. Her mother was never good at keeping secrets.
“What do you mean?” Cali asked.
“Well, in about ten minutes, he’ll be discovering he needs you. Dress nice tomorrow. Wear that pink dress you packed. Let him see that you’ve got more than a sweet face. Not that there’s anything wrong with having a sweet face.”
“It belongs on toilet paper.” Cali dropped back on the bed.
Her mother reached out and brushed a hand over Cali’s brow. “Get some rest, baby.”
“I miss you, Mom,” Cali whispered.
“I know,” her mother said. “I miss you, too.”
~