Free Murder in Paradise (Paradise Series) by Deborah Brown Page B

too much on my plate to entertain a banging headache.
    “This ought to be good.”
    I related the entire story, ticked off the felonies, and gave him a heads up on the ever-vigilant Sheriff Johnson. I also mentioned Gus and Tolbert were friends, knowing that Spoon had a high regard for Tolbert Rich.
    “Make it clear it would be bad for Quirky’s health to bother Mr. Ivers ever again,” I said.
    “Problem taken care of. Give me a couple of days; I’ve got one favor ahead of yours. One day most of the people in this town will owe me.” Spoon laughed. “The Poppins riffraff can go peddle their illegal meat and weed somewhere besides The Keys. You keep the IOU. This job is going to require my personal touch. I’m going to ask Quirky how he’d like to be skinned and served on someone’s dinner plate. Call you when the job’s done.” He disconnected.
    I shuddered at Spoon’s words, happy to not be Quirky. I redialed Fab and got more voicemail.
    I hit speed dial again. “Gabriel’s out of jail and Fab’s not answering her phone,” I told Mother.
    “I’m on my way, we can worry together.”

CHAPTER 12
    “I brought food!” Mother yelled, kicking the front door closed. “Heard from Fab?”
    Mother rocked at to-go food. “Gabriel’s got her, I know it.” I went straight to the kitchen counter and lifted the lid on some great smelling grilled tilapia.
    “What if Fab’s out committing felonies?” Mother took out the shell dinner plates from the cupboard, and handed me one.
    “If she’s out setting fire to her life, we’re not going to catch fire with her. Burglarizing houses and grand theft is a line I will not cross.” I grabbed a pitcher of cold water that I’d filled earlier with oranges and strawberries to give it several hours to ferment.
    Mother gave me a sympathetic smile.
    “Why are you so calm? It’s like you know more than you’re saying.” She’d better not say “Zach,” or I’d flip.
    “I have a little confession, since I got caught red-handed.” Mother’s cheeks turned pink. “Creole stopped by to take me to lunch. While he showered I snooped through his briefcase. He left it open and on the top lay a file about Gabriel and Fabiana. Before I got to the last page he snuck up on me.” 
    My cheeks burned with embarrassment for her. I gasped. “What did you say?”
    “Can I at least read the last page? Pretty nervy, even for me.” Mother shook her head. “He told me to read fast. Then he put his finger under my chin and forced me to look him in the face. He asked, ‘Should I lock my briefcase in the future?’” Mother sipped her water before continuing. “I told him yes. How’s that for honesty? I know it surprised him. He took my hand and we walked to that new bistro, Chez Nous. He never said another word, which actually made me feel worse.”
    “Aww.” I pushed back the kitchen stool and hugged her. “I should call Creole and let him know what’s up. I can’t call Spoon; he’s busy doing me a big favor.” I told her about the Poppins siblings.
    “I’ll have to do something extra nice for him,” Mother winked.
    I crossed my fingers in an X to ward off any visual images. “No details, not even a hint. Fab would never forgive me if I called Zach. Their relationship is rocky at best. It’s hard to believe they were once lovers.”  I called Creole; it went directly to voicemail, so I left a message.
    “When the heck were those two doing it?” Mother fumed. “Why am I always the last to know?” 
    “It happened long before I met Zach and Fab. She once told me they had a better working relationship when they took sex out of the equation. Zach’s problem is that he never meant for Fab and I to become friends and has never adjusted.”
    “How are you and Zach doing?” Mother smoothed my hair, pushing it behind my shoulders.
    “He’d like it if, when he issued orders, I followed them no questions asked. We fight about stupid stuff. He wants me to commit to