Free ACCORDING TO PLAN by Sue Barr

what happened to all that stuff.” She looked
over at Desiree, “Do you think Chester got it?”
    “Who’s Chester?” I blurted out.
    “Her pimp.” Desiree replied.
    Carla took another drag off her cheroot. “Yeah, good ‘ole Chester
would’ve cleaned out her whole place. There be none of her stuff around no
more.”
    “Would Harry have killed Lulu?”
    “No way he sliced and diced her.” Carla’s voice was firm. “He was
going to get her out of this place. It was one sick dude who offed Lulu.”
    This didn’t make any sense. Why would the cops think Harrison had
done the dirty deed? The hamster-on-the-wheel feeling intensified. “Do you have
any idea where Harry could have gone?”
    Carla arched an eyebrow and sneered. “What do I look like, his
mother?”
    Desiree snickered and they high-fived each other. Then, bored
expressions on their faces, they turned in silent unison and strolled down the
sidewalk away from me. It was as if they had never stopped and talked.
    Dejected, I took the rental back to the airport and caught my
flight home. The trip to L.A. had been a waste of time.
    ****
    Five long hours later I slouched up the front steps of my house and
inserted the key into the door. I heard someone on the steps behind me. Armed
with pepper spray, I turned. Not an intruder, but the temptation to spray the
weasel at the foot of my steps was overwhelming.
    “Regis, you almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing here
anyway?”
    Regis lived three doors down. He either sprinted here or had been
hiding in the rhododendrons. I went with the flowers. He couldn’t run that
fast. I dropped the canister back into my purse although I wanted to still spray
him. That might stop him from bothering me.
    “Good evening, Shelby.” He adjusted his glasses. “Mother is most
anxious to return some items that belonged to your late Aunt Matilda.”
    “Does it have to be now? I just got back and I’m bagged.”
    “This will not take much of your time. Mother wanted me to bring
you these recipes your Aunt Matilda lent her. She forgot about them when she
moved to Shady Pines.” He stood on the first step and handed me an envelope
with Aunt Tillie’s spidery handwriting on the outside.
    This was what he’d been pestering me for? Here I thought he was
going to ask me out again.
    “Uh…thanks. This means a lot to me.” I edged closer to my door. He took
another step, cleared his throat and slicked back his hair with the palm of his
hand. Inwardly, I cringed, knowing what could be coming next.
    “I am taking Mother to the Museum of Natural History this weekend
and wondered if you might care to join us?” Perspiration dotted his upper lip
and he cleared his throat again.
    “I... Ahhh...”
    “She’s already got a date, sonny boy.” I pivoted to my left and
watched Tank’s long stride eat up the sidewalk.
    “I thought you were in L.A.,” Regis sputtered, shrinking away.
    “Just got back and couldn’t wait to get home to the little woman.”
Tank gave me an intimate, dangerous smile.
    If I hadn’t been so creeped out by the fact Regis was here, I’d
have told him exactly what he could do with his sexy smile, long legs, and
muscular arms.
    Regis further stepped back when Tank came up on the porch and wrapping
those muscular arms around my waist, twirled me around. Mid twirl, he claimed
my mouth and set me down. Strong teeth nipped my lower lip and he gave it a
gentle tug. All I could do was hold onto his biceps as I swayed into his body
and returned the kiss.
    When he stepped back, I caught a dangerous glint in his eye when
his gaze fixed heatedly on my now swollen lower lip. I got his message loud and
clear. Mine . He left his armed draped across my shoulders and turned and
faced Regis.
    “Thanks for dropping by.” Tank reached out and gave him a
handshake. I know I heard bones crack. “Nice that you’re all neighborly, but I
gotta get Shelby in the house before she faints from hunger, right