Free Trawling for Trouble by Shelley Freydont Page B

was ricocheting crazily, which always happened when she panicked. She needed to focus, but it was really hard to take these guys seriously. Except she had no doubt their firearms were deadly. That sobered her up pretty quickly.
    â€œHand them over,” the one on the left said.
    Everybody just stood there.
    Liv glanced at Chaz. He was focused on the man’s face. He was up to something. She could see the little muscle in his jaw twitching. She hoped to heaven he wasn’t planning on rushing them. He’d never make it.
    It was Miss Ida who found her voice first. “If you gentlemen would just explain what you are looking for, we’d be delighted to help.”
    The man’s jaw dropped. His companion took a step forward.
    â€œI really think you must have made a mistake,” Miss Edna said in her sternest high school teacher voice.
    â€œWhich one of you offed Jimmy?” the other man demanded.
    â€œNo one.” That was Chaz. Liv was afraid to look at him. She really hoped he wasn’t planning to do something stupid. Not only stupid, but dangerous.
Concentrate, Liv. He may want your help.
    â€œWe don’t even know who Jimmy is,” Chaz continued. “A man was fished out of the lake near here a couple of days ago. As far as I know, the police haven’t identified him.”
    â€œShut up.” He pointed the gun toward Seamus. “You. You know anything about this.?”
    Seamus shook his head. Opened his mouth.
    Chaz jumped in. “It’s probably that guy on the floor.” He pointed to Manny, who was still out cold. “He broke in and held everyone up. We overpowered him. You better ask him.”
    Liv prayed that Manny stayed unconscious.
    The gunman scanned the group. “Let me put it this way. We want this.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.
    Liv recognized it right away. It was her note from the fish camp.
I’ve taken the fish to the Zimmermans’.
    No one moved. He waggled the paper toward Chaz, who took it. Read it. Shrugged. “I don’t know anything about this.”
    The man frowned at Ida and Edna. “Are you two the Zimmermans?”
    â€œWe are Zimmermans,” Edna said.
    â€œBut there are quite a few Zimmermans in the area,” Miss Ida said. “You probably have the wrong address. Would you like to borrow our phone book?”
    Liv was afraid Chaz was going to laugh out loud. As for Liv, she was astounded at the sangfroid of the sisters.
    â€œYeah. Yeah. Where’s the fish . . . Miss Ida?”
    â€œReally, young man,” Edna said. “We have a freezer full of fish.”
    Seamus frowned at her. Liv guessed he was having a hard time following what was going on.
    â€œShow me.”
    â€œWell, it’s in the basement.”
    The man motioned to his companion. “Go down with her. And don’t get smart, lady, or your friends will bite it.”
    Miss Edna gave him a disappointed look. As if he’d just misspelled an easy vocabulary word. Liv hoped, really hoped, that Edna didn’t have any plans to overpower her guard.
    She opened the door to the cellar and started down, followed by the sidekick.
    A few moments later, the gunman inched over to the cellar door and called out. “What’s taking you so long? You’re looking for a fish.”
    â€œThey’re all wrapped up,” echoed from the cellar.
    â€œWell, open them.”
    Yes, do, slowly,
thought Liv. That would give Bill time to get here and surround the building.
    â€œYou’ll ruin all the food we’ve put up for the winter,” Ida scolded.
    â€œRicky,” the man called to his partner.
    â€œYeah,” came from the cellar.
    â€œLook for dates. That’s what my wife does. Take the newest packages out and bring them here.”
    This guy was married?
Liv couldn’t even imagine. Steal some stuff, maybe kill a few people, and come home to a hot