Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Vol. 152, Nos. 5 & 6. Whole Nos. 926 & 927, November/December 2018
- Автор: Ловси Питер, Зельцерман Дэйв
- Год: 2018
- Язык: английский
- Год: Dell Magazines
- ISBN: 0013-6328
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Vol. 152, Nos. 5 & 6. Whole Nos. 926 & 927, November/December 2018». Краткое содержание книги:
The cold bit through his jacket as he made his way up the brick path, a bottle of wine in hand. He was grateful when Kaycee answered the door straightaway, even happier that the house smelled delicious when he stepped inside. He’d charmed his way into a lot of homes up and down the West Coast over the past few years, and it always made the memory more special when the mark made him a home-cooked meal before he swindled her. He’d never pulled a Thanksgiving job before. This would be a shining achievement.
“Thanks for inviting me,” he said.
Kaycee fluffed her hair in a hopeful way. “You’re welcome. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Happy Thanksgiving.” Garner pecked her cheek, pleased that she still seemed into him, as well as that the diamond bracelet she’d worn the prior night wasn’t circling her wrist now. That meant it should be in her bedroom, waiting for him.
“Nice place,” he said as he handed over the wine. He approved of the oversized black leather sofas, sparkling glass tables, and plush slate-gray shag rug covering much of the living room’s rich hardwood floor. Except for a huge TV, the walls were covered with framed family photos. All the walls. Nearly every square inch. These people were proud of their kids. It was a bit much, Garner thought, but at least the furnishings screamed money.
“Thank you,” Kaycee said. “Come meet everyone.”
In short order, Garner shook hands with Kaycee’s father, brothers-in-law, and several uncles and cousins, all of whom were watching football while munching on chips and guacamole. Garner’s stomach rumbled, but before he could grab a chip, Kaycee steered him into the kitchen.
“Everybody, this is Garrett, the guy I met last night.”
A bunch of women stared at him, some smiling, some eyeing him up and down. Garner smiled back, trying to look trustworthy, while Kaycee pointed to and named each woman in the room, until only a tall redhead remained.
“And this is my mom, Shirley,” Kaycee said.
Shirley wore a long psychedelic silk shirt and a broad smile. She shook his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Garrett. We’re thrilled you could join us for Thanksgiving. I hope you have a big appetite. I’m trying something new this year.”
Kaycee bit her lip, appearing embarrassed. “Mom loves being inventive.”
“Inventive! That’s one word for it,” Kaycee’s grandmother Helen yelled. She reminded Garner of Betty White, except she was taller and had more wrinkles.
“Yes, inventive.” Kaycee leaned toward him. “Sorry about Grandma. She’s hard of hearing and a bit senile, so she’ll say anything. And, again, I’m glad you don’t mind about the food.” Mind? Garner thought. Had Kaycee mentioned something unusual about the menu the prior night? He must have missed it. No matter. Whatever Shirley had cooked would surely be great, considering the kitchen was filled with mouth-watering smells. Garner was allergic to shellfish, but he had no worries about that on Thanksgiving. And he could put up with a loud granny for a few hours in exchange for the payoff.
After a couple of minutes of small talk, he and Kaycee headed into the living room to watch the game. Turned out Kaycee was a sports fan and didn’t talk much while the teams were on the field. That was a big relief. A lot of girls would have wanted to chat, but Garner knew the less he talked, the less likely he was to say something contradictory or too revealing.
Of course, there were the inevitable commercials, and Kaycee tried to engage him in chatter whenever one aired. Garner repeatedly filled his mouth with chips and guacamole, encouraging Kaycee to carry the conversation while he chewed ever so slowly. That gambit wouldn’t work forever, he knew. When the third commercial break came, he was ready with a diversion.
“Could I use the restroom?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said. “Down that hallway. Second door on the right.”
Savoring the unusually tangy taste of the guacamole still on his tongue, Garner hurried to the bathroom, closed the door, and pressed his ear against it. The commercials were louder than the game, so when things quieted a bit outside, he figured the game had come back on and Kaycee’s attention would be on the screen. He flushed the toilet, ran the sink a moment, and sped out to the stairs. This could be the perfect time to search Kaycee’s bedroom.
Thankful that the staircase was carpeted so his steps would be muffled, he started up.
“Garrett,” Kaycee called as he reached the seventh step. “Where are you going?”
Damn! Garner slowly turned, forcing his irritation off his face. Kaycee was standing at the bottom of the staircase, staring at him with her brows furrowed.
It was moments like these that separated the true grifters from the mere pretenders, he knew. Garner flashed a big smile.
“I can’t get over how adorable you are in all these photos.” He nodded toward the wall. “How old are you in these?”
The doubt melted from Kaycee’s face as she climbed the steps, and Garner knew he’d won her over again.
“I was eight in that one.” She pointed to a photo of a girl dressed like Cinderella. “And maybe ten in that one,” she said of another image in which Kaycee stood in a pink swimsuit. She’d been chubby even then, though Garner had to admit she’d also been pretty cute.
Screams of excitement erupted from the living room.
“Come on,” Kaycee said. “We must have scored.”
They returned to the living room in time to see the kicker make the extra point. While Kaycee cheered, Garner felt relieved he hadn’t been caught in her room. He’d try again later.
Soon another commercial came on. Kaycee turned his way, but Garner was quick with his guac-covered chips. He nodded at Kaycee, prompting her to keep talking. She kept jabbering about books she liked to read. Cozies? Nozies? Something like that. He only paid enough attention to nod and smile at the proper time, while wondering how quickly he could pretend to use the restroom again.
When halftime began, Kaycee’s father, Brian, joined the conversation. “You seem to love that guacamole, Garrett.”
Garner nodded and swallowed. At least this would be something safe to talk about. “It has an interesting, tangy flavor.”
“That’s because it’s homemade,” Brian said.
“I’m so glad you like it, Garrett,” Shirley said, stepping in front of the TV. “The key is using the right ingredients.” She clapped twice. “Everyone, dinner is served.”
They all walked into the dining room. Garner was given a seat near the end of the table, with Kaycee on one side of him, and her grandmother Helen on his other side. Each place setting held a bowl of creamy golden soup. Looked like butternut, Garner thought.
As they all dug in, Brian asked everyone to share what they were thankful for. Garner pondered what to say. He couldn’t tell them he was grateful that pawning Kaycee’s jewelry might enable him to move closer to the ocean. And he certainly couldn’t share how thankful he was that he’d never been arrested, so he had no police record hounding him and didn’t have to worry about leaving fingerprints here. Garner returned his attention to the others when he heard his fake name being used.
“And I’m so grateful I got to meet Garrett last night,” Kaycee said. “You don’t meet that many nice guys — at least I don’t.” She sighed. “And especially one who is such a good sport.” She smiled his way.
Good sport? Garner shrugged, hoping he looked affable.
“And I am grateful to all of you for letting me share this holiday with you,” he said. “This butternut soup is fantastic. I especially like the bacon bits.”
As he lifted another spoonful into his mouth, Helen yelled, “Bacon bits my ass. That’s worms you’re eating!”
Garner spit the food out of his mouth, the soup flying all over his place setting, and he gagged. “Wor... worms?”