5 Highball Exit by Phyllis Smallman Read Free Book Online Page B

distanced myself from her, checking for missed calls and trying to look as if I was waiting for someone.
    I stole a glance at the person coming towards us. Mid-forties female, wearing a shapeless sweater over tan slacks and a black tee-shirt, her black bedroom slippers made slapping noises on the travertine.
    Apparently Aunt Kay decided that this was the sort of person she needed. She looked up and smiled, addle-brained and feeble. “Excuse me. Could you help me?”
    The woman took her hands out of the sweater’s pockets. Her voice was cross. She looked from Aunt Kay to me, but I already had my cell up to my ear as if I was listening.
    The big woman, at least five foot ten with bones well covered with flesh, turned back to Aunt Kay. “How did you get into the building?”Aunt Kay was about to be shown the door.
    “Oh, dear,” Aunt Kay said and sighed. Her hand fluttered and then she pressed her fingers to her lips. “So foolish.” Aunt Kay sank to a gilt chair standing by a glass console table. Her whole body seemed to wilt. I almost felt sorry for her myself.
    “Can I help you?” the woman asked, right on cue.
    “Oh, yes, I hope you can. I can’t find my niece’s address. Oh dear, so silly of me, I hope I haven’t left my address book on the kitchen table. You see, I got it out to check the address.” Aunt Kay’s hand fluttered in the air about her head. “I get so confused.” She went back to sorting through the jumble of her purse, taking things out and dropping them in her lap and onto the floor before retrieving some and stuffing them into her purse again. “I just can’t believe I could be so stupid.” Aunt Kay’s voice trembled.
    The woman bent over and gathered wayward items from the floor. “It’s all right,” she said, handing back Aunt Kay’s things.
    “I guess my children are right, I’m losing it. That’s what they keep saying, over and over. Whatever am I going to do now?” Her shoulders shuddered.
    The woman’s voice was gentle when she asked, “Who’s your niece?”
    “Holly, Holly Mitchell.” Aunt Kay looked up, all brightly eager and hopeful. “Do you know her?”
    The woman’s mouth opened and closed. She turned her body slightly away from Aunt Kay, saying, “Better come with me.” The woman pointed down the corridor. “I’ll make you a cup of tea. I’m the super here. My name is Bella Gornoy.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “It’s just down here.” She took a few steps down the hall.
    “Oh, how kind.” Aunt Kay pushed herself upright and limped after the woman. “That’s just what I need, a cup of tea.”
    I went outside to wait for Aunt Kay to return or for the cops to come and pick her up. Either way, I wasn’t going to be caught inside the building. Aunt Kay was on her own.

CHAPTER 14
    I sat on a stone bench in the shade, happy to shake free of Aunt Kay and her plans so I could make some calls. Driving her around was going to work fine. I could take her where she wanted to go and while she played detective, I could run the Sunset.
    I pulled my phone out and caught up, straightening out some scheduling problems and calling my wine merchant.
    I still had some calls to make, but the air smelled of jasmine.
    Somewhere near my head a bee buzzed . . . wind chimes tinkled gently . . . Not even worry could stop my head from drooping. I closed my eyes, letting the sleepless night catch up. My cell played “Dixie” and I jerked awake. “You are not going to frigging believe this,” a voice said.
    “These days I could believe anything, including, ‘The end is nigh.’ I can really believe that one.”
    “Parrots,” Gwen Morrison said. “The palms outside the diningroom windows are full of parrots. People are coming upstairs just to get a better look at them.”
    “And this is good because . . . ?”
    “Because, Oh Thick One, these people may stay for lunch. I’ve called the radio station and the newspaper. It’s been on the radio