Missing Lynx by Fiona Quinn Read Free Book Online Page B

the idea was old-fashioned, Mom decided this would be a wonderful opportunity for me to learn about many cultures and traditions. From the time I turned twelve, I learned whatever that day’s grandma thought I needed to know. I still cook in my Kitchen Grandmother pattern.
    Monday was Jada’s day; she came from Turkey. Tuesday belonged to Biji. She was from Punjab, India. “It’s Wednesday: tonight is Nana Kate,” I told Gater. Nana Kate hailed from the mid-west. She taught me how to make the old fashioned, American, rib-sticking meals of her childhood with a dollop of Julia Child thrown in for good measure.
    “Well, God bless Nana Kate.” Gater shucked off his jacket and hung it in my hall closet.
    Gater went back to the kitchen, where Striker banged around in the cupboards. I picked up my FedEx and followed behind. Striker had the dishes set out and the food on the table. The guys were familiar with my house having spent a lot of time here when they were doing stake out duty, trying to capture Travis Wilson.
    I sat down with my envelope, and pulled out a letter from Bryant and Kimber, Attorneys at Law. I wrinkled my brow as I read it through. “Wow,” I said.
    “What?” asked Striker.
    “It’s from Mrs. Nelson’s lawyers. She’s decided not to come home. She’s going to move straight from the rehab center to Brandenburg Assisted Living.”
    “Why are the lawyers informing you about it with a FedEx?” Striker buttered a roll.
    “She’s invoking my first right of refusal on her side of the duplex. They need to know within the week whether or not I want to buy her house.”
    “You gonna do it?” Gater filled his plate with beans and sausage.
    “I locked in the price before they did the upgrades I bartered for with Manny, so it’s a really good deal.”
    “Manny across-the-street-Manny? What was he bartering?” Gater forked up a bite.
    “Yes, my neighbor. He inherited his house, and it was uninhabitable. His grandparents were hoarders. I cleaned out his dump, and he played poker for me. He won the services of the people who came over and fixed things up over here. My house was border-line condemned when I bought it.”
    Striker glanced around. “Hard to believe this place was in bad shape.”
    My home was gorgeous now if I do say so myself.
    “Okay, enough about that.” I shoved the papers back in the envelope and tossed them on the table. “Let’s talk diamonds. Was the prize hiding behind one of my doors?”
    Gater finished chewing his bread and swiped his mouth with his napkin. “Behind door number one, ma’am. My team found Omondas by staking out Slaybourgh Jewelers. Omondas headed up there before opening. He had the rocks on him. We watched him pulling them out to show to Jessup Slaybourgh. They tossed around some heated words, and Jessup physically threw Omondas outa the store.” Gater grinned broadly at the memory. “Since we were waiting for signatures on our warrants, we followed Omondas to his house. He went inside for twenty minutes. By the time he come out, our paper work had cleared, and we moved in for the capture. He didn’t have the diamonds on him when we took him in hand.”
    “The diamonds are in his house?” Striker asked.
    “They should be, sir. Our client searched Omondas’s car, and they weren’t able to find them,” Gater took his bowl to the sink.
    I pushed my plate to the side to make room for my elbows as I leaned forward. “Have you searched the house, yet?”
    “No, ma’am. We figured you’d want first dibs before we moved anything around,” Gater said.
    “Alright. Shall we go now?” I turned to Striker for confirmation.
    “Fine with me,” he said.
     
    Gater parked the Humvee across the street from a seventies-style tri-level. I sat in the car trying to imagine Omondas living here. It seemed incongruous. Too domestic for a single guy his age.
    Gater interrupted my thoughts. “Hey Lynx, would you mind walking me through how you find something in