G. A. McKevett - Fat Free and Fatal (Savannah Reid Mysteries)

A SAVANNAH REID MYSTERY

KENSINGTON BOOKS

www.kensingtonbooks.com

For the baby named Eve,
Our angel with heavens starlight in her eyes.

T he tiny, southern California town of San Carmelita had its picturesque areas where Hollywood celebrities browsed for antiques, shopped quaint boutiques, and sunned themselves on pristine beaches. But Sauls pawnshop wasnt in any of those areas. Saulies was on the other side of town, the part of town that the city council frequently discussed at meetings, trying to figure out new, cheap ways to spruce up the neighborhood. Or at least keep tourists out of it, so they wouldnt get themselves mugged or perforated by a stray bullet.

Nestled snugly between a tattoo parlor and a porn store, Sauls shabby little hockshop had been trading valuables of questionable ownership for instant cash for over fifty years. But Saul himself was neither shabby nor questionable. He was a character, and he also had characterwhich made him one of Savannah Reids favorite people.

As she and her friend, Detective Sergeant Dirk Coulter, left Dirks old Buick and walked up the sidewalk toward Sauls shop, she stepped off the walk to allow a teenage boy and his pit bull to pass, giving the dog and his master plenty of room.

Wearing full gang attire and a surly, wanna-piece-of-me? scowl on his face, the gangbanger looked threatening enough without his wide-jawed, excessively toothsome companion. And while the streetwise Savannah had kids like him for lunch on a bologna sandwich spread with plenty of mustard and a dab of mayo, she made it a point to avoid pit bulls whenever possible.

Dirk nudged her with his elbow. Afraid of a little puppy dog? he said.

Puppy dog, my hind end, she replied, her Southern drawl thick, despite all her years on the West Coast. Remember when we saw a pup like that one take a chunk out of a patrolmans thigh a few blocks from here? All because the cop jumped over a fence and into the wrong yard, chasing a perp?

Dirk shuddered. Gross. Like Im gonna forget that one. We saw some pretty nasty stuff when we worked graveyard back then.

Savannah felt her own little chill. During the years she and Dirk had served together on the San Carmelita police force, they had seen some pretty nasty stuff in the noonday sun, too. Heart-wrenching, soul-scarring images that kept you awake at night. Unless you read a lot of trashy novels right before bedtime and ate a lot of chocolateSavannahs remedies for just about any of lifes unpleasantries.

Dirk was still a copstill collecting nightmare material.

Savannah had moved on to greener pastures and become a private detective. Well, sometimes the grass was greenerwhen she actually had a paying client or two. Then there were the other times, like this one, when she had absolutely nothing to do except tag along with Dirk.

As they passed one seedy establishment after another, she wondered if there wasnt a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than hanging out on the bad side of the tracks with a guy who had been gruff in his twenties and grumpy in his thirties. And now that he and she were solidly in their forties, he had worked his way up to a five-star curmudgeon.

Dirk let go with a deep, chest-rattling cough, which he tried his best to suppress. She knew why. And it wasnt going to work.

Thats the third chest cold youve had this spring, she said. Not to mention the four sinus infections and all the sore throats.

He growled under his breath. So, dont mention it. Dont you start nagging me, woman. I wont stand for it.

Since when? Ive nagged you to quit smoking since the day we met. Pointing out all of your faults keeps me from having to focus on my own. So, why stop now?

Because Im gonna fly into a blind rage if you dont. Ive had enough of your More gagging and coughing took his breath away, along with the rest of his argument.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You and your blind rages, she said. I live in fear.

When they reached Sauls front door, Dirk opened it and stood aside for her to enter. Savannah liked that. Right after a cigarette, he might smell like a Las Vegas casino, but Dirk was still an old-fashioned gentleman.

Dark and dank, the tiny pawnshop needed a good airing. The only bright spots in the glum establishment were the glass-front counters that held treasures ranging from estate jewelry and fake estate jewelry to dented French horns and antique typewriters.

A small gnome of a man appeared at the tinkling of the silver bells that hung above the door. He was wiping his hands on a dirty cloth as he came out of the back room, a hopeful look on his wizened face. But at the sight of Dirk, his bright, entrepreneurial grin disappeared. Oh, it is only you, he said with a slight Slavic accent. I must say this to you, Im not a happy man. Not at all. Saul does not like to lie to his customers, to deceive them, to deliver them into the hands of the law. If word gets around that I do this

The guys who are trying to unload their stolen crap will take it elsewhere, Dirk told him. Thats a good thing, right?

Saul grimaced. I suppose so. He turned to Savannah and his eyes lit up ever so slightly. I am happy to see you, though, Savannah, my dear. It is not every day a pretty woman comes into Sauls store.

Forget about the pretty girls for a minute, Saulie, Savannah said, giving him the benefit of a brief smile before turning all-business, and tell us about the ugly mug youre expecting to come in here this afternoon.

Ah, that one. Saul shook his head. Hes a bad fellow, I tell you. About a month ago, he comes in here and tries to sell me a gun that he has no papers for. And when I refuse to buy it, he gets so very angry, I swear I think he is going to shoot me with it.

And you were probably right, Savannah told him. Always trust your instincts, Saul. In your business you cant afford not to.

Dirk glanced down into one of the glass cases, then bent over, taking a better look at a bowie knife with a rosewood handle. Tell me exactly what he said when he called you this morning.

Saul cast a quick look at Savannah. I will not repeat exactly what he said in front of a lady, but he told me he had a womans Raymond Weil watch and a gentlemans Tutima. Said he wanted to be rid of them this afternoon. Well, that Tutima rang a bell in my brain. Saul may be old, but hes not so stupid as some think. I grabbed thewhat you police callthe hot sheet and looked at it really quick while I still had him on the phone. And there it was, third item on the page: a Tutima with Merry Christmas, Uncle Carl engraved on the back of it. So, I asked him if it was clean, mint condition, and he said, All except for a short message on the back. Claims hed had it engraved for his beloved uncle, but dear Uncle Carlmay he rest in peacepassed away before he could give it to him on Christmas.