Shadow Of Pretense (Margot Harris 2)

Mick thought about it a second then said, “If some shit happened at home, which wasn’t unusual, she’d come here. I don’t know where else she’d go.”

“And she’s not here?”

“No, maybe she found a new guy.”

“Did you know her friends?”

“Not really, just Danielle who came by to party a time or two. She wasn’t really into it.”

“She might have been if B-man wasn’t trying to get in her business,” the bearded guy added.

“I don’t suppose you know anything else about her, like her last name? Where she lives?”

“Nah, like I said, she wasn’t into it so we left her alone.”

Margot nodded and decided they probably didn’t have anything more to tell. Given how concerned they all were about Tommy coming home and seeing her car in the drive, it might be better if she wasn’t around when he showed up.

“If I leave my card, will you call me if you see her?”

“Of course.”

“Can I have one too?” the bearded guy asked.

“Why do you want one?”

“I don’t know, it just sounds cool. When’s the next time some hot private eye is going to give me their card?”

Margot got out a couple of cards and gave one to each of them.

“Just so you know, kid, I’m out of your league,” she told the guy with the beard.

“I kind of figured. I hear that a lot.”

“Just out of curiosity, whose house is this?”

“Tommy’s.”

They didn’t offer any more information and Margot decided it didn’t really matter. What mattered was that Mick seemed sincere when he said he didn’t know where Chrissie was. She pet the dog again and headed for the door.

B-man was waiting for her. His normally white face was beat red.

“I think you still owe me something.”

Margot maced him again. “You shou

ld have cut your losses.”

She stepped out and looked down the street. It was hard to tell since it was far away, but she was pretty sure there was a dark blue sedan parked on the street about two blocks down. It hadn’t been there before. She kept an eye on the sedan; at this distance it was hard to tell, but it looked like two people were sitting inside.

While she was watching, a newer looking cherry-red Dodge pulled up beside her car on the lawn. The guy who got out was probably weighed the same as B-man, but he didn’t look like he had an ounce of fat on him. He was probably as pasty white a B-man as well but an obvious spray tan covered that up.

He didn’t look very happy. Margot put her hand in her purse but gripped her gun instead of the mace.

“Why are you in my driveway?”

“I take it you're Tommy.”

“Answer my question.”