Ian always said Dad looked like a tool. I don’t think Dad has figured out what he means.
I scribbled down some of Katie’s tips, and then glanced up to find Leo watching me with a grin. He put his hand against mine, sending heat rushing through me, and wiggled the pen out of my hand. He wrote, “We are not going to be tested on this material.”
I just shook my head as I grabbed the pen. “It’s interesting,” I wrote.
He moved to steal the pen again and I held it away from him.
“Fine,” he whispered. “I’ll stop. You’re going to get me in trouble with Katie.”
I thought this was pretty sweet. The people sitting right around us hadn’t noticed us, so I doubted Katie had. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
When she finished speaking, several students approached her with questions or comments.
Leo and I stood up where we were to wait. My rear end was numb from the hard wooden seat.
“If one of them asks her questions about being a vegetarian, we’re doomed,” he said. “She can give a month long sermon on avoiding meat products.”
“So you’re saying I shouldn’t bring it up?”
He shook his head furiously. “I’m starving. Once we get our lunch, you can ask whatever you want.”
Katie finally finished with her fans and shook hands with the guy who’d been speaking when we arrived. “Thank you for having me.” She pointed our way. “My friends are waiting for me to take them to lunch.”
She grinned as she walked over to us. “You must be Jen.” She shook my hand. “I’m so glad to meet you. Leo was telling me about your newly forged friendship last night.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said automatically.
She smiled, and I realized I actually was glad to meet her. She had been smart and impressive when she addressed the group. One on one, she was warm and friendly.
“I’m sure Leo has told you I’m a vegetarian. I hope you don’t mind going to Birk’s for lunch.”
“Sounds good. I’ve never been, but I’m sure it’s fine.”
“Leo’s been several times,” she said with a smile for him.
She started to reach for him, and for a moment I thought she was going to reach out and tousle his hair. She let her hand dangle in the air for a moment and then turned back to me. “Do you mind if I ride with you two?”
“You’re actually volunteering to ride with me.”
Katie grinned. “You’re actually a much better driver than Joe.”
“That’s not saying much,” Leo grumbled.
She looked over at me, “Wonderful man, terrible driver.”
“When dad’s around, Katie insists that she drive. When he’s not, she usually lets me do the driving.”
I guess Leo had been doing a lot of driving lately.
The restaurant was only a mile away.
Katie held the door open for me and I climbed out of the car.
Leo and I followed her through the door to the restaurant. The place was small and busy.
Katie walked up to the hostess and said, “Table for three, Leanne, and we’d like to sit in Nate’s section please.”
The hostess smiled, eying Leo over her funky glasses. “Yes, ma’am. Follow me, please.”
“Who’s Nate?” I asked Leo.
“He’s the only guy who works here. He won’t flirt with me and irritate you.”
After the waitresses at Chili’s, I guessed I should be grateful. “She’s doing it just for me?” I wasn’t his girlfriend after all. I shouldn’t be getting jealous.
“Oh no. She always asks for a guy. It drives her nuts otherwise.”
We squeezed into a corner booth, Leo sat by Katie and I sat on the end next to him. The hostess handed us our menus.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Water with lemon,” Katie said. “You, Jen?”
“Unsweet tea please.”
“And you,” the hostess said with suggestive emphasis on the you.
“Lemonade please,” Leo said, not looking up from his menu.
The hostess hesitated as if trying to find a way not to leave, until Katie finally said, “Thank you, Leanne. That will be all.”
She walked away, and Katie said. “Leanne’s such a sweet girl when I come without Leo.”
“You’re lucky she likes Leanne,” Leo said. “Otherwise you’d hear her rant about the incessant gawking I’m subjected to.”
Katie smiled. “I may have mentioned once or twice that he shouldn’t have to go through life being ogled like breasts at a wet t-shirt contest.”
Leo blushed.
I couldn’t help thinking that I would so not mind Leo ogling my breasts.
Okay, so now I was blushing too.
“She doesn’t feel sorry for Dad when it happens to him.”
“You’re constantly harassed by hormone-crazed older women, and you’re practically a child.”
“Ka-tie,” Leo said in the voice I used with my mother. He elbowed her and squirmed in his chair.
I couldn’t help laughing at the tough guy behaving like a little boy.
“Huh,” I said. “Leanne should have left you a kids menu.”
Katie grinned.
“Just for that I’m not sharing my crayons.”
The waiter came over with our drinks.
“Hi, Nate,” Katie said.
I ordered a salad, and Katie and Leo ordered their usuals.
After the waiter left, Katie asked me about the band. “Is it really called the Armpit Hostages?”
“Yes,” I said with a wince.
“It really is nice of you to help us when Leo messed up your chances with the band.”
I shrugged. “I want to help.”
“You know,” she said with a smile, “I’m not sure what an Armpit Hostage looks like, but I’m envisioning something much hairier than you.”
Leo and I laughed.
“My brother just wishes he were hairy,” I told her. “He’s as repulsive as an armpit though, so maybe the name fits.”
Katie giggled. Then she turned to Leo. “Before I forget. I checked that antique answering machine at your dad’s place this morning. Someone called. David Laverdiere. He said something about being in town.”
Leo leaned forward. “David Laverdiere?”
Katie nodded. “Am I remembering right? He was one of your father’s old partners in crime?”
“He and my dad got into lots of trouble together. Even though David wasn’t” —he looked around—“a genie.”
“Is he a possibility?” I asked. “Could he have set up your dad if he isn’t one?”
“It certainly doesn’t seem likely,” Katie said. “I don’t think we can leave any stone unturned though.”
“I’ll check it out,” Leo said.
Chapter Seven
I let Leo enter the garage before I snuck in the front. Horrid sounds were already coming from the garage when I went in the front door.
I checked to be sure that Mom, Dad, and Sean had cleared out. No sign of anybody.
Since I was feeling a little too healthy from the tea and veggie lunch, I grabbed a soft drink from the fridge. I popped the top and chugged some of the fizzy beverage. My body had certain standards and didn’t perform well without some pollution.
Here was my perfect opportunity to sneak back into Mom’s office and try to get the dirt on Leo’s dad. The more time I spent with Leo, the more involved I was. I’d spent the day with him, and the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. wasn’t likely to let me talk my way out of that one. Of course, getting to know Leo more and more just made me hope his father really had been framed. Leo was a good guy. And I liked Katie. The fact that he’d fathered Leo and obviously liked Katie a lot too made me think Joe wasn’t such a bad guy.
I’d just wanted to find out the truth before. Now I was rooting for Leo’s dad. Neither motive made it easy to break into my mother’s office.
Mom and Dad wouldn’t be back until at least six thirty if
they kept to their usual pattern. I had plenty of time to accomplish my search and get over to Alex’s.
I put down my drink. Now if I could only make my feet move toward Mom’s office.
The Armpit Hostages geared up in the garage, and I realized I hadn’t ever seen Leo playing the drums. Talking about it at lunch made me curious. I wanted to go in and peek at the band for a few minutes. Despite Ian being a jerk, watching the guys usually helped me relax. And how was I going to picture Leo beating on the drums if I’d never actually seen it?
I glanced at the clock. I had plenty of time. I could watch Leo play one number and then proceed with my espionage.