Southern Witch - Would-Be Witch Part 15

"A re you on duty?" I asked.

"Not officially, but you know I'm always on duty for you, darlin'."

Yeah, right.

Chapter 15.

Johnny Nguyen was about as likely a crime boss as Mickey Mouse, but I didn't argue with Zach when he pulled up in front of Johnny's house. Johnny redecorated about once every six months, and I was looking forward to seeing what he'd done this time. My favorite had been the Bavarian lodge look. He'd had me make him a dish of pastries every week. I heard he had to crank up his air-conditioning to get all the heavy fabrics to work, so I guess it wasn't too practical.

Johnny's slate blue BMW was parked in front, so I rang the bell several times. Finally, he opened the door partway, but the chain was still firmly in place.

"Oh, h.e.l.lo, Tammy Jo," he said with a smile. He had a dark red smudge at the lower edge of his mouth. Candy apple? No, lipstick. Yikes!

"Hey."

"I sick with the flu. Come see me in salon next week."

Zach gently b.u.mped me aside so that he could peer in through the crack at Johnny.

"We really need to talk to you today," Zach said.

"Oh, Deputy Sutton, it you. Such great hair, but it a little long. You should come and see me next week with Tammy Jo. I cut your hair free of charge."

"That's a generous offer, and I appreciate it, but I really just need to talk to you. Today."

"Just a minute then. I be right back." Johnny closed the door, and Zach scowled.

"I think maybe he's been trying on makeup. He's probably embarra.s.sed," I said.

"Him, embarra.s.sed? I don't think so." Zach grinned. "He got drunk one night and propositioned the sheriff in front of Miss Marlene."

"What'd the sheriff do? Arrest him?"

"h.e.l.l, no. And have to do the paperwork on that?" Still smiling, Zach shook his head. "The sheriff just went the other way like the bar was on fire."

I giggled. "Johnny's like five feet one and a hundred pounds. It's funny that you guys are so intimidated."

Zach rolled his eyes. "Intimidated? Yeah, right. h.e.l.l, if I clocked him one, I'd probably kill him."

"That's why you better never do it."

"Not plannin' to. He's a nice enough guy. Just can't hold his liquor, and he needs to remember he's in Duvall, Texas, not San Francisco. Howard Smith wanted to kick his a.s.s when Johnny tried to flirt with Big Howard in front of Anita. Took Kenny and me both to hold him back."

"Johnny probably gets lonely here."

The front door opened, and Johnny stood before us in red silk pajamas and a matching kimono robe. I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep myself from laughing as I glanced over at Zach's face.

"Come in," he said.

The place was Moroccan-themed just like I'd heard from the rumors around town. Amethyst and garnet beads hung from the ceiling and plush jewel-tone pillows in ruby and sapphire surrounded a small carved table on the floor. I stood admiring the old metal lanterns and the gorgeous hand-beaded fabrics with elaborate patterns. It was all amazing.

Zach, who's about as exotic as apple pie, stood in the doorway, looking like he thought even setting foot inside might corrupt him in some terrible way.

"We just need to ask you a couple of questions. Do you know anyone in San Antonio?"

"Oh, San Antonio Riverwalk. Very nice. Yes, I have some friend there."

"Have any of them been to town to visit you recently?"

"No. Deputy, please, air-conditioning." Johnny waved Zach inside.

Zach closed the door behind him.

"Excuse please. Need Kleenex in kitchen," Johnny said, and when he turned I caught a glimpse of the chain around his neck. Old metal loops interlinked with white crystals. It was the chain that had held the Edie locket for the past five years.

I felt all the blood drain to my feet. First, Dr. Barnaby. Now Johnny Nguyen Ho. Was there anyone in town I could trust? Any friend that wouldn't completely betray me?

"Tammy Jo?" Zach said, moving close to me.

Johnny had already gone into the kitchen.

"He's wearing the necklace." I sat down hard on the pillows. It was a long way to fall.

"You're sure?"

I nodded.

"I'll get it." Zach squared his shoulders and marched down the short hall to the kitchen. I heard a startled shout from Johnny, followed by some rapid Vietnamese. Then Zach shouted, and a moment later I heard a m.u.f.fled exchange and Zach stalked back out. He pulled me up by the arms.

"Did you get it?"

"He wasn't wearing any necklace."

"He was. He must have taken it off."

"He says he doesn't have it."

"Well, he put it somewhere. In a drawer or something," I said as Zach hauled me toward the front door.

"Stop. I'm not leaving without-"

"We're not staying." Zach yanked the door open and pulled me out with him.

"What are you doing?" I yelled.

"He has company. A guy dressed-There's no way we're playing 'find the locket' today."

"I don't care if he's got d.a.m.ned Osama Bin Laden in a daffodil print dress, I'm not leaving."

"What are you going to do? You can't search his place. And neither can I without a warrant."

"So we're just going to leave? We're just going to give him time to hide it somewhere good?"

"I'll talk to the sheriff. I'll tell him you saw the stolen property, but Johnny stashed it somewhere. They'll give me a warrant, and I'll come back."

"And what if he gives it to his boyfriend, and his boyfriend leaves town?"

"You want to stay and stake the place out?"

"I, at least, want to talk to him before I just go on home to wait for some stupid warrant."

Zach gave Johnny's front door an appraising look, then scowled and marched back over to it. I followed. He banged his fist against the door.

Johnny opened it warily.

"If you have something that belongs to my wife, I suggest you give it back."

"I never steal anything. Never."

"Johnny, I saw the necklace," I said.

"I no steal. You insult me very much."

"Where did you get it?" I asked.

"Not wearing-"

I leaned forward. "Listen to me," I whispered. "I don't care where you got it. Honestly, I don't. But I need it back. If you ever want us to see Edie again, you have to give it back to me. She needs for me to have the locket or her whole soul will get, like, ripped to pieces and evaporate."

"I not have your necklace."

"Okay. Okay, you don't have it. But if you did know who had it, you could just tell them to give it back. To put it in my mailbox or leave it in an envelope on my doorstep. I wouldn't ask any questions."

"I go now. Sick with flu, remember," he said, backing up and closing the door.

"He understands. He'll give it back. He has to," I mumbled to myself, ambling back over to the car.

Zach got in, shaking his head.

"What?"

"Never mind," he said and shuddered.

"The boyfriend was pretty?"

He shook his head. "There's a real good reason men don't put makeup on. b.u.t.t-ugly and freakish. I very nearly pulled my gun."

In spite of myself and the dire situation with the locket, I chuckled. He frowned. I giggled softly, then louder.

"Girl, don't start."

I clamped a hand over my mouth, but my shoulders shook as I laughed silently.

"We're going to Jammers. I need a beer."

Several of the patrons of Jammers had big brown splotches on their foreheads, and every one of them gave me an evil look. I slid into a booth and waved at Georgia Sue. She and Kenny owned Jammers, the favorite bar in town. As usual, the place was full.

"You want wings?" she called to us over the noise.

Zach nodded, holding up two fingers. He called the station on his cell phone and explained about needing a warrant for Johnny Nguyen's, but with the judge still out of town, it wasn't clear when that would happen.

A few minutes later, Georgia sashayed over with a tray and put down two baskets of spicy buffalo wings, a bottle of Armadillo Ale for Zach and a frozen margarita for me.

I took a gulp of my drink. "I think Johnny Nguyen Ho was behind the robbery at your party."

"What?" She dropped onto the bench next to me, and I told her about seeing the chain.

"You're sure it was the same one? I mean really sure? He's got that place all fixed up like India."

"Morocco."

"And I heard there are beads everywhere. So maybe it just looked like your necklace."

I took another big swallow of my drink and shook my head. "If it had been another necklace, he wouldn't have taken it off and hidden it in the kitchen. He knows he did wrong. I just hope he feels guilty enough to give it back. Other wise . . ."

"Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise, I'm going to have to go get it."

"How? And can I come? I really want to see all those beads. Not to mention whatever kind of trouble you unload on him."

"Georgia Sue, don't encourage her," Zach said.

She fixed Zach with a look. "Well, he's got her necklace, Zach. You're her man. Just exactly what are you going to do about it?"

Zach raised his eyebrows and took a swig of his beer. "What would you like to see? Should I string him up by the nearest tree?"

"Now, I don't think we have to go that far," she said.

"Tar and feathers? A bullet-"

Georgia Sue clucked her tongue. "You're in an evil mood tonight."

"That's true enough. I just been to h.e.l.l, and it looks a whole lot like Morocco these days. Get me another cold one, will you?"

Georgia Sue nodded and hopped up.

Zach leaned forward to say something but stopped when a tall man with greasy, shoulder-length brown hair pa.s.sed the table slowly, staring at me the whole time.