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“I made the mistake of crashing with Duncan when I vacated my parents’ house. It was stupid of me because Plover found out and decided that Duncan and I must have worked together on the robberies. I guess he figured Duncan was the weak link, because he hounded him, demanding that he return the jewelry, threatening to kill him and his family if he went to the police. I moved out after a couple days. Another bonehead move on my part. If I’d stayed with Duncan, he might not have tried to kill himself.”
“Maybe you should have given Plover the jewelry.”
“That’s what Duncan said. Duncan wanted me to give Plover the jewelry, but I thought the jewelry was our insurance policy. Plover needed the jewelry. He couldn’t kill us as long as we had the fake jewelry.”
“So, Duncan cracked under the pressure and decided to end it all,” I said.
“Maybe not so much the pressure from Plover,” Nutsy said. “We talked about it in Maine. I think mostly it was the failure. For once in his life Duncan took a chance and went bold and it was a complete screwup. He was crushed.”
“He didn’t seem crushed when I talked to him.”
“He had an epiphany. He almost died and when he came out of surgery, his first thought was that he was happy to be alive. He told me he didn’t need to be a slick jewel thief to feel alive. He said he just needed to breathe. Pretty fucking profound, right?”
“Tell me about the hospital.”
“I got a call from Duncan. He was barely coherent. Babbling. I could hear the terror in his voice. He was out of the ICU andhad been moved to a private room and he told me that Plover had walked in. Plover was dressed in scrubs like a hospital worker, but Duncan knew it was Plover. He said Plover never said anything, and he didn’t know what Plover was going to do because a nurse came in right then to check vitals. Plover told her he was in the wrong room and left. I guess I panicked, but all I could think of was getting Duncan out of there and someplace safe. So, I got Sissy and her van and we rolled Duncan out and took him to Maine.”
“That’s quite a story.”
“Yeah,” Nutsy said. “Nutsy Manley pulls off another harebrained stunt.”
“This time it was probably a good idea,” I said.
“I guess,” Nutsy said, “but not as spectacular as some of my others.”
Nutsy had gathered up all his belongings. He checked his watch and looked toward the door.
“We should leave,” he said. “Sissy will be home soon.”
“Where are you going now?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I have to keep looking for the homeless guy, and I’m sure you don’t want me in your apartment. Next thing Plover will be after you too.”
“Get rid of the bike so you aren’t so easy to spot, and you can stay with me. I’m going to help you. I don’t know why. I’m not sure I even believe you.”
“It was our intimate moment when we were at Louise Kutka’s party in eighth grade,” Nutsy said. “We have a bond.”
“I’m helping you in spite of our intimate moment,” I said. “I have to go to the bail bonds office now. Try to keep a low profile and pick up when I call you.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lula and Connie were finishing lunch when Bob and I walked in.
“We got all my problems solved,” Lula said. “Except for my clothes. I need to go to the mall and get some essentials.”
“Have you had lunch?” Connie asked me. “There’s some pasta salad in the fridge.”
I got the salad and pulled a chair up to Connie’s desk. “Have you been in touch with your neighbors?” I asked Lula. “Maybe one of them rescued your clothes.”
“I talked to all of them but crazy Becky. No one has my clothes. What’s new with you?”
“Not much. I ran into Nutsy. He was getting his stuff from Sissy’s house.”
“That’s too bad,” Lula said. “I was hoping he’d stay with Sissy. That would have been a better arrangement. He already had abedroom in Sissy’s house. He kind of cramps my style when he’s living with us in your apartment.”
My heart stopped dead in my chest for a full thirty seconds. “Are you staying with me? I thought you and Connie solved all your problems.”
“We did,” Lula said. “Figuring out living arrangements until my apartment is fixed up was easy. I told Connie we’re like two peas in a pod in your apartment. There’s no reason to look any further. And by the way, what were you planning for dinner? Nutsy finished off your peanut butter. And I don’t think there’s any more bread or beer. Maybe a glass of wine would be nice for tonight. Personally, I like white because if you spill some it doesn’t leave a stain. We could celebrate being together. Just like sisters. Do you have cable? I have my favorite shows. Most of them we can stream but sometimes there’s something on cable.”
