“Things are all messed up, Kate. I don’t know what to do.” He looked at Laurie then back at me. “I met a gal at the restaurant and, well, she’s expecting our baby.”
I hid my surprise. I had expected to have to beat the information out of him. Why was he suddenly forthcoming?
Something was wrong.
“When is the baby due?” I asked.
“Pretty soon. I’m getting kinda nervous.”
“Are you going to marry her?”
George paced the room, bouncing Laurie in his arms. “I don’t know, Kate. I like her a lot . . . well, hell . . . I love her. She’s great. It’s just that, well, you know, she’s pushing me to commit . . . and I’m not good at providing and . . . being responsible.”
“It’s time to step up to the plate. A baby is a big responsibility. You don’t want your baby out there without a father.” I tried not to think of my own husband currently behind bars. “It’d be like a rowboat with only one little oar in the water. Spinning in circles. Kids need both oars in the water to go places.”
George gazed at Laurie. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“She doesn’t know about . . . you know, about my being on the streets. When I saw her at the restaurant . . . Damn, she was so cute. Brad knew I had a crush on her. He helped me clean up and make an impression, you know?”
I nodded. “If you’re worried about my saying anything, don’t.”
George looked relieved. “There’s something else, Kate. On Monday, when I was going to Michelle’s to make the drop . . .”
“Drop?”
George looked at me sheepishly. “I mean, you know, the money or whatever.”
Anger flared inside me, and I jumped up from the easy chair. “Whatever, what? Were you dropping off money at her house? Or something else? Or what?”
George took a step back and said firmly, “Money.”
I raised my voice. “Why? Why not deposit it straight into the bank?”
George matched my tone. “I just do what I’m told.” We studied each other a moment. He continued, “Anyway, what I wanted to tell you is that I saw someone. I saw who Michelle was with that morning. I’m scared, Kate.”
“Who?” I pressed.
“She was with my girlfriend.”
I took a deep breath, hoping it would slow my galloping heart. “What?”
“My girlfriend was over there visiting Michelle.”
“Kiku?”
Kiku with the access to the Valium. Sweet, pretty, pregnant Kiku.
“You know my girlfriend?”
“What was she doing at Michelle’s place?”
“Well, she didn’t kill her, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Why are you scared? What do you think she was doing there? Did you ask her? Did you interrupt them?”
“No. I left. Because, see, that’s the thing. I don’t know what she was doing there. What could she have been doing at Michelle Avery’s place?”
“Have you asked her?”
He stared at the ground. “No.”
“Maybe we should talk to her together,” I said.
The doorbell sounded. George jumped. “Are you expecting someone?”
I opened the front door, hoping for Jim, but was greeted by the Chinese food delivery guy. I clutched the pink plastic bag and peeked inside. White steaming containers peered back at me. My mouth watered.
I closed the front door and turned to George. “You’ve got to try this. The best in town.”
I popped opened a box, pulled out a pot sticker, and handed it to him.
George sank his teeth into the pot sticker. “Pretty good,” he said through a mouthful. “Hot.”
I nodded, biting around the corners of my pot sticker, letting most of the heat steam out before popping it into my mouth. “Let’s meet up tomorrow, talk to Kiku.”
His face fell. “Can’t we do it today? I’ve been avoiding asking her all week.”
“I can’t today. I’m . . . I’m waiting for Jim to come home.”
“Doesn’t he normally get home around five? We’ve got plenty of time.”
My stomach flip-flopped.
How much should I tell George?
“Sit down. Let me get us plates.”
I made my way to the kitchen and scrambled for a couple of place settings and napkins. Obviously, George didn’t know about Svetlana. Where had he been yesterday morning?
I returned to the living room to find George staring down at Laurie.
“She sure doesn’t cry much.”
“Ha. Not while she’s being held. Just try to put her down to have lunch.”