Realtor Revenge is the sequel to Real Estate Games. For the full experience, I suggest you start with Part 1 of Real Estate Games. Or you can just read on and enjoy a quick escape from reality.
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Realtor Revenge
Chapter 5
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Tiffany's was a small diner on main street which had been in business since the 1950's. What appeared to be a retro motif was actually the result of three generations of owners who refused to put money into upgrades. The location was convenient, the food was adequate and the few tourists that passed through town considered it quaint, so it managed to stay in business.
Flanagan and I sat in a corner booth enjoying our coffee as we congratulated each other on our recent success and then moved on to my next target.
"Carson Taylor is the last councilman on the list," I told him.
"Isn't he the guy with the dairy farm that milks women instead of cows? This could get interesting."
"Unfortunately, the farm belongs to his ex-wife. I'm not sure how we link it to Carson Taylor and Janis Moorehead..."
"You two ready to order?" I didn't know how long the waitress had been standing there. Hopefully not long enough to hear our conversation.
"Ham and eggs, over easy," Flanagan said. "With a side of grits if you got them."
She nodded and then looked to me. "How about you Raven? The usual?"
"Yeah, that would be great," I said. "Thanks, Leaky."
Flanagan gave her back side a quick appraisal as she walked towards the kitchen with our order. "Why'd you call her Leaky?" he asked when she stepped out of sight. "Her name tag said 'Angel'."
I laughed. "Nobody's called her Angel since she got knocked up in high school."
"How did a pregnant teenager get nicknamed Leaky?"
"Her boobs. They leak."
"As in milk?"
"Yep."
"Still? After all these years? How many kids does she have?"
"Only three. Her youngest is in middle school."
"And she's still lactating?"
"Apparently so. Whenever she gets excited, her blouse gets two big wet spots."
"How the hell does that work?" Flanagan asked.
"I pump them twice a day," Leaky said as she topped off our coffees. "If you'd like some fresh warm milk in your coffee, I'd be glad to oblige."
Leaky began to unbutton her blouse.
"Uh, no, thanks," Flanagan stuttered. "I uh, I like mine black."
Leaky and I both laughed as the normally sedate policeman turned several shades of red.
"Let me know if you change your mind," Leaky said, not bothering to rebutton her blouse. "The offer's always open, especially for the newest member of the Merryville police force.
"And speaking of offers," Leaky said to me. "I may have something you want."
"From what I can see, you've got nothing I don't already have. And mine don't leak."
"How about a connection between councilman Taylor and your old friend Janis Moorehead?"
"Now you've got my attention. I'm all ears."
"Not here," Leaky said. "Is there someplace we can meet tonight after my shift is over? Someplace private?"
"I could stop by your place." I suggested.
"There's nothing private about three kids in a double wide," Leaky said. "How about we meet at your house?"
I was just about to reject that option out of hand when Flanagan opened his fat mouth and said...
"Great idea. We'll order pizza and I'll bring some liquid refreshment. Is 7:00 okay with everybody?"
"Seven works for me," Leaky immediately said. Then she paused and wrinkled up her nose. "Unless there's some reason you don't want me in your house."
"Of course not," I lied, not able to come up with an acceptable excuse. "Seven will be fine."
Why wouldn't I want a cop car parked in front of my house or the town bimbo knocking on my door. The neighbors surely won't notice. Right.
And while I'm being honest with myself, why am I letting Flanagan make decisions? He's supposed to be a hired hand, not a partner. This meeting should be with me and Leaky and nobody else.
I have got to get control of the situation.
***
Diner at Raven's
Flanagan drove an old pickup truck to my impromptu dinner party. It didn't fit in with the Mercedes, BMWs and Porches my neighbors drove, but was a marked improvement over his patrol car. He also left his cop suit at home, wearing jeans and a clean white shirt. And even though Leaky's tired Chevy would probably leave an oil stain on my driveway, I was sure none of my neighbors would recognize her without an apron and name tag.
'Hopefully we'll eat some pizza, hear what Leaky has to say, and then call it a night',
I thought.
But that's not exactly what happened.
We had just uncorked the first bottle of wine when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was the pizza delivery guy, I opened the door to find my 'across the street' neighbor standing on my front porch.
"Is that Leaky's car parked in your driveway?" she asked.
"You know Leaky?" I asked the forty-year-old trophy wife of a recently retired executive.
Before she could answer, Leaky was standing behind me saying, "Evelin, I didn't know you lived in the neighborhood. Why don't you come in for a glass of wine?"
"Just one," Evelin said as she pushed past me. "And then I really need to get George his dinner."
I looked to Flanagan for help, thinking he might know how to get rid of uninvited houseguests, but he was too busy pouring Evelin's wine to notice me.
Evelin thanked him for the wine and then asked, "Are you Raven's new beau?"
"Goodness no," Leaky answered for him. "He's the newest member of the Merryville police department. He and Raven are investigating what happened at last week's Fantasy Friday event at the Dairy."
"Oh my, that was certainly unfortunate. I mean what happened to that poor realtor... I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but Laura really needs to keep an eye on that boy."
"What boy? What realtor? Were you there?" I asked.
"Of course I was. Both Leaky and I saw the entire thing. Well maybe not the entire thing, since we were kind of tied up and busy at the time." Evelin and Leaky exchanged a conspiratory wink before she continued. "But between the two of us, we can probably piece together what happened. Come to think of it, I think Mary Kate was also there."
"She was," Leaky said.
"Well she just lives down the street. I'll give her a call and see if she can join us."