Chapter 17 Shave and a Haircut
Shave and a Haircut
Savannah
“Get your fine tush in the living room, I got this,” Punc insisted.
I shot him a look. “After you sent Cal and Blood on their way with the boxes, you unearthed a grill pan I didn’t even realize Mom had, and made me a steak for dinner, Punc. The least I can do is clean up.”
He matched my look and added in raised eyebrows. “The longer we bicker about this, the longer it takes to get this done. Take your wine and turn on the TV.”
“Thank you for making me dinner,” I said, then topped off our glasses of vino and took them into the living room.
“You’re welcome.”
I had a series ready to watch when someone knocked on the door with the rhythm of ‘Shave-and-a-Haircut.’ Only one person I knew used that knock, and this would be even better than him returning my many calls.
I hurried to the door before Punc could stop me.
“Don’t open that door, Savannah,” he said, rounding the breakfast bar and following me to the foyer.
I looked over my shoulder at him. “It’s Dad, and it’s about damn time he showed up.”
With a fake smile, I opened the door and swung my arm out, gesturing Dad inside. “Hey, Dad. Long time no talk. Come on in.”
He turned his head almost an inch, as though he suspected I was being fake, but he came inside anyway.
The moment he laid eyes on Punc, he turned around. “No, sweetie, I didn’t realize you had company, I’ll stop by to see you and your sister later.”
I stood in front of the closed door. “Later, huh? Will that be before or after Frank Darren swings by for Mom’s insurance settlement, hmm?”
“Don’t be like that—”
My temper snapped. “You have lost your mind! Did you know that asshole threatened me and Catalina? I mentioned it in my voicemails. Maybe you know Frank’s friend Gary.
According to Frank, Gary likes ‘em young, and he especially liked the looks of Catalina. Tell me, Dad, when exactly are you gonna swing back by? I called you day after day for the past month after I got out of the hospital. You couldn’t be bothered to return just one of those calls.
So, no, you aren’t leaving until you answer my questions. ”
Dad didn’t look nervous anymore, he almost looked devastated. His face had gone pale and genuine concern filled his eyes. “He sent you to the hospital?”
I couldn’t fall prey to his devastation and concern. “No, that was someone else because you see, to even pay the monthly installment on this loan, I had to start stripping.”
Dad’s expression fell even further, and he looked like he might be sick.
“Yeah, it skeeved me out at first, too. But like you said when I was little, I’m as pretty as the day is long, and I’ve been told that I’m really great at it.”
“That’s good because you’re gonna have to keep dancin’,” Dad said.
The air in the room felt suffocating as I stared at Dad in utter disbelief. My eyes slid to the side, and I could practically see the anger rolling off Punc.
“Savannah, I’m losin’ patience,” he said through clenched teeth.
I put my hands on my hips and shifted my focus to Dad. “I can’t believe you’re okay with one of your daughters dancing, but the worst part is that if don’t I pay up then Frank’s gonna send people here - to the house. He expected some of his clients would especially like my virgin sister.”
“How about you calm down and take a breath, Savannah,” Dad suggested.
“I don’t need to take a breath, Dad. I need answers. Why did Mom take out this loan? Did you have anything to do with it? My gut tells me you’re at the center of this. Especially after we found those boxes in the garage. Mom doesn’t strike me as a collector of dolls, backpacks, or water tumblers.”
“Listen, sweetheart, just give Frank the insurance money and it’ll all be over.”
“No,” Punc said, sidling up to Dad.
Dad glanced up at him. “I don’t know who you are, but this doesn’t concern you.”
“That’s Ted, Alanis’s older brother.”
Dad turned his gaze back to me. “Whatever, it still doesn’t concern him.”
“I’m her man, so it is my concern, Doug. Frank isn’t getting another dime out of her. Now answer her questions.”
Dad tilted his head and looked back to Punc. “She has to pay. Beth should have been good for the money. She told me she was.”
“Which means the money was for you,” I guessed.
“I was gonna be able to triple her money. And she told me there was money set aside,” Dad said.
I nodded. “Most of that money went toward her hospital bills and funeral costs, Dad.”
“Why the hell did you pay the hospital?” Dad asked.
“Why did you get Mom to take out this loan?” I demanded.
Dad put his hand to the base of his neck and turned his head to the side and down, staring at the floor. “You’re gonna have to sell the house.”
I barked out a laugh. “She’s got a second mortgage, Dad. I’d end up owing the bank money assuming we get top dollar, which isn’t a given.”
“Where’s the insurance money?” Dad asked.
“Get out,” Punc said.
Dad’s head reared back. “You can’t throw me out.”
“Answer her fuckin’ questions or get out. Why did your ex-wife take out a loan with Frank?”
For a moment, Dad glowered at Punc, then hung his head and wouldn’t look me in the eye. “I needed the money.”
The house went still as we waited for Dad to say something else.
“That’s obvious. What did you need the money for, Doug?” Punc asked.
Dad looked to him. “This guy came to me. Had a helluva good opportunity, but it required capital.”
“Oh boy,” I muttered under my breath.
Not only had I heard that before, but so had Mom.
“You got the shaft, I assume,” Punc said.
“Yeah,” Dad muttered.
“So you turned to Mom?” I asked.
Finally, he looked me in the eye. “You won’t believe me, but we were trying to put things back together.”
I closed my eyes for a long moment. “You’re right. I don’t believe you because when you were here the week before she died, Cat heard you two having another knock-down-drag-out fight.”
“It wasn’t as bad as all that,” Dad said.
“Have I got this right, you thought you could turn a quick buck, but since you didn’t have the money for it, you convinced your ex-wife to hit up a loan shark who’s well-known for not keeping good books, and being a thug. Is that right?”
“Yeah,” Dad whispered, nodding.
Punc stared him down. “You’re leaving something out, Doug.”
Fear invaded Dad’s expression. “No, I’m not.”
“Then why’d you stash the boxes of merchandise in Mom’s garage? Someone suggested the police were onto you having counterfeit products. Is that what’s going on, Dad?”
“Listen, don’t worry about the boxes.”
Rather than exploding, my head only reared back. “You put us in danger two times,” I whispered.
“Anyone else know where you hid the boxes? Someone was in their backyard late last night - or was that you?” Punc asked.
Dad ignored Punc.
Punc would not be ignored. He edged closer to Dad. “Answer me. Were you in their backyard last night?”
Dad stared at Punc for a long moment before he sighed. “Yes. I didn’t mean to scare the girls.”
“Not sure I believe you,” Punc muttered.
Dad’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t drive up here. I been out of town for a few weeks, but someone’s been following me since I… came back.”
Punc glanced at me and back to Dad.
It was obvious Dad was hiding something else.
“Did you get Savannah’s messages?”
Dad shook his head.
With a head shake, Punc asked, “Were you out of town, or were you in jail?”
Dad’s lips pressed together, and his face turned a little pink. “I got picked up on a drunk-and-disorderly not too long after Beth’s funeral and I got sentenced to three months.”
Punc nodded. “That’s why you didn’t return her calls.”
Dad sighed and turned his head.
“How’d you get here now?” I asked.
“I went to the Great Clips up the road. The manager is sweet on me, and they keep their back door open. I hustled on through and walked here. Figured by the time whoever’s following me checks, they’d have lost me.”
“That’s… kinda smart,” Punc said reluctantly.
“I’m a smart guy,” Dad boasted.
I could have argued that because it wouldn’t take a super-sleuth to figure out his ex-wife had a house not far from that shopping center.
“Are the police after the boxes?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about those,” Dad said in an exasperated tone. “You gotta pay Frank. Whatever amount he says, you gotta come up with it.”
“Nope. She isn’t paying to keep your ass out of a sling.”
Dad shook his head. “It’ll be Catalina and Savannah in the sling.”
Punc pushed closer to Dad. “Not happening. You make it clear to Frank, you’re on the hook for this shit.”
“I tried.”
“Try again,” Punc said, then shifted his gaze to me. I couldn’t tell if he was calm or hiding his fury. “You got anything else to say to him?” he asked.
Deep down, I didn’t, but my anger got the better of me. “Don’t you want your boxes?”
Dad widened his eyes at me like I was being dense. “I didn’t drive here, Savannah, which means I can’t take them anywhere.”
I crossed my arms on my chest. “In other words, it’s a-okay with you to leave them here, so Cat and I are sitting ducks?”
Dad rolled his eyes. “Everyone has boxes in their garage. You’re not sitting ducks. Don’t be so dramatic.”
Punc’s eyes shifted to me for a split second before he twisted his torso and cocked a fist. The movement provided extra momentum when he clocked Dad in the eye. Dad’s face whipped to the side as he yelled out in surprise.
I’d never seen a fistfight up close, and I grimaced.
“Get out. Don’t come back. You’re dead to them,” Punc bit out.
Dad straightened, puffed up his chest, and I thought he might retaliate. Whatever he saw in Punc’s eyes made his posture wilt. It didn’t stop him from aiming venomous eyes at my man. “You can’t keep me from Catalina.”
I stepped forward. “He can’t, but I can.”
Dad looked at me like I’d sprouted a second head. “Where is Cat? I bet you don’t even know.”
“She’s spending the night at a friend’s house. Punc’s right. You’re dead to me, now get out.”