Up and Away to Murder: A Comic Book Store Mystery

Chapter Three - Part 1

Brunch the third Sunday of the month began as a mission of solidarity for Mrs. C after Dee's dad headed to Mexico with a beer girl he'd met at the annual Gasparilla parade. Scott, Tom, Rebekah, Dee, and I never missed a Sunday if it could be helped. We also never mentioned Mr. C.

After the episode with Scott, I wasn't ready to show up and face the proverbial music, but Dee had yet to return to claim Delilah, nor was she answering any of my texts. I'd had to stop for bagels and cream cheese since my original dish had been sprinkled with bacon.

Mrs. C greeted me at the door with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She smelled of fresh flowers, warm memories, and sunshine wrapped all in one tiny little package. I loved her as an adoptive mother. The Copeland boys took after her in looks. Dee after their father—another reason I believe Scott sometimes gave her such a hard time—although I'd never voice that opinion out loud.

"Dee's pig?"

"Yes, ma'am." I'd been of legal voting age for six years, yet I couldn't bring myself to respond to Mrs. C any other way. I would always be the shy, freckle-faced twelve-year-old in her presence.

She sighed and patted the top of Delilah's head. "Take her out back, and I'll bring out a bowl of water."

I found Tom's very pregnant wife, Rebekah, soaking up the Florida sun on a purple lawn chair. Delilah huffed and planted herself in the shade under Rebekah's feet, so I sat down in the matching lawn chair to her left.

"Dee's side hustle?" Rebekah asked.

"Yep."

"How'd you end up with her?"

"Dee's working her other job." I checked my cell again, but still no word from her.

"Speaking of that... Here, plug this in."

Rebekah handed me a small device that I immediately recognized as a receiver ear piece. "Umm...?"

"I have an old friend in town who asked me to test some new equipment."

"Your old job lets you test spy equipment?"

"I didn't say old work friend."

Rebekah—the queen of vague.

I slipped the small piece resembling chewed gum in my ear and Scott and Tom's voice came across the transmitter. I frowned at Rebekah and she pointed through the sliding glass windows toward Tom and Scott. They sat on the large sofa in front of the television, each with their feet propped on the coffee table.

If ever there were yin and yang fraternal twins, it was Scott and Tom. Hair color, eye color, and height were the only things that connected the two Copelands. Tom wore his hair longer so that it curled around his ears. His nose was slightly larger and his eyes creased in the corners with laugh lines. He was good looking in his own right, but didn't have the sexy oomph like Scott. And where Scott was toe-the-line strict, Tom carried a don't worry be happy attitude.

"The receiver is a paper thin device I slipped on the back of Tom's phone. He can't even tell it's there. The tech is amazing." Rebekah smiled as she leaned back and adjusted her sunglasses.

Scott's voice was clear over the sports announcer relaying golf stats. "Did you know?"

Tom's hearty laugh blasted through. "About the terrible two's half-baked sting operation? Of course not. I'd never have allowed them to use such girly comic book references as code names. I expected more from Odie."

"It's not funny, Tom. They could've been—"

"Hurt. I know, I know. The girls had their hearts in the right place. Dee's trying to set herself apart from us." It didn't surprise me to hear Tom defend us. He had a huge soft spot for Dee.