Families are messy - 11

“She didn’t!” Casey looked at his brother, shaking his head in horrified amusement.

“I’m very afraid she did. She called me the moment she got home last night to tell me I had to ‘do something’ about you. I’m not quite certain if she wants you castrated so you can’t run around with floozies, or just sent back to Kathy in chains.”

“Probably both, and she undoubtedly called Darla, and you better believe she dropped a few choice words in Kathy’s ear as well. I guess I’d better expect calls from both quarters.”

“It would be easier to take them if you turned you phone on,” Bing commented.

Casey looked at him in feigned surprise. “You mean I forgot to do that this morning?”

“As if you didn’t know.” Bing thanked the girl when she placed their bagged lunch orders on the counter and then reached for his wallet, waving his brother off when he tried to protest. “I invited you, and since I had an ulterior motive of passing on that bit of bad news I’ll foot the bill.” He paid, then handed Casey his bag and drink, asking, “Do you want to hit the park or come back to my office?”

“Why not mine?”

“Because knowing Alma she probably suggested Kathy beard you in your den. Now I’m not saying she will, but Alma can be persuasive.”

“I doubt she will.” Casey chuckled as they left the restaurant. “She may have done the filing but my lawyer was quick to point out to hers that I won’t fight things only if she behaves and doesn’t try to play games. Believe me, when it comes down to money vs. Alma, money will win out. Oh, and I opt for the park since it’s another nice day.”

Once they’d found an empty picnic table and started eating Bing said with a grin, “So tell me about this ‘floozy’.”

“She’s very nice, not at all pretentious. Smart as a whip I think, though I haven’t known her long enough to really say that for certain. And she seems to like my company.”

“She’s got good taste then. How did you meet?”

Casey gave him a quick rundown about that that had Bing smiling and then laughing.

“She sounds like a real character. Is this going to progress beyond friendship?”

“God, Bing, I have no clue. We’re still in the process of becoming friends.”

“I’ll take your word for that, but you get this light in your eyes when you talk about her that I haven’t seen there in forever. As your older brother let me issue one word of caution, you may have been ready to call it quits with Kathy but you still have all that history of being part of a couple. Just be very careful that you aren’t finding Marcia interesting because you’re on the rebound.”

“Definitely spoken like an older brother,” Casey said with a smile. “I’ll be very careful, honest, because that thought has crossed my mind as well.”

“Then listen and move slowly. Alright?”

“I will, I promise.”

* * * *

 

After returning to work from lunch with Bing, Casey was relieved to find than none of his family had either called or put in a personal appearance. Thomas did tell him however that an old and valued client had made an appointment to come in to look at some jewelry with the intention of purchasing several pieces for his wife and daughters as a surprise. Unfortunately the only time the man was able to make it to the shop was after hours. While it was unusual for them to accommodate a client in that manner it wasn’t unheard of, especially when it involved the possibility of making a sizable sale.

As a result it was after nine when Casey finally pulled into his garage. As he got out of the SUV his first thought was of Duke, wondering if he was going to be in for cleanup duty because he’d come home so late. The dog was well trained but even so he couldn’t hold out forever. So when Casey found that his key for some reason wouldn’t open the door from the garage into the house he growled in frustration, heading back to the SUV where the garage door opener lay on the dash. And discovered it was gone.

“What the hell?” he muttered, crawling into the vehicle to search the floorboards, figuring it had slipped off. He heard a soft sound and then a hand holding a moist rag covered his mouth and nose.

The next thing he was aware of was someone dragging him across the garage floor and then a face looking down at him before an oxygen mask descended. A few minutes later it was removed and an EMT asked, “How are you feeling, sir?”

“Like hell,” Casey admitted. “What happened?”

“You don’t know?” Casey turned to see a police officer kneeling at his other side.

Casey shook his head, then wished he hadn’t when the incipient headache slammed into him full force. “I have no idea. The last thing I remember is...“ He paused, remembering someone covering his face with—something. But for the moment at least he didn’t want to mention it. Not until he found out exactly what had happened after that. “I was looking for my door opener which fell off the dash,” he told the officer.

The officer nodded though it was evident he didn’t really believe him. “Why didn’t you turn your vehicle off before doing that?”

Casey thought fast, saying, “Because I was on my way out again. I remembered I’d forgotten to pick up something on my way home.” He looked at the officer guilelessly as he said, “I must have hit my head on the steering wheel when I bent down, or something.”

“Well if that’s what happened you’re a very lucky man,” the EMT told him. “One of your neighbors heard you dog baying and called 911. When we got here the garage was full of carbon monoxide.”

At that moment Casey heard a car screech to a stop and seconds later Bing was beside him. “What happened,” he asked, looking between the three men.