Aunt Sue and I looked out the window simultaneously.

To find Cal’s Hummer parked at the curb.

Great.

“He’s with me,” I reluctantly admitted.

Both Aunt Sue and Mrs. Carmichael’s eyebrows rose in unison.

“Oh? A new beau?” Mrs. C. asked.

“No, not a beau.”

“A friend?” Aunt Sue supplied.

“Sorta.”

“Well, why’s he just sitting there? Why doesn’t he come in?” Mrs. C. asked.

“He’s shy,” I shot back, willing the guys at the Peking Palace to pick up so I could avoid any further interrogation. Mrs. Carmichael was not only the head of the neighborhood watch, she was also the biggest gossip in the entire Palm Grove development. I know, hypocritical in the extreme, but I wasn’t a fan of gossip when it revolved around me.

Or my need for a bodyguard.

“Well, maybe I should just go talk to him,” Hattie said, clacking her dentures as she eyed the Hummer.

“No!”

“Hello, Peking Palace?” the phone said in my ear.

“Uh, hold on,” I told the receiver. Then turned to my neighbor. “Look, he’s really shy, and he won’t be there very long. Just please leave him alone, okay? Really, he’s harmless, nothing to worry about.”

“I don’t know. He looks dangerous. Like he’s in a gang or something.”

“He’s not in a gang.”

“Hello? You want to order?” the phone asked.

“Yes, just a minute,” I told the guy.

“You sure he’s not in a gang? I’ve seen those trucks on MTV. They look like gang trucks.”

“I promise he’s not in a gang. Cross my heart.”

“If you say so.” Though the little frown between Mrs. Carmichael’s squinty eyes didn’t look entirely convinced. “But I’m taking down his license plate number. You can never be too careful!”

“Great. Wonderful. Fab.”

“And, make sure you air this place out. You know, maybe you should set a timer next time.”

“Yep, thanks for the tip,” I mumbled, not even attempting sincerity as I ushered her out the door and locked it after her.

I put the phone back up to my ear. “Hi, sorry about that.”

My only answer was a dial tone.

I thunked my head back against the front door, then hit redial. Ten rings in, I gave up and ordered pizza.

Two hours and a large pepperoni later, the place was beginning to lose its eau de marinara, Aunt Sue was safely tucked in for the night with an Agatha Christie novel, I was putting the finishing touches on my version of the Pines hearing…and Cal was still parked at the curb.