Page 93 of Mr. Perfect

“Help!” yelled a man from outside.

Jude stiffened and looked around the room as if the peacocks from hell were hiding under the bed. “What the hell is going on?”

Felix got off the bed as fast as he could, ignoring his protesting body. “We have a visitor.”

Jude jumped off the bed too, and they quickly donned pants before running out of the room. By the time they reached the door, Pearl had joined Pete, so the screeching had doubled, and so did the panicked request for help.

“I don’t fucking believe this,” Felix said when he saw who the peacocks had pinned up against the garage.

“Who the fuck is that?” Jude asked.

“Todd Dartmouth. He’s the douchebag bully who made my life hell in school. He’s also the guy who delivered the car that nearly killed me when it blew up.”

“Get him, Pete,” Jude yelled.

Pete and Pearl both let out a battle cry before they took a swipe at Todd’s crotch.

“I wasn’t involved in trying to kill you, Felix,” Todd said, trying to dance out of their way. “You gotta believe me.”

“Why should I listen to you?” Felix asked.

“I think someone is trying to kill you.”

Felix whistled, and the birds backed away a few feet. “Don’t make any sudden moves,” he cautioned Todd. Felix whistled again, and the birds slowly withdrew before turning and trotting off around the side of the house to ogle the fishpond.

Todd blew out a relieved breath, then started walking toward the house.

“Stop right there,” Felix said before Todd reached the small walkway to his porch. “I’m not about to invite you in for tea and a chat. Say what you came to say and get out of here.”

Todd nodded. “I didn’t have anything to do with your car. I tried calling you Friday night as soon as it happened, but you didn’t answer your phone.” That explained the calls from the unknown number.

“My phone was destroyed in the explosion,” Felix said. A slight exaggeration. “Why didn’t you just leave a message?”

Todd shrugged. “I should have but decided I wanted to tell you to your face that I didn’t set that car bomb.”

“Who said anything about a car bomb?” Jude asked.

“I was told the fire was caused by an electrical short,” Felix added.

“Neither of you are that stupid. Cops have been sniffing around the dealership all day. They think someone tried to blow you up. Detectives interviewed anyone who so much as looked at your car, including me.”

“You were the last person to drive it before handing the keys to me,” Felix pointed out. “Of course, they wanted to speak to you.”

“Have you ever considered the police suspect the fire is an act of vandalism and not attempted murder?” Jude asked.

Felix wanted to kiss Jude for thinking fast on his feet.

“Whatever their reason, I didn’t have anything to do with it. I just wanted you to know,” Todd said.

“Why?” Felix asked.

“Look, I know I’ve acted like a complete asshole over the years, but I don’t want you dead.”

“Good to know. You can go now,” Felix said. Todd had been sorely mistaken if he’d expected a sappy ending like in one of the Hallmark movies.

“I want to tell you something else. I think it’s important,” Todd said. “Have you ever heard about Spencer’s Second Chance Program?”

“Vaguely,” Felix replied.