Lost Cause (A Daisy Dunlop Mystery ~ Book 1)

Chapter Ten

Daisy's feet were throbbing by the time she got to the music store. Tomorrow she planned to dress in jeans and sneakers. She might even go and visit a gym. Just to see what went on. If she planned to do this job for real, she might need to consider the shape she was in. Not that Paul complained about her curves. He said he loved having something to hold onto while he took the ride and had no interest in banging a washboard. She sighed. Paul was freaking perfect. Had Lisa thought Solomon was her Mr. Perfect?

She shoved the shop door open. A loud buzzer heralded her arrival. A gangly dude with the palest complexion she'd ever seen and blond dreadlocks that stuck up like pineapple leaves lifted his head. "Afternoon."

Smile firmly in place, Daisy crossed to the counter. "I wonder if you can help me."

"If music's your thing, I'm your man."

"Groovy."

He grinned, flashing a gold tooth. "Lady, no one says groovy anymore."

Daisy leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter. "I'm no lady. My name's Daisy, and apparently I'm a bit of a dinosaur."

His gaze dropped to her chest and then shifted back to her face. "You don't look like any dinosaur I ever saw."

"See a lot of dinosaurs, do you? Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Levi."

"Okay. Levi. I'm looking for a guitar."

He glanced over her head. "Whole wall of 'em over there."

"I want a very particular guitar."

"If we don't 'ave it I can order it in."

"I'm looking for a Strat formerly owned by Jimi Hendrix and autographed by Keith Richards."

"Funny, don't see you as the sort to be into Hendrix and the Rolling Stones. I would 'ave picked you as more of a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan."

"Hendrix and the Stones are a bit before my time, Levi."

"The Stones don't belong to a time, Daisy. They're eternal, like God."

"My little heart might not go pitter-patter at the thought of Mick Jagger strutting his stuff, but it does speed up when I find the perfect instrument. I'm a big guitar fan." She leaned forward and dropped her voice to a level she hoped was deep and seductive. "Do you have my perfect instrument, Levi?"

"Nope."

"Bugger."

"Don't carry old stock, but I might be able to put you in touch with someone who owns such an instrument. Only thing is, he likes to be discreet."

"Discreet."

"Yeah. You know. Doesn't want people poking their nose into his business."

Daisy plastered on her best innocent face. "I never poke my nose in anywhere. I just want to buy a guitar."

"Give me your number and I'll pass it on."

Daisy picked up a pen off the counter and scribbled her name and number on the back of a pamphlet advertising music lessons. "Call me."

Levi folded the pamphlet. "Count on it."

"Bye, Levi."

He smiled. "Bye, Daisy."

She strutted across the shop and out the front door. Now what? Her stomach rumbled. She might find lunch and then head back to work. Hopefully if Solomon was at the office he would have had enough time to calm down about the door by the time she got there.