06 Suspects and Surprises (11 page)

First thing in the morning Suzie slipped out of Dune House. She didn't wait to see if Mary was awake. Mary might ask too many questions, and Suzie might not be able to lie well enough to her. She didn't want to risk Mary finding out that she intended to confront a murder suspect, or risk the possibility that Mary would follow after her. Louis was waiting in the driveway.

“Suzie?” she heard Mary call out as she reached his car. She was standing on the front porch still in her nightgown.

“I'm just going into town for a little bit with Louis,” Suzie waved to Mary.

“Okay,” Mary called back. She narrowed her eyes and then hurried back into Dune House. Suzie hoped that she wasn't upset with her. When she got in the car, Louis had already stopped for coffee and muffins.

“Thank you so much,” she said as he handed her a coffee. He settled into the passenger seat.

“Hey, we can't confront a killer on an empty stomach,” Louis said grimly. “Hopefully we can get him to confess something incriminating,” he added quietly.

“Hopefully,” Suzie nodded as she had a sip of her coffee.

“If only we knew something that might connect him to the crime.”

“I think I might,” Suzie replied in a murmur.

“What is it?” Louis asked eagerly.

“I'll let you know when I find out if I’m right.”

As they drove to Larry's house they were both fairly silent aside from slurping coffee and munching on the muffins. Suzie knew that Louis wasn't used to this kind of activity, in truth she wasn't used to it either, not any more. She had become much more used to renovating and decorating than investigating.

They parked a short distance from the driveway that led up to Larry's house. The driveway was empty when they arrived.

“Now what?” Louis asked.

“Now, we wait,” Suzie replied with determination. “Let's get closer,” she suggested.

The two left the car behind and walked to the end of the driveway. It was a corner lot that backed up to the woods, so there was a good amount of brush surrounding the driveway. Suzie and Louis crouched down behind it. Not a minute later they heard the rumbling of an engine.

“Is that him?” Louis asked and tried to stick his head out.

“He's pulling in now,” Suzie said and tugged Louis back into the bushes beside the entrance of the driveway.

“What are we going to do?” Louis asked with fear rising quickly in his voice. “He'll see us!”

“Shh,” Suzie insisted. “He won't see us if you quiet down and stay down,” she whispered. Louis tightened his lips and lowered his head. The car rumbled past them and up towards the house. The engine turned off. Suzie heard the squeak of the car door as it slowly opened. She closed her eyes for a moment and wondered if it was worth the calculated risk that she was about to take. She could hear the car door beginning to close once more. She knew that once Larry made it into the house, he would have the upper hand. She had to make her move before it was too late.

“Stay here,” she hissed at Louis.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded. Without answering she stepped out from behind the bushes.

Larry was just about to slam the door shut when Suzie called out to him. “Larry? Do you have a moment?”

He froze, the door still slightly open. Then he looked slowly over his shoulder.

“What are you doing here?” he asked gruffly.

“I'm sorry, I know this must seem strange to you. When we were at the bar the other day, I noticed that you were enjoying those pistachios so much. I was wondering if you knew where to find some, not just the run of the mill pistachios, but the best pistachios,” she said with a soft laugh.

“What are you talking about?” Larry demanded with irritation. “You stalked me, you followed me all of the way to my house, over pistachios?” he glared fiercely at her. “You need to get off my property before I call the police!”

“Would you, Larry?” she asked as she moved between him and the house. “Because I am here about the pistachios. I think the police would be very interested in the pistachios as well.”

“Have you lost your mind?” he asked sharply. “Why would the police be interested in pistachios?”

“Perhaps they would be interested in the pistachio shells that were found on the balcony that Warren Blasser stood on just before he died,” Suzie suggested. All of a sudden Larry's expression grew as hard as rock.

“What did you just say to me?” he asked in a wicked voice.

“You heard me,” Suzie replied daringly. “Is that what you used to coax him out of his room?” she pressed. “Did you throw your pistachio shells up against the window of his room until he stepped out onto the balcony?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he shook his head. “You are truly mental.”

“I don't think so,” Suzie said grimly. “I also think when the police test the DNA on those pistachio shells, they're not going to find Warren's. They're going to find yours.”

“Why would they test them?” Larry laughed. “It was an accident. A terrible tragedy that occurred because of your negligence. Isn't that what everyone believes?”

“You forget one very important factor in all of this, Larry. My cousin, Jason, is on the Garber police force. All I have to do is ask him to test those pistachios and he will make it happen,” Suzie locked eyes with Larry to show him that she was not frightened by him.

“Oh, the Garber police?” Larry asked with mock fear in his voice. “How terrifying,” he rolled his eyes. “You need to move on before you get yourself hurt.”

“I'm not the one who is going to be hurt,” Suzie said as she narrowed her eyes. “You murdered a man on my property, and you have to pay for that.”

“I didn't do it, and you can't prove I did,” Larry nearly shouted back. “You don't have any pistachio shells with my DNA. I'm not stupid. I'm an artist,” he growled.

“An artist that has gone to prison for his crimes,” Suzie challenged. “That's where you're going back to.”

“I will never go to prison again,” Larry abruptly roared. His dominant demeanor suddenly became violent as he jerked the door of his car open. Suzie heard the squeak of the door and saw Larry's hand reach into the vehicle for something. She was too startled to do anything to defend herself. She could only watch as he moved swiftly. When he stood back up again he had something in his hand. Suzie was sure it was a weapon. “You should have walked away when I gave you the chance,” he shouted. “Now, you're going to have to be another unexplained fatality.”

Suzie started to take a step back. She heard a twig snap, and expected that Louis had come out from behind the bushes in an attempt to protect her. But before she could create distance between herself and Larry he had his arm around her waist. He jerked her body back hard against his and pinned her there. Suzie could barely breathe as his arm across her stomach was so tight. Then she felt a cold, hard object pressed against the side of her neck.

“Don't take another step,” he growled. Suzie saw Louis standing a few feet away from them, his eyes filled with fear.

“Suzie, don't move,” Louis said as he froze where he stood. Suzie's heart began pounding. She didn't know exactly what was pressing against her neck but she could feel a point and knew that it had to be made out of metal. Her stomach churned as she wondered if these would be the last moments of her life.

“Get down,” Larry commanded Louis.

Louis slowly sank to his knees in the dirt driveway, his eyes locked to Suzie. “Larry, you don't have to do this,” Louis said. “This was all a misunderstanding. Obviously you had nothing to do with Warren Blasser's death. Nobody is going to send you back to prison.”

Suzie cringed as Larry laughed loudly beside her ear. “Oh yes, we'll all just shake hands and become the best of friends, right?” he shook his head. “Wrong.”

Suzie closed her eyes for a moment. She was trying to keep herself calm and her mind clear. She knew that losing focus at that moment would only cause her to make a big mistake.

“Larry, people know we're here,” she lied quietly. No one had any idea they were there. She hadn't even told Paul what she was up to. Jason wouldn't have any idea that she and Louis had decided to take matters into their own hands. They were alone with little hope of escape. “If you do this, you won't be going to prison for forgery, you'll be going to prison for murder. You were right, we don't have any proof that you killed Warren. But how do you think you're going to hide something like this?”

“You won't have to worry about that,” Larry replied with cruel amusement. “You'll be dead.”

He jerked her body hard to the right and began pulling her towards the door of the small house. “You too,” he said to Louis. “One wrong move and she's a goner.”

Louis looked helpless as he watched Larry drag Suzie. Reluctantly, he stood up and followed after them. Suzie knew that Louis was walking to his own demise. He was only cooperating in an attempt to protect her. He could have fled at any moment. She felt such gratitude towards him. She never would have expected that he would try so hard to protect her.

As Larry walked towards the door to the house, Suzie thought of the birthday party she would be missing. She wondered if Mary would be able to run Dune House on her own, or would she give it up to pursue other things? As Larry started to pull her into the house, she thought about Paul. He had pleaded with her to be cautious, and she hadn't listened. She knew that would be no comfort to him. He had been living a solitary life when she first met him. He had reached out of his comfort zone to be with her, she doubted that he would ever do that again. She hated to think of him living the rest of his life alone.

“Larry, please,” she whispered. “I've done nothing to you. I've never hurt you, just let us go.”

“Not a chance,” he barked in her ear. He seemed to be struggling with the door handle. Suzie met eyes with Louis. She held his gaze. When she knew he was paying attention to her and not Larry, she mouthed a word to him.

“Run!”

Louis shook his head slightly. Suzie mouthed it again. She knew that the moment they were all inside the house there would be no chance of either of them surviving. She didn't want Louis to sacrifice himself for her. Louis hesitated again. She closed her eyes for a moment. She felt Larry finally get the door open. She opened her eyes and looked into his eyes.

“Go,” she hissed. “Please!”

Louis grimaced, and then abruptly darted towards the edge of the yard.

“Get back here!” Larry shouted. “She's dead now, she's dead!” he said and Suzie felt the tip of whatever weapon he was using digging into the skin of her neck. She felt tears in her eyes. She had hoped that maybe Larry would be so startled by Louis' escape that he would loosen his grip on her, but he didn't. He was shouting and cursing at Louis, but he was still holding Suzie tightly. Suzie knew in the next second they would be in the house. There was no way Louis would be able to get help in time.

“Let her go,” a voice growled from just behind both of them. Suddenly, Suzie realized why Larry was having so much trouble getting into the house. Someone inside the house was holding the door shut.

“Who are you?” Larry growled and tugged Suzie back away from the door.

“It doesn't matter who I am,” the person replied. “All that matters is that I am the one with the gun.”

Suzie gasped at the word. She also recognized the voice. Her eyes filled with tears. She tilted her head to the side so that she could see Mary standing in the doorway. Not only was she glaring at Larry, she was pointing what appeared to be a very real gun directly at him.

“Like you even know how to use it,” Larry chuckled. “Just put the gun down, or this screwdriver goes into her pretty little neck,” Larry threatened. Mary raised an eyebrow. Then she released the safety on the gun. Suzie felt Larry shudder at the subtle click of the safety being released.

“All right, all right,” he mumbled and hesitantly lowered the screwdriver. Suzie felt a brief sense of relief. Then Larry roared and abruptly shoved Suzie directly at Mary, who was still pointing the gun at Larry. Suzie stumbled and fell into Mary's arms. Mary managed to lower the gun before the collision.

Suzie was so startled by being shoved it took her a moment to gain her composure. Suzie glanced around for Larry but it seemed as if he was long gone. “I guess he got away,” she sighed and shook her head. “Mary, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been here, you saved my life!”

She turned to see a police car screaming into the driveway of the house. Jason nearly tripped as he jumped out of the car before it had come to a complete stop. He had his weapon drawn as he ran towards the two women.

“Are you okay?” he shouted as he skidded to a stop a few feet from them. His partner, Kirk, was running right behind him.

“We're okay,” Suzie said. “But Larry took off into the woods,” she pointed into the woods. Jason lifted his eyes from where Suzie was pointing to Mary, who was still nervously holding the gun in her hand. Jason cautiously moved closer to her.

“Give me that gun, Mary,” he said as calmly as he could. Suzie could hear the tension in his voice.

“It’s not loaded,” Mary said as she offered him the gun carefully. Suzie sighed with relief at the realization that it wasn’t loaded. Jason held the gun and then he turned to Kirk.