Who could help me? I didn’t want to ask Michael, as there was a possibility he was involved. That was a possibility I didn’t want to consider, but it was there all the same. It was trying to stare me in the face, but I kept bobbing and weaving so it couldn’t. I also didn’t want to call George. This was something I wanted to do without official police involvement. Then, when I solved the case, George and my brothers would be more approving of my “meddlesome” behavior.
It was apparent to me that I could solve this and bring Carolyn to justice. I just needed an escort. Clancy could go with me, but she couldn’t lend a hand if I needed one. She could lend a paw and a growl however, and that might come in handy. Who else could I ask? Suddenly the obvious answer appeared.
Gus. Gus could help me. Now all I had to do was to talk to him without Georgianne finding out. If I called, she would pick up the extension. It had happened before.
Maybe I’d just go over there and try to talk to Gus privately. It was late, but their lights were still on.
I approached their back door cautiously. “Gus.” I whispered his name as I tapped on the door oh so lightly. My luck was not good.
“Sam, what are you doing out at this time of night?” Her curlers followed her voice and her scowl invaded the night.
“Georgianne, I’m sorry to bother you. Can I talk to Gus, please?”
“And your poor little doggy. She’s had a busy day and should be getting her rest.” Georgianne leaned down to pet Clancy, but this time Clancy was all business. She stood patiently and allowed the pat, but didn’t roll over like the fickle companion she sometimes was.
I would not be sidetracked by Georgianne’s attempts to win over my dog. “Can I talk to Gus, please?”
“He’s not well.” She stood up again; apparently convinced Clancy wasn’t going to turn traitor. “Surely whatever it is can wait until tomorrow.”
“This is important. Is Gus awake?”
Gus’s booming voice cut through the gloom on the porch. “Sam, come on in, girl. What’s up?”
As we entered the parlor, his wife looked at him with great concern. Even though I thought she was a real witch, it was obvious she loved her husband. She drove me crazy, but she loved one of my best friends. Guess I couldn’t hate her as much as I wanted to. And now that she had a relationship with Clancy, it meant she loved two of my best friends.
Now it was time for me to test my courage. I looked Georgianne straight in the face and said, “Please let me talk to Gus alone. I promise it’s important.” She appeared to be softening. “Please, Georgianne. Please. It’s important.”
Without saying a word, she faded into the background. What luck.
Clancy and I waited patiently while she closed the parlor door and then turned to Gus, reclining on his usual sofa.
He sat at our approach. “What’s up? What are you doing here at this time of night?” He patted the couch and both Clancy and I joined him.
“I really need your help. Remember how you told me that all this excitement is keeping you healthy and young?” He nodded. “Well, Gus, my friend, I’ve got something that’ll probably make you feel like a teenager.”
“I’m in. What are we going to do? Where we going?” There was no doubt why I loved this man.
“Okay, here it is. We’re going to Carolyn’s house. I want to see what’s going on and maybe talk to her. I know why she killed her husband; now I just gotta figure out who helped her. You still willing to go?”
He grinned.
“And we’re going to do it without the police.”
My last sentence was lost on him, as he was halfway out of the door before I finished the question. I guess that meant “yes.” We took my car.
EIGHTEEN
C
lancy jumped in the
back seat of the car, but managed to hang her head between Gus and me in the front. On the way to Carolyn’s house, I filled in the blank spots for Gus. He already knew my suspicions about Carolyn, and he now knew the motive. I was getting nervous, and wanted a cigarette. I hadn’t felt that way since the last time I’d had sex. It had been a while.
Gus didn’t seem nervous, but his energy was at such a high level, I wanted to put him on a leash. I opened the window a crack to release a little of the heat. Soon, Clancy’s head found the open window and behind my head I could hear her tongue flapping in the breeze.
When we arrived at Carolyn’s house, I reminded Gus that all I really wanted to do was snoop around a little, and maybe talk to her. But that would depend on what we found out with our reconnaissance.
Carolyn’s driveway held a car that looked vaguely familiar. I knew I’d seen it somewhere, but couldn’t place it. I was relieved that it wasn’t Michael’s car.
As we would-be guerrillas stalked toward the house, I noticed a small figure peering furtively in the front window. This was interesting.
I turned to Gus and whispered, “I want to see who’s looking in the window. I’m going to try to sneak up on her and see who it is. So just stay close by me. Close enough to help me, but far enough that you can get away if something happens to me. If she sees me, I’ll just bullshit my way out of it. Keep Clancy with you.” With a hand signal I motioned for Clancy to sit. I knew I sounded dramatic, but the situation didn’t feel dangerous. “Don’t worry, Gus. This feels real safe; just do what I asked, just in case I’m wrong. Okay?”
“Sure, but are you sure you don’t want me to check this out? And you be the one who stays close by?”
I assured him that I knew what I was doing, surprising myself by my powers of persuasion. I almost convinced myself as well. Creeping forward, I felt like I was in a Grade B war movie. My adrenaline was pumping so drastically that my skin was on fire. It was almost like an energy field surrounded me. I heard Gus breathing close behind me. I trusted him. He would stick with me until the bitter end, but I sure hoped this end wouldn’t be bitter.
Creeping closer to the prowler, I positioned myself directly behind her. “What are you doing?” It was difficult sounding commanding while whispering, but I think I pulled it off quite nicely.
The person whipped around—with a face that showed a state of fright that alarmed even me. “Charlie, what in the hell are you doing here?” Finding scrawny Charlie Schneider peering in Carolyn’s window surprised me.
“This lady in here is bad. I think she might hurt Gwen.”
“Why do you think that she’s going to hurt your sister?”
“Gwen’s in there with her.”
Oh, no. Gwen probably was here doing the same thing I was doing, trying to expose Carolyn and her accomplice. Why in the world would Gwen think she could handle this by herself? At least I had my trusty sidekicks, Gus and Clancy. And speaking of them, where were they?
No sooner had I thought the question than Gus bumped into me. I spoke quietly to him, “Do me a favor and take Charlie out to the car. Charlie, stay there and lock the door. Do not move. Will you do that?”
“I want to help Gwen.”
I couldn’t have Charlie trying to help. His behavior was unpredictable and I recalled the pistol brandishing of just a few nights ago. “Charlie, please go with Gus. Stay in the car and I promise I’ll do what I can to keep Gwen safe. Clancy will stay with you.”
Another thought came to me, “Charlie, do you have a weapon?”
He shook his head. “The cops took it at the hospital.”
“Okay. Just stay in the car. I’ll be right back.”
Clancy did the predictable—tried to talk me out of being left behind, but I was able to convince her. “Please, I promise I won’t have too much fun without you. Just stay with Charlie.”
I assured Gus I’d wait for him to return.
Charlie and Clancy went with Gus, all three with feet dragging and heads hanging. I imagined it would take Gus a few minutes to settle Charlie down. It was hard waiting. I thought maybe I could just peek in a window while I was waiting for him to return.
I was even shorter than Charlie and couldn’t see into the window. There was a wide ledge and I tried climbing up to peer inside. Perhaps I was a bit wider than Charlie was too, because I bumped against the window as I climbed into position. The “thud” was muffled, but it certainly echoed in my ears like a cannon. I convinced myself that no one heard it and proceeded to try to see something.
“Ms. Darling, perhaps you’d like to come inside to see what’s happening in the house. It’s much warmer and the view is better.” Her voiced dripped with honeyed sarcasm. Even before I turned, I could picture Carolyn and imagined a gun in her hands.
I was wrong. She didn’t have a weapon. In fact she looked weak and vulnerable. I knew better, but since I did want to go in her house, I took her up on her offer.
We walked inside. It was warm as she’d promised, but I still shivered. Even though Charlie said Gwen was here, there was no sign of her. “So, what are you doing sneaking around my home?”
“It’s no secret that I know you killed your husband. Today I found out why. You took files from your husband’s office and you used those files as plots for your trashy novels.” So much for my plan to be discreet.
“I wouldn’t call them trashy.” She smiled. She must be nuts.
“You took the files, used them as plots, your husband found out and you killed him.”
“Prove it.”
“I recognized patients in several of your books,
Schizoid Revenge
,
Bipolar Passion
,
Farewell My Anxious One
. I also heard Dr. Burns talking on the phone right before he was killed. He said he’d have it for you soon. My guess is you found out about him and his new girlfriend and said you wouldn’t divorce him unless he allowed you continued access to the files.” This was pure speculation. I was making it up as I went along, but it looked like I’d guessed right.
“You certainly think you are brilliant, don’t you? But your theories are ludicrous. Why would I kill him if I needed access to his files?”
Stumped me there. “Because you did, that’s why.”
In walked Gus, my superhero. “You okay, Sam?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. We need to call the police. I told Carolyn that I know everything now.”
“Everything but who her accomplice is.” The new voice entered the conversation with no warning. I spun around and saw—Gwen Schneider.
Gwen continued to stand there and grin. Her beautiful white teeth suddenly seemed predatory instead of just big and shiny.
My adrenaline no longer came from excitement, but rather from fear. I couldn’t wait any longer. “Gus, hurry. Call George. Tell him that…”
As Gus dashed for the phone, Gwen cut him off. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The gun in her hand showed us she was serious, even though her dialogue was hackneyed.
“Gwen, what are you doing? You’re innocent.” My amazement was transparent. There was no way Gwen was holding a gun on my Gus.
Gwen and Carolyn looked at each other. They grinned and both grins morphed into almost maniacal laughs. Finally Gwen sauntered toward Carolyn and gave her a big kiss.
What? Had I fallen down the rabbit hole? Lewis Carroll said it right; this was getting curiouser and curiouser.
Carolyn sneered. “Close your mouth. It’s most unattractive.” I did.
Looking at Gus, I noticed that he didn’t seem as surprised as I was. So Carolyn and Gwen were an item. Where were my vibes? Right in the pit of my stomach. I started feeling dizzy and ill. Surprisingly enough I didn’t feel scared. I’d probably pay for that later.
I’d never seen them together before, but now that I did; I noticed my body working up into a tizzy. Gee, why couldn’t I throw up on them? That would certainly distract them long enough for Gus at least to make his exit.
Gwen continued to stand with one arm entwined around Carolyn while her other arm supported the gun pointing at Gus. “Move over by your old friend.” She motioned for me to get close to Gus. It was hard to walk as I felt I couldn’t control my legs. But I moved. Suddenly her weapon covered us both.
Gwen said,
sotto voce
, “Now all we have to do is figure out how to get rid of them.”
“Whoa, Gwen, I heard that. You don’t have to get rid of us. Tie us up here, and leave town. Leave the country. Leave the planet for all I care. Just leave and you won’t have to do anything to hurt us.”
Gwen sneered again. “This isn’t the movies. You can’t talk us into letting you go. This is real life and we want to stay here in Quincy.” Her river rat accent reappeared. “You and Gus have got to be eliminated.”
Okay, plan two. “How about letting Gus and me move out of town?”
“Shut up.”
She was serious. All I could think about was that I needed to stall. As a crisis specialist I knew that the longer people go without using a weapon, the less likely they are to use it. I calmed enough to know it was bullshit time. “Hey you guys, I hate untidy endings, and you know I’m nosy. Before you kill us, will you just explain some things to me?”
Carolyn shook her head. “No, we are not going to explain anything to you. You’re trying to stall and that’s not going to work.”
“Wait, honey,” Gwen interrupted, “I’d love to fill the nosy little bitch in on our plans. It won’t hurt anything and I’d like to let her know how wrong she’s been all along. It’s been such fun watching her foolish moves, trying to prove my innocence.” Gwen motioned with her gun again. “Both of you sit on the love seat where I can watch you. And don’t move a muscle.”
It appeared to me that as long as we were sitting in Carolyn’s living room we were pretty safe. Carolyn was much too fastidious to allow Gwen to make a mess here. It was also obvious to me that while Carolyn was mercenary and self-centered, Gwen was cold hearted and dangerous, the bloodthirsty leader. Of course, I’d been wrong about her before.
“What do you want to know?” Gwen looked like a cliché of a gangster in a movie from the 1930’s. She curled her lip, gestured with her gun, and glared at me in a predatory manner.
“I’ve got lots of questions. First, which one of you did it and why?”
Before either of them could answer, I continued, “Oh God, now I see it. Gwen, when I found you on the floor in Burns’ office, you hadn’t just come in, had you? You were there already when Doris ‘discovered’ the body.”