Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked (26 page)

Chapter 26

Velda
’s
Dodge
in the drive
signaled that she
was home. Good. I
glanced
at the back seat
as I passed
her car and
noticed
a sun hat resting atop a gaily-striped beach bag
. Hope springs eternal. Our June weather had been pleasant, but as a long-time resident of
c
entral Oregon, I knew that frost could strike on any night of the year. Velda apparently was making the common newcomer’s mistake of thinking that the arrival of June meant summer had arrived
to stay
. Her Florida upbringing no doubt accounted for her false optimism.

I mounted the brick steps of the graceful old house, thinking how sad it was that the once
-
prosperous McKay family had now dwindled to just Velda and her Aunt Eleanor. Eleanor’s only brother had died suddenly in Key West, Florida
,
a year ago, scarcely a week after Eleanor had broken her hip in Oregon. Since Velda had previously kept house for her ailing father, she was unexpectedly available to help her aunt during her rehabilitation.
S
he
rushed
to Oregon and poured her energy into Eleanor’s care. According to Minnie, Velda had originally envisioned this stay as temporary, but it
had become
permanent as Eleanor’s health
deteriorated. Velda never complained, but I knew it must be lonely for her out here, so far from home.

It was good she was making an effort to get out and about more often, though joining a bird
-
watching group could hardly compare with the excitement generated by Minnie’s improbable detective schemes. Still, Minnie’s offer to provide respite care for Eleanor should soon pay dividends. Whenever Minnie took on a cause, a flurry of activity soon followed, but I couldn’t help wondering how Velda would react to Minnie’s offers. Velda always stood ready to help others, but such helpful people often felt uncomfortable on the receiving side of the equation. Still, my money was on Minnie, whose efforts had the force of a tidal wave. It would be an interesting match-up.

I twisted the brass lion’s head in the center of the solid wood door and heard chimes. No light showed through the etched glass panels framing the entrance, but I heard shuffling sounds, followed by the closing of a
n
inside
door. Eventually, the door swung open
,
and Velda stepp
ed out onto the covered porch.

“
Jane. Is everything all right? You just disappeared from the store
,
and we didn’t know where you’d gone.
”

“
Yes, I had to run an errand. Everything’s fine—as fine a
s
it can be until we clear Alix—but maybe I should ask you the same question. Are you all right? You’re flushed.
”

“
Really?
”
Velda put her hands to her reddened cheeks.
“
How odd. I was just lying on my bed upstairs, reading.
”

“
I guess I’m seeing things.
”
And hearing things, too. The earlier sounds had come from
the hallway, not from upstairs.

“
Has there been a break in the case?
”
Velda asked.

“
Not yet, but I have an idea to try, if you’ll help me.
”

“
Of course. Whatever I can do.
”

“
I’d like to talk to your aunt.
”

Velda
abruptly
step
ped
back and shook her head
.

I hurried on.
“
I just want her to look at a picture, tell me whether Hunter Blackburn was the man who cheated her two years ago.
S
he probably hasn’t followed the news this week, being sick and all, so she might not have made the connection . .
.
”

“
Sorry to disappoint you, but she and I talked about this earlier today. Not the same man. She was positive.
”

“
She actually saw his picture?
”

“
Oh, yes, in the newspaper. She told me the swindler from before was much younger, with light hair and a slender build. I’m sure the sheriff has the description in his records of the investigation.
”

I wasn’t so sure about Arnie’s records, but
,
unfortunately, the description didn’t fit either Hunter Blackburn or the man Laurence had met on the street.
“
I knew it was a long shot, but Arnie won’t think of anyone but Alix, so I thought—
”

“
Sorry she can’t help.
”
Velda
retreated further
into the darkened hall.
“
We’ll have to think of something else.
”

I was grasping at straws, unwilling to leave without at least talking to Eleanor.
“
Several of them could have been working together. You
r aunt might know some detail—
”

“
No, I’m sure she doesn’t.
”
Velda shook her head more vigorously, causing her owlish glasses to slide down her nose. An oily sheen of perspiration glistened on her skin as she pushed the glasses back into place.
“
Maybe you could ask some of the other victims from the SOS group.
”

“
I will, but I’m here now and—
”

Again, Velda’s glasses began to slide.
What was the matter with her? Sweat was
now
streaming down the sides of her plump face
.
“
You know I’d love to help you, but Aunt Eleanor’s asleep.
”

“
Would you mind checking? I don’t mean to be rude, but this could be important. If she’s asleep, I’ll come back tomorrow. How’s that?
”

“
All right. I’ll go see.
”

Could she be having a stroke? I’d never seen her like this before.

“
May I come in
?
”
I held the door open to keep it from closing in my face.

After a slight hesitation, Velda gave a little giggle and
inche
d
the door
wide
r
.
“
I’m
sorry. It must be hunger.
I was about to sit down to dinner.
”

“
I didn’t mean to interrupt.
”
Why had Velda
told me she was upstairs reading? Maybe afraid I’d want to stay for dinner.
“
This won’t take a minute. I’ll be out of your hair in a jiffy.
”

“
That’s okay. Wait here
,
and I’ll just go see—
”

As though coming to some decision,
Velda
broke off. Motioning me to stay where I was, she
strode to the back of the house and entered her aunt’s bedroom. While I waited, I
peered
into the
unlighted
dining room. No place setting. No aroma of cooking from the kitchen either, but maybe Velda was planning a cold meal in front of the television, wherever it was. Something was off-kilter. That was for sure.

The hall closet immediately to my left reminded me of the earlier shuffling sound I’d heard, followed by the closing of a door. Was someone hiding in that closet? That would explain Velda’s nervousness better than a
sudden need for dinner.

I stared at that closed closet door, m
y heart
racing
.
I could
leave,
call Arnie from my car. No, I couldn’t. That stupid battery. Besides, how likely was he to believe that some sinister person just happened to come all the way out here to threaten Velda and her aunt?

This was ridiculous. I was spinning a fantasy out of tiredness and worry, nothing more. The most logical explanation was that the inoffensive Velda was embarrassed about having told a white lie to get me to leave.
W
hat was stashed in the closet was
probably
nothing more threatening than a dozen glazed dough
nuts she didn’t want to share.

With a mental apology to Velda, I took a deep breath and opened the closet door a couple of inches. No assassin jumped out. The expected collection of coats lined the closet rail. I had just enough time to register the presence of two hunter green suitcases topped by a set of keys held together with a smiley-face logo before Velda tiptoed out of her aunt’s bedroom. I
quietly pushed
the closet door
closed
and stepped into the middle of the hallway before she turned t
oward me.

“
Just as I thought. She’s asleep.
”

Embarrassed at almost being caught snooping, I banged my elbow on the doorjamb as I scrambled to leave.
“
That’s fine. Thanks for checking. You’ll be here tomorrow morning?
”

“
Where else? But not too early. Breakfast and physical therapy first, and then Aunt Eleanor’s morning nap. Tell you what. I’ll call when I figure out the best time.
”

She didn’t do more than open the door for me, but I felt she was pushing me out. I’d barely cleared the
threshold
when the door closed behind me.
I nodded agreement and fled to my car, questions buzzing in my head. Was I being paranoid? I’d recognized Velda’s distinctive key ring, but why had she put the suitcases and key ring into the closet before opening the door? As I bumped from the driveway onto the road, I glanced back and caught movement at an upstairs window. Was Velda making sure I’d actually left
,
or was someone else watching me?

Chapter 27

Once away from the property, I pulled into the first dirt track I encountered and hid the car among a stand of poplars which had long ago framed a settler’s cabin. On a sudden hunch, I unsnapped the seat belt and delved in the glove compartment for the cell phone charger cord. Stale soda crackers, a tattered Oregon map, and a packet of Altoids, but no cord. Likely home on the kitchen counter. Great.

I slapped the glove compartment shut in frustration. Should I speed into town for help? But I had no idea what was going on. Surely Velda could have signaled me that something was wrong if she’d needed to … unless she didn’t dare.

Once more I visualized her agitated state. Something was dreadfully wrong in that house. I needed to find out what. After a brief hesitation, I left the keys in the ignition, in case I needed to make a fast getaway. Then I scribbled a note and climbed out of the car, leaving the driver’s side door open and the note on the front seat. Someone might come by. I was hoping for a friendly neighbor, rather than a car thief, but the chances of either were slim on this back road. Retracing my route from the house, I followed the road at first. I forced myself not to think how idiotic I would sound in describing my suspicion that Velda was being held prisoner.
“
S
he was sweating a lot and the dining room table wasn’t set for dinner.
”
Hardly enough to merit a
nine-one-one
call, but I was going with my instinct
s
.

Once the roof of the house became visible through swaying green branches, I abandoned the road and made a wide circle around the neglected sweep of lawn behind the house itself. An enormous hedge of purple lilacs shielded me from view. I crouched behind the fragrant bushes to watch. The only sounds came from invisible birds calling to each other from somewhere nearby. What should have been a peaceful country moment was spoiled by the atavistic thundering of my heart as it pumped adrenaline to my muscles in preparation for battle. Nothing stirred. It was nearing dusk, and I wouldn’t be able to see much longer.
On the other hand, no one would be able to see me. My nerves tightened another notch.

An old-fashioned brick root cellar jutted from the back of the house, providing my nearest cover. The window of Eleanor’s bedroom lay just to
its
right. I flicked a glance at the curtained upstairs windows, hoping no one was keeping watch from that vantage point, because I couldn’t avoid crossing open ground to the cellar. Once there, I’d make my way around the side to her bedroom window. If nothing seemed amiss, I’d creep back around the cellar and peer in the larger kitchen windows. Drawing in another deep breath of the surrounding lilacs, I thought what a shame it was that I couldn’t just remain in this peaceful bower until dusk fell. But, as Minnie would say,
“
There’s no rest for the wicked.
”
No reason to think things would improve while I lingered here
,
ei
ther. I broke from my shelter.

Running in a half crouch, I sprinted across the grass and flattened myself against the bricks of the cellar, which still held some warmth from the afternoon sun. So far, so good. I eased around the side, rehearsing what to say if I looked in the bedroom window and found Velda holding a slab of pepperoni pizza in her pudgy hand.

An old-fashioned roller shade covered the window from most of the sun’s waning rays, but there was a slight gap at the bottom. I slowly raised my gaze above the peeling paint of the window sill to look inside. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust from the outside brightness, but at last I made out a figure lying on the bed. Eleanor was alone in the room, and she was staring right at me. My heart jumped as I realized what a fright I must be giving that poor old lady, but she didn’t move or cry out. Had my sudden appearance scared her into immobility? No.
A strip of duct tape covered her mouth, while cords secured her outstretched
arms
to the
bed
posts.

I
gasped.
W
hat was going on
? Velda! Velda must be tied up inside, too.
T
his was no time for amateur heroics.
I needed to get help. Eleanor’s eyes blinked at me.
I gave her
a
thumb
’
s
-up
,
turned to
run, and stumbled right into Velda
.

“
Hello, Jane.
”
Velda blocked my path.
“
You’d be a very bad poker
player. I knew you’d be back.
”

My mouth dropped open at the sight of a revolver in her steady hand.
The
Velda
I knew—the one who
served cookies and washed dishes and liked birds
—had disappeared
.
In her stead was a woman with steely eyes and a gun.
Confused,
I looked over her shoulder, half expecting to see someone forcing her into this bizarre
role.
W
e were alone.
“
Velda?
”

“
Come off it
, Jane. You wouldn’t be sneaking around here if you didn’t have some idea.
”

“
Your aunt … she’s tied up.
”
I struggled to assimilate the situation.

“
Yes,
d
ear Aunt Eleanor is all tied up. If you’d given me a little warning before you came, I wouldn’t have had to do that. My wonderful pills need time to take effect. Don’t you know it’s rude to drop by without calling first?
”

“
My cell phone wasn’t working.
”
My apology for bad manners
was automatic
.

“
What a shame. Could’ve avoided a lot of problems. Once I saw you on the porch, I figured you suspected.
”

“
Suspected what?
”

My brain had turned to
gelatin
at the sight of that revolver pointed at me.
I
could hardly breathe, let alone
determine
what alien universe I
had
entered.

“
Don’t be tiresome. You see Aunt Eleanor tied up
,
and you don’t put two and two together?
”

“
I thought someone was hiding in the house, that you and Eleanor were in danger.
”

Velda snorted.
“
Guess you’re not as smart as I thought
. Water
over the dam. Can’t play it that way now. Like you haven’t guessed . .
.
”

“
I … I … you told me you’d never touched a gun in your life.
”

I ducked as she waved the revolver carelessly.
“
Told you lots of things. Here’s a tip: Guns come in
handy. You
think Hunter was just going to stand there while I hit him on the he
ad? Now keep quiet while I work this out
.
”

She didn’t need to tell me twice. The shock of her casual confession to murder was enough to rob me of speech. She’d killed Hunter. I had no idea why, but
so what?
Alix was home free.
A huge weight dropped from my shoulders.

M
y elation swung to terror in an instant as my
stunned
brain finally kicked to life
.
Velda’s willingness to talk
indicated that
I
wouldn’t
live long enough
to
tell
Alix
anything.

Her next words sent ice water through my veins.
“
As for you … you’ve messed up everything.
”

I swallowed a couple of times before speaking.
“
Look, you don’t have to—
”

“
I
t’s your own damned fault. I can’t just let you waltz out of here.
”
Velda’s annoyance seemed to be escalating. She regarded me with a new and unp
leasant glint in her blue eyes.

“
Leave me with Eleanor.
You’re going anyway. I saw the suitcases.
”

Velda remained silent.
Maybe she was even listening
.

I hurried on.
“
No one
will
look here. You’ll be long gone. Please, just … you don’t want to complicate things.
”

“
You already did that, snooping around.
”
Velda gave a mirthless laugh.
“
Not as much fun when you can’t order everybody else around, is it? This time it’s your turn to serve the tea and cookies, Jane.
”

Sweat trickled down my back as I tensed for action.
“
Velda, I never meant—
”

“
Friends, family, money … even a gorgeous guy. If Hunter’d been lik
e
Nick, maybe he wouldn’t have got himself shot.
”
Velda’s voice grew more strident.
“
You’ve never given a single thought to what I’ve had to—
”

“
That’s not true, or … or if it seemed that way, I’m sorry. Let me help you.
”

“
Oh, sure! You and your fancy friends.
”
I backed away from the fury building behind her words. My attempt to soothe had agitated her more than ever.
“
Where were all of you when I … ? Never mind. Won’t
matter in a few hours anyway.
”

I risked a question.
“
What happens then?
”

Velda’s tone abruptly turned conversational once more.
Somehow, the lowered tone chilled me more than her outburst.
“
Why, the mail arrives with my passport.
Never needed one before this, especially for a vacation, but now … I even paid extra for expedited service, so it damned well better arrive. On my way out, I’ll also collect a significant amount of cash
from
dear Aunt Eleanor. If that prissy Joe Framington
at the bank
hadn’t insisted on talking directly to her yesterday, I’d already have taken care of that little detail.
”
She pointed the revolver directly at my face.
“
This convinced her to tell Mr. Nosy exactly what I wanted. The old buzzard can live to be a hundred now, for all I care.
H
er standard of living’s about to go way down, but that’s not my problem. Should have given me money when I asked nicely. My father had the same lousy attitude.
”

So this was all Aunt Eleanor’s fault for wanting to spend her own money. And Velda’s tightwad father hadn’t given her as much money as she wanted
,
either
, and
he’d died suddenly.
Adrenaline flooded my system. Velda had already killed at least two
people. Eleanor
was still alive on the off chance the bank manager needed more information
, so she might last until tomorrow
.
I would liv
e just long enough for Velda to sift through her options.

At length
,
she smiled, but her eyes remained cold.
“
Guess if you don’t cause me more trouble, you can live to be a hundred, too. That cellar there should do just fine.
”

She gestured impatiently with the gun
.

I turned toward the outbuilding, my mind working furiously while I dragged out my steps as slowly as I dared. Velda tugged on a rusty padlock until the stout wooden door creaked open on ancient hinges.

The air from inside cooled my hot cheeks, but I was in no hurry to disappear into that dark vault.
What could I do from there? I continued the pretense that I’d be allowed to live.
“
Please, Velda, no one wi
ll think to look for me here.
”

“
Sure
they will. Once they find Eleanor, they’ll comb every inch of this property. Could take a couple of days, but maybe you can find some home-canned beets.
”

“
Please
,
let me stay with your aunt. She’s an old lady.
”

“
That tough old gal climbed out of bed and tried to call the cops yesterday, but I got to her in time. Think I’d let the two of you put your heads together? Besides, I want you someplace where you can’t rig up a signal. Don’t get any ideas about yelling either. These brick walls are plenty thick.
”