Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (87 page)

“Anyway, Shelly sees parallels in the biblical story and her reality. She seems to think that unless she can help the police convict Boyd Fisher of attempted murder, Sam will pull the temple down, killing himself."

“Do you think Shelly is mentally ill?” Leora asked.

“I don't know. I'm sure Mariah will insist on a psychiatric examination. It may be that I am the one who is confused. Shelly may be mentally sound. I don't know all the details of the case, but I can tell you this. Yesterday, Shelly was very despondent—very depressed. This afternoon she is a ball of fire—a woman possessed."

Borders cleared his throat. “If I am hearing you right, you think it would be best if Shelly and Annie do not talk on the phone just yet."

“No, I didn't say that. I will tell Shelly that Annie thinks she is at the beach to help the police. In a way, she is. I just think Shelly may not be able to pull it off."

“Let's try it anyway. What time can we expect the call?” Leora said.

“Would seven be convenient?"

“Sounds fine,” Borders agreed.

“What can you tell me about Mr. Pond's condition?” Chris asked. “I called the hospital and all they would tell me is that he is stable and still comatose."

“That's about it,” Borders said.

“Shelly is convinced that Sam is paralyzed, but mentally alert. Do you think there is anything to that?"

“Before I answer,” Leora said, “why does Shelly think he is mentally alert?"

“It's probably wishful thinking. Shelly says that several times she kissed Sam's eyelids and felt them move."

“It may not be wishful thinking,” Leora said. “Yesterday, one of the nurses told me that Sam's facial expressions change. No one has been present when the change occurs, but the nurses have definitely noticed it. Also, some of his normal body functions seem to be returning."

“That's good news. Shelly will be delighted to hear it. Can you be more specific?"

“Chris,” Leora said, “are you married?"

“No."

“It's just that, with you being a woman of the cloth and all ... aw, hell, Sam is now having normal morning erections."

There was a pause, followed by a slightly embarrassed, “Oh."

Leora picked up the conversation. “Tell Shelly that Borders is working on the case. We're doing everything possible from our end."

“Uh, Mr. Borders is a police officer?"

“Used to be,” Borders explained. “Retired now, but I have a private investigator license. I'm afraid I've already done all I can. I haven't turned up anything new."

“Mr. Borders, I know that Mariah likes to work with a private investigator. Would you be willing assist her if she's interested?"

“I'll do what I can, but I'm not licensed in South Carolina."

“It's a pretty night,” Leora said as she clasped Border's hand a little tighter.

“Full moon and a star studded sky—perfect night for romance.” He slowed his pace a little. “I'm one lucky man,” he said.

“You sure are, you old goat. What I see in you is beyond me,” she joked.

“I'll remind you of why you find me attractive when we crawl under the covers tonight."

As they continued their nightly stroll around the neighborhood, Borders commented, “I can't help feeling sorry for Bud."

“Bud Cranfield?"

Borders nodded. “He's not married, you know, and the older he gets the more lonesome he becomes."

“Maybe we should try to fix him up with someone."

“Let's don't go in the cupid business, Leora."

“I was just thinking of that nice Chris Norway we talked with this afternoon. She's not married."

“She also lives at Myrtle Beach. How do you plan to get the two of them together?"

“I don't know. We need an assistant pastor at the church and you're on the pulpit committee."

Borders laughed and turned back towards their home. “You think like Bud."

“How's that?"

“I'm afraid Bud is smitten by that police woman from Myrtle Beach."

“She's a nice looking woman in an athletic sort of way, but isn't she too young for Bud?"

“You never can tell,” Borders laughed. “Bud wants me to use my influence to bring her to Dot as our new chief of police. Now you want the Norway woman to move to Dot as our assistant pastor. Before you know it, Bud will have a harem."

“Borders?"

“Yeah."

“I think the phone call between Annie and Shelly went well."

“She didn't say anything off the wall,” he agreed.

“Shelly may have questionable morals, but she's not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder."

“Where did that come from?"

“It hasn't been far from my mind since Shelly was arrested."

“You read the report. The case is practically airtight."

“I don't think so. The evidence is largely circumstantial."

“Not anymore. The boys recovered more email messages from Shelly's computer this morning. There is no longer any question. She and Boyd Fisher planned the thing in detail. The only evidence that points in another direction is that last message Boyd sent her."

“There's the phone call she made from the beach."

“No way to prove its content."

“There's something else. Sam is not dead."

“He should be with a bullet in his head and another near his heart."

“She's not guilty,” Leora said stubbornly. “What if someone else did do it? You guys are so hell bent on convicting Shelly and Boyd, you're not even considering other possibilities."

“That's not true, Leora. I spent a whole day trying to find an odd fingerprint taken from Shelly's Escort. Bud asked Shelly if there were any lovers in her past that might want to do her or Sam harm."

“I remember that in the report. A woman like Shelly—well—we know she's been around. Yet she claimed she had no lovers."

Borders nodded and slipped his hand to her bottom. She brushed it away.

“Do you remember the day we first met Shelly?” she asked.

“Sam brought her to our cookout. She didn't stay long."

“She looked so miserable—like she felt out of place. I tried to talk with her a little.”

Leora stopped dead in her tracks. Borders faced her. “What's wrong, Leora?"

“She and Sam took Annie swimming before coming to the cookout. She told me she met a man who was a dead ringer for a former boyfriend. Later she said the mystery man was the Dollars’ butler. She said the resemblance was uncanny. Julius, that's it. The butler did it!"

Borders laughed, grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the house. “You've been writing too many murder mysteries,” he said.

“Get pictures, Borders,” Leora insisted. “See if Fisher and the butler look alike. If they do, search his quarters. He did it,” she said with glee. “The dad-gummed butler did it."

“What's his motive, Sherlock?"

“You're the detective. I've identified the villain. Now you must prove it. Maybe he wanted to screw her and she turned him down."

“Hardly a sufficient motive to cause a man to kill the woman's husband."

“Maybe he wasn't after the husband. Maybe he meant to kill Shelly."

The telephone was ringing when they entered their house. “You get it, Borders. I've got to tinkle."

Maybe I have been writing too many murder mysteries, Leora admonished herself as she washed her hands, but still, if the butler does look like Fisher, it's worth investigating. We have nothing else to go on.

“Who was on the telephone?” Leora asked as she entered the bedroom.

Borders grinned. “Pack your sexiest bathing suits, old woman. We're going to Myrtle Beach."

“Have you lost your mind?"

“Nope. That was Shelly's attorney. I let it slip that I have a copy of the police report. I agreed to meet with her tomorrow afternoon."

“Just happened to let it slip, did you?” Leora laughed. “Honey, you're going to have to go without me. Remember Annie?"

“Oh, yeah,” Borders said, his countenance dropping.

Besides, if you won't check out my theory, I will, Leora thought.

“Do you think Dot could use a second lawyer?"

“Why do you ask?"

“I was just thinking that if Shelly's attorney looks as good as her voice sounds on the telephone, maybe I'll bring her back with me."

“You old goat! Take your clothes off. I'll get your mind off of other women."

“Whoa,” Borders said, holding up his hands defensively. “I was thinking of a third choice for Bud."

Leora watched two nurses expertly put clean sheets on Sam's bed while deftly manipulating the helpless human form. “I see it, but I still don't understand how you can do it,” she said. “Sam must weigh two hundred pounds."

“That's what they taught us in nurses’ training,” the slender black nurse joked. She fluffed Sam's pillow and watched with obvious approval as nurse Poindexter lowered Sam's head.

Leora motioned for Poindexter to remain when the two white-clad women headed for the door. She whispered, “Is he still..."

Jane Poindexter smiled. “Every morning."

“Can he ... uh ... does he ... does he ejaculate?"

“Mrs. Borders!"

Leora felt her cheeks flush. “Of course you wouldn't go that far. I was just hoping there was further indication of improvement."

“I'm afraid not.” Jane turned, but paused and again faced Leora. “Mrs. Borders, I don't advise you to carry the experiment any further either."

“Of course not, child,” Leora replied, grinning.

Leora moved next to the bed and placed her hand on Sam's cheek. “You look nice, Sam. You've had a bath and a shave too, but you don't seem as happy this morning as yesterday. The nurses are right. The expression on you face does change from time to time."

She glanced around the room. “So many flowers,” she observed. I sure hope you don't have any allergies. It smells like a florist shop in here. If you don't mind, Sam, I'm going to throw out some of the cut flowers that are wilting. I'll save the cards for you."

For several minutes she worked at rearranging the plants and then pulled a chair close to the bed. She took his left hand in hers. “Shelly thinks you are alert but can't show it, Sam. She's in Myrtle Beach right now helping the police solve this case. That's why she hasn't come to visit lately. She loves you very much. Borders is down there too. He's a good detective, Sam."

She stroked the back of his hand and watched his face for any reaction.

“Annie is staying with us while Shelly is away. She's a sweet little girl. Jo is looking after the whole crowd today. You remember Jo, don't you? My daughter-in-law?"

She smiled at his troubled face.

“I guess I'd better go, Sam. The doctors say your vital signs are good. It won't be long now, dear.”

She leaned over, kissed the back of his hand, stood and her eyes widened as she looked at his smiling lips. “You are alert, aren't you, Sam?” she said with excitement. “You understood everything I said.”

She gently kissed his left eyelid and felt it move.

“Good morning, Sandy,” Leora said as she approached the scantily clad woman on the fishing pier. “I'm glad I caught you at home, but I didn't expect to find you out here fishing."

“Have a seat, Leora,” Sandra said, motioning towards the lawn chair beside her. “I started writing at five this morning and my brain went numb. Besides, the day is far too pretty to spend in front of a computer."

Junior shouted as he pulled a hand-sized brim from the water. “Is it big enough to keep, mommy?” he asked.

“It is if you want to clean and cook it yourself,” Sandra laughed.

He frowned, carefully removed the hook and eased the fish back into the water. “Get a little bigger,” he said, “and I'll eat you."

“What brings you to Double D Acres this morning, Leora?"

“I have something I want to discuss with you Sandy, and I was hoping to see your butler for a minute or two."

“Mr. Ascue has the day off. He said there was some personal matter he needed to tend to."

“Ascue,” Leora repeated. “What's his first name?"

“Ronald—Ron."

“What do you know about him, Sandy?"

“Well, he's a nice looking man, slender build, neat in appearance, a decent housekeeper and cooks like a professional chef."

Leora smiled. “What about his past?"

“He came to us with a stack of references."

“Did you check them out?"

“What are you getting at, Leora?"

“Maybe nothing,” she conceded. “I guess you know Shelly has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder."

Sandy nodded as she reeled in her line. “I've been following the story in the newspaper."

Leora opened her purse and handed a clipping to Sandra. “That's a photograph of Boyd Fisher—allegedly the man who shot Sam."

“Damn,” Sandra exclaimed and then laughed. “If I didn't know better, I'd think it was Mr. Ascue.” She pulled a worm from a small bucket and impaled it on her hook.

“I was hoping you'd say that. Borders and I think Shelly is innocent."

“Fat chance."

“Why do you say that?"

Sandra expertly cast her line into the water. “I probably know more about Delilah Delight than the police do. I'm writing a novel featuring a stripper and paid Shelly for her life story. Believe me, Leora, that woman is capable of anything."

“Even murder?"

“It wouldn't surprise me. Poor Sam. She set him up and then tried to kill him. Hell, according to the newspapers, she confessed."

“She confessed to plotting Sam's murder, but maintains that in the process she fell in love with Sam and backed out."

“Surely you don't think that Ron—Mr. Ascue—had anything to do with it?"

“I admit I'm grasping at a straw, Sandy. Last night I remembered Shelly telling me that she met your butler at the pool and he is a dead ringer of a former boyfriend. Shelly identified Boyd Fisher as the assailant, but it could be a case of mistaken identity."

“Leora, you've been writing too many mystery novels. It's old hat these days for the butler to be the guilty party."

Leora chuckled. “That's what Borders said."

“Besides, according to the newspapers, the assailant was wearing a ski mask."

“True, but if Fisher and Ascue have similar bodies, mannerisms and voices..."