“So, she like what, talked ya’ into it or somethin’?”
“No, she actually physically dragged me over there and forced me to do it.”
“She did what?” He stared back at me in disbelief.
“Yeah, I know it sounds bizarre, Ben.”
“That’s one word for it… But I guess it doesn’t matter what ya’ call it… I’ve come ta’ the conclusion you’re whole freakin’ life is just one really long episode of the Twilight Zone, Kemosabe.”
“Just since I got involved with murder investigations. Before that I was pretty normal.”
“Says you,” he grinned, his tone softening.
“Look who’s talking,” I returned the jibe. “Anyway, I wasn’t in control of my actions when I went after Paige Lawson’s remains. That was Debbie Schaeffer all the way. That’s the one thing I can remember clear as daylight.”
“See now, I just figured you were seizin’ an opportunity, and that just pissed me off.”
“Yeah, I kind of had the impression you weren’t real happy with me.”
“Uh-huh, well I was pissed when I turned around and saw ya’ standin’ there holdin’ on ta’ Lawson and screamin’ your damn fool head off. And, after what she’d just walked in on, the Doc wasn’t sure what the hell ta’ think. I can guarantee ya’ it didn’t help matters any.”
“Like she said, we probably should have called her before going down there.”
“Yeah, well we all know what they say about hindsight, now don’t we?”
“Can we get back on the subject, then?” Felicity interjected.
“Yeah, let’s,” Ben agreed. “So you’re sayin’ that there’s some connection between Schaeffer and Lawson?”
“There must be.” I nodded and then took a sip of my own coffee before setting the cup down and pushing it away. One taste was all it took to convince me to wait for the fresh pot. “Why else would she have wanted me to touch the body?”
“I get what you’re sayin’, but everything on Lawson points ta’ accidental death,” he objected. “So if there’s a connection maybe it’s somethin’ besides bein’ killed by the same wingnut.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
“Ya’ aren’t bein’ much help, Row.”
“Hey,” I shook my head, “I’m doing the best I can. I told you I’m pretty fuzzy on all this.”
“Maybe Paige Lawson knew Debbie Schaeffer somehow.” Felicity said. “Or maybe the killer is a mutual friend or acquaintance.”
“Lawson was a marketing VP for an HMO. What’s she gonna have in common with a college cheerleader?”
“You have a better idea, then?” my wife raised an eyebrow.
“No,” he returned, voice flat as he shrugged. “Maybe they did know each other. If we can’t find a direct connection, then we can make a list and see if any names match up as mutual acquaintances. I know Lawson had one of those electronic organizers in ‘er briefcase. I think Schaeffer had somethin’ too.”
“Do you remember anything else?” my wife pressed, turning her attention back to me.
“Nothing important. Just something about a fashion doll in a prom dress, or something like that.”
“Do what?” Ben looked as confused as ever. Since I was no clearer on what I’d just said than he was, I couldn’t blame him.
“Yeah, it was green and she didn’t like her shoes, or some such.”
“Who didn’t like whose shoes?”
“The doll. Debbie. I don’t know, both of them maybe.”
“You are talking about a toy fashion doll, right?” he asked.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Rowan,” Felicity asked. “Are you absolutely certain you’re okay?”
I slid number eleven from the pack and lit it up in an unconscious motion. “Believe me, I’ve been wondering that myself.”
CHAPTER 11
“Are you coming to bed or not?” Felicity called to me from the hallway. “We’ve a long day ahead, then. In case you didn’t remember, Yule is day after tomorrow.”
“You mean, Yule is tomorrow,” I called back while in the process of exhaling a plume of smoke through the crack where I was holding the storm door just slightly open. “It’s pushing five a.m., so it’s already today.”
“Aye, don’t remind me,” she called back with a resigned sigh. “We’ve far too much to do, and we’ll need rest if we’re to get everything done before Friday and still be able to tend the fire through to dawn.”
We’d all finally decided that we were far too exhausted to continue the discussion, and since we weren’t getting anywhere to begin with, it wasn’t a hard call. The caffeine was all we were running on, and I think we’d even started becoming immune to its effects in short order. Our bout of speculation was terminated with the idea that a bit of sleep might bring some more of what I’d seen to the surface. While I agreed with the idea in theory, I most definitely wasn’t looking forward to the possibility of yet another Technicolor nightmare.
Upon returning to Ben’s house, we had bid him goodnight, and I had apologized once again for getting him into trouble with his superiors. His response had simply been for me not to worry, they’d get over it. I hoped he was correct.
Like zombies, Felicity and I had piled into her Jeep and then made the trek down Highway 40 to home. By the time we pulled into the driveway, the minute hand was already well into its climb toward the top of the coming hour. Fortunately for us, true to what Ben had told me earlier in the evening, Briarwood’s finest had seen to the task of discouraging the media from camping on our lawn. How they’d done it without infringing upon the constitutional freedom of the press, I had no idea-I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to know either. I was just happy not to have to deal with them right now.
I took a last drag on the cigarette, exhaled, and then dropped the butt in a large can filled with sand we kept on the porch for our friends who smoked. After that I pushed the front door shut and twisted the deadbolt until it gave a dull thunk. “Yeah,” I called out to Felicity as I punched in the code to engage the alarm system. “It’ll be a long night. Not to mention that if you don’t get some rest, everyone is going to think you just got off the boat.”
“What’s that, then?”
“The accent. It’s gotten pretty thick over the past few hours. Kind of obvious that you’re exhausted.”
“I don’t have an accent,” she replied, raising her voice so she could be heard from the bedroom. “ You do.”
“Uh-huh. Whatever.” I chuckled. “Are you done in here?”
“Aye. Did you let the dogs out?”
“Yeah, they’ve been out already. And yes, the back is all locked up.”
“Did you check the answering machine, then? I noticed it blinking when we came in.”
“So why didn’t you check it?”
“Because I wanted to go to bed.”
“Uh-huh,” I harrumphed. “Me too. I’ll check it in the morning.”
“I thought you said that it was morning already.”
“How about, I’ll check it later then?”
“I suppose. And, Rowan?”
“Yeah?”
“Best you brush your teeth and gargle,” she instructed sleepily, her voice fading along a deepening arc. “Maybe twice. I’m sure not sleepin’ next to an ashtray, then.”
Disorientation gave way to longing.
