“Come on, Aline, answer,” he said out loud as he rang again and pounded on the door with an open hand.
79
Aline was stunned at the sight of Scott Kimball. He was walking toward them, a pistol pointed at them. His smile was a twisted grimace. He began to laugh.
He looked at Jamie. “One day after lacrosse practice you told me your dad called you Big Guy. I told you that’s what my dad called me.”
Stunned, Aline cried, “Scott, what are you doing here? Are you crazy?”
“No, you are, Aline,” he said. “Same as Kerry. Pumping Valerie to tell you things that are none of your business.” He laughed loudly. “What is it about you and Kerry that people talk to you when they should keep their mouths shut? I could tell last month that Valerie was getting harder to control. It was only a matter of time before she talked to somebody. I had a feeling that somebody was going to be your sister Kerry. I put a tracking device on Kerry’s car. It’s still on there, by the way, on the car you’re driving. That’s how I know you went to see Valerie this morning. But let’s get back to Kerry. That Saturday morning when Kerry picked up Valerie, I followed the signal to the diner. They got a window seat. The same one you sat in when you showed the waitress the pictures. I couldn’t hear what Kerry and Valerie were saying, but from watching I could tell that Valerie was spilling the beans to her.”
Aline shrieked, “You killed Kerry! Why?”
“It’s Valerie’s fault. She came on to me.”
“But why did you kill Kerry?”
“Aline, I had to. Valerie was easy to control. Kerry, no chance. Lucky for me, I got wind of Kerry’s little beer bash. I waited for an hour in the woods over there, until Kerry was alone. I was about to make an appearance when who comes around the corner but Kerry’s Romeo, Alan Crowley.”
“He gave Kerry a hug and a kiss,” Jamie said.
“I know he did, Jamie. I was watching. But what I hadn’t figured on, and this is very bad news for you, Jamie, is that you also were watching—”
Aline interrupted, “You’re a coward, Scott. You crept up on my sister and—”
“Oh, that wasn’t the plan, Aline. I had every intention of shooting her. But when Alan Crowley brought that golf club over to the patio and then took off, let’s just say I improvised.”
Aline was trying to think of any way she could to keep him talking. She thought of the call she hadn’t taken from Mike. I’ve got to keep stalling until he gets here.
Scott was coming closer to them.
“Scott, you don’t have to do this,” Aline pleaded.
“Oh, yes, I do, Aline. With you out of the picture, you and your friend Jamie, Valerie will keep her mouth shut. Just like last time.”
80
Maybe she brought Jamie back to her house, Mike thought. He started toward his car but then remembered that a quick cut through the backyards would get him there faster. As he started around the side of the Chapman house, he saw that the lights were on in the Dowling backyard. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Aline and Jamie standing by the pool. He was about to call out to her, but he stopped. She wasn’t talking to Jamie. Instead they were both looking toward the wooded area that bordered the property. Aline was standing in front of Jamie as if to protect him.
Mike moved quietly across the Chapman rear yard and made his way to the row of hedges that separated the properties. He could see a man approaching them with a gun in his hand. The wail of faraway police sirens began.
Mike pulled out his pistol, put his left hand under his right fist and assumed a firing stance.
“Kimball,” he yelled. “Freeze! Drop the gun!”
Scott swerved in the direction of Mike’s voice. Aline turned, pushed Jamie to the ground and sprawled protectively on top of him.
Scott swung his arm holding the pistol back toward Aline and fired. The shot passed inches over her head.
Mike’s first shot hit Scott in his left shoulder. He slumped momentarily, then raised his hand with the gun and fired wildly. Mike’s next shot shattered two of Scott’s ribs, knocking him over backward as his pistol went skidding across the patio.
Mike raced across the lawn to the patio, his pistol still trained on Scott, who was writhing on the ground. From the front of the Chapman house he could hear screeching sirens, the squeal of tires, car doors slamming.
“Back here!” he yelled to the officers, who came running around the house. Holding up his badge while pointing to Kimball on the ground, he said, “Get him an ambulance and arrest him.”
Aline was helping Jamie to his feet.
“Were you hit?” Mike yelled as he rushed to them.
Without answering, Aline threw her arms around Mike.
“Big Guy tried to shoot us,” Jamie yelled. “That wasn’t very nice.”
“Thank God you’re both okay,” Mike said as he held her.
“You’re not getting out of having dinner with me,” Aline whispered. “Change of plans. We’re having Chinese food with Jamie.”
81
Marge was lying quietly in the intensive care unit of the hospital. Cardiogram leads on her chest were monitoring her heart.
The operation had been successful. The grogginess from the anesthesia was wearing off. Her intense worry about Jamie was returning in full measure.
There was a tap on the door and Father Frank walked in. “How are you doing, Marge?”
“It’s hard to tell, but I guess okay.”
“Well, I have some news that will make you feel a whole lot better. Jamie is home having Chinese food with Aline. She said she’ll stay overnight with him at your house tonight.”
Father Frank decided to skip the fact that shots
