Heart Beat

by Lynne Waite Chapman

  “Who’s Deloris?” Jack tipped his head to the side to look me in the eyes.

  “Deloris is Mallozi’s mother. She lives in Beaver Creek.”

  Mallozi wiggled, trying to get out of Jack’s grip. He sputtered, “That crazy woman’s lying. She’s made up some absurd story. I should call the police.”

  With Mallozi still dangling from his fist, Jack sighed. “Good idea. Why don’t we all take a trip down to the station and let them sort it out.”

  Mallozi stopped thrashing. “I may have over-reacted. No reason for you to be involved. I’ll let it go this time. Don’t want to upset my Ma.”

  Jack turned his head to look into Mallozi’s eyes. “You’ll let it go? I caught you chasing my girl. I won’t let that go.”

  My girl?

  I gazed up at Jack, aware I might have had a silly smile on my face.

  “Lauren, is that your wagon over there? You drive. I’ll sit in the back with our friend here.”

  “Um. Okay.” Reluctantly stepping out of the warm spot next to Jack, I pulled my keys from my pocket and crossed the walk to my car. After I’d climbed in and prepared to start the engine, I noticed Jack and Malozi waiting outside the back door. Jack pointed to the door handle.

  “Oops.” I stretched over the seat back to pull up the lock. “Sorry. Really need get a car with automatic locks.”

  I drove to the police department trying to keep my eyes on the road. The temptation to stare at Jack through the rear-view mirror was almost too much to resist.

  We marched up the steps. Police officers turned to stare as we entered.

  Jack placed his hand on my back and leaned close. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He walked into the chief’s office, dragging Mallozi along with him. After a few minutes the chief stepped out.

  “Officer Farlow, put Mr. D’agostino in a cell, and then take Ms. Halloren’s statement.”

  I beamed, straightened my shoulders and walked to Farlow’s desk, expecting Jack to follow me. When I sensed he wasn’t behind me, I whipped my head around toward the door. My rescuer stood with his hand on the handle.

  “Jack?”

  “All taken care of. I’ll see you later.” And he stepped out.

  “What do you mean, ‘all taken care of’? Where are you going?” Jack didn’t hear me. He’d closed the door and was gone.

  Even though Officer Farlow was surprisingly polite as I gave him my statement, I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Thirty minutes later I climbed into the Chrysler and guided it into traffic toward home.

  The events of the day scrolled through my mind.

  Crap.

  I slammed on the brakes and cranked the steering wheel, making a three-point turn in an intersection. Ignoring the shaking fists of the two drivers who had been behind me, I drove back the way I’d come.

  As soon as I’d parked at Beaver Creek, I rushed to Louise’s room and tapped on the door. Not sure she heard it for the racket from inside, I raised my voice. “Louise, it’s me.”

  The lock released, and the door opened a crack. Pale blue eyes peeked out, and then the door opened all the way. Louise stood in the doorway holding her reading lamp, cord dangling. “Hello Lauren. I’m relieved to see you unharmed.”

  “Almost forgot you, Louise. Things happened so fast, I didn’t have time to come back and let you know we were taking Mallozi to jail.”

  “Oh, no problem, dear. I prayed for your safety. And it was time for my program, so I figured I’d watch it while I waited.” She indicated a game show blaring away on her television.

  “What’s with the lamp?”

  “It’s my weapon. Couldn’t think of anything else that might work. Guess I can put it back beside my bed.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  Ten minutes later, as I turned to leave, a police officer stood at Deloris’s door.

  Her voice had turned girlish again. “Officer, I can’t believe my boy did it. I guess Mallozi got in with the wrong crowd. You know the younger generation. I’m just an old lady. Only have this little room.”

  I walked quietly down the hall and left the building.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  I ’d been up a whole five minutes and stood at the kitchen counter staring at the coffee pot, counting on will power to make the coffee brew faster. The ringing telephone made me jump. When my heart slowed, I lifted the handset.

  “Lauren!” I held the phone away from my ear.

  “Good morning, Clair. You don’t have to talk so loud. I can hear you.”

  “Oops. Sorry. I just heard the exciting news and had to talk to you.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready for such excitement. What news did you hear?”

  “What else? That you are a hero again. Just called to congratulate you. Irma, my contact at the police station, phoned to fill me in. Can’t believe you did it again.”

  I shielded my eyes from the sunlight streaming in the kitchen window. “What did I do again?”

  “Don’t be coy. You know you caught the thief-slash-murderer and helped identify the body we found. It was your info that led the police to Mallozi D’agostino’s workplace, The Warehouse Buyers Club. Irma said you provided the first name, Camden, and they discovered Camden Green hadn’t shown up for work in a while. He and D’agostino were buddies. The police think they’ll have a positive ID within a week.”

  I tried to stifle a yawn, hoping Clair wouldn’t notice.

  “You’re amazing. So brave.”

  I poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table. I wasn’t ready for such enthusiasm so early in the morning.

  “I’m not brave, and I didn’t catch anyone. What I did was nearly get myself killed.”

  “Oh, I almost forgot. Not only did you solve the small-time theft at The Rare Curl, but uncovered major theft from the warehouse.”

  “What major theft? I don’t know anything about any major theft.”

  “Whether you knew about it or not, you got the credit. It seems that after the police called the warehouse, the manager checked the inventory. They’re missing a lot of appliances and cash from the safe. The police don’t know how D’agostino and Green unloaded the merchandise yet. Probably shipped them out of state. It was all because you insisted on investigating Rarity’s missing hair color. Girl, you should change careers. You’re a born detective.”

  “No, that is not the career for me. In fact, I needed to be rescued. If Ja…”

  Clair wasn’t listening. “D’agostino admitted to the thefts, but denied killing Green. Probably thought he’d confess to the lesser crime and beat the murder charge. But Chief Stoddard’s determined to prove him guilty on both counts. He thinks Green may have wanted a bigger cut, or maybe even threatened to turn D’agostino in.”

  I let Clair talk so I could drink coffee.

  “Imagine, Mallozi involved his own mother in the crime. That’s despicable. The poor woman’s life was turned upside down. Her son in jail, and her little business ruined. I want to do something nice for her.”

  “That’s kind of you, but be careful. She’s very protective of Mallozi. When Rarity and I went to see her, thinking we were being helpful, she ordered us out of the room. Didn’t want to hear he might be involved in anything illegal. We thought she’d have a stroke.”

  “When you think about it, that was sweet. She wanted to protect her little boy, even though he’s a grown man. She doesn’t know who I am, but I’ll send her flowers. Let her know that people of Evelynton care.”

  I swallowed the last drops in my coffee mug and got up to refill it. “You’re right, Deloris deserves compassion. Anyone her age should be able to live peacefully, not have to deal with a law-breaking son. I’ll check in on her when I visit Louise. Maybe she’d like company.”

  “Great. You’ll have lots of time now that you’ve finished the investigation.”

  “I wouldn’t call it lots of time. I’ll be catching up on magazine articles to support myself.”

  “Speaking of su
pporting oneself, I’m off to show a house. Talk to you later, girl. And again, congratulations, my hero.”

  I clicked off the phone. Enough of the “my hero” stuff. No, I definitely wasn’t cut out to be a detective.

  When I’d first returned to Evelynton, I remember thinking how bored I would be living here. Now I was thankful my hometown would soon return to the quiet little burg it used to be.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  S unshine and bird songs interrupted my writing. Couldn’t concentrate. It was the kind of day that begged for a lazy drive in the country. One of the things I’d learned to appreciate in small-town living was the ability to get out of town without fighting traffic. I yearned to drive through the country fields with no distractions.

  I guess I should have chosen another route out of town. I made the mistake of driving past the police station. A woman climbed the handicap ram on her mobility scooter. A woman with black hair and white roots, whose width was the same as her height. Clair’s word rang through my mind. Deloris must be devastated. She’d lost the business she was so proud of and was about to lose her son to prison.

  I parked the Chrysler on the street and waited for her to finish with her visit with Mallozi. When the scooter appeared in the doorway, I jumped out of the Chrysler and trotted over.

  “Deloris, I’m glad I happened to see you. Wanted to tell you how sorry I was about Mallozi. It must have been very hard for you to see your son in jail. I hope you understand, someone had to stop him. His crime might have spilled over onto you. I didn’t want you to end up in jail as well.”

  Deloris raised her head to look at me. Her eyes grew wide and her nostrils flared. My first thought was retreat, and fast. But her anger faded. “Couldn’t believe my boy would do anything against the law, but the police chief said they had proof. It’s good Mallozi was caught. Now he will get help. I don’t blame you. It was his own doing. When he gets out of jail, he’ll get on with his life. He can still have a good life.”

  “I’m glad you understand.” Maybe she didn’t really understand. If they proved he was a killer, like I thought they would, he’d be in jail for a long time. Getting on with his life would mean getting used to prison.

  I thought of Clair’s determination to do something for Deloris. “If there is anything I can do for you, just ask. I’d be happy to help.”

  Deloris guided her scooter down the sidewalk and shouted, “Walk with me back to Beaver Creek. It’s a long way and I don’t want to be alone.”

  “Oh sure, I’d love to, but why don’t I call Beaver Creek and ask them to send a van to pick you and your scooter up?”

  “No, I don’t want to bother them. Besides, they don’t need to know my business.”

  I glanced back at my station wagon. “Sure. I’ll walk with you.”

  “Good. Come on.” Deloris began to motor down the street.

  “It’s a nice day for a walk. Not too hot.” I waited for Deloris to respond. When she didn’t I tried again. “It’s so nice you have your scooter, so you can enjoy the outdoors.”

  I guess she wasn’t interested in small talk. Maybe she didn’t hear me, since the distance between us was increasing.

  I had to step up the pace to keep up with her. By the end of the next block, she had the pedal flush with the metal, and I struggled to keep up. “Wow. Didn’t know motorized chairs had so much power.” I fell behind again and jogged to catch her.

  Clair would have been proud of me. I alternated the power walk and jog, to stay with Deloris until we arrived at Beaver Creek.

  Leaning on the railing to catch my breath, I strained to get the words out. “Here we are. I’m glad I could accompany you on your ride home. And so thankful you don’t blame me for Mallozi’s arrest. I’ll be going back now.”

  I punched the button that opened the door for Deloris. She stopped at the entrance. “Don’t go yet. Come in and talk to me. We never got to know each other well, and I’m going to need friends now that I don’t have my son to visit me.”

  “Of course. It would be great getting to know you.”

  I wiped sweat from my forehead. “I could use the rest before I walk back to my car, anyway.”

  Deloris drove her scooter to the foot of her bed and plugged the cord into the outlet.

  I fell into a chair, wondering if I should prepare the woman for her son going to prison for murder. Would it be better to know beforehand or to be caught off guard? I would want to be prepared.

  I plunged in, hoping that stating the truth quickly would be less painful. “Deloris, I have something to say, and I say it only to save you a shock later on. Do you understand they suspect Mallozi of killing Camden Green? I’m afraid they will charge him with murder. If they find him guilty, he may be in jail for the rest of his life.”

  Deloris glared at me and shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She swung her feet to the floor, lumbered off the scooter, and shuffled toward her dresser.

  I’d upset her, but at least she wouldn’t be blindsided.

  “Do you have any other family in town? I could call them for you.”

  “My brother and his kids, but we don’t talk.”

  This touched my heart. The poor woman was estranged from her family, and now her son was in jail. She had no one.

  “I remember. I met Melody D’agostino. Is she related?”

  “Yeah, one of my brother’s grandkids. Mallozi knows her. I don’t know any of them.”

  “Would you like me to call them? I bet they’d want to know and would come to be with you.”

  Deloris had reached the dresser. She propped both hands on it for support. She shifted her head toward at me, and snapped. “I bet they’d like to know. Nosy people. But they don’t need to know my business.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize. So, I won’t contact them. But you have friends here at Beaver Creek. Louise enjoys talking to you.”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  The conversation did little to elevate her mood. I sat in silence and let my mind wander. Not a good thing because that lets my curiosity come out. I’d been warned that someday it would get me into trouble.

  “Deloris, why do you think Mallozi would have killed Camden Green? I mean, if he did kill him. Do you think it had anything to do with your business?”

  Deloris pulled open a drawer and twisted toward me. She held a very large Glock. “I told you I don’t want to talk about it.”

  My voice caught in my throat and I squeaked. “Oh my. That’s the biggest pistol I’ve ever seen. Careful. Don’t aim it at me.”

  She stared at me with the weapon aimed directly at my chest. If I’d wanted to help the woman feel better, it appeared I’d succeeded. She looked calmer than I’d ever seen her, even wearing a slight smile.

  I struggled to find the words to keep her in conversation. “That gun is huge. Isn’t it heavy?”

  “I’m a big woman. I use big tools.”

  “I don’t understand. Why are you pointing that at me?”

  Deloris breathed out a sigh. “I told you I didn’t want to talk about the products I sold. Just like I told Camden to shut up about my business. Now I’m telling you.”

  “Wait. I don’t know what you mean, but I promise I’ll shut up. I don’t need to know. My stupid curiosity always gets the best of me.”

  The woman made no sign of hearing me. “Camden was easy. He took a walk with me. Followed just like a puppy. Right into the alley behind the drugstore. He sure was surprised when I pulled out my Glock. This is going to be a bit trickier.”

  She waved the gun around a little bit as she spoke. I flinched, wondering when it would go off.

  “That wimp said he was afraid the warehouse was suspicious of him and Mallozi. He didn’t want to get caught, so we had to stop, or he would turn in my boy.”

  The old woman continued to wave the barrel of the gun. “Deloris, I wish you wouldn’t talk with your hands. It’s sort of dangerous.

  She paid no attention. “
I knew where the goods came from. Did you think I was a dummy? You all misjudge older people. Camden thought I was a pushover. He wanted out. Threatened to tell the police if we went on with it. I told him I wouldn’t close my business. In fact I’d increase it. I’d have Mallozi share some of the big stuff from the warehouse.”

  “You’re a good businesswoman.”

  Deloris made a face. “Such a baby. Camden freaked out and said he was pulling the plug on the whole caper. He said he cared about me so was telling me first. Didn’t want me to get into trouble. He thought I’d appreciate the kindness.”

  She shook the gun at me. “Just like you.”

  I scanned the room for a place to hide. Would the recliner stop a bullet? Probably not. Deloris had a really big gun.

  “Camden would have spoiled everything. So I led him to the alley, pulled this out, and shot him. Man, was he surprised. I told Mallozi, and we agreed we shouldn’t leave the body lying around, so he took care of it. At least I thought he did.”

  I edged toward the recliner.

  Deloris steadied her gun on me. Don’t move.”

  I froze mid-stride.

  She shuffled over to the scooter. Once mounted, she pulled a sweater from her bed and wrapped it around the Glock. Then yanked the plug from the outlet. “You walk ahead of me. I don’t want a mess in my room.”

  A mess?

  Trembling, I looked toward the door. Could I get out in time?

  As if reading my thoughts, she said. “Don’t try to run. I’m a good shot. If I miss you, I might accidentally hit one of those old people. Wouldn’t matter, they don’t have long to live anyway. But I know you’d feel terrible about it, wouldn’t you?”

  “Uh-huh.” I obediently held my hands up and walked out of the room.

  Deloris shouted. “Are you nuts? Put your hands down. Do you want everyone to know what’s going on? I’ll have to start shooting.”

  I dropped my hands to my sides and lumbered to the exit. A dozen residents milled about in the lobby. I prayed none of them would approach us. I punched the button to open the door for Deloris. She indicated I should walk ahead.