“Jesus, Mom,” James Porelli fumed.” What the hell were you thinking? Getting arrested for flashing.” He shoved his foot angrily against the accelerator and sent his Camaro faster into the darkness ahead.” You’ve done some real stupid things before, but this beats all. When word of this gets out, I’m gonna be the laughing stock of the town council. Hell, I might not get re elected next year.”
Liz was too tired to listen. She slouched back in the passenger seat and let her throbbing head rest against the back rest. Flashes of street lights waved over her periodically, as the car rolled on. She closed her eyes to keep them out, but she could still tell when they passed by. James’ voice was ringing in her ears with an echoing din. She wished she could just turn a switch and turn him off.
Finally, she could no longer stand his ranting and she opened her eyes, pushed herself more erect in the seat and said,” For crying out loud, Jim. Can’t you shut up? I told you what happened. I wasn’t flashing and it was all a mistake. They wouldn’t have let me go if it wasn’t.” She was still wearing the orange prisoner trousers she had been issued in jail.
“That’s not the point, Mom,” James said.” It doesn’t matter if it was a mistake or not. The fact is you were arrested for it and that’s all anyone is going to remember.”
“Well, you don’t have to tell anyone about it.”
“What do you think will happen when you start spouting all that nonsense about Ben MacCready? He’s the Chief of Police, for Christ sakes.”
“It’s not nonsense. It’s true. Deb knows it too. But, I wouldn’t believe her.”
“Never believe anything Deb says. That’s your problem, Mom. You’ve been living with that fruit cake much too long.”
“Deb takes good care of me. I don’t see you coming around to help.”
“Now don’t start that again. You know I have other commitments. I just don’t have the time.”
“Besides, Vera wouldn’t like it either.” Liz added for him.
“Now, just wait a minute, Mom. This has nothing to do with me or Vera. I’m talking about you and what happened tonight.”
“That’s what I’m talking about too. What happened tonight. It was a nightmare for me and all you care about is you. If it had been up to me, I would’ve called Hal to pick me up. Francis just assumed you were the one to call, since I told him not to call Deb.”
“Fine. Excuse me for coming to your rescue.” James pouted.
“Look, Jimmy,” Liz said as she did when he was a little boy.” I appreciate you coming for me like this. In the middle of the night and cold as it is, but I just don’t want to listen to your constant bantering. I have had too rough a night and I’m tired. Can’t you just let it go until tomorrow?” She slouched back in the seat and closed her eyes.
James glanced at her, knowing she was shutting him out now. Maybe she was right, but he sure as hell wouldn’t apologize to her.
It was afternoon when Liz woke up. There was a heavy weight on her chest and as she opened one eye to a slit, she saw big brown eyes staring into her face. Sissy Boom Boom had crawled up on her bed and lay across her, staring into her face waiting for her to wake up.
Sissy raised her head as she saw Liz’s eyes start to open. She wagged her tail and licked at Liz’s cheek. Liz put her hands around the little pug and pushed her back from her face so the tongue couldn’t reach it. She rubbed the pooch affectionately behind her ears and said,” Oh, poor baby. Mommy’s left you alone for so long hasn’t she?”
Sissy rolled over on her back. Liz raised herself to a sitting position and rubbed the little dog’s tummy. She smiled at Sissy as she played.
Suddenly, a darkness came over Liz’s face as she remembered the night before. It had been almost like one of her terrible dreams, but her sleep had been dreamless, which was a rare occasion for Liz. The night before had been real and still vivid in her memory, unlike the fleeting memory of a bad dream.
She picked up the pooch and hugged her, holding her tight against her. She looked about the room and listened to the silence. Deb had gone to work and she was all alone. Fear started to creep over her. What if MacCready came after her while she was here alone? She had better get up she told herself. She would call Hal to come stay with her.
When James had brought her home the night before, Deb had awakened briefly to help Liz into bed. Liz had not told Deb what had happened, for she didn’t want her to think she had to stay home from work to protect her. Besides, she didn’t feel like going into the whole story, any how. She had just wanted to get to bed.
She put the pooch down and shooed her onto the floor. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and reached for her cane. It wasn’t there. Then she remembered she had dropped it outside the hospital. That meant for sure, the night before had been real.
“What do you think, we ought to do now?” Hal Hall asked. He was sitting on the couch across from Liz. She was holding Sissy Boom Boom on her lap and rubbing her behind the ears.
“I don’t know,” Liz said. I’m afraid, but I don’t think anybody is going to believe me about Ben MacCready.”
“No,” Hal said emphatically.” They won’t. You’re not going to like this Liz. But I find it hard to believe myself.” Liz started to say something, but Hal added.” It’s not that I don’t believe you, Liz, but I know Ben, and I just can’t believe he’s what you say he is. Maybe you’ve just jumped to the wrong conclusions.”
Liz shook her head vehemently.” I know what happened. He chased me. He’s followed me and stalked Celia Parks. It couldn’t be any clearer than that. What other conclusion could I come to.”
“I don’t know,” Hal said.” But, there’s got to be some explanation to all of this.”
“But, there isn’t any, Hal.”
“Maybe we should talk to Tom about this. He might know something,” Hal suggested.
“I thought about that,” Liz said.” But, I didn’t want to call the police station. I was afraid Ben would be there and know I was home.”
“He probably does anyways,” Hal said.” I can’t see him not checking on that, the first thing back here.”
“Then why hasn’t he been around. If he meant to harm me last night, why didn’t he follow me home and finish the job?”
“I don’t know, but maybe you answered your own question.”
Liz looked perplexed.” What do you mean by that?”
“Just maybe, he didn’t mean to harm you after all.”
Liz thought that over for a moment. Absentmindedly, she put Sissy down and reached for the candy dish on the coffee table. The little pug scampered away into the kitchen as Liz plucked a lollipop from the dish and unwrapped it. Cherry. She put it in her mouth, tasting it and pushing it to the side so it made a bulge in her left cheek.” How about you call Tom for me. Maybe he can come over.”
Hal took out his cell and started to dial.” I thought you’d never ask,” he said.
The phone rang on the other end and a female voice came on.” Sadie,” Hal said.” This is Hal Hall. Is my son Tom there? I’d like to talk to him.”
“No, I’m sorry. Tom is out on a case. But, Ben’s here, and he’d like to talk to you. Just a minute while I put him on.”
*****
Chapter Twenty Five
Monsters and Lollipops Page 25