Death Comes in Threes

by Marja McGraw

  Everyone left the room except my mother and Bubba. “I’m not leaving your side, and apparently neither is your dopey dog.”

  Bubba turned a wide-eyed look in her direction.

  “Sorry, sweetie.” She stroked his big head.

  While she settled herself at the kitchen table, I picked up the phone and dialed the police department. It was kind of a sad statement that I knew the number by heart. Unfortunately, Rick wasn’t in. He’d taken the evening off. I left a message asking him to call me as soon as was back in the office.

  I turned to my mother. “I wonder if Officer Hernandez is still cruising the neighborhood.”

  “Call Stan on the walkie talkie. He’ll know.”

  Pushing a button, I spoke. “Stan? Have you seen Officer Hernandez this evening? Is he still watching the house?”

  “Roger that. He drove by about ten minutes ago.” I heard static before Stanley’s voice came on again. “Is there a problem?”

  “David saw the women sneak through the yard. He’s close – maybe in one of the vacant houses in the neighborhood.”

  “Will it help you if I come to the house?”

  “No, Stan. It’ll help more if you keep watching. It doesn’t seem that David has figured out you’re parked down the street yet.”

  “If you need me, just say the word. Roger and out.”

  Turning to my mother, I found her fanning herself.

  “That Stanley is a pistol,” she said. “It’s a good thing he knows what David looks like. How did that come about? I know you were working on two different cases, so how did the two jobs meet in the middle?”

  “Felicity wants to hear the story, so let’s save that for later. Right now I want to update everyone. I feel really bad that Glenna got dragged into this.”

  Mother tilted her head. “But Sandi, you don’t know if Ronald is really David. You could have two nut cases out there.”

  “Good point, Mother, but all signs lead to that conclusion. You’re right about both of them being nut cases, and their descriptions are too similar to be coincidence. And doesn’t the timing seem a little too perfect?”

  “In your opinion, dear. Stranger things have happened. We still need to be on the lookout for both men, just in case.”

  I sat down across the table from my mother. “You’re right, Mom. I’m too close to this and I guess I’m kind of willing them to be one man so I can deal with it. Think about it though. Glenna and I never have something going on at the same time. I receive a call, or she receives a call, but never at the same time.”

  “That really doesn’t mean anything, sweetie.”

  “You’re right.” I almost sighed, but caught myself before exhaling loudly. Instead, I walked to the drawer and pulled out a handful of chocolate bars. “Let’s join everyone.”

  Walking out to the living room, I tossed the candy on the coffee table. For the next few minutes all we could hear was the crinkling sound of wrappers being removed. At least I knew I wasn’t the only chocolate freak.

  “What now?” Dolly asked.

  “I tried to call Rick, but he’s off this evening. I’m going to see if I can leave a message for Officer Hernandez to stop by.” I’d brought the phone with me from the kitchen.

  The women spoke softly while I dialed. Everyone stopped talking while I left a message for Hernandez. The dispatcher said she’d have him contact me right away.

  “Aren’t you women afraid?” Glenna asked, glancing at each of our faces. “I am.”

  “As long as we’re together, we’ll be okay.” Felicity’s positive attitude was what Glenna and I both needed at the moment.

  Dolly looked at the clock. It was after eight o’clock. It had been a very long day and a lot had happened. “I’m tired,” she said. “Glenna, why don’t you walk me home? You can spend the night at my house. I’d rather not be alone, and this Ronald of yours would never think to look for you at my house.”

  Glenna glanced at me.

  Dolly stood, picking up her purse. “She’ll be fine with her mother and Felicity here.” “And Stan is down the street watching all of us. We’ll keep the walkie talkie close.”

  Glenna stood, too. “I might feel safer at your house. No one would know I was there.”

  I didn’t want to mention that David could see both the front and back yard. Wait a minute! How could he see both the front and the back? He had to be in a house on my side of the street, which narrowed things down. He needed to be able to walk from the front of the house to the back, and it had to be a two-story house in order for him to be able to see over the fences in the back.

  “I’m cookin’ with gas, girls. I just had an epiphany that might lead us to David.” I explained what I thought, along with my reasoning.

  Dolly yawned. “Okay, we’ll walk between the houses, from your porch to mine. He won’t be able to see that. I’m too pooped to pop right now. A good night’s sleep and I’ll be right as rain.”

  Dolly and Glenna left. Only five minutes went by before the doorbell rang. I turned to answer it, and the phone rang.

  “You answer the phone and I’ll get the door.” My mother stood up and turned toward the door.

  “Look through the peep hole before you open the door.” Giving her the same order she’d given me felt good.

  Chapter Twenty

  I watched my mother open the door while I picked up the ringing phone. I could see Officer Hernandez standing on the porch and I waved him in.

  “Hello?” I finally remembered I was holding the phone.

  “Oh, dear. Sandi, you’d better come right over. I think Glenna is having what they call a meltdown.” Dolly sounded upset.

  “What happened?”

  “That man called her. He said he… You’d better come over and talk to her yourself.”

  “I’ll be right over, Dolly. Officer Hernandez is here. I’ll bring him with me.”

  On our way across the yards I gave the officer a brief account of what was going on.

  “So you think Ronald Black might actually be David Smith?” Unconsciously, I thought, Hernandez moved his hand to his gun.

  “It’s possible, but I don’t know for sure. Ronald called Glenna not long after David called me. Don’t you find the timing kind of interesting?”

  Officer Hernandez shrugged his shoulders, but I noticed him checking out our surroundings closely. “Let’s see what this Glenna has to say. Knowing what Black said to her might tell us something.”

  By that time we’d reached Dolly’s porch. I rang the bell and waited, and the wait wasn’t long.

  “Come in. Hurry up. Something’s wrong with her chest, but she told me not to call 9-1-1. She said you’d know what was wrong.” Dolly took my hand and pulled me behind her, heading for the kitchen as fast as her tiny little feet would carry her.

  Glenna sat on a chair by the kitchen table, holding her chest and looking pale.

  “I need a paper bag, Dolly.” I squatted down in front of Glenna.

  “I’ll call this in.” Hernandez reached for the shoulder microphone clip he wore.

  “Wait,” Glenna said. “I’ll be okay in a minute. I just can’t breathe.”

  Hernandez looked unconvinced undecided.

  “She’s hyperventilating.” I patted her knee.

  “What about her holding her chest?” Dolly asked, handing me the paper bag.

  “The muscles in her chest tighten when she gets stressed. We’ve been through this before.” I handed Glenna the bag and she began breathing into it.

  While we waited for her to recover, I explained to Hernandez what had happened earlier in the day. “My theory is that David is hiding out in one of the vacant houses on the street. He can see both my front yard and my back yard, so I think he’s on my side of the street.”

  Dolly picked up the thread. “The Jackson’s are on vacation, so their house is vacant. They live on the other side of my house. There are two homes that were foreclosed on just past Sandi’s house. Well, the Ingles l
ive on the other side, but the two just past that are vacant.”

  I crossed my arms and faced Officer Hernandez. “So what are you going to do?”

  “Check the houses. If anything looks out of place, I’ll call for backup. But first I want to hear what Black said to Miss…” He turned to Glenna who was sitting up and watching us. Her color was returning and she was patting her chest instead of holding it.

  “Tate. Glenna Tate.”

  “Okay, Miss Tate, what did the caller say to you?”

  She took a deep breath before tears filled her eyes. “He said he’d followed me and he knew where I was staying.”

  “Did he say anything to indicate he knew you were in this house?” Hernandez watched Glenna closely.

  “Not this house, but he mentioned seeing Sandi’s dog in the front yard earlier today. He said he knew how to take care of stupid critters, no matter how big they are. I’m sorry, Sandi, but that’s what he said.”

  My heart sank. Walking to Dolly’s wall phone, I picked it up and called my house. “Mother, keep Bubba inside. Don’t let him out unless I’m there.”

  She started to question me. “Later,” I said, and hung up on her.

  “Did he say anything else? Did he threaten you?” Hernandez had pulled out a small pad and was writing notes.

  “Yes, sir. He called me some ugly names and said he was going to slit my throat.” The tears began to flow, running down her cheeks. She clutched her throat.

  Dolly pulled Glenna to her feet and hugged her. “Don’t worry, sweet one, we’re all going to take care of you. This nice policeman won’t let anything happen to you.” She had to stand on her toes to look over Glenna’s shoulder and smile sweetly at Hernandez.

  He didn’t smile back. “Can all of you women stay together tonight? Better yet, get out of here and find a motel.”

  “We’re staying next door. We’ll be fine as long as we’re all together.” My arms were still folded across my chest, but it wasn’t because I was taking a stand. I was cold, all the way to my toes. It wasn’t easy trying to be brave, and it wasn’t easy trying to keep Glenna assured that she’d be okay.

  Officer Hernandez left, saying he was going to check out the vacant houses.

  I asked him to let me know if he found anything.

  Dolly and Glenna returned to my house. They’d have to share my bed, but somehow I didn’t think they’d mind. Neither one of them wanted to be alone.

  My mother climbed the stairs to the guest room, and Felicity and I settled down in the living room. I put a sheet and blanket on the couch for her while I pulled out a sleeping bag for myself. She argued about the sleeping arrangements, suggesting I should sleep on the couch, but I persisted.

  Glancing at the clock, I saw it was almost midnight. This had been one of the longest days of my life. I was exhausted, but too wound up to sleep.

  After I turned out the lights, Felicity and I talked for a few minutes.

  “Do you really think David is Ronald?” she asked.

  “I think it’s a good possibility. We’ll figure it out.”

  “There could actually be two men watching us.” She wasn’t ready to let it go.

  “It’s possible, but I don’t think so.”

  “You’re burying your head in the sand, Sandi. You shouldn’t be in this house and neither should the rest of us. You’re in a lot more danger than you’re willing to admit.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “Yeah. But I’m still letting Bessie spend the night with us.”

  “Bessie?” I asked.

  “My gun. She’s under my pillow.”

  “Oh, crap,” I said quietly.

  “I heard that, and you might thank me later.”

  “I hope I don’t have to.”

  “I’ve got the safety on.”

  I didn’t sleep well, but it was more than worrying that kept me awake. I was out of my comfort zone on the floor in the living room, and I was used to hearing Bubba snoring. He’d decided to sleep in his normal spot near the bed in my bedroom, so it was very quiet in the living room – that is until Felicity fell asleep and began snoring softly.

  I saw a light from Officer Hernandez’ car slide across the front window a couple of times, which made me feel a little better. He’d stopped in before we went to bed and reported that he couldn’t find anything out of place at the neighboring houses. Still, he’d keep an eye on them throughout the night, and he’d report the situation to his replacement. He reminded us that Stanley was watching the house, too. He seemed to have a calming effect on everyone except me.

  After he left we decided to go to another bridal shop in the morning. It might be distracting, and we all needed something to do other than sitting around my house worrying. Being in a public place wouldn’t hurt, either.

  I didn’t say anything to my mother and friends, but I’d be keeping a sharp eye out for David since I knew he’d watched us at the other shop.

  I couldn’t help it. I wished he’d make his move so we could get this whole thing over with. Maybe that was part of his plan – to make me squirm.

  Felicity’s snoring stopped. “Why don’t you sleep on the bed in your office?”

  Without a word I picked up the sleeping bag and headed for the office. What could I have been thinking? I was so distracted that I wasn’t thinking at all. I should have offered the bed to Felicity, but she was snoring again before I finished picking up the bag.

  I drifted off in the wee small hours of the morning.

  ~ * ~

  I awoke to the sound of the telephone. It seemed like I’d just fallen asleep when the shrill ring disturbed the silence. I ran to the kitchen and tried to reach it before it woke my guests, but within seconds everyone except Dolly stood nearby while I spoke to Rick. She wasn’t far behind the rest of the women though.

  After explaining my theory about David staying in one of the vacant houses nearby, I waited while Rick absorbed what I’d said.

  “My best guess is that you’re right,” he said. “Hernandez checked things out closely last night, and he left me a note about the situation. I’m going to drive over and check it out for myself this morning. He might have missed something in the dark.”

  “Good idea, Rick. By the way, I like Officer Hernandez. He makes me feel kind of secure, even given the circumstances.”

  “He’s protective when it comes to young women. His wife’s friend was murdered and he remembers what she went through. And he’s a good cop. With all the cutbacks, he’s been helping us here in the Homicide Division.”

  “Will you let me know if you find anything when you recheck the houses?”

  “Sure.”

  “We’re going to be out this morning, looking at wedding gowns, but I’ll be home around noon. And you’ve got my cell phone number.”

  I could hear the smile in Rick’s voice when he said, “Have fun shopping. You and Pete getting married is going to be a big deal to some of us.” Pete had been a cop with the L.A.P.D. until an eye injury caused him to leave. He had a lot of friends in the department.

  “Imagine how I feel. I sure wish he was here.”

  The smiled disappeared from Rick’s voice. “I wish he was, too. Keep your eyes open while you’re out today, and don’t separate from the other women.”

  “You think my mother would let me out of her sight?”

  “Oh, yeah.” The smile was back in place.

  After Rick and I hung up the women separated, Dolly and Glenna heading to her house, while Felicity, my mother and I took turns using the shower. We agreed to meet back at my house for a light breakfast.

  I took my shower and headed downstairs while Felicity and my mother fussed with their hair and make-up.

  Bubba had been very patient. I’d made him stay in until I could go outside with him. Since I hadn’t carried out a ball to play catch, he did his business and began his morning tour of the yard. I walked with him. If he found anything that hadn’t been there the day befor
e, I wanted to inspect it first.

  Since Ronald (or possibly David) had threatened my mangy mutt, I decided I’d ask Dolly to let him stay at her house while we were shopping. I didn’t think either man would bother with Dolly’s house. I sincerely hoped he and Miss Kitty wouldn’t annoy each other. Coming home to find Dolly’s house in a shambles would be the last thing I wanted to happen.

  Finding nothing of interest, Bubba and I returned to the kitchen. I fed him and pulled three boxes of cereal out of the cupboard. We needed something light, and I didn’t feel like cooking, so cereal was about as light of a breakfast as I could offer.

  The phone rang and I picked it up, not knowing who or what to expect. I heard heavy breathing and hung up. I wasn’t in the mood to play games with David or anyone else.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  I’d been right when I decided the bridal shop would be a good distraction. After carefully surveying the parking lot and surrounding area for muscular blonde men, we entered the store and found two sales clerks talking in hushed voices. One of them hurried over to help us, but she kept glancing over her shoulder toward the dressing rooms.

  “May I help you?” she asked.

  “We have an appointment with Ralph.” Felicity glanced around the shop.

  “I’m sorry, but Mr. Goodbody had to run out to handle a dress disaster. May I be of help to you instead?”

  “Yes, thank you,” I said. “I’d like to look at some wedding dresses, but I don’t want a formal, full-length dress. It’s going to be a small wedding and I – ”

  She held up her hand. “Just a moment. Please be patient. We have an unusual situation going on here.”

  I glanced up and saw the other clerk waving her over. “Here he comes,” she whispered.

  He? I guessed a prospective groom might be helping his bride pick out a dress. Maybe he’d gone into the dressing room with his bride-to-be. And maybe the clerks were uncomfortable with that arrangement.

  Following the gaze of the sales clerks, we all watched while the door to one of the dressing rooms opened. A large, very masculine man stepped out wearing a taffeta and lace bridal gown, holding the dress up to avoid stepping on the hem. He looked at the two clerks before turning to us with an expression that almost dared us to say something. Interestingly, he wore a baseball cap with the bill turned to the rear of his head, covering a buzzed haircut. He couldn’t have been more than forty. Other than the dress and the way it fit him, he looked like an ordinary guy, including a five o’clock shadow.