by Jane Tesh
“Wait a minute. He knew your Avenger stuff was all made up?”
“Yes.” She gripped the sheet with her free hand. “When I first saw that letter from his son, I thought it was another ‘Your Turn’ article.” Her voice wobbled. “I can’t believe he’d want me dead. Maybe he was just trying to scare me.”
I picked up the phone. “So we’re going to return the favor.” Brooke watched, puzzled, as I punched in the number for “Your Turn,” but as I talked, she slowly began to smile. “Um, yes, I want to say that I think it’s an absolute shame that the editor of the Herald is making up all these awful stories to go in ‘Your Turn’ to sell papers. Everybody knows none of that stuff is true, and he ought to be taken to court, that’s what I say. We have enough real crime in town. And speaking of real crime, why doesn’t somebody ask that editor what he knows about the museum funds being embezzled? Seems to me he knows more than he’s letting on. If he’s got an explanation, it had better be a good one. It’s your turn, bud.” I hung up and grinned at Brooke. “Think that’ll get his attention?”
“That’s perfect.”
“You try one.”
I punched in the number and handed her the phone. She cleared her throat and spoke in a feathery drawl. “Yes, this is about the rumor that Mister Galvin down at the paper had something to do with the museum robbery. I can’t believe a newspaperman would stoop so low, not at such a fine publication as the Herald. If this rumor is true, then I urge all the citizens of Parkland to demand Mister Galvin’s resignation and turn the paper over to someone with integrity, like Mister Chance Baseford, who writes all those lovely reviews. That’s all I have to say.” She hung up, almost bursting with laughter. “Oh, my. Why didn’t I think of this? David, we have to do more.”
“I’ve got all day.” As abruptly as she’d laughed, more tears welled in her eyes. I handed her a tissue. “Take it easy. We’ll get him.”
“It’s not that.” She wiped her eyes. “Why are you doing this for me?”
“Maybe I was wrong about you.”
She sniffed and got control. “Thanks.”
“I still think you’re pushy and obnoxious, but that’s no reason we can’t work together to nail this guy.”
She wiped her nose. Her eyes gleamed with tears and with her old humor. She handed me the phone. “Your turn.”
Chapter Twenty-three
“He Was Cut Off Out of the Land of the Living”
We spent most of the morning disguising our voices and calling in to complain about Galvin. At one point, we enlisted the nurse to make a call, and the Candy Striper who brought some flowers from one of Brooke’s girlfriends joined in the game with a pitiful little-girl voice wanting to know if everything in the paper was fake.
By this time, I thought Brooke needed to rest, but she said, “One more call. We need to make sure he reads them all.” She took the phone and punched in a different number. “Sara? Brooke Verner. I’m much better, thank you. Could you do me a favor? I know Galvin’s going to be really busy today getting out the special holiday issue. Would you make sure he gets a copy of today’s ‘Your Turn’ calls? I know he would appreciate that.” She paused. “Would you? Thanks.” She hung up and closed her eyes. “Time to put this story to bed.”
“I need to ask you one more thing, Brooke.”
“Okay.”
Camden kept saying the same man was responsible. He’d been in tune with Jared’s stabbing and Alycia’s close call, and he’d reacted strongly when Brooke was shot, so the same person was sending all the evil thoughts his way. “Can you recall Galvin’s reaction to Jared Hunter’s murder?”
“Oh, he was thrilled. Big news. Mystery attacker still at large.” She yawned hugely. “Lord, I’m tired.”
“I’ll stop by the Herald and see the results of our handiwork. I’ll give you a full report.”
“Thanks again, Randall. I hope we provoked him into making a move. Just don’t get shot.”
To be on the safe side, I called Jordan and asked if Officer Peterson could come to the hospital and sit for a while outside Brooke’s room.
***
Chance Baseford poked his large head out of his office as I went by. “Have you heard the latest? Seems the Avenger’s not the only hoax around here.”
“What’s going on?”
Baseford looked gleeful. “The whole place is in an uproar. The girls in the front office thought they’d be helpful and leave a copy of today’s ‘Your Turn’ calls on Galvin’s desk. Every single one is about Galvin! The calls all claim he writes ‘Your Turn,’ and get this, had something to do with funds being embezzled from the museum.”
“Really?”
Baseford rubbed his hands. “Oh, this is rich. He’s always going on and on about truth in reporting. He’s dug a nice little hole for himself. You may be looking at the next editor of the Herald here, Randall.”
“Where is Galvin?”
“Locked in his office, I’m sure.”
Galvin wasn’t in his office. I looked on his desk, hoping to see the letter from Bert, but his desk was clean. I stood in the doorway for a moment, feeling I should recognize something, but it wouldn’t come to me, so I left. His assistant editor was in the conference room with several other editors, checking on the layout for the next issue.
“Anybody seen Galvin?”
The assistant editor looked up. “He left a short while ago. Said he had some meeting to cover.”
“You mean he had his ass to cover,” another man said.
My plan seemed to be working. “You guys talking about ‘Your Turn’?”
The assistant grimaced. “Seems the word is out. When we asked Galvin about it, he just left. Doesn’t look good.”
I was really glad I’d left a policeman at the hospital. “Any idea where he went?”
A third man shrugged. “Charged out. Looked kinda gray, though.”
“If this ‘Your Turn’ thing true, it’s going to be one hell of a story,” another man said. “We’d better leave a couple of columns on the front page.”
“Make sure that by-line says Brooke Verner,” I said.
I went back to Galvin’s office. The minute I stepped inside, I knew what I’d been missing. It wasn’t something I could see. It was a smell that took me back to Jared’s garage. That sweetness hadn’t been air freshener.
Peppermint.
***
Camden was helping a customer decide between two shiny blouses, but looked up when I entered the boutique.
“I’d pick the blue,” I told the woman. “Could you excuse us, please?” I pulled Camden aside.
“We need to find Ralph Galvin. You remember that odd smell in Jared’s garage? I thought it was auto air freshener, but it was leftover peppermint. Alycia remembers a smell from her attacker, which I’ll bet money was peppermint, too. Galvin chews it all the time.”
Camden stared at me. “Galvin killed Jared? Why?”
“Because when Jared, Alycia, and Galvin’s son Bert broke into the museum, they found Ralph already there. I think Ralph set them up. He told Bert about the map when he really needed a break in to cover up his own activities. If money’s missing, then Ralph can claim the thieves stole it. Alycia leaves town before he can get to her, so Ralph makes sure Jared goes to jail, but on a reduced sentence so it looks like Ralph’s a good guy, and then he locks his son up in an out of state hospital. He thought he was safe. When Jared got out of jail, he must have found out the truth, called Ralph, maybe threatened to blackmail him. Didn’t Alycia say Jared told her their money troubles were over? I’ll bet he was going to expose Ralph unless Ralph paid up. Ralph had to do something.”
“But to stab him like that—”
“Makes for exciting headlines, and you gotta admit Galvin’s good at making up his own news.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Camden went behind the counter and rang up the blouse. “Do you need this wrapped?”
“No, thank you.”
He handed the woman her change and put the blouse in a bag. “Thank you very much.”
As soon as she left, I said, “Can you tell where Galvin is right now?”
“No.”
Galvin could be anywhere in Parkland. That was a lot of city to cover. Then I thought of something. “How about calling in the SHS?”
Camden liked this idea. “You mean it?”
“It’s perfect. Do you know the secret signal to summon them?”
He picked up the phone. “Lily will know.”
“You round them up and tell them we could use their help.”
“Where are you going?”
“I think I know where Galvin might be hiding.”
***
Camden and I had blocked the tunnel under Carlene’s, and Jordan and his men had sealed the one under Trilby’s. But there was the other tunnel, the one under Royalle’s.
It took me longer than I liked to get across town to Royalle’s. I parked near the outside entrance and took my flashlight out of the car. I had to search for the tunnel entrance, but finally found it and pulled the cover aside. Dislodging more dirt and grass, I lowered myself into the tunnel. I hadn’t gone far before I smelled peppermint and heard someone’s heavy breathing. A kerosene lantern made looming shadows on the tunnel wall as Galvin rooted through Alycia’s left over camping equipment.
“Hi, Ralph,” I said.
He swerved, breathing hard. His eyes glittered in the lantern light. “What are you doing here?”
“Out for a stroll. What you got there?”
He had a duffel bag in one hand. “None of your business.”
“Not planning to stay down here, are you? It’s a little musty.”
“What do you want, Randall?”
“How come you’re not making a break for it?”
Galvin set his bag down. “Why should I make a break for anything?”
“Maybe the superhero community isn’t happy with the way they’re portrayed in the Herald.”
“Do you have something to do with that large woman dressed as Robin Hood and some geek covered in aluminum foil standing across the street? Did you tell those people to harass me?”
I was happy to hear that Destiny’s Arrow and Last Nerve had answered the call so quickly. “Shouldn’t bother you if you have nothing to hide. And speaking of hiding, why are you down here in this hole?”
He took out a gun. “You’ve made a big mistake.”
“No, I think you have. The Sugar Baby and ‘Your Turn’ stuff probably would’ve blown over, but murder, that’s another story.”
“Murder? What are you talking about?”
“Jared Hunter.”
“Why would I kill Jared Hunter?”
“Because he knew you embezzled funds from the museum. You could put your son away, and you couldn’t find Alycia, but you knew exactly when Jared got out of jail. What happened? Did he call you, threaten you? Or maybe he called Bert, poor Bert who’s writing letters begging you to let him come home. Maybe Bert wrote letters to Jared, too.”
“Shut up.”
“Camden knows everything, too, and so do all of his friends in the Superhero Society, so after you kill me, you’ll have to kill them, too. And don’t forget Brooke. She’s not dead yet. You’ve got your work cut out for you.”
Galvin’s face twisted. I really didn’t think he’d try to shoot his way out, but this was a guy who’d already stabbed one person, tried to strangle another, and probably knocked an old man over with his car. Before he decided to shoot me, I threw my flashlight at the kerosene lantern. The lantern broke, splattering burning kerosene on the tunnel walls. The brief flames sent shadows jumping on the ceiling and in the light, I saw Galvin turn and run in the opposite direction toward Royalle’s. I wasn’t sure if he knew the way out through the jewelry store basement, but I sure as hell didn’t want him anywhere near J.C. or Sim or anyone in Royalle’s.
I caught him as he was scrambling up toward the tunnel entrance, and we rolled in a tangle on the ground. He kicked himself free and gave me a shove that sent me into the wall and showered us with dirt and bits of wood. I hadn’t thought about the possibility of the tunnel collapsing.
Galvin must have had the same thought because he stopped. He was just a shape in the darkness, but I could hear him breathing hard.
“Ralph, there’s nowhere to go, and this tunnel could come down any minute. I don’t like the idea of being buried alive, no matter what a great story it would make.”
The sudden burst of light made us both squint and turn toward the basement entrance. The cover had been lifted off, and a clear female voice called out:
“Evildoer, beware! No one can hide from the light of Wonder Star!”
And there she was, looking down like an angel of vengeance.
I had a split second to decide whether to be freaked out by Kary’s appearance or use her well-timed diversion. I took the diversion and grabbed for Galvin’s gun.
“Kary, stay back!”
Galvin’s shots went wild, pinging into the walls, sending clods of dirt flying. I managed to pry the gun from his hands, but he yanked free. I tried to grab him as he ran past, but missed. The kerosene had burned out, but my flashlight was still on and had rolled to one side, so he had enough light to escape.
No, damn it! He couldn’t get away now.
But once again, I underestimated the Power of Good.
Galvin looked back over his shoulder to give me a smirk and fell over something that went, “Oof!” I tackled Galvin, and we landed hard on the packed dirt of the tunnel floor. By now, I was tired of this idiot. Jared had been a friend of Camden’s, and that was enough for me. I was pounding Galvin’s head into the ground when someone’s hands pried me off.
“Take it easy, Randall. I’d like something left to arrest.”
Jordan’s deep voice reached some last piece of civilization in me. I sat back, breathing hard. Flashlight beams spun around the tunnel as Camden and another policeman came running. Jordan hauled Galvin up, read him his rights, and handed him over to the policeman. I got up slowly. I straightened my clothes, and then noticed the black shape that had so conveniently played speed bump for Galvin’s escape. Two eyes gleamed from behind a mask.
Jordan dusted off his uniform. “Who’s this?”
“Jordan, I’d like you to meet Parkland’s one and only true superhero, the Mad Shadow.”
“The Mad Shadow zipped by the shopping center and gave me a ride,” Camden said.
“Please tell me it was a Shadowmobile,” I said.
“A Mustang GT. But it’s black.”
The Mad Shadow nodded. “And then I hurled myself into the darkness to heed your summons and apprehend this criminal.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Jordan peered closer. “Mister Shadow—or is it Ms?”
The Shadow hunched a shoulder. “I’ll never tell.”
“Well, the Shadow needs to come along with us and answer a few questions. Purely professional, man to man—uh, crime fighter to crime fighter.”
“Anything to help the fine officers of the law.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear. You, too, Randall, Cam. Let’s sort this out.”
***
It took a bit of sorting. Camden and I waited in Jordan’s office until Jordan finished interrogating Galvin. We agreed not to say anything about the timely arrival of Wonder Star, who left as soon as the police arrived and returned to her lair like the wise superhero she was.
Jordan came
in and sat down at his desk. “Well, you were right, Randall. Bert Galvin was the one who urged Jared Hunter to break into the museum. Somehow, Ralph Galvin convinced us that it was Hunter’s idea, and Bert was cleared of all charges.”
“All to distract you from the real crime, the embezzling of museum funds.”
“That’s exactly what happened.”
“I think either Jared Hunter was threatening to come forward with the truth, or demanding money from Galvin, so Galvin had to kill him. Since readership at the Herald was down, Galvin killed him in a gruesome way to get some headlines and pinned the crime on Taylor, another of Hunter’s friends. When there wasn’t enough evidence to convict Taylor, Galvin had to get rid of anyone who might have known about the museum funds.”
“How does Brooke Verner fit into all this?”
“Brooke found out Galvin wasn’t just making up ‘Your Turn’ articles. He was manufacturing all kinds of stories. She was getting too close to the truth about Hunter’s death, so Galvin tried to silence her, as well. He might have gotten away with it, too, but something spooked him.”
Jordan gave Camden and me a narrow-eyed look. “I wonder what that might have been.”
“A couple of calls to the ‘Your Turn’ line?”
Jordan opened a folder on his desk. “I believe the number is closer to thirty.”
“So Galvin remembered about the tunnels and decided to camp out until he could leave Parkland.”
“Yes.” Jordan opened another folder. “All this to cover up his embezzling. Doesn’t make any sense to me, but then, these killers never do.”
Camden had been quiet through all this. “Make sure he doesn’t kill again.”
“Oh, trust me. He’s going under the jail. Gonna make a hell of a story for the Herald.” Jordan sat back in his chair. “Okay, your work here is done. Go home.”
I looked around for my speed bump. “You’re going to let the Mad Shadow go, I hope?”
“Yeah, it was right helpful.”
“It? You didn’t find out the Shadow’s real name or gender?”