by Ann Mullen
“I did not leave her at the altar.”
“You might as well have. You broke up with her two days before the wedding.”
“How did she know we were waiting for you?” I asked. “When she came through those doors and saw Jonathan, the first thing she said was how sorry she was that you had died. And she was quite descriptive about how you died.”
“She saw me. She even said hello,” Billy said. “We talked for a brief moment while I waited for the doctor to return.”
I looked at Jonathan and said, “I’ll kill her! No, better yet, I’ll make her wish she was dead!”
“Don’t bother, `ge ya,” Billy said. “She has enough problems. She has much pain. Her father had a heart attack and died a month ago, and her mother has cancer. Leave her be. I’m alive… and I’m fine. I’m starving, but otherwise, I’m okay.”
“Is that true, Dr. Bryant? Is Billy going to be all right?”
“He’s as healthy as a horse,” Dr. Bryant said. He handed me a sheet of paper, one similar to the many others I’ve seen over a period of time. “You know what this is, but I’m going to tell you anyway.” He went on to explain about Billy’s wound. The fact that the bullet was a through-and-through and hadn’t hit any bone was a good thing. “He’ll be in considerable pain for a while, but I’ve written a prescription to manage that, and he’ll need to be on antibiotics. If he starts running a fever, or…”
“I know the drill, Dr. Bryant,” I said. “I’ll check the wound for redness or signs of infection when we change the dressing and if he starts running a fever, I’ll make sure he comes back to the hospital. I’m just so glad my husband is alive!” I jumped up and down until my head felt as if it was going to explode. “I think I need to sit down.”
“I’ll hold you up, `ge ya,” Billy said as he grabbed me by the waist with the arm holding his coat.
“Just don’t ever let me go!” I demanded as I kissed him about the face several times. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
Dr. Bryant smiled and said he had to get back to work. “I have children in college, so I have to go earn a living. You folks take it easy, and by all means, stay safe.” He turned and walked away.
All of us gathered together and were about ready to leave when we saw Holly pass by. She smiled and waved as she pushed the wheelchair holding her mother through a set of double doors.
“I could hate her if I didn’t know she had so much on her plate,” I said. “The heck with her. You’re alive and that’s all that matters.” I hugged him again.
“Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving,” Billy said. “Somebody call the house and tell Helene to throw something on the table. We’re coming home.”
“I hope that invitation applies to us as well,” Savannah said. “We need a ride back to Vera’s car.”
“I’m going to head home,” Robert said as he gave Billy a hug. “I have a lot to do before tomorrow. I’m glad you’re all right, brother.”
“I am, too,” Billy replied. “Are you sure you don’t want to follow us home and get something to eat?”
“No, I’m good,” Robert said. “I’m going to stop by the restaurant to make sure everything’s running smoothly. I might get something while I’m there. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Now that I know Billy’s all right, I’m going to head back home, too,” Mom said. She looked at me. “Unless you want me to go home with you.”
“No, I’ll be okay, Mom. Claire and Randy are waiting for you. You go on home. Just call me as soon as you get there. Okay? I’ll worry the whole time. Or… maybe you should…”
“I’ll be okay,” Mom said. “Eddie’s been waiting in the cafeteria. He didn’t want me to come by myself, so he rode with me.”
“Why didn’t you …”
“Because this was very personal, and I wanted my time with my baby.” She hugged me, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Look at me. I’m such a mess. Eddie will…”
“He’ll love you, Mama. It takes a good man to sit in a hospital cafeteria waiting for his woman, not knowing how long he’ll have to sit there. But he did it for you. I’d say you got yourself a fine catch. Daddy would be happy for you. I know I am.”
“Stop!” Savannah said. “I just can’t cry anymore.”
Mom sniffled and said, “He is a pretty decent feller, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is,” I answered. I looked over at Robert and asked, “Would you mind walking my mother to the cafeteria? I don’t want her to be alone.”
“It would be my honor,” Robert said. He held out his hand to her, and the two of them headed down the hallway.
Mom glanced back one last time and blew a kiss our way.
“Let’s hit the road, folks,” Billy said. “I’ve had enough of this hospital to last a lifetime.”
All of us turned and headed for the hospital exit. The day was coming to an end and so was the pain I had suffered through a little while ago. I had my husband back, and that’s all that mattered. My anger toward a woman who had tried to bring pain to my family was also gone. We walked out into the cold night air.
“Whew!” Savannah said. “It sure is cold out here.”
I looked up at the sky and watched as a snowflake fell on my face. Another flake fell… and then another. I held out my hand as if I were trying to catch the falling flakes. I smiled as I said, “I love the snow. I love the way it falls to the ground and then accumulates, covering everything in sight.”
The ride home seemed short. I clung to Billy the whole way. We pulled up into the driveway and then got out of the Humvee.
“You don’t have to hold onto me,” he said as we walked up to the porch. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not taking any chances,” I replied. “I’m not letting you out of my sight for the next ten years. Never. Nada. No way!”
“That ought to be fun,” Billy joked, giving me the eye.
We laughed… and it felt so good.
Helene greeted us as we all filed inside, one by one. Athena and Thor stood quietly by her side. She closed the door and remarked about the weather. “They’re calling for six inches of snow by the morning. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”
“It’s already been a long day,” Billy said.
I took off my coat and hung it on the coat rack, and then took Billy’s coat from around his shoulders.
“I guess I’ll need to wash this one along with the one in the laundry room.”
“I guess so,” Billy said, and smiled a faint smile as if to say everything was really going to be all right.
I kissed him on the cheek and then looked down at the dogs. “What’s the matter with them?” I asked Helene. “They didn’t even bark.”
“I’ve trained them to be quiet when the children are asleep. They barked when you arrived, but now they’re silent. I explained to them that there was no need for such a fuss when one bark would do.”
“Hmm,” I uttered. “That’s scary. I’ve never seen them so quiet. I think I like it!”
As soon as I said that, Athena and Thor starting barking and ran up to me. They jumped around until I reached down and rubbed their heads. They both immediately calmed down, walked over by the fireplace, and laid down.
“Well, that didn’t last long,” Billy joked. “Where’s the cat?”
“Last time I saw him he was asleep on Minnie’s bed. I know she’s going to like that.”
Everyone took off their coats and huddled by the fireplace. Billy and I joined them. We needed instant relief from the cold outside—and we needed the closeness of each other.
“So, the kids are asleep, huh?” I said. “I bet they’re wondering what their mommy looks like. I haven’t seen them in hours.”
“They’re children,” Helene said. “They don’t forget their mommy.”
“You know just the right thing to say,” I said. “Billy was right about you. You’re a terrific person.”
“That’s me,” she chuckled. “I made a pot o
f stew. We had all that food, so I tossed most of it in a pot. Anyone hungry?”
“You bet,” Billy answered.
“I’m starving,” I agreed. “I haven’t been able to eat much. If I keep this up, I’ll blow away.” I looked at Jonathan, Savannah, and Vera. “How `bout it, guys? Anyone want a nice, hot bowl of stew?”
Jonathan made a remark about my thin frame, but pretended he didn’t say anything when I called him on it.
“Some women would die to look like me,” I said, teasing him.
“Some actually do,” Savannah said. “A character in one of my books literally starved herself to death. I was trying to make a statement about eating disorders.”
“Do you always do that in your books? I mean, make some kind of statement?”
“Of course, I do. I think all authors find a way to plug something or inject their opinions on a subject they’re writing about.”
“I’d like to talk more about your books, but first, I have to go see my little ones.”
“I’m coming with you,” Billy said. “I don’t want them to forget me, either.” He chuckled.
Everyone gathered at the table while Billy and I went to the children’s nursery. After a quick look, we headed straight to the kitchen table. We sat down and joined the others.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Helene said as she served up the bowls of soup. “Savannah, your husband called. He said he’d get here as fast as he could.”
“How did he know where to find me?”
“Minnie called him and told him what happened, and then she gave him every number she could think of just in case he couldn’t reach you. She even gave him the number of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the phone rang.
I jumped up to answer it and was surprised to see Sheriff Hudson’s number on Caller ID. “Hello, Sheriff Hudson. What can I do for you?”
“I just thought you’d like to know that we got a full confession out of Wayne Avery. It seems that he was the one who did it all. He set fire to Jonathan’s house. He killed those two people in Ruckersville and then set their house on fire to cover up the murders. He also killed the psychiatrist in Syria.”
“Do you believe him? He’s told so many lies.”
“Oh, I believe him. You had to be there, Jesse. That kid’s got mental problems.”
“Sheriff, sometimes kids are just born bad. That’s what my mother says. She seems to think that it’s in their genes.”
“You have a pretty smart mother. Regrettably, I think this kid turned bad not because of a gene, but because of the events in his life. As a young child, he was sexually abused by his grandfather’s friend.”
“How sad.”
“When the grandfather found out that his friend had abused his grandson, the man disappeared and has never been found. The man’s wife filed a police report claiming that the grandfather had something to do with her husband’s disappearance, but nothing was ever proved. That was over twelve years ago, and when the grandfather died, the case died with him.”
“Are you serious?” I gasped.
“Oh, it just keeps getting better and better. I think that the only thing that kept Avery semi-sane was his father, and when his stepmother confessed to having an affair, it triggered something in him. He confessed to forcing pills down her throat—the same pills that killed her. In essence, her confession started a chain of events that led to arson and murder.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Did you know about the stepmother?” Sheriff Hudson asked, sheepishly.
“I just found out.”
“Wayne said the night the police were called to his house—the same night that his stepmother’s lover beat her, and she then pointed the finger at his father—the deputy pulled out of the driveway and ran over his dog. That deputy was Ronnie Crumpler, the same deputy whose sister was married to the guy who had the affair with Avery’s stepmother. So, as you can see, Wayne Avery had a lot of people he wanted to make pay. But he didn’t know how until his uncle let him read Savannah Kelley’s book. That’s where he got the idea to rid himself of those who had caused him pain.”
“Wow! This story sounds like something out of a soap opera.”
“Listen to this,” Sheriff Hudson continued. “Avery was furious that the deputy didn’t even apologize for killing his dog. Deputy Ronnie Crumpler was the next one on his list, after the psychiatrist.”
“I bet Deputy Crumpler is glad that Wayne Avery is in custody.”
“The weird thing is that Deputy Crumpler didn’t run over Avery’s dog. Avery didn’t have a dog.”
“Why would he say that if it wasn’t true?”
“He laughed and said that he made it up. He planned to kill my deputy because Deputy Crumpler was the one who arrested his father. See what I mean? The kid’s not right in the head. Look, I know you’re busy, so I won’t keep you. We can talk about this at another time.”
“What about Eric Webster?”
“That’s still to be determined. Wayne Avery incriminated Webster at first, and then he recanted, laying claim to all the murders. But we’re still going to arrest Webster for the abduction of Savannah Kelley, and I’m sure there will be other charges related to the shooting of Billy.”
“Thanks for calling, sheriff. I’m glad the killer has been caught.”
“He’s going to be locked up for a long time,” the sheriff added. “Oh, tell Billy that I’m glad he’s all right. I heard about the incident at the hospital. I’m surprised you didn’t attack Holly Dante.”
“Believe me, I gave it some serious consideration. Hey, how do you know all this stuff? Isn’t there anything we can do that you won’t find out about?”
“Like you told me recently, we’re friends. I keep track of my friends.”
“I’m glad you do. It’s nice to have someone looking out for us.”
“Just don’t cross the line, or I’ll throw your butt in jail just like I would anyone else.”
“I know you would.”
“My thoughts are with you and your family. I know it’s going to be a tough day tomorrow.”
“Thanks, sheriff.” I said good-bye, hung up the phone, and then went back to the table.
“That was a long conversation,” Billy said. “So, Wayne Avery confessed to everything.”
“Yes, and it’s a good thing he got caught when he did. His next victim was going to be one of Sheriff Hudson’s deputies. But that’s another story.”
“A story you can bet that I won’t write about,” Savannah said.
“According to what Avery told the sheriff, you already did. You told his story, only in real life it turned out a little differently.”
“I just can’t believe someone would use my book as a guideline for killing people.”
“The similarities are rather eerie,” Billy said. “The only difference is that the villain got caught before he managed to carry out the other murders.”
“Have you read my book?”
“No, I haven’t, but I think I might after Jesse finishes it. I’m just going by what I’ve been told. Your book sounds like something I’d be interested in, now that I’ve actually lived part of it.”
“I don’t mean to butt in,” Helene said, looking at me. “But did Captain Waverly talk to you at the hospital?”
“No, he didn’t,” I said. “I didn’t see him there.”
“He said he was going to the hospital to follow up on what happened here.”
“I talked to him,” Billy said. “He agreed with me that the killer has been caught, and there will be various charges against Eric Webster.”
“Life is good,” I said, and then my thoughts turned to Daniel. “Except when it’s bad.”
“Where is Geneva?” Billy asked. “I thought she’d still be here.”
“She got a call from Sarah and then left. I got so busy looking after the kids and making the stew that I forgot to call her.”
> I’m sure everything is fine, but maybe we should give your mother a call,” I said to Billy.
“I called her on my cell phone from the hospital. I wanted her to know that I was all right. I didn’t want her to worry.”
“They let you use your phone in the hospital?”
“They didn’t have much choice. I told them that if they didn’t let me call my mother, I’d sue them. I think that scares them more than anything. Just threaten to sue. You can get anything you want. Well… almost. Besides, the lady who examined me had the hots for me. I could see it in her eyes.”
“You liar! Billy the Liar!” Jonathan said, making fun of what Billy had said to me earlier.
A cell phone played musical notes. Everyone looked around the table at each other.
“It’s your cell phone,” Vera said to Savannah. “I don’t know how it got in my purse. I guess I’m going to have to break down and buy one for myself. Although, I really hate these things.” She reached into her purse, pulled out the phone and looked at the display. “It’s your husband.” She handed the phone to her.
Savannah flipped the phone open and said, “Hello, McCoy.”
She got up from the table and walked out of the room. When she returned, she handed the phone back to Vera and said, “He’s at the airport. I guess we should go get him.”
“He’s not going anywhere,” Vera replied. “Let’s eat first.”
“That’s a good idea,” Savannah said. “I’ve waited for him long enough. It wouldn’t hurt for him to wait for me for a change.”
“I love it when women take charge and stand up for themselves,” I said.
“I don’t know how in charge I’m going to be when this incident hits the papers. McCoy’s going to find out about my relationship with Eric Webster. My marriage will be over.”
“I hate to say this, but I think your marriage was in trouble the minute your husband refused to relocate here with you,” I said to Savannah, and then turned to Helene and said, “This stew is delicious.”
“I agree,” Savannah replied. “On both.”
We finished our stew, and then went about putting our lives back on track. Now that the Greene County killer had been arrested, he would no longer be a threat to anyone.