Good Night Sleep Tight Don't Let the Stalkers Bite (Charlie Bannerman Mysteries)

by Teresa Watson

  “So she tried to scare Charlie by sabotaging her car and leaving the note,” Bernie added.

  “She didn’t realize that I had no interest in Cash whatsoever. One other thing that bothers us: if they broke up on Monday, then why is Cash so upset about her death? Guilty feelings, perhaps?”

  “Does he honestly believe that Charlie had something to do with Deja’s death?” Keaton said.

  “Oh yes, he does,” Bernie confirmed. “He has been asking me all day to arrest Charlie and charge her with murder.”

  “Are you serious?” I said. “The man is nuts!”

  “But it fits into your theory, Charlie,” Keaton reminded me.

  “What theory?”

  Keaton looked at me and I nodded. “Every woman Cash has gone out with ended up being dumped by him. Charlie is the first one to break up with him, and he can’t handle the rejection. It was a situation that he lost control of, and he doesn’t like not being able to control things.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” I muttered.

  “Are you telling me we have a dead woman on our hands because a guy couldn’t handle being rejected by you?” Bernie said incredulously. “Do you realize how…how egotistical that sounds?” He stood up.

  “He threatened to kill me, Bernie. ‘An eye for an eye’, he said.”

  “Oh, I think he has it in for you, but not because you rejected him,” Bernie snapped. “My job is to find out who killed Deja to keep Cash from killing you.” He pointed a finger at me. “Your job is stay out of sight until I do. Do NOT butt your nose into this, Charlie. This is police business. Is that understood?” I crossed my arms and glared at him. “I mean it, Charlie, or I will throw you in jail for obstruction of justice and stick you in a cell next to Cash.” He looked at Keaton. “I am holding you responsible for keeping her here, Lawson. If you can’t keep her out of my business, then get her out of here.” He stormed out, slamming the front door as he left.

  “That went well,” Keaton said dryly.

  “Didn’t it, though?”

  “What now?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. Do what Bernie and Dr. Lance want me to do for now, I guess. Stay here and get some rest.”

  “Chet wanted me to ask you about the layout of your house. Do you want it to be the same, or is there something you want to change?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. What do you think?”

  He thought about it for a minute. “To be honest, half of your house is destroyed. The interior wall that Cash ran into is connected to the outer wall on the side, part of the main support for the house. Don’t forget the front wall he took out, too.”

  “You are talking over my head.”

  “Let’s do this. Why don’t you tell me what your dream house would look like?”

  Chapter 23

  We spent two hours talking about the design of my house. From the way Keaton talked, my old house was going to be bulldozed. I had no idea how I was going to afford a new house, but I knew I couldn’t live in the old one unless I wanted it to fall down around my head.

  I was tired. Not just from the physical injuries I had endured over the last few days, but the mental issues as well. The idea that I was so vulnerable was very unsettling to me. When I can’t think, I crochet. Give me some yarn and a crochet needle and I can usually think things through. The only problem was I didn’t have any materials here to work with. I needed to get a hold of Sydney, but I did not want to expose her to any danger.

  On the other hand, thinking could be overrated right now. Physical and mental rest would probably help to improve my overall disposition. I am getting a bit testy. Snarky. Rude, crude and socially unacceptable.

  Keaton was on the phone with Chet, talking about my house as well as business from the construction company. I could tell by the way he talked that he really wanted to be out there working. No one knows I’m here, right? I’m on the second floor of a condo, with an alarm system (yes, I KNOW what happened the last time I was left alone with an alarm system, stop reminding me!), food to eat and DVDs to watch. Nothing could go wrong, right? No comments from the peanut gallery, thank you very much!

  “Why don’t you get out of here?” I suggested to him when he got off the phone. “You’ve spent a lot of time with me the last couple of days, first at my house and now here. I am sure there are things at your office you need to check on.”

  “I don’t know,” Keaton replied. “I’m not crazy about leaving you alone here.”

  “I haven’t even been here one full day. Everyone thinks I’m out of town.”

  “Yes, but they believe I stayed with you on your assignment.”

  “So tell them you had to come home to take care of some work and you are going back to get me in a couple of days. That will give you a little more freedom.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Keaton, if I was in a race with the tortoise and the hare, I would get beat by both of them. If I don’t rest, I’ll never get better. I’ve got everything I need with me. Go on, get out of here.”

  He hesitated a minute before agreeing. It took him another twenty minutes to show everything was and how to use the security system. “I’ll drop by the hospital and check on Braden,” he said, grabbing his jacket from a closet by the front door. “Don’t open the door for anyone. I can turn off the alarm with a keyless remote. You just get some rest. Close the curtains in here and lay on the couch so you can watch TV if you want to. There’s plenty of food in the fridge and pantry if you get hungry.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I said. If I could, I would have shoved him out the door. He gave me a quick hug and left.

  I couldn’t get into too much trouble while he was gone, could I? I mean, it’s not like I can leave the condo. No car. I could walk, but I don’t think I would get too far just shuffling along slower than my grandmother. Nope, I would be just fine.

  Five minutes after Keaton left, I got a text message from Sydney, and she was mad. I don’t mean a little mad, but “I cannot believe you didn’t trust me enough to tell me everything I thought we were best friends” mad. Braden finally told her about my plan to get out of town for a few days, and she was furious that we did not think to consult her. The message read: HOW COULD U!!!

  I did the only thing I could do. I played dumb. How could I what?

  Why didn’t u tell me what was going on?

  Because I don’t want u to get hurt by whoever is going after me.

  I guess I can accept that. So where are u?

  I can’t tell you that.

  Hold on a minute.

  I got up to get a Dr Pepper and made some popcorn. Bringing the bowl and glass over to the couch, I turned on the big plasma TV that was hanging on the wall. What it is with guys and big TVs, I thought as I pushed the on button. ESPNU came on and there was a good game from the previous weekend that I had missed. I had to admit, seeing all those players running around on a giant screen was pretty cool. I need one of these TVs for the new house.

  Keaton is here.

  I wondered if I should remind Keaton about Sydney’s powers of persuasion. If she wanted to know something bad enough, she would get the information by any means necessary. That included batting her baby blue eyes and mile-long eyelashes at them. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  You are at his CONDO?!!

  So much for the benefit of the doubt. I checked the time: wow, I think she beat her record on that one.

  I didn’t say that.

  Keaton did.

  I doubt he said anything to u. U r just guessing.

  U aren’t denying it either.

  She had me there. What could I say?

  Are you doing ok?

  Bored off my gourd. Too much to think about.

  Gotcha. Will take care of it.

  Not sure what she got, but there weren’t any messages from her after that. I’d find out soon enough. I got a pillow and blanket off the bed and curled up on the couch to watch the game.
See, I didn’t get into any trouble. And you were worried. Have a little more faith in me! I don’t get into trouble every day.

  Chapter 24

  The beeping of the security alarm woke me up two hours later. I panicked for a minute until I saw Keaton come in the door. He was loaded down with bags. “What in the world?” I started to ask until I saw he wasn’t alone. “Sydney!”

  “We brought a friend, I hope that is ok,” she said. Duke came running in and jumped on the couch next to me. Forgetting about my broken ribs, I threw my arms around him as I was smothered in doggie kisses. I was so happy to see him I cried a little.

  Duke jumped down and began checking out the condo. Sydney sat down next to me, giving me a hug. “He’s only here for a little while,” she said. “I thought you could use a pick me up. And your mother said he has been moping around their house.”

  “Don’t tell me she knows I’m still in town.”

  “No,” Keaton answered. “I told them I missed seeing Duke and offered to take him off their hands for a while. He is a bit more energetic than they are used to. Your mother said their toy poodle has been hiding under their bed for two days.”

  I laughed. “Prissy is not a brave dog. She is queen of the house and I’m sure the Duke has totally disrupted her kingdom. She’s going to be very upset when you take him back tonight. How’s Braden?”

  “He is driving the nurses nuts,” Sydney said. “He is terribly bored and is constantly asking them when he can go home.”

  “When can he go home?”

  “Tomorrow, hopefully,” she replied. “Your mother wanted to have him stay with her, but he wouldn’t hear of it. I am going to help him out as much as I can at his place.”

  “What’s with all the bags?” I said to Keaton.

  He gestured at Sydney. “Ask her. She said you needed this stuff to save your sanity.”

  Sydney jumped up, grabbed a few bags and brought them over. “Men. They know nothing.” She dug into one of the bags. “I got you some new crochet needles and some variegated purple yarn. There is also some Bernet alpaca yarn in here that you could make into scarves.”

  “How did you know I needed yarn?”

  “You said you were bored off your gourd. You always say that before you grab your yarn and start crocheting. Keaton mentioned you were drooling over his garden tub, so I brought you some bubble bath: cucumber melon and Tahitian Orchid. I also grabbed some mysteries for you to read while you crochet.”

  I hugged my dearest friend. She knew me so well. “Thank you so much, Syd. This means a lot to me. A good book will help me forget my problems with Cash.”

  I noticed Keaton and Sydney exchange a look. “Ok, I saw that look. What’s up?”

  “We ran into Cash while we were shopping,” Keaton said.

  I held my breath for a minute and I could feel my heart jump into my throat. “I thought Bernie told us he was going to be there for a few days.”

  “I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet,” Keaton replied. “I plan to call him later.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Nothing at first. We were on opposite ends of the main aisle. He looked up, saw us and walked over. After looking at the contents of the basket, he said, ‘So Charlie needs some thinking materials, does she?’ I told him you were out of town, but I don’t think he believe me.”

  “Wonderful.”

  “He said that he has some unfinished business with you and that he will see you soon. Sydney reminded him that there is a restraining order against him. He said he would just drive his truck through that flimsy piece of paper like he did your house.”

  "That is certainly encouraging," I said sarcastically.

  "I don't think he intended it to be," Keaton replied.

  "Did you tell him that I wasn't in town?"

  "Repeatedly," Sydney said. "But he didn't believe us."

  "So, now what?" I said.

  "You stay out of sight," Keaton said. "We can let Bernie know that Cash made contact with us, for all the good it will do."

  "I can't stay in here forever," I complained. "I am already getting cabin fever. I don't like being cooped up."

  "Do you like living? Because if you want to keep doing it, you are going to have to stay here."

  "Bernie really needs to find out what happened to Deja," Sydney said. "It is the only way to get Cash off your back."

  "What about the stuff in my house? I have got to get it packed up so you can start the repairs."

  "Actually, I did meet with the building inspector while I was out," he said. "I'm afraid we are going to have to tear down your house and start over."

  "What? Tear down my house? Are you kidding me?"

  He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Too many support beams have been compromised. It will have to be rebuilt."

  I could not believe it. First, my beloved Beetle, and now my house. "How much more of my life is Cash going to destroy?"

  "We have no proof that he is the one who blew up your car," Keaton pointed out.

  "Well, who else could have done it?" I snapped.

  "But doesn't Cash have an alibi for the time of the explosion? And, if you are saying that he blew up your car, then it means that he also killed Deja."

  Such comforting thoughts. "So what do we do?"

  "Talk to Bernie again," Sydney said.

  "Yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon," I said. "He’s already warned us to stay out of his investigation. He also said I was egotistical."

  "He didn't!"

  "He did. Think about this for a minute: Cash has always broken up with his girlfriends, but I was the first to break up with him. It's like an insult to his manhood. He has to get it back."

  She nodded. "That sounds like him, but that doesn't make you egotistical."

  "According to Bernie, it does. He finds it preposterous that a man would try to kill an ex-girlfriend because she broke up with him."

  "Neanderthal."

  "This isn't solving anything," Keaton pointed out. "How do we figure this mess out?"

  "Let me think for a minute," I said. "Whenever Cash and I had a fight, he would go out somewhere to play pool and drink a few beers. I don't keep any at my house, so he always had to go somewhere else to drink. It was yet another reason I broke up with him. I got tired of the drinking."

  "So where would he go?" he asked.

  "Someplace near the city limits, I think."

  "Oh, I know the place," Sydney said. "It's called Mack's Tavern. It is a nice place to play pool. I've been there a few times. I can't imagine Cash going out there. It doesn't seem like his type of place."

  "It's the only place to shoot pool in town, so he didn't have much of a choice."

  "That's not true," Keaton replied. "There's the bowling alley. There are pool tables out there as well as a bar."

  "We need to go out to Mack's and the bowling alley," I said, slowly getting up. "We need to see if anyone remembers seeing Cash on Monday night, the night that Deja disappeared."

  "We?" Keaton said. "I don't think so. You are not going anywhere. You can barely move!"

  "He's right, Charlie," Sydney said. "You are going to have to stay here. We can go ask the questions for you."

  "But..." I started to protest.

  "No," Keaton said firmly. "You’re staying here and that is the end of this part of the discussion. You write down the questions we should ask, and we’ll take care of it."

  "You know what we need?" Sydney remarked. "We need a poster or something with names of suspects, alibis, etc., so we can keep track of all this. Charlie, you can do that. You've read mysteries since we were kids. Surely you have a general idea of how to set one up."

  "That's a great idea," Keaton agreed. "You’re our central headquarters. We do all the work while you get some rest."

  I knew what they were trying to do. I hate being patronized. It really made me mad. But I would play along with them...for now. "Ok, I suppose that makes sense. But you two have to promise
me you'll be careful."

  "Scout's honor," Sydney said.

  "You were never a scout," I pointed out.

  "No, but I dated a lot of them."

  "The best time to go is around 9 p.m.," I said, ignoring her. "Cash never goes out until then. But you better make sure you don't run into him. I wonder what he’s driving. I’m assuming that his truck is still in the police impound."

  "We didn't watch to see what he was driving," Keaton admitted. "Does his mother have a car he would borrow from her?"

  "No, but he does have a Harley. I completely forgot about that thing. He took me for a very harrowing ride once, and nearly got me killed. I vowed never to get back on it, and he had to drive his truck on our dates after that." I gave them a description of his motorcycle. "If you see it in the parking lot, don't go in."

  "There are a few other places we could check out in town," Sydney said. "We could ask Braden if there have been any complaints about Cash from other bars."

  "I don't know if Braden could technically tell us," I said.

  "Why not? The police log is always in the newspaper. Whenever they answer a disturbance call, it shows up a couple of days after the incident. It's public knowledge."

  "Ok, I’ll call him about it."

  Sydney looked at her watch. "It's almost 7. If we are going bar hopping, I should wear something more appropriate." She stood up. "I’ll be back by 8:30." She bent over and gave me another hug. "Chin up, toots. We'll figure this out, I promise. Come on, Duke, let’s go for a ride.”

  Duke came over to me and gave me a few more doggie kisses while Sydney snapped his leash on. I felt sad watching him leave again. “Are you really going to have to tear my house down, Keaton?”

  “I’m sorry, Charlie. There’s just too much damage.”

  “How long before it has to come down?”

  “Well, we need to get your stuff packed up, which will take two or three days. Once we do that, then we can tear it down and construction can begin on the new one. No one has set a definite time table on when it has to come down, but you don’t want squatters in there, so the sooner the better.”

  “I am sure my parents can help us pack,” I said, “and I can sit in a chair to help.”