Easy Like Sunday Mourning

by Jennie Marts

  Maggie hoped so. It would serve him right. She hated the bitter feeling that burned like acid in her stomach whenever she thought of Chad deserting her and their marriage for a younger woman. She hated the way that acid charred any attempt she made at finding love again. Searing the edges of her heart, destroying any hope of letting new love in.

  She placed the flowers in a vase and put Chad out of her mind, determined to focus on Jeremy and their date tonight. Pushing back the resentment and bitterness, she set the vase on the table, grabbed her purse, and stepped back into the living room. Taking Jeremy by the arm, she smiled up at him. “Let’s go have some fun.”

  ##

  Maggie pushed her plate back, amazed that she had eaten the whole hunk of lasagna. The clingy dress didn’t seem like such a great idea now. After a meal of lasagna and breadsticks, she could use a pair of stretchy-denim jeans, some Spanx, and a top she could untuck to hide her bloated belly.

  “Feel like dessert?” Jeremy eyed her empty plate. “They have a pretty good cheesecake here.”

  She was already bloated and full, but that cheesecake did sound good. What could another twelve hundred calories hurt? “Sure. I’ll split a piece with you.”

  They had kept their discussion light all evening, but now Maggie tried to think of an easy way to slip the topic of Jim’s murder into the conversation. She wanted to know if Jeremy knew anything more or if he had heard from Charlotte. “Sooo, hear anything new on Jim’s murder?”

  That was about as subtle as a bull in a china shop.

  “Not really. Everyone at work is in such a state of stress. We’re still under deadline to get this new game out, and everyone is still grieving for Jim. I think the staff is divided between thinking his murderer was someone we work with or an outsider. And there are a few of my employees who are still looking at me kind of strangely, as if they suspect that I am the murderer and they could be the next victim.”

  “How about Charlotte? How is she treating you?” Good job, Maggie. That bull is just dancing around doing a subtlety jig now, knocking down china left and right.

  “Charlotte hasn’t shown up for work this week. She’s still doing her work, but sending it in via email and by computer. She’s worked from home before, but this is really strange. She’s not answering any of my calls or texts, but she is keeping up on all of her work.”

  “Jeremy, I have to tell you something.” Maggie wiped her sweaty palms on the cloth napkin in her lap. She knew she needed to admit to him the Page Turners were looking into the murder, but she was worried that Jeremy wouldn’t appreciate what they had found. “The book club was over last weekend, and we got to digging around on the internet, and we found some strange connections.”

  “Strange how?”

  “Strange, like did you know that Charlotte and Skyler went to high school together? They knew each other and were in Chemistry Club together. Charlotte could be the one that’s leaking information to Skyler. And their knowledge of chemistry gives them the means to have created a poison.”

  “Just because they were in Chemistry together doesn’t mean they created a murderous potion. I have a background in chemistry, too. In fact, I minored in it in college.” He looked at Maggie and realization crossed his face. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

  He took Maggie’s hands in his. “Listen Maggie, just because I am skilled in chemical equations doesn’t mean I would have the means or knowledge to create a deadly poison. It basically means that I have the periodic table memorized and know the chemical name for salt is sodium chloride.”

  Maggie smiled. “I feel like the chemistry piece is just one more nail in the coffin for you. First, you gave Jim all that money, and then this chemistry thing and the fact that Charlotte has cast doubt on your alibi. It all adds up to not a very positive tally in your Innocent Scorecard.”

  Jeremy gave her a quizzical look. “How do you know that I gave Jim a bunch of money?”

  “Mac told me on the same day that he informed me about your alibi. I guess the information about you in a motel room with another woman overshadowed the money thing, and we never really got around to talking about it.”

  “Well, that Mac is just a wealth of information, isn’t he?” The muscle in Jeremy’s cheek flinched as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. He took a deep breath. “Maggie, Jim was one of my best employees. He was instrumental in helping me create this new game. I treat my employees very well. I told him if he finished ahead of time, that I would reward him with a bonus. He worked his butt off, putting in long hours, working on the weekends. And he produced the code we needed a week earlier than expected. The ten-thousand-dollar bonus I gave him was a drop in the bucket to the hundreds of thousands he saved us by coming in ahead of schedule.”

  Maggie nodded. The cheesecake arrived but sat untouched in the center of the table between them. “I told Mac there had to be a reasonable explanation for why you gave Jim the money. But that doesn’t explain why he deposited twenty-five thousand from SkyVision.”

  Jeremy’s mouth dropped open. “What? Did Mac tell you that too? I haven’t heard anything about this. There’s no reason for him to be getting paid anything from SkyVision.” He closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. “Unless Jim was taking a payoff to sell Skyler our code. Damn it! I trusted that guy.”

  Maggie’s heart went out to Jeremy. She knew all about having her trust broken. “Could there be another explanation? And how does Charlotte fit into this? She’s the one with the connection to Skyler, not Jim. But she was dating Jim. Could she have been coercing him to take a bribe?”

  “I don’t see how she could coerce him to do anything? She’s five foot six.”

  Maggie raised her eyebrows at Jeremy. “Really? She has a lot of other forms of coercion that don’t involve physical force. They might involve another kind of physical, though.”

  “Hmm. I see your point.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I just hate this feeling of not knowing what’s going on in my own company. I feel like there’s this elaborate joke that’s being played, and I’m the butt of it, but I don’t know why. Jim was with me for ten years. Why would he turn on me?”

  “Sex and money are both very powerful motivators.” Maggie picked up a fork and sliced the rectangular tip off the end of the cheesecake. “And all we’re doing is guessing. We don’t know for sure that Jim betrayed you or that Charlotte is in bed, so to speak, with SkyVision. This is all just supposition.”

  “You’re right. I’m just tired of guessing. I want to know what’s going on.” Jeremy picked up the other fork and took a bite of the cheesecake. “I did try to shake things up a little at the office today.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Look, I hate thinking that someone at my office is involved in this. But if they are, I want to flush them out. Make them think that we’re on to them. So they make a mistake or do something to show their hand.”

  “So, what did you do?”

  “During the staff meeting today, I let it ‘accidentally’ slip that the police were closing in on a suspect. That they had found evidence to implicate someone and were getting close to making an arrest. It was all a bunch of bull, but I saw them use the same idea on Law & Order once, and it worked for them.”

  Maggie laughed. “Now you sound like Edna. Did she put you up to this?”

  “No, but it does sound like something she would try.” Jeremy took the last bite of cheesecake and signaled for the waiter to bring them their check. “I’m just tired of sitting around and doing nothing, waiting for the other shoe to fall. If this helps to flush them out, then great. I just don’t want someone else to get hurt while we’re waiting for the police, or the Page Turners Book and Detective Club, to figure it out.”

  Twenty minutes later, they were driving down the highway on the way back to Jeremy’s house. The night was still warm, and they had the air conditioner on and the radio tuned to an oldies station. Jeremy was singing and teasing Maggie, trying to get her
to sing along.

  They were on the stretch of road between town and Jeremy’s subdivision where traffic was typically light. In fact, they were the only car on the road. The moon was bright, and Maggie noticed how it reflected off the water as they approached the bridge that crossed the lake.

  Jeremy playfully nudged her ribs as he sang an old Beatles tune. “Come on, Maggie. I know you know the words.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “What the heck? Check out this guy. He’s in a heck of a hurry.”

  Maggie glanced behind them at the headlights that were approaching at breakneck speed. She turned back and automatically scanned the highway, checking to see if he had enough range to pass them. “This is a no passing zone, but I bet that jerk is going to try.”

  Jeremy slowed down. “Let him. I’m in no hurry. I’d rather have him pass me. Going that fast, he’s going to kill somebody.”

  Jeremy couldn’t have known how accurate his statement was.

  Maggie’s head jerked back to gauge the speed of the oncoming car. It flew up on them, not slowing or pulling into the left lane to pass. “Something’s not right, Jeremy.”

  No sooner had she said the words than the car rammed into the back of Jeremy’s 4Runner. Maggie and Jeremy were thrown forward, the seatbelt cutting into Maggie’s bare shoulder with the force of the impact.

  Maggie screamed as the car rammed them again. She looked to Jeremy.

  His concentration was divided between holding the wheel steady and darting glances at the rearview mirror. “What the hell is wrong with this guy?”

  The car moved into the left lane, speeding up to come even with them. Maggie caught a brief glimpse of the dark-colored sedan. She registered that the car was big and sturdy and thought with relief that he was finally going to pass them. She felt Jeremy ease up on the gas to let him get ahead of them before they hit the bridge.

  Instead, the car jerked sideways, ramming Jeremy’s truck and forcing them off the road. Jeremy yanked the wheel back, fighting for control of the car. The other car rammed them again, this time with more force. The 4Runner lost its traction and careened off the side of the road.

  Unfortunately, they had just hit the edge of the bridge, and there was no pavement for them to land on. The car sailed off the edge of the road. Maggie screamed again as they held a moment in free fall before the car hit the water and plummeted into the lake.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Panic gripped her heart, like nothing Maggie had ever felt before. She could smell the algae as the murky green water rushed up the floor boards and submerged her feet. She gasped for breath as claustrophobia threatened to smother her. The water was coming in fast, and she fought against the dark borders that loomed on the edges of her vision, a clear indication that she was on the verge of blacking out.

  A hand reached for hers, and she gripped it like a lifeline. Jeremy was there. She looked to him, already struggling for breath in the precious air left in the truck.

  Jeremy squeezed her hand, his voice loud and strong. “Maggie. Focus on my voice. Take a deep breath. I’ve got you.”

  She nodded her head, quick bobs of understanding and tried to slow her breathing. Her thoughts went to Dylan and Drew. She could see them clearly as toddlers. A vision of the three of them cuddling on the sofa reading a book flashed across her mind. She could almost feel the soft cotton of their footy pajamas and smell the shampoo of their freshly washed hair.

  She envisioned Drew in a tuxedo, a man on his wedding day. A day she might never see. Flashes of Dylan scoring a goal, a euphoric grin on his face. She had to see that face again. She prayed for strength and willed her breathing to slow.

  “Good girl. That’s it, Maggie. We’ve got to get your seatbelt off.” He had already released his and was holding himself against the steering wheel so as not to fall into the windshield as the heavy engine dragged the hood of the car forward into the murky depths of the lake. He reached for her seatbelt and clicked the button. “Brace yourself, Maggie so you don’t fall forward.”

  The belt released and she braced herself against the dashboard, her blue dress swirling in the water as it filled the car. The cold water was now up to her knees. “What do we do? Should I try to call 911?”

  Jeremy shook his head. “There’s no time. We have to roll the window down and swim out. The electric windows should still work.” He reached across her and opened the glove box, pulling out a small yellow device that looked like a cross between a miniature hammer and a gun. “If they don’t work, this will break the window. My mom saw this Oprah show about escaping a car filled with water and bought these for my brother and me.”

  Of course she did. Because that’s what mothers do. They protect their kids. But how could Maggie protect hers if she wasn’t around? She couldn’t let that happen. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for their escape. “Okay. What do we do?”

  “Can you crawl over the seat? We’re going to try to get out the back window.”

  “Should we wait for the car to fill with water and try to get the door open?” The panic gripped her chest again as she imagined holding her breath as the water covered her and trying to maneuver the heavy door.

  “There’s no time. And I want us out of here before the car fills completely with water. Put your foot on the steering wheel and push yourself into the back seat.” He grabbed her legs and guided her over the center console.

  A pack of mints and one of her sandals floated in the water as it rose higher along the seat line. The car was nearly vertical in its descent and Jeremy pushed himself over the driver’s seat.

  Water poured into every crevice. It had been less than a minute since they hit the water, and it was already up to Maggie’s waist. She could see the dim outline of the headlights as they shone through the greenish-blue layers of the lake.

  Jeremy steadied himself against the window and took her face in his hand. His voice rang with a steely determination, and Maggie drew from his strength as he spoke. “Maggie, listen to me. We are going to get out of this car. I will not let anything happen to you. Are you listening?”

  She nodded again, briskly shaking her head up and down, her teeth now chattering. She wasn’t sure if it was from the cold lake water or the panic returning. “I’m listening.”

  Jeremy pushed against the back windshield of the 4Runner. “I’m gonna get this window open, one way or another. And when I do, the water is gonna come in fast. I want you to push off the back seat with your feet and push against the current. Swim up and out as hard as you can. Do you understand?”

  “Y-y-yes.” Her teeth were chattering harder. The murky green water entirely filled the bottom half of the car and she could no longer even see the front seats. “What about you?”

  “Don’t worry about me. You just swim with everything you have in you. I’ll be right behind you. I just found you, and I refuse to let anything happen to you.” He gripped her face and leaned in and gave her a hard kiss, filled with desperation and passion.

  She felt his strength and determination come through that kiss. She filled herself up on it, kissing him back with a need so strong it almost overwhelmed her. A desperate plea to convey all of her feelings into that one moment, that one intimate crush of their lips.

  The kiss lasted only a moment, but a lifetime of emotion was expressed in the delivery. Jeremy broke the connection and pressed his cheek to hers. “I love you, Maggie, and I’m gonna get you out of here.”

  Tears coursed down Maggie’s face as she looked at Jeremy. This man whom she battled against her heart to trust and who was now fighting to save her life. “I believe you.”

  She did believe him. And she believed in him. The water was up to their chests, and she struggled to keep her breathing calm. But amidst the panic, despite the swirling water, Maggie had one perfect moment of clarity. Her brain shut down and her heart spoke the truth. In that moment, she knew. “I love you too.”

  Jeremy nodded. “You ready? It’s gonna happen fast.” He pushed the bu
tton to lower the back windshield. It whirred, but nothing happened. “Damn it!” He beat against the windshield. “I’m gonna have to break it.” He looked at Maggie. “Hold your breath and swim as hard as you can.”

  She took a deep breath. “Do it!”

  Jeremy pushed the tool against the window and pulled the trigger. With a pop, the glass shattered to pieces and all hell broke loose. The windshield broke inward with the force of the water and the lake came rushing forward in a current of green water filled with debris and chunks of the smashed windshield.

  Maggie pushed off from the back seat, using all of her strength to push against the power of the rushing water. Her left arm and her bare leg scraped against the broken glass rimming the windshield frame as she swam through. She pushed her foot against the outer edge of the vehicle, gaining more momentum against the dominant strength of the water.

  Her lungs felt at capacity, the crushing weight of water working against her as she flailed her arms and kicked with all of her might. She prayed she was swimming to the surface, the black night giving no aid in helping to determine the direction of the lake.

  She knew she was at her limit, her lungs threatening to burst, her strength depleted. She had nothing left to give. An image of her sons flashed across her mind, the memory of their smiles spurring her on. She prayed and summoned every ounce of energy she had left. She kicked once more and broke free of the surface.

  Gasping for breath, she splashed around in the water, calling Jeremy’s name. From somewhere in the darkness, she heard a woman yelling, calling to her, but all she cared about was finding Jeremy. Why hadn’t he surfaced? He was right behind her.

  A new terror seized her. No longer afraid for her life, she was terrified that something had happened to his. Panic-filled images of what could have happened to him flooded her mind. She screamed his name, fear gripping her very soul.