Paradise Park

by Carolina Mac

  “Once we verify that it’s his truck, dragging the swamp will be the next order of business.”

  The night air was full of sounds of the swamp. Frogs croaked to one another, crickets chirped and fireflies flashed their lights off and on as they darted through the mist. Dampness soaked through my t-shirt and made me shiver as I watched and waited. An owl hooted and flew out of the bushes, disturbed by the human activity invading the serenity of the wetlands.

  The tow truck with Gary’s mud-covered Ford hooked behind, headed for the highway followed by three cruisers with lights flashing.

  Rob trudged back to the bridge, leaned over the railing and stared down into the river. I pulled up beside him and stopped the truck. He looked up at me and shook his head. Recognizing his pain and his need to be alone, I drove on home with tears in my eyes.

  SPANGLER POINTED TO Marg, slouched in a plastic chair on the deck holding an icy green concoction in her hand. Her partner nodded. “This fucking park is gonna kill us, Mick.” Spangler struggled out of the cruiser. “Now that fucking trouble maker is missing and it’s our job to find him. What a fucking waste of time and manpower.”

  “Hey, you’ve been working on your vocab again.” He snorted. “What happened to ‘all citizens deserve the same protection,” said McMurtry.

  Spangler gave him a hand signal. “Fuck you, Mick.”

  They trudged up the steps onto the dark deck and noticed the broken railing. Spangler squinted to see the expression on Marg’s face, the only light being cast from the pole at the street.

  “Miss Baker, we’d like you to come to the police station for questioning,” said McMurtry.

  “What for?”

  “We found Mr. Eastman’s truck in the swamp.”

  “So what?” Her tone was flat.

  “Perhaps you could shed some light on how it got there,” said McMurtry.

  “Driving drunk again would be my guess,” Marg said with a chuckle.

  “You don’t seem surprised,” said Detective Spangler.

  “There’s nothing in this world Gary could do to surprise me.”

  “Let’s go, Miss Baker. It won’t take too long.”

  “What if I don’t want to go?” she slurred.

  “It would be in your best interest to come with us,” said Spangler.

  “Never in anybody’s best interest to talk to the cops.”

  McMurtry walked over and took her by the arm. “Come on Miss Baker. Time to go.”

  Marg swatted at him, spilled her drink down the front of his pants and kicked him in the shin. “Get your filthy hands off me, you slimy cop.”

  “Resisting arrest,” said McMurtry, “that’s a good one.” He tightened his grip on her upper arm, whipped his handcuffs out of his pocket and pulled Marg to her feet. Once her hands were secured behind her back he had little trouble pushing her into the back of the sedan.

  ON THE WAY home from the river, I stopped by Sheila’s trailer and knocked on the door.

  “Hi Grace, did Rob file the missing persons’ report?”

  “No, he didn’t.”

  Sheila raised her eyebrows. “Why not, did he find Gary?”

  “The police found Gary’s truck,” I said, my voice wavering slightly.

  Sheila stepped out onto the deck and sat down. “This isn’t good news, is it?”

  “No, not at all.”

  “Where’s the truck?”

  “Some kids found it submerged in the swamp down the side road.”

  “Oh no.” Sheila buried her head in her hands. “He’s not okay, is he?”

  “His body wasn’t in the truck. The truck was empty.”

  “Do you think he’s in the swamp, Grace? Do you?” Tears trickled down Sheila’s face.

  “I hope he isn’t, Sheila. I’m praying there’s some other explanation.”

  Sheila stood up and her voice took on an edge. “Marg did this. I know she did. She said more than once that Gary needed to be put out of his misery.”

  “The police were headed to her trailer when I came here.”

  “Good, I hope they lock her up forever,” Sheila hollered.

  “Well, I don’t have anything else to tell you, Sheila. We’ll wait and see what the police turn up, I guess. I’m going home to make some coffee for Rob. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Thanks for coming over to tell me, Grace. That was nice of you.” Sheila stifled a sob and wrapped her bony arms around my neck.

  Rob was perched on the top step of the deck, sitting in the dark when I parked the truck. The end of his cigarette glowed in the blackness. In passing, I touched his hair then unlocked the trailer.

  “I’m going to make some coffee, sugar or do you want something stronger?”

  “Coffee’s fine, baby. I just don’t feel like talking.”

  “You don’t have to talk. Stay there and I’ll bring you one when it’s ready.” I sat down beside him on the step not knowing how to comfort him. I mussed up his hair and kissed him. “I love you, sugar boy.”

  SPANGLER PEERED THROUGH the two-way glass. She was dog-tired and baffled by the senseless string of crimes that had taken place in Paradise. Crime rarely made sense. People’s motives were often so bizarre it was almost laughable. Somehow, today, laughing was not high on her list.

  Marg sat on the stiff metal chair in the interrogation room leaning forward with her arms folded on the gray table and her head resting on her arms. She had been locked in there for an hour or more and Spangler wanted her to sweat a little before she and Mick questioned her. If she lawyered up, so be it.

  Marg jerked her head up with a start when the door opened and Spangler and McMurtry entered the room. McMurtry wasted no time on formalities. “My partner and I have made a decision, Miss Baker.”

  “Yeah? And what do I care about what you decide?” She slurred.

  “We’re going to give you free night’s lodging in the drunk tank. Then maybe you’ll be up to answering a few questions in the morning.”

  “I ain’t answering your questions in the morning, at night or anytime in between. I ain’t done nothin and I want a lawyer.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  I WOKE IN time to hear Rob telling someone on the phone that he wouldn’t be in to work. I wriggled out of the bed clothes and pulled on my sweats feeling more tired than when I had crawled into bed the night before. My sleep had been fitful with Rob up all night. The sound of the screen door closing numerous times, signaled each and every time he stepped outside for a smoke.

  Coffee was already made when I reached the kitchen and I took a steaming mug onto the deck.

  “Hey, baby.” He pushed my hair back from my face and frowned. “Shit, you look tired. Sorry I was up so much.”

  “That’s okay. I can lay down for a nap later.” I cuddled onto his knee and held him in my arms. “Do you want some breakfast?”

  “No. No food. I think I’ll ride for an hour. The wind helps me think. I was just waiting until you were up to tell you. Didn’t want you to worry about where I was. I know you do that a lot.” He winked at me.

  “Okay.” I stroked his long hair. “A ride might be good for you.”

  “Can you phone the cop lady and see what they found out so far?”

  “I will. She said they would drag the swamp starting this morning, but I don’t think you should watch. It will be too…too stressful for you.”

  Rob stood up and butted his smoke. “I love you Grace,” he whispered and kissed my neck before he strode to his bike and took off with a roar.

  I took my mug inside and refilled it then cleaned up the kitchen counter. Rob had caught on quickly enough how to make coffee, but this morning he had spilled coffee grounds in the sink and I found myself standing in a puddle of water in my bare feet.

  After a quick shower, I set up my laptop to start work. Remembering Rob’s request, I called Detective Spangler’s number.

  “Good morning, Miss Whitmarsh. What can I do for you?”

  �
�Rob was wondering if anything had turned up in your investigation of the truck.”

  “The forensic team has the vehicle in the garage and they’ll be working on it for the next few days. Sometimes evidence doesn’t turn up as quickly as it does on TV, unfortunately. The environmental team and the men that will be conducting the search of the swamp will be in place this morning. I’d prefer it if you could keep Rob away if it’s possible. Nothing may turn up.”

  “I understand, but I don’t know if I can stop him from walking down there later. He called work and said he wouldn’t be in today.”

  “I see.”

  “Did Marg shed any light?”

  “We questioned Miss Baker for several hours but I can’t discuss that interview with you. She asked for an attorney and one has been provided for her. No charges have been laid as yet.”

  “You have no evidence that she’s done anything, and you can’t charge her,” said Grace, “I know a little about police procedure.”

  “What we think happened and what we can prove are sometimes two very different scenarios. I’m afraid I can’t tell you anymore.”

  “Will she be coming back to the park?”

  “Why are you asking that, Miss Whitmarsh?”

  “I was hoping you were detaining her, I guess.”

  “Your concern is Rob’s reaction?”

  “Rob is extremely distressed over his brother’s disappearance, Detective.”

  “I understand what you’re saying. This morning I’ll be coming to the park to get statements from Rob and Miss Warren. I want to cover all the bases.”

  “Okay, I’ll tell him when he gets back.”

  “He’s not there with you?”

  “He’s more than a little upset. He was up all night and this morning he took his bike out.”

  “His brother is his only relative?”

  “Yes. His brother raised him.” My eyes welled up.

  “Perhaps Mr. Eastman will turn up.” Spangler didn’t sound hopeful.

  SHEILA KEPT BUSY cleaning her trailer and trying not to think about Gary lying in the swamp. He had been mean to her on more than one occasion, but there were times during their brief and sometimes volatile affair that he had been sweet and loving to her. She hoped they wouldn’t find him in that slimy muck and he would turn up alive somewhere. If Marg had killed him, Sheila would see her fry in hell.

  She shut off the vacuum when she heard the knock on the door. “Detectives, please come in.”

  “Thank you,” said Spangler. She and McMurtry sat on the sofa in the freshly vacuumed living room. “As I told you on the phone, Miss Warren we need to record your statement. Everything you can remember about that last evening you were with Mr. Eastman before his disappearance?”

  “Okay.” Sheila dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

  McMurtry turned on a small tape recorder and said, “Miss Sheila Warren’s statement, August twenty-fifth.” He nodded at Sheila to start.

  “Gary came over in the afternoon. I can’t remember what time exactly. He was totally furious with Marg because he had found out what she had done.”

  “Could you tell us what Miss Baker had done?” asked McMurtry, “For the record.”

  “Before Gary was released from prison Marg made the arrangements to buy the trailer on his behalf. When the deal was about to close, Gary had to give her the combination to the lock box where he had his money stashed in his apartment so she could take the cash to the lawyer. He never used a bank.”

  “And?” McMurtry encouraged her.

  “Marg took the money to the lawyer’s office and led the attorney to believe the cash was hers and she was the purchaser. The lawyer registered the trailer in her name only.”

  “And Gary didn’t know about this until when exactly?” asked Spangler.

  “He needed to make the first payment and he hadn’t looked at the papers because Marg had never given them to him. He needed the due date for the payment and the amount so he asked Marg where the documents were and when she produced them, he realized what had transpired and he went ballistic.”

  “So he was over here at your place and he was angry at Marg?” asked Spangler.

  Sheila nodded. “Right. We’d been drinking all afternoon and Gary ranted about Marg the whole time. I couldn’t calm him down. It was ten-thirty or eleven when Rob called.

  Spangler jotted the time down. “Why did Rob call?”

  “He was checking to see where his brother was. That was all.”

  “What time did Gary leave here?”

  “He left around midnight and…” Sheila whimpered…” that was the last time I saw him.”

  McMurtry shut off the recorder. “Thank you, Miss Warren. That was very helpful.”

  “I hope he’s not at the bottom of the swamp,” Sheila blubbered as the detectives left.

  “We hope so too.”

  I INSISTED THAT Rob eat a grilled cheese sandwich when he came back from his ride. He hadn’t digested a crumb since noon the day before.

  I don’t want him down the side road watching them drag the swamp.

  “That was good, baby. Guess I was kind of hungry.” I camped on his knee and nuzzled into his tattooed neck.

  “You hungry for anything else?”

  “You trying to start me up?” he smirked.

  “No, I’m not trying yet,” I giggled. “But I’m thinking hard about it.”

  Rob put his mouth on mine and kissed me with all the heat and passion he possessed—projecting his need right into my very core. I growled as I returned his passion in kind, my hand sliding to his zipper and releasing the beast of steel from its confinement.

  “I want you, cowboy,” I whispered as I shed my sweat pants and underwear on the kitchen floor. I straddled Rob on the chair and lowered myself onto his erection with a loud moan.

  “Jesus, girl, you’re making me crazy,” he said, thrusting his tongue into my mouth and pulling me down hard onto his manhood over and over.

  I rode him without mercy until my orgasm took control of my body and made me shudder convulsively. I clung to him, my face buried in his long hair, both of us drenched in sweat. Rob gave it up with a yell and a long moan of exhaustion. “I love you, Robbie,” I whispered.

  The knock on the door startled both of us in our disheveled state. I grabbed my clothes and hustled to the bathroom to clean up as quickly as I could.

  “Detectives, come in,” I said after Rob dived into the bedroom to dress himself.

  Spangler and McMurtry made themselves comfortable waiting for Rob to make an appearance. I started a fresh pot of coffee. He nodded to the detectives as he took a seat by the front window. I stole a glance at him and smiled. His face was flushed and his hair damp and curling around his neck.

  “Would you be able to give us your version of what took place the day your brother disappeared?” asked Spangler looking at Rob.

  “Okay,” he said barely audible.

  McMurtry started the recorder and announced the name and date. “Go ahead.”

  “Gary said he needed to talk to me about something so I drove straight from work to his trailer and he wasn’t there.”

  “And where do you work, Mr. Eastman?” asked Spangler who was taking her own set of notes.

  “A-1 Welding on Bloor in Oshawa.”

  “Sorry to interrupt. Go ahead.”

  “Gary wasn’t at the trailer but Marg was. I was surprised to see her because Gary told me she moved out. I asked her what she was doing there and she told me it was her trailer and I should pack my stuff and beat it.”

  “And Gary hadn’t talked to you about this development?” asked McMurtry.

  “No, but I knew he wanted to talk to me about something. He had said so the day before. Later, I phoned Sheila’s place and he was over there. They were drinking and Sheila told me Gary would talk to me the next day.”

  “You didn’t speak to Gary on the phone when he was at Sheila’s?”

  “No, I didn’t.” Rob looke
d at the floor and sighed.

  “Thank you. I think that was the part we were missing,” said Spangler. “The following day you came to the police station.”

  “Grace drove me to town after work and we talked to you. Yeah.” Rob nodded and went out for a smoke.

  With Rob outside, I ventured a question. “Have they found anything at the swamp today?”

  “No, nothing,” said McMurtry. “To search an area that extensive will take several days.”

  Rob came back into the trailer. “They find any clues in the truck?” he asked.

  “Forensics are still going over it, inch by inch. The lab is thorough and it takes time,” said Spangler. And as my partner was just telling Miss Whitmarsh, it will take two days or more to search the swamp. It would be better if you stayed away.”

  “Don’t think that’s possible, but I won’t get in anybody’s way. Marg say anything yet?”

  “She exercised her right to an attorney and she hasn’t said a word,” said McMurtry. “At this time, she’s a person of interest, but once the forensics team is finished with the truck, we’re hoping to have enough to formally charge her.”

  “When will that be?” asked Rob.

  “By end of day or sometime tomorrow.”

  “In the meantime, where is Marg?”

  “She’s in a holding cell at the police station. Her lawyer is trying to secure her release because no charges have been laid.”

  “Do you think he’ll be successful?” I asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  After the detectives walked to their car, I returned to the fridge and grabbed a couple of beers. Rob and I sat on the deck. I set the cold ones on the table and watched Rob’s hand shake as he lit up a smoke. “Thanks, baby. For the beer and… for before. You always make me feel better and I don’t think there ever was a day I felt worse.”

  “You made me feel better too. You’re my man, cowboy.”

  “I wasn’t your man last night.”

  “That’s okay. I understand you weren’t in a good place.”

  “Will you walk down to the river with me?”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked Grace.

  “I feel like I should be there for Gary.”