by JJ Lamb
“I have to get back to the office.” He stood and turned away. “We need to take care of this business now or there could be problems for both of us.”
He could feel Vlad’s eyes burning a hole in his back as he hurried away.
* * *
Gina lifted her iPhone from her pocket, hoped it was Harry calling from ICU. It was Lolly. She exhaled a deep breath.
She didn’t want to talk to her friend right now. Things had gone really well in the Cath Lab. She’d needed more prompting than she would have preferred, but Bob Cantor was great. He explained each step in the procedure. Right off he’d shown Gina how to a set a sheath so a hollow catheter could enter the artery. It was fascinating, and she hadn’t screwed up once.
“Hi, Lolly.”
“Got a minute?”
“Um, yeah, but only a minute.”
“Listen, this is the second day Maria hasn’t come to work. I’m really worried about her.”
“Maybe she has the flu,” Gina said. “Cases are starting to pop up. I mean she could be sick.”
“I have a bad feeling about this, Gina. It’s been that way right from the moment she told me about Mort Tallent’s scamming. He seems like such an unsavory kind of guy. He gives me the creeps the way he looks at me.”
“Have you tried calling Maria?”
“I don’t want to scare her more than she probably is already,” Lolly said. “It’s a shame that Tallent’s working with two great partners. It’s not fair to them. You know as well as I do that if Tallent goes down it’s going to really ruin the whole practice.”
“Yeah. Guilty by association. That would be horrible.” Gina paused for a moment, then said, “Try to call her. See what she says. Then we’ll talk. Okay?”
* * *
Throughout the day, Maria’s mother kept saying, “Why no work?”
“I’m not feeling well, Ma.”
Her mother didn’t believe her, kept shaking her head.
Maria really wasn’t a good liar, and she’d be the first to admit it. She had tons of sick time accumulated because she couldn’t lie. Pretending to be ill wasn’t an option. Not for her—no one would believe her.
The phone rang.
She checked the window on the telephone. It was Lolly Stenz.
Oh, damn!
Her mother called out, “Get the phone, Maria!”
“Okay, okay, I’m getting it.”
She snatched up the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi, Maria. It’s me, Lolly, from work.”
“Oh, hi, Lolly.”
There was long pause before the nurse spoke. “Are you all right?”
“Just not feeling well.” Maria could hear her voice and was certain that anybody who knew her would be aware she was lying. But she’d been around Lolly for only a short time. Maybe she would believe her.
“After what we discussed, I was worried.”
She knew Lolly was still at work, not only because of the hour, but because the nurse had lowered her voice until it was almost a whisper.
“Maybe I was overreacting. I shouldn’t have brought you into it. We can talk about it when I come back to work. Just as soon as I feel better.”
There was no response.
“Lolly?”
“I’m here.”
Maria swallowed hard. “I’ll see you soon. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Chapter 10
Maria Benke dropped a half-dozen large, homemade dumplings into the chicken stew simmering on the kitchen stove. The stew was a variation on a German recipe that had been in the family for generations, and one of her mother’s favorites. When she was sure the dumplings were thoroughly cooked, she set up two small folding tables in the living room so she and her mother could eat and watch the Bill Maher television show.
They watched and laughed while they ate, taking two helpings each. It was a Friday night routine.
Mrs. Benke still had to use a walker to get around the house, but in the past couple of months, she’d more and more refused any offers of help. She was even pushing herself out of bed and getting dressed on her own.
Now that her mother was getting around the apartment fairly well on her own, they no longer needed caretakers for daytime assistance. Maria was pleased to see her mother regaining her strength and confidence.
It had been a long haul and Maria was starting to relax a little. She realized that perhaps she’d overreacted to Dr. Tallent’s nasty response when she’d asked him about his bookkeeping accounts. The man had always been difficult to work with in the best of times. She decided she would return to work tomorrow and scope out the situation. If things looked like they weren’t going to work out for her, she would start looking for a new job.
Can’t hide out here at home forever.
When the TV show was over, she helped her mother with a bath and getting back into bed. She cleaned up in the living room, put the trays away, and stashed their plates and silverware in the dishwasher.
She did a few reach-for-the-ceiling stretches to ease her back, then turned to leave the kitchen.
A man she’d never seen before was standing next to the refrigerator, smiling.
She jumped back, her hand flew to her mouth, and she let out an ear-piercing scream. Her legs wouldn’t hold her and she stumbled back to crash against the edge of the counter.
“Maria!” her mother called out. “Are you awright?”
“Who are you?” Maria said, grasping the counter to keep from collapsing on the floor. “How did you get in here?”
He scrutinized her like someone standing over a package of meat in the supermarket. He tilted his head to the side, continued to focus on her with eyes that did not reflect his smile.
“What do you want?” She tried to regain strength in her legs. “Get out of here!” She reached for the wood knife block on the center counter and pulled out a long carving knife.
The man, dressed in chino pants, plaid shirt, gimme hat, and sneakers, looked her up and down, then leaned against the refrigerator and laughed mirthlessly.
“What do you want?” she repeated, her voice trembling.
“I want you to die.”
She gasped, her chest constricted, and she began to shake.
“Maria!” Her mother again.
He took a step toward her. She wanted to run, but her legs still wouldn’t move. He kept coming and didn’t stop until he was smack up against her. One arm curled around her waist, held her in a vice-like grip while he used his other hand to grasp the top of her head. He squeezed and forced her face against his chest.
She dropped the knife, flailed at him with both fists.
“Now, now, Maria! You can’t fight me with those puny muscles of yours.” He bent her back over the counter, down hard on her neck. She screamed again.
“Maria?” Louder this time.
He covered her mouth, thrust a hand up between her legs, lifted her off her feet, and carried her into the living room. When he tossed her onto the floor, it felt like her back had shattered. She couldn’t move.
“Maria! Whas a madder?” her mother called out from the bedroom.
Maria looked up at him. He never said a word. He just stared at her with eyes that were like wet stone.
She croaked out, “Nothing, mom. Everything’s okay.”
Her cell rang. He took it from the coffee table and handed it to her. The window said it was Lolly Stenz. Maria looked at the man. He nodded and she pressed the speaker button.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Maria. Hope I’m not bothering you. Don’t know why, but I felt a need to call you again ... see how you are.”
“I’m ... I’m better.”
“Do you need anything? I’d be happy to come over and keep you company for awhile. I’m worried about you.”
“No, I’m all right. I’m coming in to work tomorrow. I’ll see you then.”
“Really? I don’t know. You don’t sound like yourself.”
“It’s ... it�
��s just getting late and I’m tired. That’s all.”
“Well, okay. Call me if you need anything.”
Maria clicked off and started crying.
* * *
Vlad Folo looked down at the helpless woman. He knew she was terrified, out of her mind with fear.
He felt nothing. There was only that iciness sitting in the middle of his chest, freezing his insides, like always.
This was a job and he would do what he had to do. Actions born of the same necessity that had turned him into a surviving orphan.
When those men killed his family and left the apartment, he’d crept out of the closet, looked down at the bodies. His father’s face was contorted, eyes staring at nothingness; his mother’s body slack and battered.
Both were bathed in blood.
Something told him he should cry. But his insides were cold, numb, and dead ... as they were now.
He picked the woman up from the floor—she was very, very light, as if she didn’t really exist. She must have been in pain because she had bitten her lip so hard that blood had welled up between her teeth..
He carried her into what he assumed was her room, laid her on the bed. Her eyes never left his face. She watched his every move, watched him as he took a knife from his pocket and sliced off her clothes, watched while he took off his own clothes and stuffed his underwear into her mouth. He stood over her, stared at her tiny breasts and small, round belly. She tried to move, her face creased with agony, but she was helpless.
He wanted to imagine the pain she was feeling, understand the pain his parents must have felt. How would it feel to have this kind of fear crashing everywhere inside your trapped body?
But he felt nothing.
He crouched down, spread and lifted her legs, listened as she grunted in pain. Only her cloth-stuffed mouth held back her screams. When he entered her, he felt the rush of heat inside her body.
But the rest of him felt nothing, not even when he slashed her throat.
Chapter 11
“So, guys, you think April would be a good time of our wonderful double wedding?” Helen said. “Or is that too soon?”
“Gives us six months to work out all the details,” Gina said. Dinner was over and they were sitting in the living room. Harry and Vinnie nodded their agreement.
“It’s not a whole lot of time, but then we’re not planning a big bash,” Harry said. “Just a few friends, right?”
Vinnie, sitting next to Helen, scowled, looked over at his sister. “We’re gonna have to invite Mom and Dad, Gina. You know that.”
Gina knew he was right ... and hated him for it. She was beginning to regret that she and
Harry agreed to a double wedding with Vinnie and Helen.
“I don’t care what’s right,” she said. “They never supported my leaving Dominick—they wanted me to stay in that horrible marriage because they were friends with his parents.” She jumped up and paced around the living room. Helen, sitting next to Vinnie, looked perplexed.
“Come back and sit next to me,” Harry said. “Come on, doll. It’s okay.”
Gina slid back onto the love seat; Harry took her hand. “You’re first generation American, your parents came here looking for a new life, and they—.”
“—I know all that stuff, Harry. I’m tired of hearing it. It all sounds so logical and understandable while we’re comfortably sitting here talking in our living room. But the reality? My parents were awful to me. Even after all this time, I can’t forgive them.”
“Maybe this is what we need to mend those fences,” Vinnie said. “For four years Mom and Dad kept asking about you. Mom, in particular, is really depressed about your being gone.”
“Yeah, but is she sad enough to apologize?” Gina stared hard at Vinnie. “I doubt it.”
Helen, always the mediator, said, “I never thought I would ever say this, but I’m lucky not to have this kind of problem—sometimes being an orphan is a blessing.”
“It’s not going to be a picnic with my family, either.” Harry said. “They still call you ‘The little Catholic girl.’ Not Gina. No, the little Catholic girl. It makes me furious. Do you think I want them at our wedding with that attitude?”
“Face it, big sister,” Vinnie said softly, “you’re going to have to forgive them sooner or later. And what better opportunity than this?”
Gina leaned back into Harry. “Let’s elope.”
“I’d love to. But that won’t make the problem go away. You know Vinnie’s right. It’s time to forgive them.”
Gina’s phone buzzed. She looked at it and said, “It’s Lolly. I’d better take it.” She stepped out of the living room and caught the call on the fourth ring.
“Hi, Lolly, what’s up?”
“It’s me, the pest.” There was a long pause. “I know you think I’m crazy, but I can’t help it. I’m worried about Mort Tallent’s bookkeeper.”
“Silly, I don’t think you’re crazy ... you have a big heart, Lolly. That’s what I love about you. Have you tried calling her?”
“That’s it. I have. I tried yesterday and it went to messages. Spoke to her earlier and decided to call again. Tonight, when she picked up, she sounded really weird.”
“Weird? In what way?” Gina asked.
“Scared—I know scared when I hear it—she was definitely scared.”
“What do you want to do?”
There was a long moment before Lolly said, “Would you and Harry mind going over to her apartment with me ... just to see how she’s doing? We’d only have to say hi, then go. Maybe I’ll sleep better tonight.”
It was definitely bad timing. One way or another Gina knew she would have to settle this business about her mother and father with Vinnie. Well, it was going to be later than sooner. “You’ll have to pick us up. We only have a two-seater. Harry’s car is stowed away in the garage.”
* * *
“Harry and I have to go with Lolly to check up on a friend,” Gina said, putting on her jacket.
“You just want to get out of this whole business with Mom and Dad.” She could see Vinnie was totally frustrated with her attitude. “You know we need to iron this out.”
“We’ll talk about it another time,” Harry said.
Helen turned to Vinnie. “We’ll get to it. Just not tonight.”
“That was the point. Tonight was supposed to be the night to settle it once and for all.”
“We’re not going to let a friend down now because we’re busy planning our future,” Harry said. “It sounds like Lolly needs us now.”
“In case you didn’t know it, that’s what friends do for each other,” Gina said.
Vinnie was up and in her face. “Yeah, and what do people do for their families?”
Gina turned her back on him.
“Let’s wait outside,” she said to Harry.
* * *
The three of them sat in Lolly’s Honda Civic, parked outside Maria Benke’s apartment house. They sat in silence, staring at the smoked-glass façade. Gina could see a doorman in the lobby, sitting behind a small desk.
“This is a pretty posh place,” Lolly said. “I knew I should have gone into something other than nursing.”
Harry laughed. “If you’d become a bookkeeper like Maria, you’d be staring at numbers all day long. I know I wouldn’t like it; I’d go crazy in less than a week.”
“I don’t know if that’s true for me,” Gina said. She rolled up her window “Numbers are a helluva lot less complicated than people.”
“Unless you can’t do arithmetic.” Harry bent over and kissed her. “And you can’t.”
“Very funny. I could still cancel the wedding, you know?”
“Okay, I take it back.”
“Now that we’re actually here, I feel kind of silly,” Lolly said. “Do you think I’m just being a busybody interfering in her life?”
“Lolly, I trust your intuition, and you should, too. You’ve always been as nutty as I am.” Gina pressed down on
the door handle. “If you think there’s something wrong, we ought to look into it.”
* * *
When they came through the door and headed for the first floor apartment, the doorman hardly looked up from a book he’d half hidden under papers at the edge of the desk.
“Not much challenge there. We could have been thieves in the night. As long as we were dressed decently we would have made it in,” Gina said, looking at the top of the doorman’s head.
“The guy’s just putting in his hours and collecting a check.” Harry started walking to the elevator. “To his credit, he is reading a book.”
Out side of Maria’s apartment, they hesitated.
Gina’s scalp was tingling. She knew something was wrong when she reached out and rang the bell. After several seconds, she rang it again.
Harry tried the door handle. “It’s not locked.” They looked at each other in surprise, then stepped inside.
Every light in the apartment appeared to be on. “Hello,” Gina said. She walked through the small foyer; the others were right behind her.
The living room was a mess—things scattered everywhere.
“Maria!” Lolly called out.
Gina sniffed at the air. That rank combination of sweat, fear, and blood surrounded them. “We need to check the rooms.”
They moved down the hall and crowded into the first bedroom.
“Oh, my God!” Lolly cried out. “It’s Maria.”
Blood was spattered everywhere. Maria was tied down to the bed and her mouth was stuffed with a rag. But that wasn’t the worst of it—or was it her helplessness, lying in puddles of body fluids that were congealing all around her.
No, it wasn’t that.
It was her eyes. They were open and vacant. They seemed to be saying:
Look at me. Look what they’ve done to me.
Chapter 12
When the police arrived at Maria’s apartment, they asked Lolly, Gina, and Harry a few preliminary questions, then told them to wait in the living room.
It was more than thirty minutes before an Inspector Trowbred finally came out and started questioning them more seriously.
“So, Ms. Stenz, I know you said you worked with Ms. Benke. Did you know both victims?”