by Leona Fox
Without a moment's hesitation Ellen opened the door and stifled a gasp as she saw a large figure over Ella's bed. All Ellen could see was the young woman's legs shaking and struggling to kick out, and then, over against the side wall, she saw Scampy. Filled with rage, anger swelled up inside Ellen and flowed through her veins, giving her a strength she never knew she had. The figure was so consumed with Ella he failed to notice Ellen behind him.
First she swung the bag of food at his head, and then, while the figure was distracted, she picked up the empty jug that was sitting on Ella's bedside table and brought it crashing down over the figure's head. Glass shattered everywhere, raining down over the floor and the bed, while a loud yell of pain was heard as the figure crumpled to the floor, cradling his head. Ellen rushed to Ella and helped her out of bed, then went over to Scampy. She was relieved to find the dog wasn't hurt too badly and was mostly only shaken up.
Ellen glanced back at the figure, who she now could see was a man. He was wearing a heavy jacket with the hood up so it obscured his features, and he was beginning to stir. Ellen cried out for help as the man pushed himself up onto his feet. He was about to turn and face her, his face still hidden in the shadows of the hood, when the cop ran in. The door slammed on its hinges as the cop yelled at the man to stay where he was. Pulling out his cuffs, the cop avoided Ellen's glare, for he knew he had made a grave mistake in leaving his post. But Ellen was preoccupied with seeing who was under the hood. As the cop read the man his rights he pulled down the hood, revealing the cruel, twisted face of Ella's brother, Gregory.
Ellen was surprised she hadn't figured it out before. She held Ella close to her with one hand, while the other rested on Scampy's body, feeling the soft rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Gregory struggled against the cop and Ellen wished she hadn't looked into his eyes. The only thing she saw was anger. She was reminded of what Beatrice had told her shortly after they had first met; that the twins were a reflection of each other and Gregory had received all the pain while Ella had been given everything that was good. Gregory didn't say anything as he was hauled out, and Ellen made sure Ella didn't have to look at him.
“It's okay. He's gone now,” Ellen said.
Ella raised her head and glanced toward the door, checking herself that he truly was gone. Her body was shuddering and tears streamed down her face. She clung to Ellen desperately, and didn't seem like she wanted to let go for a long while.
“Is that why you wouldn't say anything? Because it was your brother?” Ellen asked.
Ella nodded, and buried her face back into Ellen's body. Ellen cradled her gently and rocked her as she looked outside at the night passing, vowing not to leave until Ella had told her story. Shortly after the attack, nurses ran in with some water and food to help comfort Ella. The doctor on hand was also nice enough to tend to Scampy as well, and declared the dog had no major injuries and would be fine.
“Thank you for being here,” Ella said when she was back in bed.
Ellen was sitting close by, holding her hand, grateful for the fact that she could be there for Ella. In some way it seemed to make up for the fact that she never had had children of her own.
“I won't be going anywhere for a while, but you're safe now. I promise you that,” Ellen said. “Now how about you tell me everything that happened?”
Chapter 9
Ellen jumped out of the shower and walked over to Kelly's place. The heat was beginning to subside and it was easier to breathe. Her mind felt clearer and no longer was it such an effort to make it through the day. Kelly greeted her, and as Ellen walked through to the lounge she could smell the scent of paint in the air.
“You've started painting again?” Ellen said.
“The muse struck me once more. It seemed about time to start again. I have to admit that I did miss having a brush in my hand. But now please tell me everything that Ella told you because I've been dying to hear it. I can't believe you had such an adventure without me! I'm starting to feel left out.”
“It wasn't like I intended to have an adventure, believe me. If I had known that was going to happen I would have dragged you along. I'm just glad that jug of water was there or else I don't know what could have happened.”
“Best not to think about that, eh, but that's the Ellen I know, always at the heart of the action.”
“I know, sometimes it's exhausting.”
“Don't try fooling me, I know that secretly you love it,” Kelly said, and both women shared a secret smile.
“So then, tell me the nefarious reason why Gregory kidnapped his own sister?”
Ellen leaned back in the chair and took a deep breath. Ella had taken a long time to tell her, and it had been with much reticence for the poor woman was so shaken.
“It turns out Gregory wasn't as fortunate in life as Ella was. Where she had a good job and could afford to take some time off to look after their parents, he had run up a serious gambling debt. While he had been bailed out before, there wasn't any money left. There wasn't even any for him left by his parents because they had used up his inheritance for helping him out of the holes he dug himself into. Ella tried helping him out as best she could but he couldn't stop racking up the debt and there came a point where he owed too much even for her to pay off. Then she told him she was thinking of going back to the city to start a new job. That was when he got scared that she was going to leave him behind since their parents had died, even though she didn't have any intention of doing that. It's tragic, really. Despite everything he did she still loves him.
She told me he was the only family she has left. That's one of the reasons she didn't want to tell anyone about it. She still wanted to protect him, wanted to hope there was good inside him and that he would remember what it was to be a brother. But it wasn't to be. When he came to find her again she knew there was no helping him, and that for her own sake she had to come clean and tell the truth. He'd taken her out to the woods, had burst into her house in the dead of night and dragged her into the woods somewhere he had picked up some work cleaning up the forest. He threw her in some abandoned shed and kept her there, hoping that enough time would pass so people would forget about her.”
“But why? What good would killing her have done?”
“Not too long ago he took out a life insurance policy for her. So his plan was for her to die, and then he'd cash it in. Couple that with the fact that everyone would see him as a man who had lost his parents and his sister in quick succession and he would have been able to play everyone for fools.”
“And he'd have enough money to ride off into the sunset.”
“Until he blew it all on his next 'sure thing',” Ellen said, rolling her eyes.
“She was so torn up about it. I don't know what hit her hardest, that she was kidnapped or that it was her brother who did it.”
“I can't imagine that, a twin as well. They were so close all through life and then it came down to this.”
“Yeah. She said she was so worried when she was locked up, she actually began to give up hope. She tried to reason with him but he showed no signs of remorse. From what I've heard from Andy he seems unrepentant even now. I can't believe he would do that to his own sister and not even feel guilty about it.”
“At least she's safe now.”
“Yes, she is, but it's going to take a lot longer for her to feel safe, if you know what I mean.”
“Is she staying here or is she going to go back to the city?”
“I think she's going to go back to where she belongs. She said she preferred the noise of the city, it made her feel less alone. I left her with Beatrice and I think she'll take care of Ella.”
“Funny isn't it? After you were so insistent that the two of you were peas in a pod.”
“Well, she gets to go back to the city and pursue her dreams. I stayed here and managed to have a pretty good life for myself. I don't think I'd change anything for the world, although it did feel kinda nice when I was with her in the hosp
ital, like she was my own daughter.”
“You're not thinking of...” Kelly asked, her eyes wide with fear. Ellen laughed her off.
“No, not at all, it was just a nice thing to experience once, you know. Who knows? Maybe in the future...” she said, and giggled when she saw Kelly's disbelieving stare.
“If you had a child you'd be too busy to solve all these crimes, and I know you'd never give up that.”
“Maybe.”
“And a child wouldn't be able to help you solve the crimes, not like Scampy.”
“No, that is most definitely true. If it hadn't been for him and his keen nose Ella would have been out there a lot longer. I don't know how well-fed Gregory was keeping her. I think he was hoping the elements would get her. I guess he reasoned that if she died from dehydration then he technically wouldn't be responsible.”
“It's terrible, isn't it? It's almost enough to make me want to move.”
“People always are going to be there, wherever you go, but I think we can agree there are more good people here than bad ones,” Ellen said. Kelly nodded emphatically.
“Although I'm sure it won't be long before another case rears its head.”
“Undoubtedly.”
As if on cue, they heard rapping knuckles on the door. Despite it being Kelly's house Ellen opened the door. She saw Andy standing there. It was the first time they had seen each other since he had kissed her, and Ellen wondered – and a little part of her hoped – that he would do so again.
“When you weren't at the cafe or your house I figured you'd be here. I just wanted to thank you again for your help with the case and your help with...well...everything. I don't think anyone else would have dared to tell me that, but it was exactly what I needed to hear.”
“I'm glad I could help. I think we all need someone to tell us things like that now and then. I'm sorry if it came across as harsh.”
“No, not at all. Well, yes, but like I said, it was necessary. I thought a lot about what you said and I realize now I've been living in the past and letting my mistakes define me. I got so caught up in that one case that I forgot all the others that I have solved. I guess it was just hard having the constant reminder in those books, and that my family never let me forget that the character was based on me. But it doesn't have to be like that here. I'm my own man, and I wanted to thank you for reminding me of that. And to say thank you I wondered if you'd like to join me for dinner?” he asked. Ellen blushed a little.
“She'd love to!” Kelly cried out, smiling wickedly. Ellen glared at her and then turned back to Andy.
“Yes, that...that would be lovely,” she said, smiling coyly at Andy, who was beaming and rocking back and forth on his heels. But something caught Ellen's eye, Andy was holding something in his hands.
“What's that?” she asked.
“Oh, that's another case for you to work on, if you feel up to it?” he asked. “I know this one was quite heavy so don't worry if you don't--”
“No, it's fine,” she said. Then she reached around him, grabbed the case folder and tossed it to Kelly.
“But it can wait,” she said, and then linked her arm with Andy’s.
“So where are you taking me to dinner?” she asked.
The two of them walked off into the cool night, arm in arm, glad that the rigors of the case were over. Meanwhile, Kelly went back to her painting. In the hospital, Ella was sitting with Beatrice, glad she soon would be able to leave East Pender, and the ordeal she had been through, behind.
Find out what Ellen discovers in book 4 of The East Pender Mysteries here: http://amzn.to/2b8ShhT
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