Dial 'M' for Maine Coon

by Alex Erickson

  As soon as he was gone, I started working at the twine. Panic was trying to well up inside me, but I kept it in check as best I could. If I panicked now, I might miss something that would help me. If I did that, then I wouldn’t be leaving these woods.

  I’ll literally be swimming with the fishes. A giggle burst from my lips. I was on the edge of hysteria, and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it but succumb.

  “Mom!” The harsh whisper came from behind me.

  “Amelia?” I stood, and very nearly tripped over my own two feet as I spun. “What are you doing here?”

  “I followed you. The police are on their way.” She hurried across the room and produced a pocket knife. “Turn around. I’ll cut you free.”

  “Hurry,” I said, turning my back to her. “He could be back at any moment. He has a gun.”

  She sliced through the twine like it was butter. “I know. I heard—and recorded—ever ything.”

  “Where were you hiding?” I asked, rubbing at my wrists. “And how did you get in?”

  “The bathroom. The window was easy to open. We can get out that way.”

  Amelia led the way through the cabin, to a small bathroom. There was just enough room for a small sink, the toilet, and a standup shower. The window was next to the toilet, and was thankfully large enough so I wouldn’t have to try to squeeze through like Play-Doh through a clenched fist.

  As soon as we were inside the tiny room, I closed the door. It made the room feel even more claustrophobic.

  Amelia motioned for me to precede her through the window, but I shook my head.

  “No chance,” I said. “You go. I’ll follow.”

  “I can boost you up.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m not going to risk you getting caught.”

  “I don’t want to leave you behind.”

  “Amelia.” I put on my Mom voice. “Do as I say. If we keep arguing about it, he’s going to come back and catch the both of us.”

  She made a frustrated sound and rolled her eyes, but she did as she was told for once.

  Amelia used the toilet to boost herself up and through the window. When she jumped down, I could hear her land in the leaves outside. I sucked in a worried breath, but Sterling didn’t call out or fire his gun at the sound.

  “All right, Liz. Let’s do this.” I put a foot onto the toilet, and grabbed the windowsill. The seat shifted as I tested my weight, and a flash of fear shot through me. What if I’m too heavy? It was a stupid thought, but I couldn’t help it. It would be just my luck to fall through the lid and get my foot stuck in the toilet.

  The front door opened. Sterling had returned.

  My muscles strained as I pulled myself up onto the toilet the rest of the way. The window wasn’t too far off the ground, but it was far enough that I worried I wouldn’t be fast enough.

  “Mrs. Denton, this is pointless. You have nowhere to go.”

  Sterling’s voice came from deeper in the cabin. It wouldn’t be long before he checked the bathroom.

  I hunkered down, coiling up like a cat might before a high leap. I checked my grip on the windowsill to make sure it was secure, took a deep breath, and then leapt.

  At the same instant, the bathroom door flew open.

  Adrenaline shot through me. On a normal day, I might have been able to pull myself up and through the window, and slide right down to the other side somewhat gently.

  Instead, I flew through the window as if I’d been shot out of a cannon. My knee cracked the windowsill, upending me as I passed through the opening. By some grace of fate, I didn’t land on my head, but continued to flip. I slammed hard into the ground, back-first.

  “Geez, Mom!” Amelia hissed, just as Sterling shouted, “Get back here!”

  Amelia met my eyes. Hers were nearly popping from her head.

  “I’m okay,” I gasped, barely about to get enough air to speak. “Go.”

  She helped me to my feet and we started to run.

  “Car’s this way,” Amelia said, taking the lead.

  We’d taken only a pair of steps in the direction of her car when a gunshot rang out. The bullet struck a tree about two feet in front of us.

  Amelia screamed and veered off, into the trees. I followed after her. A spot between my shoulder blades itched, and I fully expected another shot to follow, but it didn’t.

  Instead, I could hear Sterling running behind us. He was already too close for comfort.

  “He’s gaining,” I gasped. There was no way I was going to reach Amelia’s car. My back was screaming, and I still had yet to regain my breath from having it knocked out of me during my fall. I was slowing her down.

  I made a snap decision then. Without informing Amelia of my intentions, I darted around a tree and came to an abrupt halt. It was too dark to see much, but my foot hit something in the brush at my feet. I knelt and came up with a thick branch that felt half rotten.

  It would have to do.

  Footfalls neared. I reared back, anticipation making my hands slick. Every breath came out ragged, and I was positive Sterling would hear me long before he reached the spot I needed him to.

  But Sterling Wright was an older man. And while he might be fitter than your average seventy-something, he was still getting up there in years. His own breathing was just as loud as mine.

  Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time. His pant grew louder, as did his footfalls. I remained poised and ready.

  The moment Sterling reached the tree behind which I was hiding, I put every last ounce of strength I had left into a swing.

  The branch caught him square on the nose. It shattered in a spray of spongy bark in my hand, but it served its purpose.

  Sterling’s feet went out from under him, while his head came to an abrupt halt. He grunted and then landed hard onto his back. The gun in his hand went flying into the woods.

  I raised the stub of branch I had left, ready to knock him back down with it if he tried to rise, but Sterling wasn’t moving. He was still breathing, but he was out cold.

  As I sagged to my knees, completely spent—both mentally and physically—sirens sounded in the distance. Before long, Martin Castor’s fishing cabin was awash in strobe lights, and I was sitting in the back of an ambulance, hugging my daughter close, happy that we were both still alive.

  28

  “Are you sure you don’t want a carrier?” I asked, limping only slightly as I followed Erik Deavers to the front door.

  “No, I think we’ll be okay, don’t you?” He brought Sheamus up to his face.

  Sheamus sneezed.

  “I guess I deserved that,” Erik said with a laugh. He wiped at his face with the back of his hand. “Thank you for everything, Liz.”

  “Of course.” I ran a hand over my eyes, which were starting to tear up. “I’m glad you’re taking Sheamus. I think your dad would be proud.”

  “I hope so.” Erik sighed and set Sheamus down. The cat immediately headed toward Wheels, who was watching, but he couldn’t go far; the Maine Coon was wearing a harness. “I wish I would have had the chance to meet him.”

  “Me too.” I knelt and ran a hand over Sheamus’s back. “What are you going to do now?”

  “Go home,” Erik said. “Get my place ready for this guy.” When he smiled at Sheamus, I could see the affection there. The Maine Coon was going to a good home. “I’ll take some time to visit Mom’s grave, let her know what happened. I’ll have to come back to deal with Dad’s estate, and when I do, I hope we can get together.”

  “I’d like that,” I said. “You have my number.”

  Erik patted the pocket where he kept his phone. “I can’t believe all of this happened because some guy was afraid people would find out he’d cheated on his wife.”

  “People do stupid things all of the time,” I said. Apparently, Sterling Wright had been newly married at the time Christine was conceived, a fact I hadn’t known until recently. His wife died over ten years ago, and I wondered if he’d assi
sted her along. I doubt I’ll ever know for sure. “Not everyone has the power to make them go away.”

  Erik nodded, and then picked up Sheamus. “I’d best hit the road.”

  “Hey, did you ever find out who broke into your hotel room?”

  “I did.” Erik sounded relieved as he said it. “Turns out, one of the hotel employees is married to one of the cops on the force. Guess she thought I was guilty of murdering Dad, thanks to her husband, and decided to wreck my room for me.”

  “Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say.

  “I decided not to press charges or anything. The woman was fired, as was the friend who’d helped her, and I figure that was punishment enough.”

  “That was big of you.” I wasn’t sure I could have left it at that.

  “Maybe.” He hugged Sheamus to his chest. “I can’t say I won’t be happy to get home.”

  “Well, safe travels. Be good, Sheamus.”

  The cat meowed at me as Erik opened the door and headed for his car.

  I watched them go, a strange sense of melancholy washing over me. I was glad Sheamus had found a home, but I was going to miss him. I had a feeling Wheels felt the same. She joined me at the door and, together, we stood watching until Erik’s car vanished down the road with a farewell honk.

  “It’s just us, I suppose,” I told Wheels as I closed the door.

  She rubbed up against my leg, and then sped away, chasing after something unseen.

  “Or not.” I smiled after her.

  “Mom, have you seen my keys?” Ben bounded down the stairs, dressed in a pair of his dad’s scrubs. Kittens playing with twine decorated the powder-blue material. “Never mind.” He snatched the keys in question off the table.

  “Aren’t you getting the keys to your new place today?” I asked him.

  “Yeah.” He grinned. “Then it’s off to work.”

  “So, you’re going through with it?” I asked. “Working full-time.”

  “Yep. I’m a working man now. No more slacking off.”

  And no more helping me with the rescues. It was a bittersweet moment. I was glad he was moving on with his life, but at the same time, I was going to miss having him around all the time. “Well, have fun. Let me know if you need me for anything.”

  He kissed me on the cheek. “I will.” A strange look came into his eyes then. “I guess I should tell you that I won’t be living alone.”

  “Oh? A new girlfriend already?”

  He laughed. “No, not quite. It’s Jack. I told him if he lays off the drugs and booze, and if he tries to find a job, he can live with me. After a few months, I expect him to pay his share. If he can’t . . .” He shrugged, his meaning obvious.

  Pride made my chest swell and tears come to my eyes. “You’re a good friend, Ben. He doesn’t deserve you.”

  “Does anyone?” He winked, and then made for the door. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  And then, like Erik, he was gone.

  “All right, Mom, you’re all set.”

  I turned to find Amelia entering the room. While I was bruised and sore, there wasn’t a mark on her that said that five days ago, she’d run through the woods, a killer on her tail. She had a closed laptop tucked under her arm.

  “She pass?”

  “With flying colors.” She leaned against the wall. “No history of, well, anything. Chico is going to be in good hands.”

  “That’s great.” I was still annoyed that the poor Chihuahua had gone through so much, but was happy he was going to a home where he’d be loved.

  Two days ago, Stacy Hildebrand had shown up on my doorstep, Chico in hand, demanding I find the dog a new home. Apparently, she’d always planned on giving up the Chihuahua, and Courtney had used her to try to make me look bad. The whole story about a stolen dog was, as suspected, just one big show.

  “I’m going to Maya’s for a little bit. I might crash at her place, so don’t wait up for me or anything.”

  “All right,” I said. I crossed the room and kissed her on the cheek. Amelia made a face. “Are you going to Chester’s later?” She’d taken the last few days off to recover from our near-death experience, and I was kind of worried the nightmarish event had put her off working as a PI for good.

  “Not today. I think I’ll head back into the office tomorrow. I deserve a little time off. I mean, I did help unmask a killer.”

  “That, you did.” And I couldn’t be prouder.

  Amelia headed for the door. A moment later, I was alone in the house with Wheels.

  The quiet wouldn’t last for long.

  Sterling Wright was behind bars, as were his accomplices, Martin Castor and Harry Davis. I didn’t know what all would stick, but that was okay. There was no way they were going to talk their way out of some serious jail time, not with people dead. I only wished I knew why Christine had run without taking Joe with her. Sterling wasn’t talking, but I hoped that Martin eventually would. The story needed to come out.

  I was sure I was going to get reprimanded at some point, but so far, Detective Cavanaugh had yet to show up on my doorstep with handcuffs in hand. Maybe he’d forgive my illegal activities since it helped put a killer away. Besides, like Amelia, I deserved a break. It had been a rough week.

  I rubbed at my lower back as I crossed the room to my phone. I was going to have to take some more pain pills soon. Nothing was broken, but I felt like I’d been beaten with a large stick for hours.

  I picked up the phone and dialed. Everything had worked out. The killers were caught, Sheamus had found a home, and both my children were moving on with their lives. Before long, Manny and I would be able to move to that beach he’d talked about.

  Today, however, was not that day.

  “Hi, Duke,” I said when the phone was answered. “Chico is good to go. I can pick you up in twenty, and I promise, this time, I’ll leave the drama at home.”