Frankie picked me up Friday at lunch time from the boutique to go get Karma. I was so excited I almost didn’t notice Frankie’s new deep red hair color. Luckily, it was impossible to miss in the sunlight.
“Hey, I like the new do!” I slid into her sports car and dug sunglasses out of my bag.
“Thanks, had it done this morning. Figure if I’m gonna attract a different type of fish, I need to use a different kind of bait.”
We laughed together. I was glad to see she had recovered so quickly. I hoped Karma could get his spirits back quickly, too.
She introduced me to country music at obscene decibels as we drove to the Emergency Vet Clinic. My ears were still ringing as we sat in the plastic waiting room chairs.
Eventually, the door opened and the vet tech led Karma through the door.
A mixture of emotions tumbled around inside me. I was glad to see him up and about but his obvious discomfort squeezed my heart. He moved slowly, limping and panting, but his tail was wagging. That was a good sign. I kneeled down in front of him.
“Are you ready to go home, Karma?” Looking into those soft brown eyes, I smiled and kissed his nose. “Whew, you need a bath!”
I paid the enormous vet bill, got a bag full of the stuff I’d need to give him fluids at home and instructions, then Frankie helped me get him settled on the blanket in the tiny back seat. I was glad the convertible top was down, I couldn’t imagine being confined to a tight space with Karma smelling so badly. I’d have to get Sylvia to work her magic on him.
Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long. Sylvia took one whiff of him and squeezed him in between her furry clients, scrubbing him until he smelled like a flower garden.
“Much better,” she said, assessing him as he stretched out on his pillow afterwards and happily watched us.
“He looks like he’s smiling, doesn’t he?” I put a peanut butter cupcake in front of him. He licked at it with his massive tongue.
“I’m sure he didn’t like to smell himself, either.” Sylvia answered. “Oy! Those cupcakes look good enough for humans!”
I waggled my eyebrows at her. “All natural ingredients.”
“I’ll stick with Cassis,” she laughed and then turned to ring up a gentleman with a schnauzer. “Alô, you find everything okay?”
Now that I had Karma back safe and sound, I began to work on the problem of how to find out who was in the townhouse the night Mad Dog died. I couldn’t think of any other way to do that besides confront the twins and see how they reacted.
I checked my watch. It was almost closing time. I was supposed to meet Will for dinner at seven, which brought up a whole different set of issues. How was he going to respond to hearing I get psychic images from animals? And that I’ve been keeping this from him the whole time? Not to mention my family’s weirdness—which, I probably wouldn’t. My stomach twisted. I pushed these thoughts away. Finding Mad Dog’s killer had to stay a priority.
I only had an hour to stop by the townhouse and see if the twins were there. If not, I would go by Landon’s magic show after my dinner with Will and talk to them there. Maybe Will would go with me? Stop it, Darwin! Happily ever after is dangerous territory to go fantasizing in.
I took a quick shower, gave Karma his fluids, blocked off the stairs and made a pillow bed on the living room floor for him so he didn’t try to climb up to the bedroom with his broken leg.
“Okay, you hold down the fort, Karma. I have to go back to the townhouse tonight.” I scratched under his ears. “I’m getting close to finding out what really happened to Mad Dog. You rest and I’ll be back later.” I kissed him between the eyes hoping he could understand me. Hoping he would know when it was over. Hoping he would understand somehow when the mystery was solved and justice was done.
I maneuvered my bike down the sidewalk to the townhouse, dropping it in the grass before I walked up to the front door. A light was on behind the heavy curtain and I could hear voices inside, arguing. I suddenly wasn’t so confident with my decision to just waltz up and knock. I should see who I’d be dealing with first. Stepping back off the porch, I snuck around the side, through the weeds and peered through the window on the back door. The kitchen light burned bright and I could see shadows beyond that but still didn’t know if the twins were in there. I wiggled the knob. Locked.
The footsteps behind me barely registered before a blow to the back of my head knocked me to my knees and then into the land of unconsciousness.
CHAPTER FORTY
I heard voices as I came to. Where was I? It all came flooding back with a force that made my head throb. Well, my wish had been granted…I was now inside the townhouse. I tried to move my arms, but my hands were tied behind my back and almost too numb to feel.
Forcing my eyes open, I saw light seeping in beneath the closed door. Someone’s hysterical scream startled me. I strained to hear the conversation.
“You have to calm down! Shit, I can’t hear myself think!”
I recognized that voice. It was Vick.
“It’s over. You have to turn yourselves in.”
That was Mac’s voice! Mac was here, thank heavens. I tried to scream through the cloth gag in my mouth. Too muffled. He knew I was in here, right? I squirmed to get my legs, which were also tied, to maneuver me upright. Youch! A rabbit was kicking the inside of my skull. Gritting my teeth, I bore the pain and pulled myself into a seated position. I waited for the wave of nausea to pass and then tried to stand on my bound feet. I crashed back onto the mattress. Who would think this would be so hard?
Vick’s voice now rose over a female’s crying. Mac was shouting back.
“Mac!” I screamed. No use. He couldn’t hear me. I had to get to the door.
Suddenly, there was a sound like ptwhew! A heavy thud and the female yelped.
Then silence.
I held my breath, my own heartbeat thumped in my ears. I sat there, not knowing what to do. Mac? I didn’t hear his voice anymore. As I stared at the closed door and the shouting resumed, I suddenly realized just how much danger I was in. No one knew where I was. I thought about Karma waiting for me at home and about Will waiting for me at dinner. Would he think I stood him up and just go home? If I didn’t show up at the boutique in the morning, would Sylvia call the police? By then it would be too late.
I couldn’t wait until morning. I knew I wouldn’t survive the night in this place.
The door suddenly burst open and Vick stared down at me holding a gun with some kind of long black tube on the end. “You,” he waved the gun at me and I couldn’t tear my eyes from it. “If you would have minded your own damned business about Mad Dog’s death…” Reaching down, he grabbed the back of my arm and pulled me up off the mattress. I tried to fight him, but his fingers dug into my flesh. “Come on, I want to show you what you’ve done.”
The scene in that little living room wiped away all hope of getting out of there alive.
Mac lay on the floor, face down, blood pooling on the hardwood floor beneath his torso. I lunged toward him, tears streaming down my face. Vick held me tight. He dragged me over to an upright punching bag. Forcing me against it, he yelled at the woman standing there glaring at me. “Get the rope!”
It was Maddy!
She didn't look good. Mascara ran in thick streaks down her face.
“Shit,” she slurred, still crying. Obviously high on something, she stumbled over to the box and pulled out rope. She brought it back and held it out to Vick.
As he wound the rope around me, tethering me to the punching bag, Maddy glared at me, her sobs coming out as hiccups.
“You have ruined everything!” She fell forward with the force of her anger. Gaining her balance, she balled her hands into fists. “You made me lose my baby!”
My heart lurched. I hoped that wasn’t true. I needed to be able to talk to her, try to reason with her but the cloth stuffed in my mouth prevented that. The only thing I could do was shake my head vigorously.
“Yes! Yes
, you did.” She swung at me, her knuckles connecting with the bottom of my chin. It hurt but could have been worse. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for her to hit me again.
“Whoa,” Vick said. “There’ll be plenty of time for that. Wait ‘til the video’s rollin’ darlin’.”
My eyes flew open. Plenty of time? Video? Oh, this wasn’t good.
Vick finished tethering me to the punching bag and stepped back. His dark eyes bore into mine. He reached over and pulled the cloth from my mouth.
I took a deep breath and moved my jaw around. “Please, I didn’t mean to…”
“Shut your mouth!” Maddy screamed.
Vick grabbed her around the waist as she lunged toward me again.
“You shut your mouth," Maddy choked. "You’re the one who should be dead! Not my baby!”
“It’s all right, Maddy. You’ll get your revenge.” Vick grinned at me. “You messed with the wrong girl, honey.”
My head was pounding and I was freaking out. I watched in horror as Maddy stumbled back to the box and pulled out a pair of leather gloves with metal spikes sticking out of the knuckles. As she came toward me, pulling them on, I thought of my mother and sisters. Who would tell them what happened to me? Will they know that I loved them, even as I had to leave them? I closed my eyes as Vick stepped behind a video camera and yelled, “Showtime!”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
The first blow was to my chest. It knocked the wind out of me and the spikes stung as they penetrated my skin. I braved a look into her eyes as she wound up for another punch. What I saw there was pure rage…maybe madness. Whatever part of her that had been human, that could have prevented her from killing me, was gone. The single-mindedness of her hatred terrified me. Nothing I could say would stop her. So, I closed my eyes and tried to put myself as far away from my physical being as possible. I went back home in my mind, to Savannah.
My sisters were gathered in the kitchen. They smiled at me as I entered and I rushed into their arms.
The second blow was to my head. It felt like a boulder crashed into me and the shocking pain pulled me back to the townhouse. I felt the spikes tear through the flesh of my cheek. Tiny black dots danced in my vision. I decided it was better to keep my eyes open, if I could, and know when the next blow was coming.
How long would I stay conscious during a beating like this? I felt the blood, wet and sticky, running down my face and into my shirt. I hoped the next blow would knock me out.
“This video is going to be gold, darlin’!” Vick said, laughing.
In the back of my mind, Vick’s words disturbed something deep within me. I reached for the questions that now rose like sediment floating impossibly upward toward the surface. “Video?” I managed to push the word out on borrowed breath.
Maddy swayed in front of me, grinning but let her arms drop. “Oh, yeah. You’re gonna be an internet star just like your friend, Mad Dog.”
“Shut up, Maddy! Just keep workin’ her.”
“No,” she whirled around to face Vick. “It doesn’t matter if she knows now. She can take it to the grave with her.” She turned slowly back to me and put her face inches from mine. I could smell her sweat mixed with alcohol. “I didn’t mean to kill Mad Dog. I liked him, actually. We were shooting the video and us girls had been drinkin’. Tonya said, ‘Hey, I dare you to use the new brass knuckles.’ Maddy swayed and fell back, laughing and shrugged. “Why not?”
Tears were streaming down my face, mingling with the blood. The salty mixture filled my mouth. Maddy killed Mad Dog? But why didn’t he stop her? Was he tied up like this? The thought made me sick to my stomach. I dropped my head.
“Yep, so now you know. We panicked and dumped him at the lake. Tried to make it look like he just got drunk and drowned.”
“With my good rum!” Vick threw in.
“Oops,” Maddy laughed then shifted back into psycho mode. “But no…you just couldn’t let it be. Probably dump your nosey ass there, too.”
It was truly over. I knew the truth but I wouldn’t be able to tell anyone. Maddy would get away with it. The best I could hope for was my death would lead Will to investigate further and maybe they would uncover the truth then.
I’m so sorry, Karma. I pictured him in my mind and tried to send him a last goodbye. I could almost hear his deep bark.
Suddenly, the door shook as someone pounded on it.
My head snapped up. Maddy whirled around and shared a concerned look with Vick.
The knocking stopped and then the door crashed in. I saw Vick drop to the floor and go for the gun he had left there. Maddy bolted for the back door, jumping over Mac’s body, tripping then stumbling back up.
Will and three other officers pushed into the room, guns out, yelling, “Police, freeze!”
A large brown mass pushed by them and tackled Maddy in the hallway with a loud thud.
Karma!
“Get off me!” She screamed. One of the officers grabbed her arms and cuffed her. Another officer wrestled Vick to the ground, knocking over the video camera. The third one checked Mac’s vitals. “He’s alive! I’ll call it in.”
Karma limped over to me and began sniffing me with abandon, his tail wagging. Will was right behind him.
“Oh my god,” he whispered as he saw my face. He worked quickly to untie me and I collapsed in his arms. All the pain was a tidal wave rushing in now. I whimpered as Will helped me to sit on the floor. Karma pushed in next to me, resting a large paw on my leg. “Hang on. The paramedics will be here soon.”
I squinted at Will through my swollen eye lid and tried to smile, but the tears just spilled out faster. “Maddy killed Mad Dog. She confessed. They videotaped it.”
Will reached out and held his palm to the side of my face that wasn’t beat to a bloody pulp. “We’ve got her. We’ll sort it out, don’t worry. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Darwin.”
I glanced up as the officers escorted Maddy and Vick out. “How did you find me?”
“Karma.” Will patted his flanks affectionately. “I got worried when you didn’t show up at dinner, with someone threatening you and then running you down in a car…so I had Sylvia let me in your place when you didn’t answer. Karma was frantic. We let him out and he led us here. When I saw your bike in the grass, I knew you were in trouble.”
Dizziness rushed in as I turned my head. Karma couldn’t save Mad Dog, but he saved me. How did he know? I closed my eyes as Will instructed the paramedics who had arrived. Maybe the visions were more like a connection, a two way exchange of energy? Will reluctantly let me go as two gentle hands took over.
Good boy.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Three days later, I was back at the boutique, enjoying a cup of tea and feeling lighter than I had in months, despite my new injuries. It was already a gorgeous St. Pete morning, full of sunshine and possibility. Or maybe it was just the fact that I had survived? There’s something precious about each new morning after you thought you’d never see one again.
Sylvia and Frankie were hanging out with me. We were all thanking our lucky stars we lived through the threat Vick and Maddy had posed in our lives. Even Mac had survived. He would be in the hospital recovering for awhile but he wasn’t complaining about the soft bed, hot food or cute nurses.
I adjusted my sore bones on the chair in front of the window, letting the sunshine warm the side of my face not covered in bandages.
“I still can’t believe it was Maddy who killed Mad Dog,” Frankie said. “I guess you never really know somebody.”
“Shocking, yeah. But so is the fact those three girls were involved in such a barbaric activity to begin with,” I said.
“Sim é demente,” Sylvia sighed. “Landon must now find new assistants. Demente meninas. So,” her brow furrowed, “they would pay the homeless people for these girls to beat them up? And sell the videos? Who would buy such a thing?”
“Not just that,” I said, “but Vick had a hidden page that you could only shop
on after he charged five thousand dollars on your credit card. Will said it was real sick stuff, including the video of Mad Dog’s death.”
I still couldn’t digest this part. Yeah, Vick deserved to be locked up, but what about all the people buying this kind of violence? Supporting it? Do they just get to walk away?
“So, Vick wrote the suicide note and forced Junior to turn it in?” Frankie asked.
“Yep.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t see what a scumbag he really was,” Frankie said.
We all sat sipping our tea for a moment. It was all so surreal.
“Was it Vick who tried to run you over then?” Sylvia asked.
“Nope, Will said it was Maddy. She apparently got the car from her brother, who stole it in Tampa. I guess Vick told her I was still suspicious of Mad Dog’s death and she decided she needed to cover her tracks.” I didn’t mention the part where I confronted Vick on the yacht with the words ‘I know about Maddy.’ He must’ve thought I was talking about her killing Mad Dog.
“You could have gotten yourself killed,” Sylvia scolded me, then made the sign of the cross.
“Yeah,” Frankie said, “but she didn’t, thank the Lord. And they would’ve all got away with it and kept hurting people. You did the right thing, Darwin. Maybe not the smart thing…but the right thing.”
“Thanks, Frankie,” I laughed and then winced as the stitches in my cheek pulled tight.
“Though Hops is gonna be sore at you for awhile for getting him out of jail,” she chuckled.
Just then, the first customers of the day entered the boutique.
“Welcome to Darwin’s,” Sylvia smiled. “What can we help you senhoras with today?”
The woman adjusted her purse on her shoulder. “Hi, are you Darwin?”
“That’d be me,” I raised my hand. “Can I help you?”
Her eyes widened at the sight of the bandages covering the side of my face. She put a protective hand on the young girl’s shoulder standing next to her.
Karma's A Bitch (A Pet Psychic Mystery) Page 18