Sleeping Dogs Lie wfm-1

by Sharon Henegar

  “But he kept a duplicate,” Bonnie said.

  “He went to see the police detective, who acted as though he thought Bob’s accusation of Carl was ridiculous. But Bonnie tells me that Carl is politically well-connected in High Cross—”

  “He was on the city council for a while, until he figured out some work was involved,” Bonnie explained.

  “He also donates money to some police charity and golfs with the chief and all that good old boy stuff. So we think Bob’s idea that the detective told Carl about the tape is likely. Or if the detective didn’t tell Carl directly, he told someone within the police who’s connected to Carl. Within a day or so of Bob’s visit to the police, Carl knew the tape existed, and that it was in a safety deposit box in the bank that he owns. I don’t know how he got into Bob’s box, but he’d have complete access to all bank records and somehow he did it. We know he had the original tape, because his housekeeper—”

  “That would be Georgia,” Ed said to me.

  “—Georgia was in the house when he was playing the tape. She was setting the table in the dining room for a dinner party he was having the next day, and she heard Ian’s voice. She followed the sound and saw Carl in his den watching the tape.”

  “And how did we come to know all this?” Ed inquired. I let go of Emily Ann’s collar and crossed to the love seat, perching on its overstuffed arm. This could take some time.

  “Because Georgia called me,” Bonnie replied. “She was upset, and she was afraid.”

  “Who wouldn’t be?” said Kay.

  “She heard enough of the tape to realize the implications, that Carl had murdered my sister Pru and Ian. She started working for my sister when Pru was married to Ian’s father, long before Carl was in the picture. She helped raise Ian and was devastated when he died.”

  “So when she realized Carl had killed them, she got in touch with Bonnie,” Kay said.

  Bonnie continued, “Georgia knew Carl is connected to the police and she was afraid to go to them. We never got a chance to watch the tape. He hid it or destroyed it. But Georgia began to listen to Carl’s phone calls whenever she could do it safely. We know Carl hired detectives because he had them call him at home to report what they’d found.”

  “Wait a minute,” I said, feeling suddenly indignant. “Why would you think that Bob was on Carl’s side?”

  “We misinterpreted something Georgia heard. Carl was on the phone to the detective. She picked up the phone a few seconds after their conversation started, and Carl was saying what a good thing it was that ‘he’ had brought the tape straight to him, but that there could be a copy of it. They were speculating on whether this person might try blackmail. We thought they were talking about the person who made the tape.”

  “But they must have meant someone in the police.” Kay’s pacing brought her next to Bonnie. “If one of the cops wanted to blackmail him, making a copy of this tape would be a dandy place to start.”

  Bonnie sighed and shook her head. “I have been out of my mind these weeks since Ian died. I jumped to the conclusion that it was Bob they were talking about. A few days later Georgia heard the detective tell Carl where Bob was staying. I got in my car and drove to Willow Falls. I still can't believe I actually kidnapped him.” She shot a worried look at Ed. “It was just chance that I saw him going into that grocery store. I had been at the home warehouse next to it buying rope because I had some crazy idea of sneaking up on him in his house.”

  “But how did you recognize him?” Ed asked.

  She looked surprised. “I went to him for hypnosis, years ago, when I was having trouble quitting smoking.”

  “That’s why Ian went to Bob,” Kay said. “His aunt recommended it.”

  “He didn’t recognize me. I was afraid he would, but I looked a lot different then.”

  Bonnie paused, and her eyes filled with tears. She shook her head once. “I have been out of my mind. I'm sure that he—that scum—” she struggled with her voice, “—that vile Carl Walsh killed my sister and my nephew. I loved them both. I will do anything to see that he gets what he deserves.”

  The way she said his name sent a chill scurrying down my back. I glanced in Ed’s direction, and saw that he was watching Bonnie with his eyes narrowed. Emily Ann left my side and went over and leaned on Bonnie, peering up into her face. Bonnie’s hand settled gently on Emily Ann’s head. You could see her relax a fraction.

  Then she looked past me and saw the television screen and froze. The blood drained from her face and she swayed. I thought she was going to fall, but she sagged against Emily Ann, who stood firm. I jumped up to help her, but Ed was faster. He was at her side, but she waved him off as she straightened again.

  “Where did you get that?” Bonnie demanded, pointing.

  Kay looked around wildly and saw the TV. “Oh, god, is that—”

  “It's the tape, Bob’s copy, the one we’ve been looking for.”

  For the first time Ed looked fully awake. He took a couple of steps toward the TV and looked hard at the image of Ian. “Have you watched it yet?” he growled at me.

  I shook my head and said to Bonnie, “I'm sorry, Ambrose was here and left the video and I just stuck it in the machine a minute ago. Let me turn it off.”

  She gave her head a little shake. “It was seeing him…Oh, I miss him so much!” Her voice quavered. She pressed a hand to her mouth and blinked hard.

  I stepped over to the armoire and hit the power button on the television. The screen went dark. I pushed the eject button and pulled the tape out, looking blankly at the label. Finally I crossed the room and laid the tape on the kitchen counter next to my glass of juice.

  “I think we should watch it,” Ed said. “Put it back in the machine.”

  At the same time Kay asked again, “Where did Bob and Ambrose go?”

  I turned to her. “We saw a grocery store at that little town at the crossroads about fifteen miles back. He and Ambrose have gone to pick up food,” I told her. “They must have taken Ambrose’s car. You may have passed them on your way here. I don’t think they had been gone very long when you arrived, but I was in the shower. I'm not sure how long it’s been.”

  “Ah,” Kay nodded, knowing my showering habits. “I wasn’t paying attention to cars going the other way,” she confessed. “You know what?”

  “What,” I obliged.

  “I think we should all watch the tape together. I’ll follow Ambrose and Bob. I'm sure I can find them, and I'll get them to hustle their butts back here.”

  “But—” I started to object.

  “If they arrive and see Bonnie’s car, Bob will either take off again or barrel in here thinking he needs to save you, Louisa.”

  I nodded.

  “Which car should I take? Bonnie, I'd better take yours, in case I miss them on the road and they get back before me. In the meantime tell Louisa more about what we talked about last night.”

  Bonnie nodded. She was still pale but had recovered her composure. She held out a ring of keys with her left hand. A gold fob engraved with the letter B dangled among the keys.

  Kay took the ring and started for the door. “I'll be back as soon as I can,” she said over her shoulder.

  “Wait a minute,” Ed said. He stood up from the arm of the chair he’d been slumped on. “You dragged me out of bed to see this tape. Get back here and let’s watch the blasted thing.”

  She glared at him. “I got you out of bed because we need your help. We’re after a murderer, remember?”

  “Alleged murderer,” he said. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t call her ‘lady.’ Kay continued before he had a chance to.

  “We need someone official to get this guy behind bars. If you can't wait for Bob and Ambrose, watch the tape with Louisa and Bonnie. But I don't see what difference a few more minutes is going to make.” She turned again and started out the door.

  “I'm coming with you. Give me the keys.”

  “No.” She stopped to scowl at hi
m. “I can find Bob and Ambrose without you.”

  “You can, but you’re not going to.”

  Kay spun around and was out the door. He followed her. I was amazed that anyone so rumpled and sleepy-looking could move so fast. Bonnie and I hurried out to the front porch. Kay had the engine started and the car moving.

  “All right, you can drive,” Ed said as he jerked open the passenger door and threw himself inside. She executed a tight three point turn and sped down the drive to the road. I could hear their voices over the sound of the car. Ed waved his hands to emphasize whatever point Kay was not listening to. The Mercedes turned onto the road and disappeared. The sound of the engine faded into the distance.

  I looked at Bonnie. She blinked.

  “Goodness, what a pair. Your cousin is, um, a forceful woman,” she commented.

  “My cousin is hell on wheels,” I told her, “but she’s also one of the best people I know.”

  “She made me stay at her place and we ended up talking most of the night. This morning she decided we needed official help, so she went to Ed’s house and woke him up and made him come with us.”

  “That sounds like her. I wonder how she got past his mother.”

  “He’ll arrest me as soon as Mr. Richardson gets back and says he wants to press charges.” She looked sad and tired and resigned.

  “You’re lucky she only made you spend the night. She’s capable of anything. You could have ended up racing back to High Cross to kidnap Carl.”

  “Don’t think we didn’t consider that,” she admitted.

  “I can't speak for Bob, but I don’t think he’s all that mad at you. He did say it was a very polite kidnapping. And what man wouldn’t want to be kidnapped by a beautiful blonde?”

  “Yeah, right,” she scoffed, but a small smile curved her mouth. The sunshine bathing the cabin’s porch lit her face.

  Realization dawned. “Bonnie,” I said slowly, “do you know what you did?”

  “What?” Her brow puckered in concern.

  “You saved Bob’s life.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You got him out of the way at just the right moment. I don’t think Carl showed up at his house at dawn the next morning just wanting to say hello, do you?”

  Her eyes widened. “You’re right. Carl is desperate to hide his crimes. The stakes get higher with each murder.”

  “He’ll be furious when he finds out what you did. He probably thought he could sneak over to Willow Falls, find Bob and quietly kill him, maybe even hide the body or make it look like another suicide, and get away with murder once more.”

  “That sounds like him.”

  “And you waltzed in, scooped Bob out of a grocery store, and hid him away where he was safe. I don’t think Bob’s going to be mad, I think he’s going to be kissing your feet. I think you should have business cards printed—Bonnie Becker, Deus ex Machina.”

  A real smile lit her face for the first time. “Wouldn’t that be Dea?”

  I laughed. “Hey, you want to come in and have some orange juice?”

  She nodded. “Love to. It would feel so—so normal to drink orange juice.”

  I started into the cabin. Her sudden intake of breath stopped me in my tracks. I turned to see her staring toward the road, body rigid and eyes wide. Following her gaze I saw a big black car sliding down the drive. It was driven by a man, a large man I had last seen searching my car in front of Bob’s house.

  Carl.

  Here.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Oh. My. God,” Bonnie breathed. We jumped into the house and I slammed and locked the door. “He followed us here. He must have found your cards and Kay’s shop.”

  “He would have been watching her place when you left.” I said. “And when Kay and Ed drove off just now…”

  “We’ve got to get out of here,” Bonnie gasped, looking around wildly.

  I peered through the small panes of glass in the top half of the front door. The black car stopped and Carl climbed out. He took a leisurely look around before he turned toward the cabin.

  “Quick, into the bathroom,” I told Bonnie.

  She gave me a confused look. “What? You want to hide in the bathroom?” She clearly thought I was insane.

  “No, that’s where the back door is. Come on,” I threw over my shoulder as I hastened across the room.

  She followed. I tugged back the deadbolt on the outside door and tried to turn the knob. Still locked. A twist of the inset button and we had the door open. As Bonnie and Emily Ann crowded through, I remembered the tape. It was on the kitchen counter. If I left it, we’d have no concrete evidence that Carl had killed his wife or her son.

  I dashed back into the cabin. The porch step creaked as it took Carl’s weight. Perhaps he was unsure it would hold him; a pause before the next creak gave me time to flee back into the bathroom. I slammed and locked the door I'd just come through, and lunged for the one leading outside. I took a moment to twist the lock button in the knob—if he came around and tried to get in this way, it wouldn’t keep him out for long, but it might buy us a little time. And if he made it in the front door and into the bathroom, well, it would give us one more second to run away.

  I looked around for Bonnie and Emily Ann. I had a half-formed idea that we could creep around the house and steal Carl’s car while he was breaking in. Anything to avoid another woodland chase scene. But Bonnie had already dashed across the yard toward the woods, and I couldn’t call out to her to stop without alerting Carl. So, tape in hand, I followed.

  It was easy at first. A path of shredded bark wound between the trees behind the cabin, and the underbrush was cut back and thinned, creating a pleasant place for a stroll. I ran down the path. The soft footing muffled my pounding steps.

  The rocky terrain dipped and rose among the trees. A couple of minutes of running took me out of sight of the cabin. A couple more minutes and I was out of the nicely cleared part of the woods and into the usual sort: bushes and brambles and vines and trees with low branches to brain you as you ran.

  Ahead of me I caught glimpses of Bonnie and my dog. The woman ran like a gazelle. Of course. Emily Ann coursed beside her, circled back to me, then back to Bonnie. Even as I panted along I thought what a lovely picture they made together, gliding through the woods with flickers of morning sun gleaming on their shoulders. Nothing seemed to touch them as they ran.

  I huffed and puffed, struggling to get past the blackberry vines that clawed at my legs. I tripped over a rock hidden by a scraggle of grass and careened into a tree trunk, managing to hold the tape aloft so it didn’t get smashed. I felt a sharp pang as something in my back twisted, but somehow I stayed on my feet and ran on.

  As I struggled along I thought, I didn’t get to finish my orange juice, and now I'm being chased by that same murdering sleazebag banker through more blasted woods. I felt decidedly put-upon. Bonnie and Emily Ann disappeared into a dip in the land, and I stopped to catch my breath. While I stood panting, I reached around and tucked the videocassette into the waistband of my jeans in back under my sweater, as I'd seen waiters in fancy restaurants do with their order pads.

  I heard something crash through the woods behind me.

  At once I found I had enough breath to run again. I followed the others into the dip and was met by my dog, running back to see where I was. Bonnie was no longer in sight. The vegetation grew thicker at the bottom, and I discovered a little stream running the length of the hollow. A narrow path followed the stream in both directions. I hesitated, wondering which direction to go. Emily Ann started off upstream, to my left, and I followed. She splashed in and out of the water as we ran.

  When I saw a break in the underbrush, I jumped across the stream to head up the other side. Actually, I jumped across most of the stream. My heel landed in gooshy mud and I fell to my knees on the damp earth of the bank.

  Before I picked myself up I reached around and to be sure the tape was still secure in my waistband.
Then I headed away from the creek. The hill here was much steeper than the way down had been. I was reduced to clawing my way up on my hands and knees at one point, which delighted Emily Ann so much that she gave me a play bow, wagging wildly.

  “This is not fun,” I told her between clenched teeth. “Running in the woods is not fun when a bad guy is chasing you.”

  I finally gained the top of the hill and rose to my feet. The woods before me were thick in all directions: closely spaced trees and tangled undergrowth, with vines twisted through both. The leaves on the deciduous trees had turned their fall colors and were tumbling to the ground. As I looked around the morning sun shone through a golden leaf as it fell.

  I heard shouting from somewhere to my right, first a man’s voice, followed by Bonnie’s. My ragged breath caught in my throat, and my hand closed around Emily Ann’s collar as she pressed close to my side. I felt a shiver go down her body. I started toward the voices, pushing at a tangle of bushes, and found myself inside the Thicket from Hell.

  Small multi-trunked trees, or maybe big bushes, rose a couple of feet higher than my head. For all I knew they actually were myanumma bushes or something equally mythical. Some of their leaves had fallen in the October winds and crunched under my feet, but enough still hung from the twiggy branches to form a screen that kept me from seeing anything more than a few feet ahead. Two or three kinds of vines festooned the bushes. I saw withered blackberries on some, and others had leaves turning red. Poison ivy, said some part of my brain that wanted to retreat to childhood rhymes about leaflets three. I mentally kicked myself back to the present.

  I stopped and turned in a circle, looking for the easiest way out. There was none. I pressed on, tearing at the smothering vegetation with both hands. I noticed blood streaming from one palm where the talons on a bramble had torn it. It didn’t seem important.

  The noise I was making as I beat my way out of the thicket seemed thunderous to my ears, and was compounded by the thudding of my heart, but still I could hear Bonnie’s voice ahead of me. I finally dropped down and crawled, using my head to butt my way through the tangled vegetation, and finally saw light ahead. I kept going, and emerged from the thicket to find I was on a precipice. I inched forward to peer over the edge. Emily Ann glued herself to my side like the sticktights I'd picked up as we fled.