“But who are all these people?” The deputy’s hand slid to the gun in the holster at her waist. “And why does that woman have a shotgun?”
“These are my friends,” Wanda Nell said. “Never you mind who they are, or why one of ’em’s toting a shotgun. You better start telling me what the hell is going on here.” Juliet, staring fearfully at her mother, started to get up from the sofa, but the deputy placed a restraining hand on her leg. Juliet shrank bank onto the sofa.
Wanda Nell took a step forward. Deputy Taylor held up her hand. “Let’s all just relax here,” she said. “No need to get all excited. Why don’t y’all sit down in those chairs over there.” She kept her hand on the holstered gun as she nodded to the chairs.
Warily, Wanda Nell, Mayrene, and Jack Pemberton did as she said. Mayrene kept a grip on her shotgun, mailing sure the deputy could see it.
“Okay,” Wanda Nell said after she sat down. “So what’s going on here?”
“I’m trying to save your daughter’s life, and yours,” Taylor said calmly.
“By scaring us all half to death?” Wanda Nell demanded.
Taylor shrugged. “I had to act fast, or else Deputy Johnson would have got to her first. You oughta be thanking me for what I did.”
“Why would Elmer Lee Johnson be after Juliet?” Mayrene’s voice dripped scorn. “That don’t make no sense whatsoever.”
“He was gonna take her and hold her for ransom,” Taylor said. “He wants to force Miz Culpepper there to turn over the money, and then he was gonna skedaddle out of here.”
“I don’t have any money,” old Mrs. Culpepper said. “Charlesetta, what’s she talking about?” She turned to look up at her housekeeper, who had taken a place next to her employer’s chair.
“Now you just hush, Miz Lucretia,” Charlesetta said firmly. “They ain’t talking to you.”
The old lady had a cane resting across her lap. Wanda Nell had never seen her use one before. She glanced down at Mrs. Culpepper’s legs. Her left leg sported a bandage around the ankle.
“She’s talking to me, Miz Culpepper,” Wanda said loudly. “But I don’t have the money she’s talking about, either.”
“But you must know where it is by now,” Taylor said, her voice sounding a little desperate. “You’ve got to find it before Elmer Lee turns up.”
“What money are they talking about, Charlesetta?” Mrs. Culpepper moved restlessly in her chair.
“I’m talking about the money your son stole from a casino in Greenville,” Taylor said impatiently.
The old woman drew herself up proudly in her chair. “I don’t know who you think you are, young woman, barging into my house like this, and bringing all these people with you. But I assure you my son didn’t do any such thing. He was a good boy, and he didn’t steal.”
“Give me a break.” Mayrene muttered under her breath to Jack Pemberton, sitting on her left. “The old lady is as crazy as a Betsy bug.”
Wanda Nell turned her head and glared at them. Mayrene quieted, and Jack Pemberton winked at her. She grinned back. Despite the tenseness of the situation, she appreciated his steadfast calm.
“You must have some idea where he hid it,” Taylor was saying. “If it’s not at your trailer, then it’s probably here somewhere, in this house.”
“It just might be,” Wanda Nell said. “But if we find it here, and I’m not saying we will, but if we do, what are you gonna do then?”
“Turn it over to the state police,” Taylor said. “I’ve already called them, and they’re on their way here.”
“Really? That’s good,” Wanda Nell said. She wanted to believe the deputy, but this whole situation made her uneasy. She had a good idea where the money might be, but she didn’t want to play her hand too soon.
“Yeah, but we got to find that money quick,” Taylor said. ‘Time’s running out. Why don’t you start looking for it?”
“That’s gonna take time,” Wanda Nell said. “This is a big house, and there’s lots of places to look.”
“Then start looking,” the deputy snapped at her.
Wanda Nell stood up. “I don’t like your tone, Deputy.”
“I don’t care,” Taylor said. “Just do what I say.”
The doorbell rang, startling them all. Charlesetta moved toward the door, but Taylor, her gun drawn, motioned for her to stay where she was. “Nobody move,” she said. “This could mean trouble.”
Wanda Nell looked at Charlesetta, a question in her eyes. Charlesetta understood. “I locked the door when y’all come in.”
“Let me go see who it is,” Wanda Nell said.
Taylor shook her head.
A voice called out to them from the front porch. “We know you’re in there, Taylor. Don’t do anything stupid. No need for anybody to get hurt.”
It was Elmer Lee Johnson. Wanda Nell stared at Taylor. “What’s going on, Elmer Lee?” Wanda Nell yelled so loud that both Charlesetta and Mrs. Culpepper started.
“I’m here to make an arrest, Wanda Nell,” Elmer Lee yelled back. “Taylor’s the one that killed Bobby Ray.”
“He’s lying.” Taylor stood up. “Don’t believe him.” Wanda Nell took a step toward the door of the parlor. Taylor pulled her gun. “Don’t do it, Wanda Nell. Trust me. He’s lying.”
Wanda Nell stared at her. Which one of them was she going to believe?
“She says you 're lying, Elmer Lee.” If she had to keep yelling like this, Wanda Nell figured her voice would give out pretty quick.
“Jesus, Wanda Nell, don’t give me that crap.” Elmer Lee banged on the front door several times.
“I’m not kidding you, Elmer Lee. Now which one of you am I gonna believe?”
“Come on, Wanda Nell.”
“Why should I believe you, Elmer Lee? You’re the one who was trying to make out like I killed Bobby Ray. Then you put my son in jail saying he did it. What’s it gonna be?”
“He killed your husband, Wanda Nell,” Deputy Taylor hissed at her. “No matter what he tells you, he’s the one done it.”
Wanda Nell stared hard at her. She couldn’t make this woman out. She had seemed helpful, almost from the get-go, going behind Elmer Lee’s back to tell things she shouldn’t. Now she was acting like she was trying to save them all from Elmer Lee.
“I figured out pretty quick you didn’t do it,” Elmer Lee shouted. “We knew Bobby Ray had to have help, but I didn’t really figure it was you. You wouldn’t do something like that.”
“You keep saying nice things like that, Elmer Lee, and I’ll think you like me.”
“Don’t be funny, Wanda Nell. That little girl in there’s the one that killed Bobby Ray. Has she got a gun on you?”
“She’s got a gun, and my daughter Juliet’s in here, along with Miz Culpepper and a few other folks.” Wanda Nell glanced at Mayrene, who had her hand on the shotgun. Deputy Taylor seemed to have forgotten all about it. She had her eyes focused intently on Wanda Nell.
“All right, Wanda Nell. We ain’t aiming to do nothing real sudden-like.”
Wanda Nell waited for Elmer Lee to say something else, but all she could hear was the scuffling of feet on the porch. How many men did Elmer Lee have out there with him? She wished she could get to a window and look out.
And, dear Lord, Miranda and the baby were out there. Well, there wasn’t a blessed thing she could do about that now. They were in the Lord’s hands. Right now Wanda Nell had to keep her mind on what was going on in Miz Culpepper’s parlor.
Deputy Taylor hadn’t moved away from the sofa. She was still too close to Juliet, and Wanda Nell didn’t like that. Even if the deputy was telling the truth, Wanda Nell wanted to get her away from Juliet.
“Don’t anybody move,” Taylor commanded. “Stay still. Don’t let ’em hear us moving around. And if I tell you to, hit the ground and stay there.”
At that, Charlesetta started singing and praying, just loud enough for the others to catch a bit of the words.
“Oh, hush up with y
our foolishness, old woman,” Mrs. Culpepper snapped at her. “Nobody’s interested in your carrying on.”
Charlesetta paid her no attention, but Taylor was momentarily distracted. Juliet had never taken her eyes from her mother’s face, and Wanda Nell tilted her head slightly. Juliet blinked her eyes several times to indicate she understood. “Wanda Nell!”
“What is it, Elmer Lee?”
“There’s some things I think you oughta know.”
“Like what?”
“Like that so-called deputy in there was running around with Bobby Ray. She don’t think we know about that, but we do.”
Wanda Nell watched Taylor’s face carefully. The deputy blinked once, but then her eyes hardened. “He’s lying, I tell you. Why would I take up with scum like that?”
“She says you’re lying, Elmer Lee.”
“We also done figured out,” Elmer Lee yelled back, “she was the one helped Bobby Ray get that money out of the casino. You know how they did that?”
“How?” Wanda Nell kept staring at the deputy.
“Miss Deputy in there dressed up like an old lady, and she went in that casino and told ’em she had a remote-control bomb in her purse. If they didn’t give her some money, and give her time to get away, then she would let the bomb go off.”
Taylor was shaking her head back and forth in denial. “She’s still denying it, Elmer Lee. You know what she told me? She says you want that money for yourself.” Wanda Nell’s throat was starting to hurt She wanted some water desperately, plus she had to pee.
She could hear Mayrene and Jack Pemberton near her, their breath coming a little ragged. They were all trying to keep still, and the strain was getting to all of them. Juliet was white as a sheet, and Charlesetta’s skin had a gray tinge to it. Wanda Nell was suddenly afraid the elderly woman might have a heart attack.
“I’m not the one after the money, Wanda Nell,” Elmer Lee called back. “She is. Get her to tell you about her cousin that worked over in the sheriff’s department in Washington County. The one that didn’t tell anybody the casino called to report a robbery.”
“What’s he talking about?” Wanda Nell demanded. Taylor shrugged.
“He’s the one who showed up at your door demanding the money, Wanda Nell. How do you think he got there so fast after you called us?”
“I didn’t call him, whoever he is,” Taylor said, her voice starting to sound increasingly desperate. “I swear I didn’t.”
“She’s still not budging, Elmer Lee.”
As Wanda Nell glanced back at Taylor, she saw something that made her blood run even more cold, if that were possible. There was a window in the wall behind the sofa, about six feet away. A man stood there with a rifle. He had it aimed straight at Taylor.
This couldn’t go on much longer, one way or the other. Wanda Nell tried to figure out what she could do to get Juliet out of the line of fire. Elmer Lee could have the damn money, if only she could get them all out of this mess alive.
“Come on out now, Taylor,” Elmer Lee yelled into the silence. “Don’t hurt those people in there. Don’t dig the hole any deeper for yourself.”
Wanda Nell watched for a moment. Taylor didn’t move. Her eyes appealed to Wanda Nell for belief.
“What’s going on in there, Wanda Nell?”
“Nothing, Elmer Lee. We ain’t moving.”
She could hear him cursing. Then he started yelling loud enough for her to hear again.
“Tell her, Wanda Nell, we got us a witness that saw her car that night at the trailer park.”
“Who?” Wanda Nell demanded.
“Your daughter, Miranda.”
Wanda Nell took a moment to absorb that. “You got to be kidding me, Elmer Lee.”
There was silence for a moment, then loud footsteps on the porch.
“Mama, it’s true, I saw her car.”
Miranda was frightened, Wanda Nell heard it in her voice. But she wasn’t lying. Elmer Lee wasn’t forcing her to say that.
Deputy Taylor must have read the situation in Wanda Nell’s face. Before Wanda Nell realized what she was doing, Taylor grabbed Juliet by the arm and jerked her upright. She pulled the girl in front of her as a shield.
“Anybody move, and I blast this girl to kingdom come.” Wanda Nell wanted to faint. Dear Lord, she prayed, don’t let her hurt my baby. Take me if you have to, but don’t let her hurt Juliet.
Taylor had moved slightly so that her back was turned toward Mrs. Culpepper. The old woman stared hard at Wanda Nell, then slowly she winked.
Wanda Nell couldn’t breathe for a moment. What was the old witch trying to tell her?
“She’s got a gun on Juliet, Elmer Lee,” Mayrene yelled out. “Don’t anybody move.”
“We won’t,” Elmer Lee said.
Wanda Nell glanced at the window. The man with the rifle hadn’t moved. He was still aiming straight for Taylor.
She took a deep breath. “Why’d you do it, Taylor? Why’d you kill Bobby Ray? What’d he ever done to you?”
“That lying sonofabitch was gonna leave me high and dry,” Taylor said, her face reddening in anger. “He thought he was gonna get away with all the money and leave me with nothing. That piece of scum tried to run out on me.” Taylor had loosened her grip just slightly on Juliet. Wanda Nell kept an eye on Mrs. Culpepper. The old lady took her cane like a club, and with a bellow of rage that made them all jump, cracked Taylor right in the middle of her back.
Taylor screamed in pain, while Wanda Nell dove toward Juliet. Jack Pemberton got there before her and grabbed Juliet in his arms. He swung her around, so that his back was toward Taylor, protecting Juliet from her.
Wanda Nell was on her knees when she heard the shot. She saw Jack Pemberton stagger.
From behind her, Wanda Nell heard another shot, and then she saw a bright crimson flower forming on Taylor’s chest. The deputy toppled to the ground, and Wanda Nell scrambled back out of the way, almost knocking over the sheriff’s deputy who stood there, gun in hand.
Getting shakily to her feet, Wanda Nell held out her arms to her daughter. As she clasped a shivering, crying Juliet in her arms, Wanda Nell watched Jack Pemberton sink to the floor, clutching his leg.
“We need an ambulance,” Mayrene shouted. She got down on her knees beside Jack Pemberton. “Honey, where’d she shoot you?”
“Leg” was all Pemberton was able to say before he passed out.
“Ambulances are on the way,” Elmer Lee said, laying a hand on Wanda Nell’s shoulder. “Is your daughter okay?” Wanda Nell couldn’t say anything. She just nodded and continued stroking Juliet’s hair.
Elmer Lee squatted on the floor beside Mayrene, taking a quick look at Jack Pemberton. Then he stood up and went over to check on Mrs. Culpepper and Charlesetta. The elderly housekeeper had stumbled to the sofa and collapsed onto it, and Mrs. Culpepper stood over her, patting her hands and telling her to stop her nonsense.
Wanda Nell couldn’t look at the crumpled body of Deputy Taylor on the floor. Shivering, she drew Juliet away and out of the house. Miranda, with Lavon in her arms, awaited them anxiously in the driveway, held back by another deputy. Wanda Nell held out an arm, and Miranda came running.
All three of them were crying now, and Lavon joined in. Slowly they made their way over to the bench under the tree, and Wanda Nell sat down in the middle. She kept an arm around each of the girls.
“Thank the Lord, y’all are okay, Mama,” Miranda said. “I was so afraid.” She started crying again.
“Mama was so brave, Miranda,” Juliet said through her tears. “I was scared to death, but Mama stayed so calm. I swear I would’ve just died right there on the spot if Mama hadn’t come.”
“It’s over now,” Wanda Nell said, “and I’ll thank the Lord every day that neither one of you got hurt.” She turned to Juliet anxiously. “She didn’t hurt you, did she, honey?”
“No, Mama, she just scared me.” Juliet wiped her eyes with trembling Angers. “They called from th
e office for me to come down there, and they told me somebody from the sheriff’s department was coming to pick me up. All they would tell me was that you’d been in an accident.”
“That school’s gonna hear from me,” Wanda Nell said. “They should’ve checked to make sure that was a legitimate call.”
“What did she tell you when she came to pick you up?” Miranda had calmed Lavon, and Wanda Nell took him into her lap. He snuggled against her, and she stroked his soft hair.
“She said she needed to take me to my grandmother’s house. There’d been an accident, and they needed a member of the family. Then when we got here, she had me call you on your cell phone, Mama, but she wouldn’t let me tell you anything.”
“I’m sorry she put you through all that, baby,” Wanda Nell said.
“I’m just glad it’s over, Mama,” Juliet said, leaning against her. “Can we go home now?”
“Probably not just yet,” Wanda Nell said. “But as soon as we can, I promise.”
As they watched, the paramedics brought Jack Pemberton out on a stretcher. “Oh, my Lord, Mama, I forgot all about Mr. Pemberton,” Juliet said. “You think he’s gonna be all right?”
“I hope so, honey,” Wanda Nell said, her eyes filling with tears again. He had risked his life to save Juliet, and she would never be able to thank him enough. He had to be all right, he just had to.
Moments later, another stretcher came out of the house. This time it was Charlesetta, and Wanda Nell prayed for the elderly woman. What had happened inside that house was enough to give anybody a heart attack.
Elmer Lee came out of the house and glanced around. When he saw them, he came down the steps and across the yard and driveway toward them. Wanda Nell watched him. His face was gray with exhaustion, and he walked like an old man.
“Y’all okay?” His voice was gruff, but for once, Wanda Nell read real concern in his eyes.
“Yeah,” Wanda Nell said around a sudden lump in her throat. “Thank you, Elmer Lee.” She waved a hand in the direction of the departing ambulances. “What about Mr. Pemberton and Charlesetta? Are they going be okay?”
Flamingo Fatale (A Trailer Park Mystery Book 1) Page 25