Death and Deceit

by Carol Marlene Smith

  Were they so cowardly they couldn’t come clean? There she was judging them again, even before she heard the whole story. She knew well that the brush off she’d given them at the hospital had probably scared them away. They probably figured she’d collapse under the strain of it all. Well, she was stronger than that, and she’d show them. She marched into the kitchen determined to eat and keep up her strength, even if she wasn’t hungry.

  ****

  Liz noticed Kent staring thoughtfully at the road. This is the way she’d planned it in the beginning. Have Jessie get suspicious of him and drop him, and she’d pick up the pieces. He was so handsome. She remembered their one and only date. How he’d kissed her goodnight, and how she swooned over him. She just had to tell Jessie didn’t she? And introduce her to him. Then she lost him to her.

  Kent caught her glancing at him. “What’s wrong now?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking about our date.”

  “Come on, Liz. That’s ancient history.”

  “Yeah, I know. But think about what I did to try and get you back. Now here we are together.”

  “Oh, no. We’re not together together.”

  “I know that. And I don’t even want that anymore.”

  “You like Alan, don’t you?”

  “Yes I do. But that’s over now.”

  “You give up easily, you know.”

  “Oh? Mr. Optimistic are you? You think Jessie is going to run into your arms when you ring the doorbell?”

  “No. But I can hope.”

  “Yeah?” Liz sighed. “Well, I think it’s a waste of time. You might as well take me to my car.”

  “I told Jessie I wouldn’t leave her, and I meant it, unless she tells me to go. I just wanted to give her some time to digest everything.” He turned in the Albright drive.

  ****

  The front door bell rang. Hardly anyone rang the doorbell anymore. It certainly wasn’t Sandra. She was a backdoor person. She’d knock, then try the door. If it was unlocked, she’d walk in.

  Jessie pulled open the door. Kent grinned at her. “I saw lights on. Can we come in?”

  Jessie had barely noticed Liz hiding behind Kent. She stepped back from the door. “Yes, come in. You both own me an explanation. Who wants to be first?”

  Liz will begin,” Kent offered.

  Liz took a seat in the rocker by the fireplace. It was the same chair Sandra had told stories in yesterday. Kent and Jessie seated themselves on opposite ends of the sofa. Jessie was being pleasantly polite by Liz’s gauging of her.

  “It was totally wrong and stupid of me,” Liz began. “But I wanted Kent back. I thought you took him unfairly, and I was angry, looking for revenge. So I contrived a way to make you doubt him. I sent the e mails then ran to your side to protect you from them. You were in no danger, believe me.”

  “But I didn’t know that,” Jessie said.

  “No, that’s true. After I started the whole thing, I was sorry. And by then I’d met Alan, and I realized I didn’t want Kent.”

  “Oh, thanks,” Kent said.

  “Be quiet, Kent,” Jessie said. “You’ll get your turn.”

  “Remember I tried to tell you I was wrong about Kent?”

  “Yes, but it was too late, I had my doubts then.”

  “And I begged you not to go to the police. It would have all blown over. I was through with the e mails, I hated myself.”

  “And you liked Alan.”

  “Yes, a lot. But you had to go to the police. How could anyone know he’d be a crackpot?”

  “Or Alan’s friend.” Jessie added.

  “You know, you’re taking this pretty good,” Liz said.

  “Alan told me to have an open mind,” Jessie replied. She turned to face Kent. “So, what’s your story?”

  Kent looked at her doubtfully, trying to gauge her mood, but he couldn’t tell so he began. “Liz confessed to me when we were chasing after you.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t find the right time. Then all this about Ricardo’s shooting came up, and you were so tortured. I didn’t want to add to your misery. And besides, I thought it was Liz’s place to tell you herself. I wasn’t ratting on her.”

  Jessie leaned back and closed her eyes. She never had gotten anything to eat. She’d been rummaging in the kitchen, when the doorbell rang. Suddenly she was really hungry. All the stories were out in the open. She couldn’t blame Kent. He was protecting her. She wanted to be angry with Liz, but she thought of Alan. If she spurned Liz now, Alan would be miserable. She noticed how much he liked her. They were good together. Just like her and Kent.

  She opened her eyes and looked over at Liz who wasn’t rocking the chair, but her foot was beating up and down like she heard music in her head or something. But Jessie knew it was a nervous reaction. Liz and Kent had come through for her, when it had mattered the most. They had all grown from this horrendous experience.

  The only loser had been Ricardo. And he’d been such a tortured soul, after the childhood he’d had, that Jessie had to wonder if he might not be better off. At least he was at peace now. But she’d never get over shooting him. She was sure the nightmares would bear down on her for a long time to come. More reason to have Kent near and Liz to call in times of need.

  She reached out towards Kent and grasped his hand. “You’re allowed one miserable mistake, and you’ve already made it. Don’t deceive or lie to me again...ever.”

  He squeezed her hand and permitted his heart to beat again.

  Jessie still stared at Liz. Liz swallowed dryly. “You saved me with that rock. I don’t know what Ricardo might have done. I don’t think he’d ever use his gun, but then he was after it when Kent arrived, so who knows? Your distraction gave me the courage to defend myself. You’re my friend, and I thank you.”

  Liz jumped from the rocker and embraced Jessie. Kent looked on...the three musketeers, he thought.

  “I take it Alan left,” he said.

  Jessie and Liz were both sobbing by then. Jessie rubbed her eyes. “He had to go. He has a case tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll be in touch, Liz. He cares about you a lot.”

  “So you think he’ll forgive me?” she blubbered.

  “He said I shouldn’t hold a grudge. It was you, Liz, who brought us together in front of Mom and made her so happy.”

  “Forgiveness frees the soul,” Kent said.

  “I’ll second that,” Jessie agreed, thinking of Ricardo. If souls existed, his must be free tonight. Maybe he’d even had a hand in bringing about the forgiveness circle. She liked to think it was possible.

  EPILOGUE

  Jessie left the library at 6 p.m. Snow fell over Harbourside and gently landed on her hair and nose. She brushed it aside with a gloved hand then opened the passenger door of Kent’s silver car.

  “Hi,” she greeted, sliding in beside him. He smiled at her and his warm eyes spread a glow through her shivering body.

  “How’s the job?” he asked. The wipers thumped at the slushy snow clearing the view for Kent to pull out onto the street.

  “Oh, I’ll get used to it. It’s a far cry from aerobics, but I love the kids. They’re so honest about what they need. Adults on the other hand are always pretending they really know what they want and acting like they’re doing me a favour by letting me help them find it.”

  “It’s your first week on the job. You’re right, you’ll get used to it.”

  She threw a sideways glance at him, while he concentrated on the slippery street. “I love it though. And I wonder if I would have gotten it, if not for your input. The ladies there can’t say enough good stuff about you.”

  Kent rounded the corner and parked in front of Jessie’s apartment. With the car idling he turned and looked into her beautiful brown eyes. “Are you all packed for tomorrow?”

  She slid over and kissed him then pulled back and smoothed his hair. “Yes. I’m all ready. Are you coming up?”

  Even after all t
he months they’d known each other, Kent never wanted to take her for granted. He never surmised it was all right to invade her space unless he was asked. He’d done that once before when she’d been frightened by the e mail messages and the accidents at work. The day she’d told him to leave her apartment had hurt, and he was going there by invitation only from now on. He kissed her hand. “Since you’re packed and have nothing else to do, okay.”

  After they’d shed their coats, Jessie slipped a sexy CD in place and walked towards Kent. “Wanna dance, baby?” Since summer her hair had grown out and she wore it parted to one side. It fell now over one eye in a blaze of shining colour.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, pulling her urgently to him. Do you really want to dance?”

  “What do you want to do?” she asked coyly.

  He grinned. “How about some food?”

  “You want to eat?” She drew back playfully. “I thought you had other things on your mind...except your stomach.” She pretended to pout.

  He grinned and lifted her into his arms. “All right, you win, we’ll eat later.”

  On the way to the bedroom the phone stopped them. Kent stood Jessie on her feet and she grabbed the receiver. “Hello...Oh, hi, Alan. What’s up? Yes, we’ll be there tomorrow...Yes, I talked to Liz. She’s coming with us...Yes, her car’s still in the shop...No, it’s okay. We don’t mind...Kent? Yes, he’s here...okay.”

  She handed the phone to Kent and went into the bedroom to put on something more comfortable. When Kent came in, she asked, “What did my brother want with you?”

  Kent lay on the bed beside her. “Nothing much. He just wanted to say hi.”

  She sat up and stared at him. “My brother? He’s not that social. What did he really want?”

  Kent grinned at her and ran his hand down the length of her leg. “He just wanted to say hi, I told you. After all, I’m almost his brother-in-law aren’t I?”

  She pushed his hand away and smirked. “Are you now?” She punched his shoulder. “What did Alan really want?”

  Kent laughed. “Okay, okay. You got me. He wanted to know what he should get you for Christmas.”

  “But you didn’t tell him.”

  “I know. You were listening.” He kissed her again. “I don’t want to talk about your brother. I have to spend the next few days with him and Liz, when all I really want is to be here with you.”

  “You don’t have to,” she teased.

  “I want to,” he corrected. “Because you’re going to go anyway, and where you go I go, remember?”

  Jessie wrapped her arms around him and gazed into his eyes. “I remember. I remember how you came after me when Ricardo Alvarez took me, even after I had told you I didn’t want to see you. You never gave up on me.”

  “That’s old stuff,” he said. “Leave it in the past.” He reached for her and pulled her on top of him. “Umm, he said, kissing her deeply.

  The music from the living room created a romantic backdrop, as they forgot about everything except each other.

  It snowed all night and the driving was treacherous in the morning. It took Kent an extra forty-five minutes to reach Wakefield.

  Jessie and Liz had their arms full of Christmas presents, while Kent carried some of their luggage. They could hear carols playing inside the house. Jessie stuck her finger on the front door buzzer.

  The door opened quickly. “Well, hello, hello!”

  Jessie’s wide eyes gawked at Sandra Norton. “Sandra, what are you doing here?”

  “I’m still the next door neighbour deary, and your brother — believe it or not — invited me.”

  The women tramped off the snow and removed their footwear and coats. Kent returned to the car for the rest of the luggage. Liz piled the gifts around a large fir tree.

  Alan entered the living room just in time to grab Liz from behind and embrace her lovingly.

  “Merry Christmas,” Sandra shouted. “I thought you’d never get here. Were the roads terrible?”

  “Pretty bad,” Jessie replied, “but, here we are.” She grinned, still wondering why Alan had invited Sandra over.

  Kent stomped the snow off before entering with the last bag. “Nice and warm in here,” he said, greeting Alan.

  Sandra had disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with a tray displaying five wine glasses and a bottle of wine. She set it on the coffee table near the blazing, spitting fire. She poured the wine and looked over at Alan as if on cue. She handed him a glass then passed the tray around to the others, taking the last one for herself.

  “A toast,” Alan shouted. “To your safe arrival and a happy Christmas.”

  “Here, here,” Sandra shouted back and they drank.

  Jessie took in the festive decor thinking how great it was that Alan had moved back into their family home. Ever since Alan started dating Liz, she had been seeing a whole lot more of him with his constant visits to Harbourside. She thought for a second about the last Christmas her dad had been alive and how Alan had chose not to be present that year. Not wanting to dwell on the past, she concentrated on Alan’s speech by the fireplace.

  Alan looked over at Kent. “I can’t wait. How about you?”

  “Anytime,” Kent replied.

  Jessie looked from Kent to Alan, wondering if this had anything to do with the phone conversation between the two men the night before. She had not believed for a minute when Kent had told her it was about a Christmas gift for her. “Anytime what?” she questioned.

  Alan set his glass on the mantel and wrapped his arm around Liz’s waist pulling her close to him. She stared up at him, her blue eyes wide with apprehension.

  The two men in a rehearsed manner both pulled tiny boxes from their pocket. They turned in unison towards their respective loves and simultaneously asked, “Will you marry me?” Then they popped open the ring boxes.

  Jessie and Liz, though both surprised and unsuspecting, replied almost the same time, “Yes.”

  Sandra applauded in her loud, boisterous way. She raised her glass again and made another toast. “To my friends, Emily and Jack, who I’m sure are as happy about these unions as me.”

  Kent drew Jessie to him and kissed her with passion. Alan followed suit with Liz.

  “A double wedding perhaps?” Sandra questioned.

  But the two couples were much too busy embracing to answer her. Smiling, she set down her glass and escaped into the kitchen. Grabbing her coat she made a quiet exit out the kitchen door.

  ####

  Below you will find an excerpt from

  Who Wants to Murder a Millionaire?

  It was dark now. Blaine knew because her watch said so. She was able to reach the water her stepfather had left for her. Although her hands were tied together they were still in front of her. She took a couple of sips from the jar, because her throat was dry and scratchy from crying. She would conserve the rest. That and the bar. It would have to do her maybe a couple of days. She shuddered when she thought of the possibility that her stepfather might forget to inform the police of her whereabouts. Or what if something happened to him? The weather was treacherous; he could easily get in an accident in the frame of crazy mind that he was in. She couldn’t think beyond that and changed subjects in her mind.

  Her gaze fell on the wrapped tape. Maybe he would return. Maybe a pang of conscience would bring him back. If he found the other tape and destroyed it, maybe he’d feel relieved enough to come back and free her. She prayed he’d find the tape.

  The furnace droned on and Blaine closed her eyes. At least she was dry and warm. Her boots were even drying, since one of the pipes her legs were tied to was warm. If he came back, she thought suddenly, she could tape him again. She opened her eyes and reached out for the tape lying just beyond her reach. At least it was something to do. A goal to reach. She stretched her arms in front of her, her fingers extended as straight and as far as she could make them, but still she could not reach the elusive tape.

  ****


  Sergeant Harrison pulled the cruiser to the curb. He and Roy exited the vehicle and walked towards the apartment building on Oak Arms Drive. Roy’s mind was not on the case at the moment, at least not on who killed Benjamin James. He was more worried about where Benjamin James’s daughter was.

  Before they reached the building, Harrison got a call. It was Jones, and he was at the scene of an accident requesting back up. Roy almost flipped when he heard the description of the vehicle.

  “That sounds like Blaine’s car,” he said, panic in his voice that Harrison detected quickly.

  “It sounds like a car like Blaine’s, you mean,” he corrected his officer. “Archer, are you gonna be any good to me tonight, or should I just send you off duty?”

  “Sorry, Sarge, but it —”

  “It could be any car. Let’s go.”

  They didn’t have far to drive, as just ahead and around the bend was their official destination. Roy was out of the car before Harrison turned off the motor, and he was ready to speed down the bank when Harrison shouted, “Stop right there.”

  Roy halted and turned on his heel to wait for his boss. Harrison caught up with him. “Stop acting like a disturbed spectator,” Harrison growled. “We’ll wait here for Jones. Meanwhile, take a walk about and check out the footprints.”

  Roy shone his flashlight about, making arcs in the snow. “They’re all mussed. It’s hard to figure out how many.”

  “Then you’ve got a challenge, haven’t you?”

  Jones climbed the bank and briefed the others, telling them no one was in the car, but he checked the glove compartment and found Blaine’s vehicle permit and insurance card.

  Harrison looked at Roy. “She’s all right,” he said in a fatherly tone.

  Roy wasn’t so sure. “She could be out there in the shrubbery somewhere crawling around or worse.”