by Ava Mallory
Karen, Rollie's wife, made a big show of displaying her affection for me. Bless her naive heart! But, I'm pretty sure all that was doing was giving people all the more reason to not like me.
“Don't pay attention to them,” she whispered in my ear for the fourth time since we'd arrived. “They should all be suspicious of each other. They all knew him and they all knew that not one of them liked him, so they should lighten up and show some respect.”
I'd forgotten how much I loved Karen. She had spunk, even when her prognosis was not good, she was a fighter and a true testament to the idea that your attitude can dictate how things go for you. She never let her illness define her. That took guts. More guts than I'd ever have.
“They hate me.” I sighed.
“They don't know you. To know you is to love you. They'll figure it out.” Karen squeezed my hand gently.
Rollie hushed us like we were children and, then, we proceeded to act like children by shushing him back.
Karen told him, “You need to handle your people. Look at the scowls on their faces.”
Rollie had been so focused on the moment that he had rarely looked up and seen the looks of disdain that everyone wore. His eyes slowly moved from face to face. The few that noticed would look away quickly or nod in his direction, but the others were lost in thought. I wondered who or what they'd been thinking about.
Most of those in attendance were people I recognized. I'd either worked side by side with them or I'd seen them in passing. Of all the stories I'd heard, Mike didn't have a good relationship with anyone other than the police captain. I was under the impression that staff members and even members of his own family found him to be off-putting at best.
Although we were all there to gather together and share memories, this didn't feel like much of a memorial service. People were making small talk, huddled in corners. Others looked around the room nervously at the others in attendance. I suppose for some, we were all suspects.
What I didn't see though, were tears. Not one soul was crying. Did no one like this guy? Was he that bad?
There was rustling behind us and whispers. I turned my head slightly to see what the commotion was. Brandi stood in the doorway with three teenagers. I assumed they were the children she shared with Mike. A lump formed in my throat. I felt so horrible for his children. Bad guy or not, he was still their father.
Rollie turned to see what the gasps were about. Brandi looked right at him and waved as if she were seeing an old friend.
“Hey, Rollie! How are you, honey?” Her voice boomed through the hushed crowd.
Karen gasped, then, caught sight of what Brandi was wearing and had to cover her mouth to stifle a giggle.
I had to stand on my tiptoes to see what the fuss was about, but knowing Brandi, I already knew that she wouldn't disappoint. She wore a long, white, form fitting gown with a slit up to her hip.
Where did she get that get up? House of Strippers?
Her platinum blonde hair was combed out and cascaded down her back, exposing just a hint of her backless gown. Her children were dressed in sharp contrast to her, but also to each other. One wore jeans designed to look like they'd been put in a meat grinder and a halter top. The boy was dressed appropriately for the occasion with tan trousers and a button up shirt – freshly ironed. The younger female wore a too-short mini skirt and a T-shirt that read: Take a picture. It will last longer.
Who were these people?
Brandi paraded down the aisle in between the rows of seats and did her best runway walk, her hair swinging behind her, blowing the strong smell of orchids and cigarettes into the faces of the stunned crowd.
It was like a train wreck. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and her children. I felt so horrible for them, but at the same time, I couldn't wait to see what they were going to do. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach that we were about to be made witness to an epic scene.
Brandi cleared her throat, shooing her children away to find a seat in the crowd. She pushed her hair off her face with her manicured hands and adjusted her ample bosom before speaking to the employees and hospital board members.
“Um, hi. I'm Mikey's wife.” She cleared her throat again. “I mean, I'm Mike's ex-wife. Happily single.” She waved her palms in the air, so everyone could see that she wasn't wearing a wedding ring.
Next to me, Karen started giggling hysterically, her shoulders quaking from the pressure. I so wanted to bust out laughing too, but I didn't want to risk missing a second of this sideshow.
One of her daughters said, “Mom!”
She looked at her kids and shrugged. “Okay, anyway, I just want to say thank you for doing this for Mike. It means a lot to my kids that all of you are acting like you...”
Her son said, “Mom!”
“I mean, thank you for all your kindness. I just want to say that we don't blame you for letting a patient escape and not doing anything to help him.”
Rollie's knees went weak. Karen and I had to help him back to an upright position. Those around us started chattering and shifting uncomfortably. Brandi had placed the blame on everyone.
Oh, this was good!
Her eldest daughter stood up and rushed to her mother's side. “Really, Mom?” She looked up at the crowd. I could see that she'd been crying. I felt so bad for her. Casting her eyes down, she spoke softly. “Thank you for doing this. I know my dad wasn't all that great and stuff. It's really nice of you to do this. That's all we want to say.”
Brandi composed herself, adjusting her dress and her hair while her daughter walked back to her seat, sniffling.
“Yeah, that's Moe. She's our oldest daughter. I was knocked up when I got married, but we were so happy when her brother was born, then, we had her and our baby girl. She almost didn't want to come out. You should have seen me. I looked as big as a house.” Her eyes floated to her children. They must have said something to her because she changed her tone. “Anyway, I'm nervous. I'm not used to this many people looking at me at once. I kind of feel like I'm on display.”
Really? You never got that feeling before?
I tried to get her attention by standing up straighter so she could make out my face in the crowd, but that strategy backfired. As soon as she saw my face, her body language changed. She became defiant.
“Like I said, we don't blame you. We blame one... Well, we blame two people. They are the ones who broke my kid's hearts. They did this and I swear to all of you that I'll find out why. I've been talking to Lou and he says we're real close to proving how they did it.” Her eyes bore into mine as she spoke.
Karen leaned over to me. “Is she giving you the death stare?”
“I think she is.” I said, noticing that everyone else in the room had seen it too, and were now looking from her to me and back.
I knew I shouldn't have come.
Addressing me directly, she asked. “Why did you help him? Who put you up to this? Did he promise you money? Was it worth it?”
I couldn't breathe. What was happening?
Rollie moved out of the aisle, we were in and ran up to where Brandi stood. “I'm so sorry for your loss, Brandi.” He said.
She pushed him away. “What you need to be sorry for is for hiring that woman. Don't you get it? That Pardo kid hired her to assassinate my children's father. That's why she's here! I saw it on television. A reporter exposed their scheme.”
I'd almost forgotten about that. I'd meant to have Diana look up the footage for me, but I forgot.
Did that reporter tell her viewing audience that I killed Mike Slowicki?
I was frozen in place. Off to the side, I could hear someone sobbing, but my limbs wouldn't move to let me see who had started crying.
Karen grasped my arm tightly as Rollie tried to calm the situation. He was ushering Brandi and her children out of the room. They scowled at me as they walked by me. I could see the anguish on their faces.
Brandi hissed, “Did you think I wouldn't find out? Believe me, I know that
money talks. So, was it worth it?”
Chapter Eleven
“Surprised to see me?”
Lou kept the car engine running as he stepped out to speak to me. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, well, I was just out for a walk and thought I'd stop by to say hello.” That's the best you could come up with, Mercy? I needed to practice my bluffing skills.
He looked around. “Are you alone?”
Obviously.
“Yes.” I wondered if I should have let Charlie know what I was planning to do.
“Well, you're here.” He reached into his car and turned off the engine. “What can I do for you?”
I figured this would probably be the only opportunity I'd have to get answers to my questions, so I didn't hesitate to ask.
“How did Mr. Slowicki die?” I asked.
His upper lip started to twitch. “I don't know. The coroner hasn't informed us yet.” He said.
Why was he lying?
“Well, then, how do other people know the manner of death?” I didn't want to reveal who had told me, but I wanted answers.
The vein in the center of his forehead popped out. He asked, “Who told you that they knew?”
I swallowed. I'd started this. Now, I had to figure out how to get myself out of it.
“No one. I just heard that someone knew that he'd been shot. Is that true? I can tell you right now that I never saw any evidence that he'd been shot. I didn't see any blood or any visible injury when I was in the office. I swear to you – he was alive when I left.” Groveling wasn't something that I liked to do, but I was plum out of options with the people in this town.
It had been a few days since I'd heard from him and I had the feeling that he was intentionally withholding information from me. I knew that I wasn't entitled to every bit of information, but since I was supposedly the last person to have seen Mike alive and people were blaming me, I did have a right to know some of what the coroner had said.
He moved closer to where I stood. “I meet liars every day and, honestly, I don't think you're one.”
I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath until that moment. I had to take a quick breath. What did he just say to me?
“Don't make me think that I'm wrong. I don't like to be wrong.” He nodded and sauntered to his front door.
I shivered. Everything I thought I liked about Lou when I'd first met him was now in question. Since this ordeal began, what I thought I believed had completely changed. He wasn't a nice man.
"My boyfriend's a Sheriff." I blurted out.
Why did I just say that? Charlie's not my boyfriend.
Lou smirked and poked his head out the door. "Congratulations!"
What was that supposed to mean? I could have a boyfriend.
I walked away feeling, a mixture of embarrassment and panic all at the same time. I'd blurted out words that I couldn't recall ever having said before in my adult life and I managed to make a cop that already didn't like me, not like me more. I was on a roll.
*
Charlie couldn't stop laughing. I sat across from him, glaring at him until he finally came to his senses.
"What was that supposed to do? Make him stop investigating?" He asked, struggling to regain his composure. "Mercy, I just don't get it. First, you call me and tell me about all that happened here and I hear you out and offer you advice. Then, you completely ignore my advice and go on this crazy sleuthing mission to catch a killer and get yourself in a world of trouble with everyone. The next thing I know is, you have your daughter out here interviewing people, so I hop on a plane to save you from yourself and you all but reject me. What is with you? Do you get some kind of pleasure in stirring up trouble everywhere you go?"
If looks could kill, Western Nebraska would be minus one sheriff. He had some nerve.
"I'm no damsel in distress and, no, I don't enjoy stirring up anything. I didn't ask you to come down here and what do you mean? When did I reject you and what am I rejecting you from? You didn't offer me anything?" I must have raised my voice too loudly because everyone in the restaurant was staring right at us.
Charlie leaned forward and whispered, "If I have to spell it out for you, just forget I ever mentioned it. Now, tell me what you were planning on discovering by showing up at Lou's house? Did you think he was going to confess something to you? He doesn't have to tell you anything. That's not how law enforcement works."
He was right, but I wasn't going to admit that. He would just gloat and bring it up in every conversation we ever had in the future.
"Of course not. I thought that maybe he'd tell me how Mike died." I thought back to my conversation with Lou. Minus the harsh words and the eerie tone, he did seem genuinely surprised that I knew how Mike died. I wondered if that was supposed to be a secret.
"You're going about this all wrong. I know you're not going to listen to anything I say because I'm no one to you, but I'm telling you that what you need to do is get on his good side, if he has one and quit rocking the boat. That does no one any good." Charlie advised me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something to the way that Lou reacted when I told him that someone knew how Mike died.
"What if," I started, "I'm looking at this from the wrong angle? What if Lou was the one who did this?" I thought I'd finally solved it.
"Why would he do that? They were friends, right? What would he have to gain by killing his best friend and a fellow cop? That would be career suicide." Charlie watched Brandi as she served her tables.
"You like her, don't you? She looks like your type." I mumbled under my breath.
Charlie laughed. "Oh yeah? What's my type?"
I started to feel a little hot under the collar. Hot flashes? Probably not.
"Fake." I grinned at him.
"I like fake women? How would you know that?" He took a sip of his drink.
"You're a man. That's how. And, this dinner was supposed to give us time to talk, not give you time to ogle the victim's ex-wife." I snapped at him.
He turned and looked back at Brandi, then, back at me. By that point, the heat had risen to my face. What was wrong with me? Was I jealous?
"She's interesting." He said, taking a bite of his skirt steak.
I rolled my eyes.
"No, seriously. She runs around like she has no care in the world. I get that she's the ex, but she also has children with him. Doesn't that count for something?" Charlie must have been thinking about his ex-wife and their divorce. I could see the sadness in his eyes as he thought about it.
"Yeah, but I think that's just who she is." I answered.
I took a bite of my food as I watched her move from table to table, flirting with male customers and flashing a big, friendly smile at the female customers. I could tell that she was an old pro when it came to this kind of work. She moved swiftly without once taking a break, but now as I watched her, it started to occur to me too. Why wasn't she showing any emotion? I'd seen tears well in her eyes when we'd spoken previously, but not any real despair.
I said, "People grieve in different ways. She has kids to feed." I told Charlie.
"Yeah, but I still think there's something else at play there. I just need to figure out what. At this point, we need to seriously consider if she is capable of committing murder." Charlie watched her wrap her arm around an older gentleman, wearing a custom tailored suit.
I was pretty good at investigation stuff because I was already one step ahead of him. I could think of a lot of reasons why Brandi would want her ex-husband dead. I just didn't know how she did it and Lou wasn't going to help me figure that out.
"What are you thinking now," Charlie groaned.
"Let's say, it's the middle of the night and it's raining like the dickens outside, does a woman who wears that much makeup and those kind of clothes go outside? And, how does she go unnoticed?" I asked, watching her flirt with another gentleman a couple of tables over from the last table she was at.
Charlie looked at her up and
down, letting his eyes linger a little longer than necessary on her long, thin legs. I used to have legs like that!
"Someone would have seen her." He answered finally.
"So, could she have possibly been the one that killed him? No way would she have gone out and taken a chance on ruining her hair, just to kill him. That doesn't seem like something she would do." I said, covering my face with my hands when she noticed me sitting there. "Uh oh."
Charlie turned back to look at her. "Here she comes." He muttered. "Let me talk."