by Wendy Byrne
"Let's hope our suspects come as well," I added.
"It's pretty much the kickoff to all the parades and festivals, so it should be a huge success," Dolly added. "We should make this an annual event."
I might need a year to recover from the last few days. Once that happened, I'd consider everything else. "What about the food?"
"We arranged some food trucks serving everything including pierogies and sauerkraut, Mexican food, fried chicken, and veggie treats for the vegan crowd," Viola said.
These ladies knew how to pull together a rockin' party. "What, no fried Twinkies?" I joked.
Dolly shook her head. "We've got two dessert trucks coming as well, but we'll be skipping the fried Twinkies and going with a more traditional approach, including the unofficial state dessert scotcheroos, ice cream, cookies, brownies, and funnel cakes."
"Jeremy's got the liquor stuff all taken care of. And we have some sweet tea and lemonade for nonalcoholic choices," Ramona said.
Since I'd been so involved in all manner of insanity the last few days, it felt great that they'd gotten so much accomplished. "You ladies are the best. Thank you so much for pulling up the weight for me."
Alice patted me on the back. "I've got to admit, Inez is a whole lot more fun and exciting since you moved to town."
I wasn't sure that was a compliment, but it had definitely been my niche since I'd moved here. "Let me put on my T-shirt, and we're ready to roll," I said, switching shirts. I kept on my black leggings and slipped on gym shoes.
I had more than enough excitement today, but begging off wasn't an option. Besides, maybe I needed to blow off a little steam, and laser tag might fit the bill.
We arrived at the facility a little early, but the other group had gotten there before us. Both teams wore black, and all of the people were pretty short. I almost felt bad that they'd lied about my age. I'd have to sandbag a bit to not make it too obvious.
I slipped on the chest, knee, and elbow protectors as well as a helmet. "You look ready for battle, ladies." In reality, I tried not to laugh when I surveyed my "troops."
"We're not going to let that Des Moines Daredevils Senior Group get the better of us," Alice added.
"They have Hazel on their team. We can't discount her," Ramona cautioned as she pointed toward the other team. "She's not all that fast, but she's a giant."
When I glanced at the other team, I noticed one of the members towered over the others, but she probably was my height or a little shorter. "Hey, they've got a ringer over there. Check her ID," the giant shouted and pointed at me.
"Don't pay any attention to her," Viola said. "But they'll probably be targeting you, so be forewarned."
I gave her a quick smile. After the last few hours, the least of my worries was being hunted by eighty-somethings with laser guns. "Don't worry. I've got this."
"I heard this team won senior nationals last year," Dolly said. "They probably cheated, if I know them."
I wanted to remind her that me being on the team was kind of cheating but figured I'd keep that reality to myself. No use riling up everyone before the game got started.
I already got the impression this would be a lot more competitive than I'd originally thought. The fascination of seniors with bingo and card games were a given. But running around trying to shoot people with lasers didn't seem to fit in their wheelhouse of adventurous activities.
Then again, it might temper their fixation on getting licenses for stun guns. I could only see bad things happening from that endeavor. This seemed like a good alternative to keep them from wanting to move up to the next level. Harmless fun.
Before I knew it, the game had started.
"Hey, knock that off," I heard Alice yell when she got deactivated within the first ten seconds.
"Oh no, you don't," Ramona cautioned, but she fell dark too. Only a few minutes in, and we were already down two players. At this rate, the game would be over before it started. Their deactivation period lasted a couple of minutes, but if they eliminated us all by the five-minute buzzer, game over.
I didn't want to deal with the Qs' disappointment if that happened. They had high hopes for winning.
"Let's work in teams," I suggested.
Viola and I worked as a pair, and the other ladies split up. I pulled her behind a wall, barely missing an attack from the Daredevils. Instead, I peered over the same wall and hit my target easily. I did a fist bump with Viola to celebrate my victory.
"Team Q gets its first score," the announcer said.
The rush of adrenaline surprised me. This hadn't been something I wanted to do in the first place, but maybe getting out a little of my own frustration did me some good. I pretended the other team were mini versions of Joseph and unleashed a bit of that residual resentment.
"I'm going to go after Hazel." I saw a flash to my left, but whoever she was missed my chest protector. "Keep your cover. I'll be back."
Now it was a matter of pride. If I couldn't beat a bunch of seniors, I figured I was in deep doo-doo.
I no longer masked the idea that I wasn't nimble as I flew through the maze, capitalizing on my speed and agility. It felt good to be in control. And yes, I was a little worried about that.
I vaulted over the wall like some kind of crazy ninja—give me a break, in the dark it felt like it looked kind of cool, or maybe it was the lack of real competition that made me look and feel like a rockstar.
Whatever.
I crouched behind one of the structures and waited to make my move. Somebody touched my arm, and I turned, my gun raised. But it wasn't Hazel gloating.
"I'm going to turn myself in and give up," Gus whispered. "But I need to know if you found out anything before I do." Even in the dark, I felt his emotions bleed into his voice. "Once they lock me up, it will be over, and I won't have a chance."
He picked now to come to me? And give up when I was trying so hard to prove his innocence?
The death penalty might not be necessary. I might kill him myself. Oh yeah, this isn't a real gun.
I grabbed the front of his shirt with my hand. "Did you kill Lori?"
"No, but everyone thinks I did. Sometimes it's just easier to give in." He shook his head.
When he went to say something else, I stopped him with my hand. "You do not get to wimp out on this. You do not get to whine 'poor me.' I've been pushed out of a tower, nearly run over, risked my life at a biker bar, got slimed in a yuppie bar, and incurred the wrath of the man I love." Woah, did I just admit to being in love with Gabe? Not now, I'm on a roll. I let go of his shirt feeling oh-so-much-better.
"But I don't stand a chance of winning at trial. Maybe I can work on a plea deal. Besides, maybe I did it and don't remember?"
"Have you ever blacked out before?"
"Only when I used to drink. But I've heard it could happen during stressful times."
"You need to chill. Either you killed her or you didn't." I didn't want to add to the drama by telling him that he was right about everyone thinking he was guilty. "Did you have an argument with her at the diner?"
"We disagreed about some decisions she made relative to Delbert."
"Delbert?" I needed to know this but could hear Alice calling me in the background. "I'm kind of in the middle of something. Come to my place later tonight, and we'll talk." I rattled off my address and took off in search of the elusive Hazel.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Oh crap. Two of them were after me now. Where did that second one come from? I thought it was down to Hazel and me. The other one looked the same size as Hazel, maybe bigger. They must have had two ringers in the game, but they'd kept the second one hidden.
I traversed the ramp, running like my life depended on it. Somebody yanked my braid from behind—probably that cheater Hazel—the snap popped, and my helmet came off. When I turned to shoot, I ran into one of the low barricades and did an involuntary somersault down the side.
"Stay away," the male sounding voice cautioned. Or was it stay
down?
"Ouch…"
Hazel had a really deep voice. But why didn't she shoot me? I glanced down to see that I hadn't been deactivated, which I guess was a good thing, but that somersault left me dizzy, and my arm ached every time I moved. But the Qs were counting on me.
The next thing I knew, Alice loomed over me. "Geez, girl, do I have to be the hero here?" she shouted while I tried to regain my bearings. She grabbed my gun to add to her own arsenal and ran as fast as her tiny little feet could move.
I needed to help, but every time I tried to get up, the room started to spin. Note to self: adults should never do somersaults—especially when there's questionable cushioning around them.
Seconds later, the lights came on, and Alice had her guns raised in victory. The announcer's voice echoed through the place, "And the winner of tonight's challenge is the group from Inez. Congratulations, ladies."
"Are you alright?" Viola asked.
I focused on trying to get a clear picture of both her and my surroundings. "Did Alice just win this for us?" I had to admit I was a little shocked by what had just happened.
Before she could answer, Alice came bouncing back—that's the only way I could describe it. It was like she had mini trampolines on the bottom of her shoes when she walked. Giddy didn't begin to describe her demeanor.
"Did you see that, Izzy? I kicked their butt. That will show them," Alice preened.
The Daredevils were not good losers, as they started chanting, "Cheaters, cheaters."
"What a bunch of sore losers," Ramona added with a tsk-ing sound.
"Do you need me to help you up?" Viola asked as she looked at me strangely.
"I must have run into something and hit my…wait…somebody told me to stay away, or maybe they told me to stay down." I thought about it for a moment. Maybe I'd gotten mixed up with all the intrigue in my life lately. "Does Hazel have a really deep voice, like a man's voice?"
"Wouldn't be surprised. Those Des Moines Daredevils are vicious. Hard to tell in the dark, but it looks like there's a lump on your forehead."
I closed my eyes to try to make sense of what had happened. "Someone tugged on my braid, and my helmet popped off. Can they do that in this game? If they can, it should be against the rules. And are there two Hazels?" When I moved to get up, I discovered a whole other problem.
* * *
After spending several hours in the ER with the Qs and leaving with a sling for my sprained and now swollen arm, I finally got to sleep around two. My head still ached from last night's debacle and waiting up way too late for a no-show from Gus, so when there was a knock on my door around eight a.m., I closed my eyes and hoped they'd leave peacefully. I didn't care who they were or what they wanted, I needed sleep. A thirty-year-old should not feel this battered after a simple game of laser tag.
The knock sounded again. "It's Chaz. I need to talk to you about the Sutherland murder," he said.
Chaz?
His presence didn't bode well for me. Did he arrest Gus? Did Gus turn himself in like he'd threatened? Did he find the murderer? "Give me a minute."
I did my usual quick refresh of hair and a cursory teeth brushing before I opened the door. He didn't look happy, which didn't surprise me much. "Are you alone?"
I glanced around like there was somebody I'd missed. "You're welcome to come look if that's what you're getting at." Unease crawled up my back, making my skull tingle. Based on the ratcheted-up intensity to his demeanor—which prior to this moment I didn't think was possible—I wasn't going to like what would happen next.
Unshaven and looking scruffier than I remembered, he was dressed in jeans, T-shirt, and a baseball cap. He didn't say anything, making me more uncomfortable. And he didn't try to temper his intensity with a smile like he had in the past. "Is there something you want to tell me?" His left eyebrow rose as he stared.
I bit my lip and tried to decide what to say or do next. Did he know about my run-in with Gus at the laser tag place?
"Can I get you something to drink? I'll put on some coffee." I needed to get away to give myself time to think. Rather than wait for his response, I busied myself with my newly acquired coffee maker, thanks once again to Viola, and struggled with my sling, trying to find a comfortable position for my arm.
He touched me, forcing me to look at him. "Guilty people act the way you are acting right now."
"You heard about the whole Joseph fiasco? What a mess. Thank goodness Gabe came around when he did. We would have been stuck—"
He raised his hand while his jaw clenched. "Enough of the distractions. Gus. Where is he?"
I shook my head. "He's not here." My voice squeaked, and I backed away.
"I can see that, but where is he? I know you've been in contact with him. He needs to turn himself in before things get worse."
"I don't know." His already dark eyes seemed to grow darker. Anger simmered in the air around him. "He showed up last night while I was at this laser tag thing with the Qs."
"Is he responsible for that bump on your head? Your arm in a sling? I know he's feeling the pressure, and I'm afraid you'll be his next victim."
"No, it wasn't him. This Hazel lady on the other team fessed up while I was in the hospital getting my arm looked at. She's a bruiser and didn't like that I was on the Qs' team. Anyway, my helmet popped off, she gave me a little shove, and I got clumsy. It had nothing to do with Gus."
"But I have proof he was on Main Street last night. He was seen hanging outside Otis's, which would be unusual since he's an alcoholic who swears he's working the program."
"But he didn't come here. I swear." I bit my lip. Maybe my impromptu fall was a blessing in disguise. Clearly Gus was spiraling out of control.
He blew out a breath. "I know you've been talking to Peter and Delbert, and I saw you at Cindy's play. I have no choice but to bring you in, if for nothing else, your own safety."
"Bring me in? As in arrest me?" My voice cracked. I'd never thought it would get to this point. "I can't go to jail. I have a thing coming up in two days and have all sorts of things to do."
"I know all about the Spring Fling. Half the folks in Winterset are coming. There are flyers up all over town. But I have no choice. You've been interfering with an investigation, and it has to stop. Besides, I don't like the way this is headed."
When he crooked his finger at me, I thought I might faint. "Can I text Viola? We were supposed to get together this morning."
"One text and then we've got to go. I have no choice, and neither do you."
"For the record, I never harbored Gus. He's randomly showed up."
"How about last night?"
"He somehow heard about the laser tag thing, and then said he'd come by later but never showed."
He harrumphed his disgust. Without another word, he led me out the door. The only good news was he didn't make me do the perp walk, and I got to sit in the front seat instead of behind bars in the back. Maybe he really was trying to protect me.
Was he right, and I was completely wrong about Gus?
* * *
The ride to Winterset was much less stressful as Chaz relaxed once we got into the car. Based on his change in demeanor, I had to believe he really was worried about my safety. Like Nate, I suspected he was a bit of a control freak when it came to that kind of thing.
He glanced in my direction. "I'm worried about you, Izzy. Gus is dangerous, and I don't think you have any idea what you've gotten yourself into."
"I appreciate you manly types thinking you need to protect us oh-so-vulnerable females, but I assure you, I've got this."
He shook his head. "I know you're a strong woman, but you're in this over your head. I don't think you realize what Gus is capable of."
"I don't know what you're capable of, either, but I got into this squad car with you, didn't I?" I'd gone from subdued to ornery mainly because I couldn't believe he had the nerve to arrest me.
"I'm an officer of the law." He pounded on the steering wheel. "Who
do you think pushed you down last night, causing a sprained arm and a knot on your head?"
"I told you, one of the Des Moines Daredevils."
"You can't possibly believe a senior citizen did that?" He shook his head.
"Hazel is a big woman. And she fessed up."
"Okay, let's say for the sake of argument I accept that. Ever wonder how Gus keeps showing up where you are? I think it's lucky that your hospital visit delayed your arrival, or who knows what might have happened to you?"
As much as I tried to accept what he'd said, I couldn't. Something still seemed off-kilter to me. Maybe stubbornness was the cause, but I still had the sense I was missing something big.
"I've been thinking about who I saw behind the Quilt Museum that day. I know it's not much, but I'm pretty sure there were two people, but they weren't holding hands like a couple. One seemed larger than the other, so it could have been a male and female."
"They also could have been some dock workers roaming around. Besides, unless you saw their faces, it's kind of useless."
"But a weird thing happened the next day when I walked back there to see if I could remember anything else." His eyebrows rose, but I ignored the skepticism. "It may be nothing, but there was a gray truck in the back that nearly ran me over. It was rainy, so he might not have seen me, or I might have been a little paranoid."
"Did you get a plate number? How about the make?"
"SRC is all I have. I realize that's not much, but…" I let my voice trail off.
"I can run the letters through the database and look for a match. Why didn't you tell me about this before?"
"Because I wasn't sure if I was overreacting. Plus, as soon as I started banging on the back door, the truck disappeared."
He eyed me as he pulled into the station parking lot. But nothing could have prepared me for him actually following through with his threat. In my head, I thought he might have me hang out in his office for a bit and then drive me back home. Instead, he ushered me to a jail cell in the middle of the small police station and locked me inside.