by T. G. Hanson
“Umm well, I think Miss Nyla gave it to her when they were in the bookstore one day. Come to think of it, I think it was the day before that feller was kilt.”
Grabbing Randy another beer she picked up her cell phone and called Nyla. A few minutes later she told Randy that she needed to run an errand but she wanted him to do something for her.
“Sure thing Lynn, what is it?”
“I want you to take the tin and go to the Sheriff’s office. Tell him I sent you there and that I’m headed to the diner but I’ve got to stop over at Nyla’s first. And Randy, you need to wait at the station till I get there as well. You understand?”
“Sure Lynn, no problem.”
They stood up and on the way to the car she explained to Randy what she wanted him to tell the Sheriff. Lynn took off in her car and Randy headed to the station.
******
Sherry and Meg were getting up to leave and drive over to Lynn’s.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you coming to me first with all this Sherry. That’s a stand-up thing to do considering your profession and all.”
“My profession is part of the issue for me right now. All this is exactly what I’ve tried to avoid, not very successfully, my entire career. I’m just glad that I was able to find what I did before I was asked to write anything else.”
“Well, sometimes things just happen don’t they. Things we just sort of get pushed into before we know it.”
“Indeed they do. Now, I need to get going and you need a ride home I guess.”
“Oh please, my worry wart friends” she laughed. “It’s only two blocks to Lynn’s. I think I can managed and I’ve got to finish locking up anyway. You go ahead and go.”
“Are you sure? It’s really no trouble at all to give you a ride.”
“Nah, go ahead. I’ll be fine. But Sherry, please do come back and visit anytime you are out this way. I’ll have a piece of pie with your name on it.”
She let Sherry out the door then turned to walk back to her office. She had taken only a few steps into the diner when she heard the door creak behind her and before she could turn around to see who it was she felt something hard hit her on the back of the head.
Meg woke up, in her office, with her head throbbing. She tried to stand and then realized she was sitting up and tied to a chair in her office. The sound of books being thrown around and shelves being emptied were coming from inside the bookstore.
Looking across to Chewy’s pen she could see that the little dog was nowhere in sight and she couldn’t hear her barking. Oh, no, not again and where is Chewy. She struggled with the binds that held her to the chair and tried to bounce the chair to no avail.
Sitting and trying to figure out something to do she saw a shadow approaching the office doorway. Daisy appeared in the doorway but didn’t look much like herself at all. Her hair was all mussed and unwashed. She looked like she hadn’t eaten in days and Meg could smell beer on her breath. She grabbed the tape across Meg’s mouth and roughly pulled it off. “All right Missy where is that tin! I know it has to be here someplace and you’re going to tell me where it is!” she screamed at Meg.
Meg was shaking her head trying to tell the girl she had no idea what she was talking about when something, it looked like Meg’s bat, hit the back of Daisy’s head and the girl slumped to the floor. Meg watched in horror as someone she couldn’t see, grabbed Daisy by her legs and drug her away from the doorway.
Not seconds later two rather large, and not so nice looking men, appeared before her. Smiling, one of them approached Meg and smacked her across the face. “Okay lady, start talking. Where have you hidden the tin with the money.”
Meg looked from one man to the other. “I have no idea what you are talking about. Who are you and why do you think I have a tin of money hidden here?”
“We have it on a good source that you have money hidden in an old Prince Albert Tin and it belongs to us the way we see it. From what we hear, Henry doesn’t even remember it now, but he owes us, so where have you hidden it.”
Meg sat in silence with a stunned look on her face. “Prince Albert Tin? I don’t have a clue mister and I certainly don’t have a tin like that. I think you have the wrong girl and have been misinformed.”
One man whispered in the others ear and turning to leave the office the other grinned at Meg. “Shame, this is a nice place you got here but there won’t be much left when we get done looking.” With that he replaced the tape on her mouth and both men walked away.
She could tell by the distance they walked they were headed to the diner. Not long after she began to hear the crash of dishes hitting the floor.
Meg began struggling with the tape around her hands trying to tear it somehow. All the while she kept thinking, Prince Albert, a tin, why would they think I had something like that and especially one with money inside? And why were Daisy and Henry, looking for the same thing? At least I know one thing. Steve didn’t send these guys.
******
John and Wade had worked all afternoon trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, without much success. There was nothing they could see that linked Henry and Meg or the separate events. They also couldn’t find a connection between the victim and Meg other than the miniature leg.
And neither had yet to discover why there was not one trace of a Meg Stinner before she arrived in Mystic Pines. Wade had headed home after leaving the diner, leaving the Sheriff on his own. Not long after, John stood up to leave. At least I know either Wade or Lynn is with Meg so she’s safe. Sure could do with a slice of pie though. Wonder if they have closed and gone home yet?
John locked up the station and decided to see if the girls were still at the diner. If they were, he could try his pouty face, the one that always worked with Wendy, and maybe get a slice of pie to go.
As soon as he reached the end of the building he noticed lights on in the diner and a black sedan in the parking lot. Why did they come back here?
He slunk down and crept up to the side of the diner where he could peer in through a crack in the window. He could see two figures walking around inside and hear the crash of dishes being thrown around.
Bending down even further he crept over to a window in front of the bookstore. It was impossible to tell who it was, all he could see were legs sticking out of Meg’s office door but, there was a female body tied up on the floor and the lights were on in the office.
Running around to the side of the building he pulled out his cell phone and called Wade. “Hey John what’s up.”
“Wade get your hind end in the car and get over to the diner NOW! No sirens. Park at the station and I’ll meet you there.”
“On the way John, in the car now.”
Wade was pulling in front of the station by the time John had managed to creep back that way. “What in the heck John, what’s up?”
John filled Wade in on what he had seen and who he thought it was. “Wade, there’s a female down in the bookstore.” Wade moved in the direction of the diner but the Sheriff grabbed his arm stopping him.
“Let go John, NOW!”
“Wait a second Wade, I couldn’t see who it is so just calm down a second will you. We should be careful going in there. We don’t want anyone getting hurt and Lynn could be in there as well as that reporter.”
Pulling out his phone Wade quickly dialed Lynn’s number. “It’s busy John.” He waited a second and tried again but the line was still busy.
“Wade, you go around to the door at the back of the diner. I’m going in through the bookstore door and let's play a little Marco Polo shall we.”
Nodding and turning Wade replied, “Meet you in the middle of the pool John.”
******
Daisy slowly came to and realized she was tied up, gagged and laying on the floor just outside the door to Meg’s office. Who the heck did this. Just wait till I get out of this. She tried rolling around on the floor to get inside the office but not getting anywhere fast. It was
then that she noticed all the racket coming from the diner. Someone else is in here and they must be looking for the tin as well! Geeze how many people know about the dang thing? she wondered.
Meg had managed to bounce around enough to look out of the office doorway. Glancing toward the front of the bookstore she noticed a shadow pass in front of the window. Oh, please let that be Lynn, Wade or the Sheriff, was all she could think. Unable to loosen the tape around her ankles or wrists she could only sit and wait for what might come next.
At the back of the diner, Wade tested the doorknob. John was doing the same at the bookstore. Each, finding the doors unlocked, crept inside slowly. It seemed to both that all the noise was centered inside the main room of the diner and it sounded as though things were being ripped off the walls and thrown to the floor.
With guns drawn they crept toward the noise, each from opposite directions. Wade from the back of the diner and the Sheriff from the bookstore.
Seeing the same shadow as Meg had, Daisy stopped trying to go forward and began rolling her way back toward the office. She continued to roll till she was completely inside the office with Meg.
The two girls sat still and listened.
“Marco” seconds went by.
“Polo” a few more seconds went by.
“Marco” then silence.
“Polo” and silence again.
The two men, busy tearing the diner apart, stopped and stood still. “Did you hear that Nick. What in the heck.”
“No idea Chuck, was there a TV on someplace?”
“Marco” again silence.
“Polo” and more silence.
The two men turned towards the bookstore and took a few steps.
“Polo” and the Sheriff stepped out of the shadows, gun drawn.
Both men turned at once to run and turned right into the barrel of a shotgun.
“Marco” care for a swim, smiled Wade.
Two seconds later Lynn blasted through the front door of the diner, tire iron in hand.
Wade immediately yelled at Lynn, “The bookstore Lynn, look for Meg!”
Lynn was halfway through the opening before Wade had finished his sentence.
******
Wade and the Sheriff cuffed both men to each other and pushed them down on a bench. “Care to explain what you two are doing in my friend’s diner?”
“We know our rights and we ain’t saying nothing.” And that was about all they got out of the two goons.
Wade motioned to John to look down while pointing at one of the men’s feet. “Size ten, black work boots, just like I said.”
John smiled and laughed, sure enough they were. Looking at the two men he grinned, “You two aren’t the brightest little bunnies in the forest, are you? Those boots right there put you at the scene of a break-in, not to mention this fun little adventure tonight. I’d say you might be having a nice little stay up at county.”
“And for my part, if one hair on that girl’s head back there is harmed, I’ll see that attempted murder is added to those charges” announced Wade.
TWENTY-NINE
Lynn rushed back to Meg’s office finding both Meg and Daisy on the floor, tied up and gagged. Lynn called out to Wade and John, “Meg’s fine, she’s back here along with Daisy” as she removed the gags and tape from each girl.
Lynn was checking the bump on the back of Meg’s head when she heard her say, “Stop her Lynn.”
She turned around to see that Daisy had started to walk out the door. Lynn put her arm out and shoved her down into a chair. “Just where do you think you are going little girl?”
Daisy snarled at Lynn. “You can’t make me stay here, I ain’t done nothin cept let that nasty dog out the door.”
Furious, Meg moved toward Daisy and grabbed her arm, “Chewy is the least of your worries right now.”
Lynn touched Meg’s elbow and gently pulled her away from Daisy. “Have a seat Meg. You need to sit down and let me see what I can find out from her.”
Daisy smiled, sort of crazy like and with a sinister tone to her voice she replied, “Yup sit down, I’m the least of your worries . . . Emily.”
Meg stopped, while her heart skipped a beat, and stared at the girl. “What did you just say?”
Turning to look at both Meg and Daisy, Lynn’s mouth fell open. “Meg, did she just say what I thought she said? How would she know anything? What in the heck is going on here?”
Meg explained, “Daisy here is the one who knocked me out and tied me up tonight. She was ranting on about some old tin and money. I have no clue what she is talking about Lynn.”
Hearing the word tin sent Daisy into a tizzy and she began to yell at both girls, “It's MINE you HEAR ME! I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT FOR A LONG TIME AND IT’S MINNNNNEEEE.” Daisy’s voice was beginning to sound a bit hysterical Lynn noticed.
Meg shoved the girl back in the chair and told her to calm down and keep her mouth shut. She had no idea what the girl might know about her, but from what she’d said so far, she knew too much.
Hearing the racket coming from the back of the store, John sent Wade to see what was going on.
“What in the devil is going on back here and what in the name of Troy is wrong with Daisy?”
Meg started to speak up but Lynn interrupted her. “I’ve got it under control back here Wade. You and John take care of those two, up front, and we’ll meet you at the station in just a few.”
Giving Wade a pleading look she continued, “I’ve got to have a little talk with Daisy first then I’ll explain everything at the station, okay?”
Wade nodded at Lynn understanding that there was more going on here than met the eye. “Alright Lynn, but I hope you know what you’re doing.”
He turned and walked back into the diner where John was waiting for him. “Lynn’s got things under control back there, John, and Meg is fine. She’ll bring both Meg and Daisy to the station in just a few minutes.”
John took hold of one man while Wade took hold of the other. “Time for a trip to the station boys.” John smiled.
******
Lynn looked at Meg then Daisy. “Meg, do you remember Nyla giving you a Prince Albert tin not long ago?”
Meg drew in her breath, “Oh my gosh, I’d forgotten all about it. She did, but then I gave it to Randy because he collects them. Is that what you were looking for tonight Daisy?”
“All this time that stupid Randy had it?” Daisy spat out.
Meg turned to Lynn, “How did you find out about this tin and what in the heck is so important about it that has all these people looking for it?”
Lynn pulled up a chair and sat down. “Randy finally got the thing open tonight and found the money inside it. He has it in a bag and was bringing it back to you because he thought it belonged to you. I saw him at your house and invited him over to wait on you. Once he showed me the tin, told me where he got it, and I talked to Nyla. I figured that had to be what everyone has been looking for all this time. Everyone but the stranger that is.”
Daisy had begun to bounce around in the chair acting a bit on the crazy side again. “I’m telling you they are all lying! It’s my tin!!! I need it to get out of this town!!! Danny promised it to me!!!”
Both girls stopped and stared at Daisy. “Daisy, how do you know Danny?” asked Lynn.
Immediately Daisy sat down and clamped her mouth shut.
Meg slumped down in a chair, “Oh my gosh, Daisy, you saw Danny in the alley the night he was murdered, didn’t you?”
“He was trying to back out of getting the tin for me! He promised me!”
Shocked, Lynn asked, “Daisy, what did you do?”
“Nothin, just yelled at him and shoved him then I ran away. Then he went and got himself murdered.”
Meg suddenly thought of something she had to ask. “Daisy, why did you call that reporter in Houston to come out here and do that story on me? What reason did you have behind that, and just what is it you think you know about me?”
&nb
sp; Rocking back and forth, all they got in response from Daisy was, “Tick-Tock the mouse ran up the clock. Tick-Tock Emily’s time is running out.”
Sighing Meg looked at Lynn, “At least we now know she was the one who called Sherry and not someone else. I recognized her voice right away when Sherry played the tape for me. But how did she find out about me Lynn?”
“I’m not sure Meg but from the way she is sounding, we may never find out. Lynn looked Daisy right in the eyes. “Little girl, you’re likely in a heap of trouble and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll start talking, right now!”
Daisy began rocking faster and now had a crazy distant look on her face. She began talking but it was more like she was singing a demented tune when she spoke.
“One two ... tying his shoe, three four ... he hit the floor, five six ... he began to twitch, seven eight ... it’s too late, nine ten ... I WANT MY TIN!” she screeched. Meg and Lynn watched as the girl just seemed to slip inside herself right there in front of them.
Meg suddenly grabbed Lynn’s arm and asked, “Lynn, those two men, they were here after the tin. They said Henry told them about it. So, do you think Henry might have been the one to trash my office that first time? Or maybe the one who left the note at my house?”
Lynn sat and thought for a few minutes and then spoke. “I think you’re right Meg. Remember I told you that Nyla kept catching Henry at her house snooping around? Well she later discovered that her husband had told Henry about the tin and Henry was all upset that she’d given it to you. My guess is that he was spying on you trying to find the tin for himself.”
Hearing what Lynn was saying Meg suddenly stood up and put her hands on her hips. “Then it makes sense that it was Henry who wrote the note and left it at my house. As for the two times, I was knocked out, we know it was Daisy this time and it stands to reason it was her the other time as well. She’s the only one who saw me with the tin when Nyla dropped it off here at the bookstore that day.”