by Bill WENHAM
Their ‘leasing’ arrangement worked out perfectly for them too, especially since their new ‘landlord’ was hooked by an early morning fisherman down on the beach. When he finally landed his catch, he was disappointed to find it wasn’t something he could have stuffed and mounted on his wall. Perhaps he could have, but the coroner would want to have a good look at it first. The photo was a set back, but now, to all intents and purpose, the two actors were no longer in Florida.
With those two chores out of the way, the woman and the trailer owner, Emilio told his brother they should soon be receiving signals from the GPS transmitter in Spicer’s Jeep. Within a day or two, he thought.
Then they’d be able to zero in on him. It would throw Spicer completely off balance to find out his whereabouts was known to the Butler the moment he arrived in Jacksonville.
Chapter Eighteen
When we arrived, Ellie and I checked into a nice hotel at Neptune Beach, within easy walking distance of stores and good restaurants.
Since neither of us had been to Florida before, we stopped at the Florida welcome station at the State line. We picked up maps, discount coupons and a couple of tee shirts, plus a glass of fresh squeezed Florida orange juice each.
We went to our room at the hotel, where we were checked in as Mr. and Mrs. Spicer, much to Ellie’s amusement and to my embarrassment.
“I’m going to hold you to that one when we get back,” she said, once we’d left the front desk. At the elevator I picked up a copy of the Jacksonville newspaper. Up in the room Ellie began to browse through the newspaper as I started to unpack the luggage. I thought it was only fair since she’d done all the driving so far today.
Suddenly she said, “Oh, my God!” and slapped the paper down on the bed beside the suitcase I was unpacking.
“See that,” she said excitedly, pointing at the paper.
“See what? I’m a little busy here, El.”
“That photo.”
I gave a sigh of resignation, stopped what I was doing and picked up the paper.
“So, what about it, El?” I said, “It’s just a picture of two actors at the air…” I stopped speaking and stared at her. She grinned saucily at me.
“That’s right, Lover, and now look at their names.”
I read the photo caption and then the short article underneath it. Then I read the two actor’s names out loud. ‘Milo Van Creste and Ralph Stavencer’.
“Sandy, the CD said their new names were the same, but not. And although they were the same, neither one was like the other, remember? But with nothing to go on, we had nowhere to start, did we?”
I shook my head, not quite sure where she was going with all this.
“Hand me a pen, will you, Hon?”
I gave her a pen and she wrote down the name ‘Cervantes’ on the border of the paper. She looked at it for a few moments, frowning. Then, as I watched, she wrote down ‘Milo Van Creste’, and then ‘Ralph Stavencer’. Next, she started to cross out letters in each of the names and finally, with a self satisfied smirk, she turned the newspaper around to show me.
“Those two are our guys, Lover,” she said, “The lousy Butler and his equally murderous goddamned brother. Van Creste and Stavencer are merely anagrams of Cervantes. The same name but with the letters all jumbled up. The same name, but not. The same name but different. See, Sandy, baby, it’s them. We’ve got the bastards! I mean, look at it. Emilio becomes Milo, Raphael becomes Ralph. What more proof do we need?”
I dropped the paper and hugged her to me. This lady of mine was one pretty damned smart woman as well as a very beautiful one.
“That was just great, Ellie.” I said. “I am so proud of you. If fact, this is the first time since this whole thing started I believe we’re ahead of the game.”
“Whoa, there, buster, thanks for the compliment, and completely deserved, I might add, but don’t go running of in all directions just yet,” she said. “Sure, we know who they are now, but we still don’t know where they are exactly, do we? We know they’re here in Jacksonville or they were yesterday, at least. The only thing that’s really changed is that their advantage over us has slipped down a notch, that’s all. They don’t know we’re here in Jacksonville too and they don’t know we’ve recognized them for who they really are.”
I must have looked a little bit glum, because Ellie said, a little irritated, “So, what’s wrong now then?”
“You did great just now and I don’t want to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but we knew who they were before, as Cervantes, didn’t we? They changed that pretty easily and I bet they can do it again,” I said.
Ellie gave me an exasperated glare.
“Look, Lover, we know who they are and we even have a photo of them together here in Jacksonville. We also know if we’re right, and I know we are, we can get better ones if we need them from the theaters or theatrical agents up north. Let’s just work with that for now, okay, and as you say, right now we’re ahead of the game. Why don’t we try to capitalize on that, huh? And in any case, we only just walked through the goddamned door a few minutes ago. Let’s give ourselves a break here, okay. I think we’re doing just great.”
I thought that over and nodded, much to Ellie’s satisfaction.
“Do you realize, El, you and I actually sat in a theater wildly applauding those two? Do you remember?”
Ellie looked shocked.
“Yes, of course I do, now, that is, but that brings something else up. About what you just said about them changing again. It was pretty easy for them to stop being Cervantes. Theatrical people change their names all the time, don’t they but not after they’ve become famous, they don’t. As far as the public is concerned, as Cervantes, they were both nobodies, but as Van Creste and Stavencer, they’re both well known actors. If they weren’t, that photo wouldn’t have been taken, would it? Their new identities won’t be so easy to drop, I’m thinking.”
“I just knew those two were actors. I’ve known it all along,” I said.
“Sure you have, Lover, sure you have,” Ellie said in a sarcastic tone, as she picked up the paper again. I turned to get on with the unpacking just as Ellie said, “Oh, shit, babe,” turned to me wide eyed and held out the paper again.
“Now what!” I said, closing the lid of the suitcase down in exasperation. She didn’t say anything. She just pointed to another small header further down the front page of the paper. I picked up the paper and read it. It said:
‘Elizabeth Joyce Campbell, resident of the Bronx, New York, a tourist to Jacksonville, was found dead this morning. Her body was discovered by two children playing near a storm sewer culvert. The victim, who’d been stabbed once in the chest, was clasping a white silk rose when found. If you saw anyone at Neptune Beach, or in the surrounding area, behaving suspiciously last night or early this morning, you are requested to contact the Jacksonville Police Force.’
“Well, I guess that just about confirms it then, doesn’t it?” I said.
At that moment, the phone beside the bed rang. I picked it up and said “Hello”.
“Welcome to Jacksonville…” a voice began. I started to interrupt, believing it to be the hotel management, when the voice added, “Detective Spicer” and hung up. A long chill ran right down the middle of my back as I turned to stare at Ellie.
“What, Babe, what is it? Who was that?”
I reached out and put my arms around her tightly, knowing what her reaction would be when I told her.
“That was the Butler, El,” I said, “Welcoming us to Jacksonville.”
Ellie choked back a scream and clung tightly to me. Right then, I wasn’t sure who was comforting who here. How was that call even possible? We’d only walked through the goddamned door no more than five minutes ago and he was on to us already? We didn’t even know where we’d be staying ourselves until we reached the Beach and even that was no more than half an hour ago. Just the time it took us to register and get ourselves up to the room. How could the Butler have
possibly known?
Ellie was sobbing quietly against my chest and I wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay. But it wasn’t, was it? Far from it, in fact.
The happy frame of mind we’d both been in for the last few days, as almost normal tourists, enjoying the journey and each other, had just been dispersed like a puff of smoke by the Butler’s phone call.
Once again, the advantages were all his!
We stayed right in the hotel room for the rest of the day, going down to the pool after sundown when the heat of the day had eased a little. Although it certainly would never have been our first choice we ordered room service for a late dinner, since we just couldn’t be bothered to get changed again. The Butler’s phone call had shaken both of us far more than either of us was willing to admit. Ellie would cry easily, get it out in the open and then get over it. For me, it wasn’t so easy. I was the protector, the dominant male and she, whether she liked it or not, was my responsibility. If any harm came to her, I would never forgive myself. I could hardly believe that, when the Butler stuff had started happening, I was hardly even aware of Ellie Todd’s existence. Now she was the center of my life, the reason for my getting up in the morning and certainly my reason for going to bed at night, or at any other time, for that matter!
The next morning, Ellie said, “Well, Lover, we can sit in here and hide away in our little hole all day, just as the Butler suggested, or we can get ourselves together and get out and nail those two bastards. So how about it?”
I looked over at her and smiled.
“I’m glad you’ve mentioned that, Hon. I was a little scared to suggest it myself,” I said.
She looked back at me with a disapproving glare.
“I don’t want to ever hear that kind of talk from you,” she said, tight lipped.
I was wondering what the hell it was I’d just said to upset her, when she turned her usual heart melting grin on me full blast.
“Kidding you, Lover, just kidding you. But a girl doesn’t like to hear her knight in shining armor say he’s scared of anything,” she laughed. “It kind of ruins the illusion.”
“Knight in shining armor, huh?” I said. “That’s a pretty tough image for a guy to maintain, Babe.”
“Okay then, how about toy boy in a grubby tee shirt. Would that suit you better?”
“I’m okay with the toy boy bit, but grubby tee shirt, come on, Hon. I’ll have you know I washed this,” I protested.
“Oh, yeah, and when was that? What year was it exactly?”
“Well, I’m pretty sure it was this year sometime. In fact I’m sure it was, or maybe it was last year. I don’t remember. Perhaps I’ll wear it the next time I go in the pool. The chlorine should clean it up a bit.”
“You do that and I’ll clean you up a bit as well, toy boy,” she said, laughing.
I had the awful thought that my well earned title of ‘Lover’ was about to be replaced by ‘Toy boy’, but Ellie beat me to it.
“No, Lover, I don’t think toy boy suits you at all well. It doesn’t sound tough enough for someone who is supposed to be my live-in bodyguard,” she said.
“I thought I was supposed to be your Lord and Master,” I countered.
“Don’t push your luck, Buster. You can very easily be replaced, you know. And, man, did you see all those hunks down at the pool last night?”
“You mean the ones all the gorgeous babes were ignoring so they could get a better look at me? Are those the hunks you’re referring to?”
“Okay, enough, enough, Lover, I give up, before your conceit makes me want to upchuck. You win. For this round at least. But I’ll take you down easily in our wrestling rematch later on tonight,” she grinned mischievously.
“That’s not fair!” I protested. “You know I always let you win those.”
We both laughed and felt better for our little spot of silliness.
It felt good to be able to act a little silly for a while, even with the threat of imminent death looming constantly over our heads.
About mid afternoon, still with the feeling of almost euphoria our little bit of nonsense had generated; we decided to get in a little beach time. Our hotel wasn’t right on the beach and we had to cross the road to get to it. The beach access hadn’t been a prime factor for us in choosing the hotel anyway. But we also felt we deserved a little beach time in the sun, since this was our vacation as well as a quest for a pair of psychopathic murderers.
It would also give Ellie an opportunity to show off her new itsy, bitsy, teeny, weenie Bikini to all and sundry.
As we walked along the sidewalk towards the beach access, we saw two grubby looking guys leaning on the trunk of a beat up old Pontiac parked beside the road. They both gave long drawn out wolf whistles as Ellie strolled by them. They whistled again and raised their cans of beer in a toast to her. She looked back disdainfully at them over her shoulder, tossed her head and sauntered on, holding on to my arm.
Back home I’d seen some of our own City’s down and out and homeless folks who were both cleaner and better dressed than those two were. We heard their empty beer cans crash into the gutter behind us.
“Creeps,” I muttered, “Just who the hell did they think they were ogling anyway?”
“Actually, Sweetie, I think they were ogling at me. But if you want to slip back and change into my other Bikini, maybe they’ll give you an ogle and a whistle or two as well. I’ve got a feeling a Bikini would cramp your style with the babes on the beach, though. I’m sure they aren’t used to that kind of competition!”
I grabbed her arm more tightly, propelling her down towards the beach and the sea.
“Come on, smart ass,” I said.
“Well, there’s a term of endearment a girl doesn’t get to hear from her Lover boy every day,” she said and paused. Then she added, “Thank God”
As we got on to the beach itself, with Ellie turning more and more male heads of all ages, she said, “I feel awfully naked right now, Sandy.”
“Isn’t that how a Bikini is supposed to make you feel?” I asked her.
“No, Lover, that’s not the kind of naked I mean.”
“How many kinds of naked are there, for Christ sake? Either you are or you’re not, surely.”
“I mean naked as in not having a service revolver available and concealed somewhere on my person. That kind of naked and I don’t even have a damned handbag with me. How stupid is that?”
“I think your Bikini is doing a valiant enough job just concealing tiny portions of your gorgeous body, without expecting it to conceal a service revolver as well. From where I’m looking, Babe, it would have to one or the other.”
“Oh, you men,” she said. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Damned right, I wouldn’t,” I said. “I’ve never understood how a woman can parade around practically naked in a Bikini and yet the same woman will just about have kittens if the wind blows her skirt up.”
“That’s different. It’s because you’re a man that you don’t understand. Men never do and never will.”
I was about to come up with another smart remark until I remembered the ‘wrestling’ match I’d been promised for later on this evening. Surely you understand enough to quit while you’re ahead, don’t you, Spicer, a little voice in my head told me. Lose gracefully and sometimes, depending on what game you’re playing, to the loser go the spoils!
“You win,” I said. “I am a man and merely by the definition of that, I am naturally wrong. I have to be. It’s all in the genes.”
Ellie looked me up and down appraisingly for a long moment.
“I guess it depends a lot on how you spell that, I suppose,” she said cheekily and grinning again at me now.
Good, I thought, the ‘wrestling match’ was still on for later. That much I understood very well.
I don’t know what made me do it. Just a hunch maybe, but I told Ellie I’d be right back, leaving her sunning herself on the sand.
I ran back across the
sand, through the beach access point and out to the road. The Pontiac was gone, and so were the two creeps. I had an uneasy feeling though and didn’t know why. Maybe it was just being unarmed that did it. Suddenly I knew exactly what it was Ellie had been talking about. I did understand. I felt awfully naked myself right about now, without my service revolver.
I suppose too, my biggest trouble was that I was just an ordinary guy and I knew it. Just an ordinary cop too, if the truth was known. Sure, I’d gotten myself a medal for bravery but the whole thing had been blown out of all proportion by the media and I guess our powers that be had to respond appropriately. Or perhaps it was just one of those times when the City just needed a hero, someone to pin a medal on and I just happened to be there.
The medal had been for bravery but even that was really finding myself in an impossible spot and having to shift Patino in order to get myself out of it. Myself out of it. Patino was just a side issue. If the situation had been reversed, it might have been a different story. It’s one thing to rush out through the flames to save yourself and maybe someone else if they just happen to be there. It’s a different thing entirely, and something that takes real guts, to dash into the flames to save someone, when you’re already safely on the outside.
As it was, those two seconds both saved my life and also changed it. They made me a Lieutenant because of it. The media demanded their hero be recognized. But it was also those two seconds earlier on that changed my life even more. I just didn’t know it at the time.
If I’d known then what I know now, I would’ve gladly shot myself in the foot or anywhere else for that matter rather than to have fired those fatal shots at a fleeing car.
I shudder to think of how many people have died so far because of those shots. But you didn’t kill that girl a lot of people, including Ellie, have told me, but it makes no difference. The girl is dead, and so now are all of the others, including the rest of my crew.
I know I didn’t kill her but I did fire the shots that set the Butler off on this endless and senseless murderous rampage of his. He even managed to talk his equally evil brother into helping him. The ironic part of this is, Ellie and I know those two are adored, worshipped even, by theatergoers worldwide. None of the people watching them perform, including us, had any idea what cold blooded and heartless monsters we were all applauding.