Artie and the Red-Headed Woman

by Jan Christensen

  Artie unlocked his door, and they stepped inside. Josie came into the small hallway and stopped short when she saw them.

  The love of my life. He almost relaxed. Josie would help him decide what to do. After pecking his wife on the cheek, he led Gina into the living room and pointed at the couch. Gina sank into it, finally letting her handbag strap slide off her shoulder. Her pale face made her bright hair look even brighter, and her blue eyes glittered with the beginning of tears. She didn’t look around, didn’t notice the decorated and lit Christmas tree in the corner, the nativity scene on the mantle, the tawny kitten Josie had rescued a few days ago sleeping on the hearth rug.

  Josie gave Artie a questioning look, then headed for the kitchen. Artie sat down in a chair across from Gina and loosened his grip on the athletic bag enough so it fell with a soft plop to the carpet, the loot inside clinking slightly. He worked his cramped fingers and watched Gina kick off her shoes and curl herself up into a ball on the couch. He didn’t think he’d ever seen such misery in one human being in all his life.

  The doorbell rang, making Artie jump. His reluctant fingers grabbed the athletic bag once more, and he dashed into the bedroom. After he threw it into the far corner of the closet, he went back to the living room. Josie was letting in the same cop who’d tried to stop Gina, and another one he didn’t know, wearing a suit, not a uniform. Not good. Josie’s eyes were huge and questioning when she looked at Artie. He didn’t blame her for being scared. His whole body tensed, and he purposely loosened his hands, wishing to rub the aching one that had been holding the bag, but restraining himself.

  “Good evening, ma’am,” the cop Artie had seen before said to Josie. “We’re here to see Ms. Regina MacIntosh.” Both men held up their badges.

  “What for?” Artie scowled.

  “We need to talk to her,” the other officer said. He was older, gray at the temples, what used to be called hatchet-faced, with a bulky body almost splitting the seams of his suit jacket.

  “She’s in no condition to talk to anyone right now.” Josie’s small chin jutted out, and Artie almost laughed, seeing her defiant stare. Her brown eyes looked even bigger than usual. Part of the reason he loved his wife was because she never backed down.

  “It’s all right,” a tiny voice said. Artie whipped around to see Gina standing, swaying, in the hall doorway. He took her arm and steered her back to the couch. The rest followed.

  “Have a seat.” Artie, resigned, waved his arm around the room. The police officers sat down, but Josie stood in the kitchen doorway, chin still jutting, arms folded across her chest.

  Artie tried to make himself comfortable in the chair he’d sat in before.

  The man in the suit said, “I’m Detective Ted Sheffield, and this is Sergeant Larry Armstrong. We’re here about a robbery that took place two nights ago. Something was left at the scene.”

  “How did you know Gina was here?” Artie asked.

  Sheffield gave Artie a scornful look. “We have eyes everywhere, Mr. Applegate.”

  Artie had no doubt.

  “What was left behind?” he asked.

  “This.” From his inside suit pocket, Detective Sheffield pulled out an evidence bag with a golden locket on a chain inside.

  Gina gasped and touched her throat.

  The detective grinned. “Yours.”

  Gina squinted at the bag. “How would I know? It’s too far away to tell.”

  “Here’s a hint. The chain is broken, and there’s a picture of your mother and father inside.”

  Gina moaned.

  “Not another word, Gina,” Josie said as she walked over to the couch and sat down next to the girl.

  Gina’s a woman now, Artie thought. She’d be tried as an adult. He felt sick to his stomach as he watched the two police officers smirk with satisfaction.

  “Here’s the thing.” Detective Sheffield stuffed the evidence bag back into his pocket. “With this evidence, we figured out the operation, and we’re much more interested in prosecuting your father than you, Ms. MacIntosh. If you will cooperate with us, we can almost guarantee the D.A. will work something out with you so that you won’t spend any time in prison.”

  Artie stood up and yanked his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m calling my lawyer. Gina, don’t say another word.” He found Saul Lapin’s number in his address list and hit “talk.”

  The police officers stood up, Detective Sheffield shaking his head at Artie. “You get the lawyers involved, and it will take a lot longer to straighten everything out. We’ll have to take Ms. MacIntosh down to the station and book her.”

  “No,” Gina moaned.

  Artie hit the “end” button on his phone and slowly put it back into his pocket.

  They all looked at the tiny figure huddled on the couch. Even the officers looked uneasy.

  Detective Sheffield sighed. “We know you were probably forced to enter the houses and let your father in, Gina. In the beginning. The problem is you continued after you reached adulthood. If you give us enough information, we can probably work a deal.”

  Gina looked up at the detective, her pale face surrounded by her wild red hair anguished. With obvious effort and determination, she stood up, straightened her shoulders and walked toward the officers. “Let’s go.” She turned to Artie. “I’d appreciate your lawyer’s help.”

  Artie nodded.

  “We have to cuff you,” Sergeant Armstrong said, pulling a set from his belt.

  Gina held out her tiny hands, and Larry placed the cuffs gently on her wrists. “Sorry, Gina,” he murmured. He took her arm and led her out the door, the detective following.

  “What precinct?” Artie asked their retreating backs.

  The sergeant told him, and Artie called to Gina, “We’ll be there as soon as we can.” Just what he wanted to do. Voluntarily walk into a police station. He sank back down into his chair and put his head in his hands. Josie came over and patted him on the shoulder.

  “Merry Christmas to all,” Artie muttered, and calling up his own determination, retrieved his phone and jabbed the talk button again.

  After he and his lawyer discussed the situation and he ended the call, Josie said, “I’m going with you to the station. You can explain everything on the way. Gina looks like she could use a woman friend right now.”

  He sighed with relief, stood up and hugged her. “I can always count on you, lover. It’s a long story.”

  Keeping his voice low, he told her all about it in the taxi on the way to the police station, becoming more and more tense the closer they got. Josie held his hand and squeezed it during the bad parts. “Gina and her father really love each other,” he said when he’d finished. “There’s no way this is going to end happily.”

  “Her father should have thought of that the first time he made her go down a coal chute, Artie.”

  Artie sighed. “You’re right, of course. I keep thinking I should have tried harder to make him stop.”

  Josie squeezed his hand again. “You tried your best. Stop blaming yourself. I know how hard this is on you, going voluntarily to the police station, dealing with them.”

  Artie closed his eyes. He didn’t want to think about the police station. When they arrived, his feet dragged as they walked up the steps and inside. The female officer at the desk wouldn’t let them into the secure area without authorization. When Artie’s lawyer came, and after he talked to the officer, they still couldn’t go back, even with him, so they sat on an uncomfortable bench, waiting anxiously.

  An hour or so later, Saul Lapin came back into the area, shaking his head. Tall and thin, Saul wore a jogging suit and beat-up-looking athletic shoes. He had a large head with big features—big eyes, big nose, sensuously full lips and really big ears. A mop of wavy brown hair crowned his head, and he wore it a bit long. He sat down next to Artie and sighed. “They have the locket. They know it’s hers because Sergeant Armstrong recognizes both her father and her mother. It has her fingerprints on it. They fo
und it in a house that was robbed two days ago. But she refuses to talk, and of course I’ve advised her to remain silent. They’re looking for her father right now. Either he’s in hiding or he’s out looking for Gina, unaware she’s here.”

  “What’s the bottom line, Saul?” Artie wanted to put his head in his hands, but refrained.

  “Circumstantial evidence is strong. If they can find any kind of witness, that will about cinch the case. Nothing I can do until after Monday when the judges come in and bail can be set. They’re going to keep her here. They’re hoping her father will come in.”

  Josie shifted in her seat. “Will they really make a deal with her if she turns in her father?”

  “Probably, but there’s no guarantee. She might still get jail time. She wasn’t a minor when the last theft took place.”

  “Is there no way we can see her?” Josie asked.

  A commotion in the doorway made them all turn their heads. Artie jumped up when he saw Darrin enter. When Darrin noticed Artie, his face turned into a white mask. But he walked straight toward Artie and took his arm. “Can I talk to you?”

  Surprised, Artie nodded. They walked over to an empty corner. “How are you, Art?” Darrin slumped against the grimy wall and sighed deeply. Deep furrows lined his brow now, and his blue eyes looked tired. He still had a thatch of faded red hair and appeared to still be at his correct weight.

  “I’d be better if I knew Gina was out of trouble.” Artie stood straight, his fists clenched. He so wanted to punch Darrin in the face.

  “I’m gonna work on that. There’s more to this than anyone knows, and I don’t…”

  “What do you mean?”

  Darrin made an effort to straighten himself up. “We never really robbed anyone. Well, except the insurance companies.”

  Now it was Artie’s turn to slump against the wall. “Fraud. It’s worse than I thought. You committed fraud. Did Gina know?”

  “No. I was guaranteed we’d never get caught.”

  “Because no one was at home when you got there. And no one came home unexpectedly.”

  “Right. All set up ahead of time. The homeowners didn’t want me caught because they’d go to jail, too. When Gina was little, I told her we were going to play a new game. She was going down a wonderful slide inside a house. The owners always cleaned out the chute and room as best they could and even left an old mattress or some blankets on the floor for her to land on. The time you saw her, they forgot. I made them pay extra for that one.”

  Artie closed his eyes and swayed back and forth. He forced his eyes open and stumbled over to a chair. “Why? Why did you do this all these years? You didn’t need the money. The liquor store did a good business.”

  Darrin sat next to him, sighing. “I liked the horses too much. Always had to pay my vig. Never could get ahead.”

  Artie had never wanted to punch anyone as badly as he wanted to smack Darrin. He looked around the police station and decided it wouldn’t be a good idea. He held his right balled fist in his left hand and squeezed as hard as he could. “You son of a bitch. You need to go tell the cops everything and get Gina out of here.”

  “There’s no other way?” Darrin’s eyes clouded over, and he hung his head. “It will be hard on Gina, me being in prison.”

  “You should have thought of that before you played the ponies.”

  “I thought you can figure a way out. You were always smarter than the rest of us.”

  “No one’s smart enough to get you out of this mess. Go talk to Saul, then talk to the detectives. We’ve gotta get Gina out of here.”

  Artie stood up on weak legs and walked back to Josie, who watched him come with compassionate eyes. Darrin approached Saul, and they went over to the corner to talk.

  “What did he say?” Josie put her hand on Artie’s arm.

  “I need to leave.” His whole body felt limp, and he wasn’t sure he could walk another step. He wanted to sit down, but even more, he wanted to get out of this cursed police station.

  Josie stood up quickly and put her arm around his waist. “Let’s tell Saul we’re leaving.”

  Saul saw them coming and quirked his eyebrows. “You okay, Artie?”

  “I will be as soon as I get out of here. Bring Gina to our place when you spring her, will you?”

  “Sure.” Saul turned back to Darrin, and Josie guided Artie outside. He took a huge gulp of air, almost regretted its city stink, but then took another. Anything smelled better than the police station.

  Back at their apartment, they waited. Josie heated up some of her homemade chicken soup, and Artie ate a few spoonfuls. He showed her his stash, then put the athletic bag back in the closet and shut the door. He paced. He started chewing his nails and made himself stop. Almost four hours later, the doorbell rang.

  When he opened it he saw Saul and Gina standing there, both looking haggard. Gina had dark circles under her eyes; Saul had bags under his. Saul guided Gina inside, and everyone settled into spots in the living room except Saul, who stood in the doorway, twisting his hat in his hand. The kitten stretched and padded over to Josie, who took him into her lap. He yawned, showing tiny sharp teeth.

  Saul spoke first. “Darrin’s in, and Gina’s out after promising to testify for the prosecution.”

  “That okay with you?” Artie leaned forward and stared at Gina.

  “It will have to be. I think he deserves it, don’t you?”

  Artie leaned back and closed his eyes. “Yes. He deserves whatever they throw at him.”

  “I’m off.” Saul pushed himself away from the doorjamb and turned to leave.

  “Thanks, Saul. For everything.”

  “I’ll send you the bill, Artie. I don’t think anyone else has the money to pay me.”

  “Go easy on that.” Artie wanted to see him out, but his legs felt too weak. Josie stood with the kitten small enough to hold in one hand and walked to the door with Saul. They murmured goodbyes, and Josie came back. She put the kitten in Gina’s lap.

  Gina looked up, startled, then smiled and cuddled the tiny ball of fluff.

  “You okay?” Artie asked.

  Gina nodded. “Thanks to you. I’ll be fine. I’ve been mad at Daddy for a long time. Ever since I found out what he was really up to.” She smiled. A smile Artie had never seen before.

  Slowly, he said, “You knew about the insurance fraud?”

  “Yes.” Her smile widened. “I heard him talking to one of his, what? Co-conspirators? He spelled out how everything would work. I don’t think I’ve ever been so furious in my whole life.” Her facial expression turned dreamy as she stroked the kitten. No tears now.

  “So what did you do then, Gina?” Josie asked.

  Gina’s face hardened. “I thought about how to pay him back.”

  Artie’s eyes narrowed. “You set this whole thing up? You dropped the locket on purpose?”

  Gina looked startled. “You always were quick, Uncle Artie. Too bad you couldn’t have thought something up years ago to make him stop.” She stood up so fast, the kitten tumbled to the floor and ran to a corner to hide.

  Josie gasped and almost stood up to get it, then had second thoughts.

  “Yeah.” Artie’s mind whirled. “So, what? You paid me back too by quote running into me unquote on the bus?”

  Gina paced, wringing her hands, then spun around to face him. “How’d you enjoy sitting in that police station? I followed you for a few days, figured out how you operated. Today, or was it yesterday?” She glanced at the clock over the mantle. “Yesterday I packed my suitcase and followed you again. Ran ahead of you to be on the bus when you got on. And you know the rest.” She laughed. It had a hysterical ring.

  Josie stood up and took her arm. “You need to leave. You’ve had your revenge. Now get out of our apartment. And never come back.”

  Gina turned to Artie. “Is that what you want? Just know I have pictures of you leaving the last two places you robbed. If you try to turn me in, it will be turnabout-is-f
air-play time. You’re still going to throw little Gina out on the street? With nothing but the clothes on her back?”

  Artie shook his head. “Neither of us can rat out the other. And I’m sure you can go home now, Gina, where there are plenty of clothes for you to wear. And a warm bed, good food to eat. All the comforts of home. And you can think about your father in his cell, sleeping on a thin mattress, still loving you.”

  “Oh!” Gina grabbed up her purse and flounced out the door. Josie closed it firmly behind her and turned the bolt.