by Kim Smith
I cut him off. “I saw Charlie Fine at the Underground with some really freaky dude with wild red hair. I’ve been kicking the idea around that maybe Charlie has an accomplice. I’m thinking maybe old Red could be him. I saw them together, before…”
He nodded and a tiny furrow creased his brow. “Do you still think it’s him, Shannon? Could he have done it?”
“I don’t know. I mean, if it isn’t him, then who would do such a thing? I swear Dwayne, if he is the killer, we just have to get into his place and get some sort of evidence. I don’t know if I can go on much longer with all this stuff happening.”
I slumped. The feeling that had nagged me at Joe’s house returned. The officer assisting on Joe’s case said Joe had been dead for a while. Charlie could have done it. There had been time for the murder to take place and for him and his friend to be sitting at the Underground when I arrived. But what if he didn’t?
Fear climbed up my throat threatening to choke me. What if the killer was someone else? Someone unknown and as deadly as a adder.
Dwayne peered at me, and I suspected all my raging emotions showed in my face.
He punched my shoulder. “Well, Fine or no Fine, you’re staying here. It ain’t a problem, and anyway, I’d be walking the floor knowing you were over at your place shooting at everything that moves.”
I smiled, taking in a shaky breath.
He smiled back, content that I wasn’t going to cry. “And I think maybe having a police tag-along is a good thing for when you go out,” he paused. “But it would be smarter not to go out gallivanting alone. So, you need to just hang with me for a few days.”
I nodded. “Okay. We’ll play ‘keep away’ for a few days. I hope you’ll continue doing a few things for me in the meanwhile.”
“Like?”
“Get me into Charlie Fine’s house.”
“Ain’t you been listening to me at all? How we gonna do that with cops following us everywhere?”
I shrugged. “This is where you earn your money, Sir Vaylance. You’ll have to lose our tail.”
He gritted his teeth and shook a piece of apple at me. “What you hope to gain by going there? Why would you wanna put yourself in danger?”
“I won’t get caught. And besides, what could he do?”
“Kill you, Wall-ass,” he responded, giving me a stern look. “Or have you forgotten that he’s after your ass?”
“Oh. Yeah. That. Silly me.”
“Yeah that. Shit. You got a car taped up with a pipe bomb, an apartment tore up from the floor up, two friends cold on a slab, and circles the size of silver dollars under your eyes. Why would you go looking to piss Charlie Fine off?”
“I think he’s the killer, Dwayne. I really do.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Lordy mercy, we need a miracle.”
I started to answer but a brick flew through the front window, which was open at the time, and crashed into his living room, narrowly missing the lamp on the end table.
We both spun around and gaped at it. He had the forethought to rush to the window to try to see the person or persons responsible, but they were long gone. His mesh screen would never be the same. He pushed it out to let it land on the front porch.
My heart beat a tango. “Oh, my God, oh my God, oh my God.”
“Oh, but hell naw,” he muttered, grabbing the brick gingerly to avoid messing up any evidence. “We gonna find out who did this shit.”
He pulled open the paper duct-taped to the brick. It was a note.
I read it out loud. “Eat at Joe’s.”
“Guess we know who sent our air mail,” Dwayne said, setting the brick down. “I’m calling ole Sallie. He needs to know about this.”
He swiped his phone open and dialed. Once he had Sal on the phone, he explained what had happened, described the brick and note, then listened for a while. Finally, he drew a deep breath and promised to keep me safe.
When he disconnected he gave me a pained look. “He done went and interviewed the black guy at Straw Hat. Apparently grass dude is clean on the murder of your man. My guy, ain’t gonna be too happy about it though. Looks like he was with Redmon’s wife when the cops came up on him.”
I paced. “Dwayne we have to do something. This is getting bad. Now he knows where you live too.”
He walked to the sink and grabbed a dishtowel to wipe his sweating brow. He studied me for a moment before speaking. When he did, I knew he had reached some sort of crossroads. “We need to find out once and for all if your boyfriend’s brother is responsible for all this.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I’ve got doubts, but I’m willing to kick the shit out of them with some solid proof. Get your purse. Let’s go.”
I was already moving toward the front bedroom. “What if Sal finds out? He asked you to look out for me. Won’t he-”
He cut me off. “He’ll get over it. I’ll tell him we got tired with the waiting game. Especially after this.” He waved toward the brick.
I didn’t give him a chance to change his mind. I switched from a purse to a fanny pack, so I could keep my hands free and have some of Dwayne’s illegal entering tools handy. I donned dark clothing.
“Thanks, Dwayne,” I whispered as we walked out into the
night. “You’re my avenging angel.”
Chapter 16
Darkness slithered across South Lake. Lights appeared in windows of houses where families gathered for their evening meal. Traffic slowed as people turned into the lots of restaurants and stores in the shopping centers on Greenman Road.
Dwayne drove while I went through my list again, nervously patting my fanny pack where my little .38 was safely tucked. If we succeeded in breaking into Charlie’s house this time and found the evidence to nail him, I might well be on the way to resuming a normal life. Then, it would only be a matter of collecting anything that remained in Rick’s apartment, and I would be home free.
I refused to consider what might happen if we had bad luck.
Dwayne concentrated on driving, a worried frown etching his face. At first, he thought every car behind us was following us. He kept going down side streets and checking his rear view. Finally, he relaxed.
“We ain’t being followed,” he muttered. “Sexy Sallie ain’t had time to get them to do that yet. Hell, with two stabbings to tend to, he’s busier than a one-armed tree trimmer.”
That news didn’t really make me feel too good, but at least we could pull off this job without police intrusion.
I kept expecting Dwayne to give me words of advice on what to do and how to do it once we got there, but he didn’t say anything more.
Finally, I asked him. “What’s the game plan, Coach?”
He downshifted and rolled to a stop as the light changed to red. “I’m going to get you in Fine’s house, and then I want you to find something that will nail his ass. Simple.”
“Right. And you’re not going in because…?”
“Somebody’s gotta keep that damn dog happy and keep a watch out.”
“I see,” I answered. “And I know just what I’m looking for, of course.” I didn’t. Not at all. A video card wouldn’t be proof. He could have gotten them from Rick at any time.
“What?” Dwayne asked, interested. “What you looking for?”
I tried to sound sure. “Videos?”
He slammed his hand against the gearshift, putting it into gear and making me jump. “Fuck that. You need something more than them videos to catch this guy now.”
At least we were on the same page in the playbook.
“Naw. I’m thinking that won’t do it, see? What if he says his brother gave him them videos a week before? You gotta start thinking like a defense attorney.”
“Well, like I said before, videos or video stuff were missing from Joe’s place too. Maybe the cops will consider him having some of those from Joe’s place evidence enough.”
He shook his head and waved one hand in a side-to-side
motion. “What part of that last tirade did you miss? What you need is stone-cold evidence. Like dude’s prints on something. The cops’ll get them matched with those at the murder scene and voila, busted.”
“So I need his fingerprints?”
“Be a good start.”
“Okay. Get me in. I can get his prints.”
He glanced at me. “How?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Lord God. Why does my heart bang like a rabbit in a cage when you say that?” he moaned.
I didn’t answer.
We drove to Charlie’s neighborhood and parked down the street a short way. I kept a vigilant eye out for neighbors. There was no activity at Charlie’s house, and I became antsy. We were missing a perfect opportunity to get in and out without trouble.
I mentioned this to Dwayne.
“Okay. If we ain’t seen no one come or go in five more minutes, we’ll do it.”
His prudence annoyed me and my impatience took over. “Why do you have to be so cautious? I’m ready to get on with this.”
“You’ll be glad for my caution if we get in and out alive,” he answered pulling his visor down.
Five minutes inched along like five hours. When time was up, I scrambled from the car.
Dwayne situated his gun on his hip, and dropped his keys into the front pocket of his black pants for easy retrieval. I double-checked the fanny pack and the pepper spray Sal had given me. In a rush of anxiety, I realized I had forgotten ammunition.
I peeked at Dwayne. No way to tell him about this kink in the plan without him completely bailing. He focused his attention on the house, and I crossed my fingers that all would end well.
We strolled slowly toward Charlie’s house. I eyed each of the neighbor’s homes. The lots were all tree-lined and dark under the branches of the huge oaks. Everything was quiet like each one was sleeping, or at least in for the night.
When we reached the edge of Fine’s property, I nudged Dwayne, and we slipped into the gloom of shadows against the fence line.
Dwayne stuck his hand out for a baggie of bologna sliced into giblets for Dumplings. “Hope that dog’s hungry for goodies and not goodie-bearers.”
I agreed. Wholeheartedly.
When we made it to the side of the garage without detection, I breathed more easily. Sweat poured down the sides of my face, and I swiped at it. Another reason not to do surveillance in the summer. Too damn hot.
I crouched behind Dwayne who had gotten low, nearly on his knees. “See any lights coming from the front?”
“No. What time is it?” he hissed.
“Ten twenty-eight.”
He nodded. Soon Dumplings arrived on his sentry round of the fence. He sniffled and snuffled along it, catching our scent. I shivered when I realized that he would remember mine, and that would probably make him bark.
It took about thirty seconds for him to come to the same conclusion. He began to yowl happily.
“Oh great, we’re friends.”
I nudged Dwayne, and he waved at me to approach the gate where good old Dumplings waited, sniffing for me. I worried that the dog could smell fear on me because that was probably a bad thing to exude right about now, but throwing caution to the wind, I yanked open the gate and stood face-to-face with the golden dog.
Thanks to the moon, which appeared overhead from behind a cloud, we had no trouble seeing each other. He lolled his tongue out of one side of his mouth and softly said, “Bruff.”
I shoved a piece of the bologna in his face. He snatched it and gobbled it so fast I couldn’t believe it.
I took another step into the yard.
He tried to jump up on me. I gave him another sliver and advanced. Soon, I’d made it around the immense crepe myrtle bushes growing just inside the gate, and worked my way toward the patio.
Then, I ran out of bologna.
Dumplings gaped at me, mouth at the ready.
Dwayne slipped past, dodged Dumplings, and got to work on the door lock.
“Out of bologna,” I whispered.
“Entertain him with something,” Dwayne shot back.
“Um no. He’s looking at me like I’m the entertainment.”
“Then do a doggie dance, or prance around or something. This is gonna take a minute.”
With all the noise we were making, I figured Charlie had to be out or in another part of the house. His fancy house seemed solidly built and likely had ample insulation against racket.
Dumplings jumped up. I took his two very large paws and put them back on the ground. “No. Get down, and stay down.”
Dwayne dropped something metal, and it clanged on the door.
“God, be quiet!” I hissed in terror.
He clicked the door open and turned to me, moving out of the way so I could get by. “We’re in. Now do your shit, real fast.”
I started to go through the door. A blazing light froze me exactly in the middle, one foot in the house, one foot out, gaping just like a deer caught in headlights.
Charlie Fine stood next to the light switch on the kitchen wall, with a rifle leveled at my chest. “Come on in, you’re halfway there now,” he said, motioning with the barrel. “Wouldn’t want your body to fall outside. Might make me look like I was shooting you without justifiable cause.”
Dwayne slithered into the darkness of the crepe myrtle and miraculously remained unseen. Fear sent my heartbeat higher until I could hear it throbbing in my ears.
I faked a wide smile. “Hey, Charlie, don’t you recognize me?”
“Yeah, I know you. Now what the hell are you doing creeping in my back door?”
“Oh, I wasn’t really. I knocked. Didn’t you hear me? When I saw it was open, I just came on in.”
“Nice try, babe. I locked that door. What did you do with my dog?” he asked, looking over my shoulder for Dumplings.
“Nothing, he’s out there.”
He scowled at me just as the burly pooch appeared sniffing the baggie, which had fallen from my pocket onto the patio.
“What do you want? There better be a damn good reason why you’re coming here at this time of night, sneaking in like a crook. You better tell me quick or I’m calling the law.”
“Oh, no. Don’t do that. I was in the neighborhood and came around the back to see if you had any lights on. I didn’t know you had a dog, so I gave him some of my sandwich to make friends. I was going to knock once I got back here because I figured if you looked out and saw me, you would think…well, just what you’re thinking right now.”
He lowered the rifle and gave me a look. “Thin, Miss Wallace. Very thin.”
“Yeah, I know, but it’s the truth.”
“If you weren’t Rick’s girlfriend, I’d just shoot, then go on and call the cops. But your tale is dying to be told, so tell it.”
Did he mean tale as in story, or tail as in my rear end parts? I took a deep breath. If I lived through this, I would apply for a sales job.
“You haven’t told me what you want though,” he said, looking at my clothes. “Looks to me like you’re up to something illegal.”
I swallowed hard. “Can I have a drink of water? I’m really hot.”
He set the gun down against the wall. “Talk first, drink later.”
I thought furiously about what kind of lie I could offer. “Okay, I‘m in trouble. I came here hoping you could help me.”
“What kind of trouble?”
What kind of trouble indeed?
“Cops. They want me.”
“What?” He glanced at the gun.
“Um. Yeah, they want me to tell them about the night Rick died. I’m scared to talk to them because I’m afraid they’ll think I did it.”
“That’s insane. Why would they think you did it?”
“I was there that night.”
“You were?” he asked, crossing his arms. “Well, hell. Y’all were dating, why not?”
I didn’t want to go through the real story at the moment, so I ran my hands throu
gh my hair and said, “We had broken it off, and if they find out I was there that night more than a little drunk, well, you know what they’ll think.”
“I guess. So, you came here looking for my help. I can’t give any if I don’t know the whole story. For you to show up here like this, it has to be a whopper.”
He moved to the sink and began filling a glass of water. I pulled out a chair and sat down, my legs trembling. I would have to play the whole game out.
“Well, we had a lover’s spat, and I wanted to make out. Er, I mean up. I wanted to make up.”
A smile slowly lifted the edges of his lips and he handed the water to me. He stood close, peering at me. “Did you get what you wanted?”
“Not really. So I left. Look, it doesn’t matter anyway. I came here to see if you knew anything about the case that you could share with me. I need something to keep the cops off me until the real killer is found.”
Charlie slid into a chair next to me, eyes never leaving my face. “I don’t know anything, and I don’t think the cops know anything, either. But I’m not sure I would share the information, even if I had it. Not without a little encouragement, that is.”
He grinned, and I realized too late that I shared a table with a man fueled by too many hormones. He reached over and stroked my hand.
Ew. I rose from the table. “Well, in that case, I guess I’ll be going.”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him. “Don’t have to go yet,” he whispered.
“Oh yeah, I do. My dinner’s burning.”
He stood and put his face close to mine, brushing my breast with his wrist as he lifted my hand to his lips. “Yeah, maybe you better. Or I could call the cops just for fun. I bet they’d love to know you broke in here.”
I tried to pull away, but it only made him hold on tighter. Then, he licked my cheek, and I drew my hand back to slap him. He anticipated my move and wrenched it behind me, propelling me down a short hallway and toward the front door. He opened it and shoved me out.
“Stay away from me,” he said, pushing me onto the porch. “Unless you want a free ride. I’d love to show you what a real Fine man is like.”
He slammed the door, and I staggered across the front lawn, down the street, and toward the car. I was barely able to make out Dwayne, crouched down inside.