Scooba spaced out for a moment, thinking about his answer. Shaking his head, he replied, “The only thing was someone leaving in a car. Sorry, man.”
The detective’s eyes widened. This was a possible clue! Not a great one, but one, nonetheless. And right now, the police could really use more to go on. He thought for sure they would have gotten fingerprints from the white envelope he received, but even that turned up with nothing. This car could finally mean they were getting somewhere! It could be a breakthrough! With a hint of excitement, the detective said, “It’s okay. Think back real hard. I’m guessing you didn’t catch the license plate, but do you know what make and model the car was? Or what color at least? Did you notice any special markings?”
“The light’s terrible back here, but I’d say it was blueish. I didn’t notice anything else, but you can get the video feed. I’m sure that might show something more helpful.”
The detective smiled. “I was going to ask about that next. Who can help me with that?”
Scooba waved him over. “Come on. I’ll show you.” He brought Detective Kojak to a small backroom with monitors.
An older man sitting in front of them turned his head and smiled.
The detective smiled back. But before he talked with the man, he finished with Scooba. “Thanks. Is there anything else you want to mention?”
The young man put his hands in his pockets. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Okay. Well, thank you for your time. Here’s my card should you think of something.”
Scooba grabbed it, and the two shook hands.
Once Detective Kojak talked with the older man and got the video feed, he moved on, trying to get as much information from others as he could.
When all was said and done, when he did all he could possibly do, it was time to head home. The first thing he did as he stomped through the door was kick off his shoes. It didn’t matter if his wife, Tina, would get after him later for not being a little neater. He just didn’t feel like handling it right now.
Dragging his feet all the way up the stairs and into the bedroom, he plopped onto the edge of the bed. He heaved a heavy sigh as he undid his tie.
The next thing he felt were his wife’s gentle, yet strong, hands kneading his shoulders. “That bad?” she asked. No doubt her lower lip stuck out in a pout.
He growled.
“What happened?”
The detective slapped his knees and stood up to rid himself of the clothing that reminded him of his day job. “It’s all starting over again, Tina. It’s all starting over.”
“You mean, it never ended?” she asked innocently, watching his every move.
“Not by a long shot.”
Chapter 14
T
he doorbell rang as Laura was busy chopping the vegetables. Connor was here! She quickly stopped, rushing to a mirror to double check her appearance. Her hair was still in place; mostly pinned up, but a few strands were left to frame her face. She had on a pair of earrings that he had given her, which secretly she hoped he would notice. The makeup she had applied a short while ago was all still intact, looking natural, yet popping out her best features. Running her hands down her sides, she smoothed out the dress she picked out. It was short, had a plunging neckline, and cinched around the waist, showing off her curvy body. She didn’t want to look desperate, but she hoped Connor would be begging for more when he saw her.
Everything looking just right, Laura briskly walked to the door to let him in, her nerves increasing each step she took. “Connor, hi. Come in!” She waved him over.
He stood there, fixated on her. It appeared he was speechless. His jaw dropped before he was able to form any words at all. “Wow, you look…”
“Do you like it?” Laura quickly modeled herself, turning all the way around for him to get the entire view.
“It’s lovely.” He stepped in, placing a quick peck on her lips. Afterwards, he brought the bottle of wine he was carrying to the small kitchen table.
Laura pouted for a minute. Not for him to notice, but it was how she felt. She was kind of hoping their first kiss after such a long time apart would be more sensual. She imagined in her head how it would be a draw-her-in, melt-her-to-the-floor type of kiss. Instead, she kind of felt like she was his relative. There was no lingering. No extra desire of any kind.
“Whatever you’re making, it smells great,” he stated, breaking her from her thoughts.
“Oh, thanks.” She smiled at him as she made her way back to cutting vegetables. “I’m making your favorite: meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, and a salad.”
“You didn’t have to go through all that trouble.”
Knife in hand, she cut a line down the middle of a stalk of celery. “It’s not trouble.” She stopped to look at him. “It’s almost ready. Why don’t you make yourself comfortable for a bit?”
She eyed him as he went to the couch and removed his shoes. Deep down she wished he’d be taking more than that off by night’s end. Her heart leapt out of her chest for a moment as she pictured the two of them together. Even her face began to flush.
Focus. She had to focus. After all, she was holding a knife. She couldn’t afford an accident to happen. Exhaling, she got to work, chopping up what was left. In the background, it was evident that Connor turned on the TV. It sounded like some kind of sporting event.
A few minutes later, the buzzer on her stove went off. She checked the contents, and finding them to be done to her liking, she took them out and brought them to the table. All the salad fixings were put in little colored bowls she had gotten for Christmas one year when she first got her own place. They were vibrant and added a splash of eclecticism. Those, too, were added to the table. She did a double take to be sure everything was there before calling Connor over. It was crowded, but it all looked very good.
“It’s ready!”
Connor turned the TV off and joined Laura at the table. Again, he praised her for how good everything smelled and looked. He thanked her for doing that for him.
The two of them took turns scooping out their portions. As they ate, it was quieter than normal. Laura was hoping Connor would have a lot of updates on his life he wanted to share with her. Instead, it was as if she had to pull teeth to get any information out of him. Dinner was enjoyed, though, and Laura did find one topic Connor seemed excited to talk about: his job.
Apparently, the past few months he had traveled a lot. She was fascinated by his stories of where he’d been. A thought crossed her mind. Maybe one day she’d be able to go with him! He had offered in the past, but it just never worked out. With more free time now, maybe that could change!
“So, what’s been the most interesting place?” she asked, jabbing her fork into a combination of lettuce, carrot, and cucumber.
Connor finished chewing. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t say any were interesting.”
“No?”
“Nah, out west does nothing for me. Now, send me overseas, and that’ll be interesting.” He chuckled a little.
Laura loved hearing it. It sounded like he was letting his guard down and becoming comfortable around her again. Hopefully it was a sign that the big white elephant in the room was completely forgotten. She never did decide if it was something she should bring up or not. Seeing as he didn’t, maybe it was best left unspoken.
“Where would your dream trip be?” Fantasizing never hurt anyone. Maybe it’ll help him fantasize about her! She was more than willing to fulfill some of them if he let her.
“I want to go to Ireland. Hands down, the only place I care to get to.” He took a sip of wine.
That surprised her a little. “Why Ireland?”
“It’s in my blood. It’s beautiful. There’s just something about it. I want to get there.”
After swallowing her bite of potatoes, she said, “Well, I hope you get there then.” She smiled, although she wasn’t sure if he saw.
The two of them finished eating. Both took some dirty dishes to the sink. While Laura sta
rted putting things away and doing the remaining clean up, Connor turned the TV back on. She never thought of him as much of a TV watcher, but he was sure doing a lot of it tonight. This time it was the evening news.
As she rinsed the dishes clean and stacked them into the dishwasher, she overheard something that made her stop. Looking at the TV, she saw a picture of the cashier that had helped her and Marissa out at the store the other day. Her ears tuned in closer. Her eyes grew wider. He’s dead?
Her grip loosened, the dish in her hand falling to the floor. It shattered into a million pieces all around her. She couldn’t move. Even her mouth hung open in disbelief.
Connor rushed into the kitchen. He saw the mess. He saw her face. “Laura? Are you okay?”
“I, um…”
“Laura?” As careful as he could be, he approached her, grabbing her arm. “What happened?”
She couldn’t help herself. Her body began to shake. Thankfully, Connor held her up; kept her steady.
“Laura?” His voice was getting more and more worried.
Looking at the TV, she stuttered, “That…that man was my…my cashier the…the…the other day.”
Connor looked confused. “So? Why does that make you upset?”
“He said I was one hot killer.”
“He said WHAT?” Connor’s eyes turned ice cold. His grip tightened ever so slightly.
Suddenly her focus shifted. Her mind went crazy of what might have happened and how it might all come back to her. She looked at him in a flash and blurted, “I didn’t do it! I swear!”
“What?”
“I didn’t kill the man! I swear!”
Connor let go of her, stepping back and cocking his head. “I never said you did.”
“Someone must be following me or…or…or trying to frame me!” Laura’s eyes resembled that of an owl. She tried to cling to him, begging he believe her.
All he did was cross his arms, roll his eyes, and sigh. “And why would you say that?”
“Because everyone that has been dying by this Margaret,” – she made sure that name was emphasized, – “had something to do with me! Either I knew them or was with them right before they died. Someone is framing me!”
Connor’s mouth opened. “Laura –”
She didn’t let him finish. “I swear I didn’t do it, though! I was home the whole time. You believe me, don’t you?” Her pleading got even more desperate.
For a moment, he didn’t say a word. Then, slowly, his eyes softened. Laura felt like he was searching her soul, trying to find answers in their depth. Shifting his stance, he kindly asked, “Well, then why don’t we call the cops and tell them what we think is going on?”
Laura’s shoulders slumped. It’s not that she hadn’t thought of that herself. It’s just she didn’t think they’d believe her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
His face scrunched. “Why not?”
“They’d never believe me,” she mumbled.
Connor put both his hands on her arms and looked her straight in the eyes. “Laura, listen. Maybe it would be a good idea if you were to make the first move instead of waiting for them to come and question you!”
“What’s the point, Connor?” She didn’t mean to, but her voice raised higher than she meant for it to. It came easy when she tried defending herself.
With twisted face, he raised his voice in return. “What’s the point? Um, I don’t know, maybe to help you! I mean, if someone’s framing you, shouldn’t they know that? Or maybe they can protect you if someone is after you!”
She broke free of his grasp and turned around, remaining silent.
“If you’re truly innocent, you’ve got to do something.”
Laura didn’t like how he emphasized the word ‘truly’. What was he really trying to say? Did he even believe her?
Turning around in a flash, she stared him down. “I AM innocent! But they –”
He didn’t let her finish. “But your actions say something else, Laura!”
Shocked, she asked, “Like what exactly?”
“Like maybe you’re…” Connor stopped. His weight shifted as he sighed. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he whispered, “I can’t believe I’m about to say this.” Looking at her, he stated, “Like maybe you’re guilty.”
“WHAT?!”
He didn’t say another word. Instead, he held her gaze. The longer he looked at her, the more she wanted to cry. She felt completely defeated. The man who, at one point, she had hoped to marry and build a life with didn’t believe her. Didn’t he know her enough to know that just wasn’t true? She didn’t know what to think. What to do. What to say. But she did wonder why she even tried or if it was even worth it.
When the two of them stood in front of one another for a short time, neither saying a word, Connor was finally the one to break the silence. He put his hands up in surrender and said, “Look, this is just too weird for me. I don’t think I can do this anymore.”
“Wait, what are –”
He looked at her point blank. “We need to call it quits. I’m going to go.”
She reached out for him, begging him to reconsider. But just like the flick of a finger, he brushed her off, put his shoes on, and was on his way out the door. She followed him the whole way, hoping something she could say would change his mind.
Laura started to shake all over again. Her breathing became shallow. Black spots and wet blobs started to line her vision as Connor walked out. She reached out for something to gain support so she wouldn’t fall over. Xanax. I need my Xanax!
The fear that there wouldn’t be any medication made her anxiety levels rise more. She had to get to the bathroom. That’s where it would be if she had any. Clutching her chest with one hand, walking along the wall with the other, she carefully made her way. Her heart pounded. Her skin tingled. If she didn’t calm down soon, she’d faint.
In the bathroom, she took a seat on the toilet and tried to relax her breathing. Opening one drawer at a time, she rummaged through it for any sign of the Xanax. There was no luck. She must have forgotten to refill it. How stupid could she have been?
Not finding anything else that would remotely work, she decided to call 911. As she went back to the living room, she felt dizzy and her stomach twisted in knots. The phone was on the end table. She grabbed it and frantically dialed.
As soon as she put the phone to her ear, she fell unconscious, hitting her head on the corner of the table. A gash caused blood to drip down the side.
* * *
Connor came back inside Laura’s duplex, having forgotten his keys. He saw Laura lying on the floor, her phone a few inches from her hand. Someone was speaking through it. He rushed to her side and gently wiped her hair as he picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“911. What is your emergency?”
“Yeah, hi. A friend just passed out and hit her head on the table. She’s bleeding and is still unconscious.”
They asked for the address and told him someone would be there soon. Once he hung up, he tried getting her to come to, but there was no response. So, he sat there. Waiting.
When the ambulance arrived, the EMTs got her on a gurney and wheeled her off.
“Did you want to ride along with her?” the one said to Connor.
He looked from the EMT to Laura to his car. There wasn’t any point in doing so. “No. No, I’m good. Thanks.”
Once the doors were closed, the ambulance sped off. Connor got in his car and went home.
Chapter 15
M
arissa sat at the edge of the bed, her phone in one hand. Having just gotten off it with news of Laura, she was in a daze. Her body remained still. Her eyes were glued to the wall. She barely even breathed. This was completely unexpected.
“Is everything okay?” her boyfriend, Garrett, asked. He started tickling her back, still bare from the two of them having just fooled around.
She looked down at her phone. “I don’t know.” Then she cleared her throat.
“Well, what do you mean? Who was that?”
Twisting her body, Marissa caught Garrett’s gaze. “Laura’s in the hospital.”
His eyes opened wider. “Really? What happened?”
“I don’t know, but I better go to her.”
“Now?”
“Yeah.” Marissa stood up and started putting her clothes back on. Facing him, she said, “I won’t be gone long. You were going to go anyway, right?”
Garrett repositioned his body so that he was on his hands and knees toward the end of the bed. With one arm, he reached for Marissa and grabbed her body back to his. “Well, yeah, but I was hoping for a little more fun yet tonight.” He kissed her in the middle of her chest, cupping the sides, right before she slipped her shirt back on.
Pulling back a little, she smiled. “I’ll just have to make it up to you later.”
He raised a brow. “Yeah? Promise?”
Marissa giggled. “Well, we’ll see.” She put some shoes on, and double checked her hair in the mirror attached to her dresser.
“You’re a tease,” Garrett joked.
“I try.” She flashed a toothy grin that she made sure he saw in the mirror’s reflection.
He chuckled.
Grabbing her purse, Marissa waved her boyfriend a goodbye and left.
It took less than ten minutes to get to the hospital. She got the room number from the volunteer at the front desk and made her way there. Each step she took down the long hallway echoed back to her. All this time, she wrestled with how she felt about Laura. Was she her friend? Yes. Did she like what was going on? No. Would a break be nice? Yes. It wasn’t something she wanted to admit, but with everything she’s had to listen to or do for her lately, it was true. Did she want Laura to be in the hospital, though? No. Not at all. The hospital was the last place she wanted her to be.
Marissa stood at the doorway. She wanted to take in everything before Laura became aware she was there. From what she could see, her friend was sitting up in the bed. A bandaged wound was on her head. The TV and machine monitoring her vitals were the only sounds.
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