The Homicide Magnet

by Matt Ferraz

  His face was red. “Well, she is good-looking,” said Nathan. “I wanted to help and…”

  “And you fell for her.”

  “So, what if I did?” asked Nathan. “Do you think I’m going to get involved with her and save her through the power of love? Isn’t that a little cheesy?”

  “It’s so cheesy, it might actually work,” said Grandma Bertha. “I’m not asking you to work miracles here, Nate. But the only thing that can help Daisy is love and support from someone who really cares about her. That’s been lacking all her life. We should give it a try.”

  It was hard to look her in the eye. But Nathan had to admit, he liked Daisy a little more than he thought he should. Back in the garden, when he had invited her to go for a walk, he had seen something in her eyes. A wonder, as if no one had ever invited her for a walk before. But Daisy had declined his offer, so would she want anything to do with him now?

  “What’s your plan?” he asked Grandma Bertha. “Should I just call her and ask her out?”

  “That’s usually how it goes, isn’t it?”

  “She’s going to say no.”

  Grandma Bertha put her hand on his shoulder. “Not if you ask with the right words. That’s where I come in. You see, Nate, I’m very good with people. And I believe I know Daisy better than she knows herself.”

  She told him what to do.

  10

  It was the first time Daisy had seen Grandma Bertha wear dentures. The old lady looked good, in a colourful dress and even a little make-up.

  “So glad you could make it!” said Daisy.

  They had spoken on the phone for the past few days, but now Daisy had something she wanted to tell Grandma Bertha personally. So, she arranged for them to meet. They met at her favourite restaurant in town, the only one she felt comfortable going to by herself. Her dates usually took place in nightclubs and bars. This was the first time she had felt like inviting someone else there for lunch. It wouldn’t be the last, as she was about to tell Grandma Bertha. The old lady also said she had a few important things to tell Daisy.

  “I hope they have good lasagne,” said Grandma Bertha, picking up the menu.

  “The best in town,” reassured Daisy. She had already asked for a glass of beer for Grandma Bertha and wine for herself.

  “Everything looks delicious,” said Grandma Bertha. “But I can’t afford half of this.”

  “I’m paying,” said Daisy. “I’m very glad we could meet again.”

  Grandma Bertha put the menu down and stared at Daisy with a sad smile. “Me too, young lady. Unfortunately, I have bad news. I need to go back home.”

  The joy vanished from Daisy’s face. “What do you mean?”

  “Didn’t I tell you about my son Todd, his wife Lydia and my grandson Stu?” she said. “They need me with them. And I’m tired. I’ve been travelling for months, solving all sorts of cases, and now I need to rest my old bones.”

  Daisy seemed shocked, sad and even a bit offended. “When are you going?”

  “In three days,” said Grandma Bertha. “I’ve already started packing. It’s a bummer, I know, but I miss my family. And I’m not young any more.”

  Grandma Bertha had called her family that morning, as she did every other day, and for the first time she realized how much she missed them. Todd, Stu – even Lydia. They weren’t perfect, and neither was she, but they were a family. And there was also the issue of money. Grandma Bertha had spent almost all her savings on this trip. It was time to call it a day.

  Daisy took a sip of her wine. “That’s too bad,” she said.

  Grandma Bertha noticed how much Daisy had changed since the first time they met. The cold, stubborn gaze had left her face, and was replaced by a kind expression. She spoke as if they had been friends all their lives. “I hoped we would spend more time together.”

  “But we are friends,” said Grandma Bertha. “We can always be. People say long-distance friendships don’t last, but that’s not true. I’m living proof of that. And you can always visit me. Todd’s new apartment isn’t that big, but we can always find a place for you.”

  She didn’t plan to tell Daisy everything she had deducted about her past, especially about the way she had set fire to her house. It was better that Daisy never heard about that. t wouldn’t change anything, and it might be unbearable for her. Some things are better left in the dark.

  A single tear ran down Daisy’s face, but she smiled. “I need to tell you something,” she said, her smile growing broader. “And it’s a wonderful thing. I think I’m in love.”

  “In love?” said Grandma Bertha, pretending to be surprised. “With whom?”

  “Nathan Arkin,” answered Daisy. “It’s so strange. I had never thought about him that way before. Until a few days ago, he was just someone I saw at parties and said hello to.”

  “How did that change?” asked Grandma Bertha, eager to hear the story in Daisy’s words.

  “Nathan came by my house the other day,” continued Daisy. “I was in the garden, feeling lonely. We started talking, and he asked me to go for a walk. I said no, even though I wanted to leave the house. I thought he would never talk to me again.”

  “But he did, didn’t he?”

  Daisy nodded and went on. “I was in the garden again. Sitting on the same bench, doing nothing. The butler brought him in. He just sat by my side, without saying a word. He didn’t even touch me. We stayed like that for a long time, then he asked if I needed to talk. And we did. It’s funny, but I’ve never met anyone who actually listened to me. Now I’ve found two.”

  “Did you tell him the same things you told me?” asked Grandma Bertha.

  “No,” answered Daisy. “It was different, but in a good way. When I talk to you, I know you understand everything, but from a distance. You’re older and wiser. But talking to Nathan was like talking to someone who really gets me – he feels the same kind of pain that I do. There was no judgment. Then he talked about himself and his dream of becoming a great sculptor. I was happy, but also afraid. I thought he was going to ask me to go to bed with him, like all the guys do. But that’s not what he had in mind.”

  She continued, “It was already dark when the butler asked if Nathan was staying for supper. We had been talking for hours on the bench. Then Scarlett came out into the garden and stood behind him, staring at us with those cold eyes. I always knew she hated me, but this was the first time I felt it didn’t matter. That I could live with it.

  “Then Nathan asked me to go for a walk again. We bought some chips and ate them walking down the street. That was the most I’d spoken to anyone in years, except for you, Grandma. Then he left me at my door and kissed me on the cheek.”

  Attaboy! thought Grandma Bertha. Not only had Nathan followed her advice, but he had also added some nice touches of his own. “Did you talk to him again after that?” she asked.

  “On the phone, three times,” Daisy said. “We’re going to meet tonight, for supper, at the same restaurant.”

  “That’s so sweet!” said the old lady. “And how do you feel?”

  “I feel lighter,” answered Daisy, after another sip of wine. “This is so different from all the relationships I’ve had. They always wanted one thing and one thing only. And that was fine, but now… Now I know I want something different.”

  “What does your father think about it?” said Grandma Bertha. She remembered someone saying that Daisy’s father preferred her to have casual relationships, in order to keep her on a tight leash.

  “I have no idea what he’s going to say,” was Daisy’s answer. “And really, I don’t care.”

  It wasn’t going to be a bed of roses, Grandma Bertha knew. But Daisy was stronger now, even if her father and stepmother continued to get in the way of her happiness. It was clear, just from looking at her, that she had changed and was better able to face those challenges.

  “How was your session with the therapist you mentioned in our calls?” the old lady asked.

&nbs
p; “It was different too,” said Daisy, surprised by that question. “I talked about things I don’t usually mention to them… or to anyone. Why do you ask?”

  “A bet I made with myself,” said Grandma Bertha. “Can I give you some advice, my dear?”

  “Of course!”

  “Stay happy,” said the old lady. That was the part she hadn’t discussed with Nathan, but Daisy needed to hear this. “Go out with him, see how things go. You can never predict how a relationship will turn out. People are never exactly how we expect them to be. I’ll pray every night that you and Nate work out. But even if you don’t, remember that the only person who can tell who you are is yourself.”

  This was crucial, for Grandma Bertha knew her plan wasn’t bullet-proof. She trusted Nate to make Daisy happy, but people are full of surprises, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

  Daisy was crying. “Thank you,” she said. “So much.”

  “How did you sleep last night?” asked Grandma Bertha.

  “I’ve never slept so well in my life,” said Daisy. “I feel rested like never before. The nights after the unveiling were awful. I couldn’t sleep at all. That picture brought something out of me. I don’t know if I’ll ever understand it. But since I met you, I’ve changed. And now I believe everything is going to go well.”

  “I’m so happy,” said Grandma Bertha, taking a sip of her beer for the first time. She didn’t like the fancy brand Daisy had ordered, but she would never tell her that.

  “Is this a goodbye lunch, then?” asked Daisy.

  “We’ll see each other again before I go,” said the old lady. “I’d like to see you and Nate together if that’s possible. Maybe take a nice picture of the three of us.”

  “We’ll do that,” said Daisy. “I’m still so happy that I met you. You changed everything for me.”

  “Just one more thing before we order,” said Grandma Bertha, getting her bag. “I made something for you. It’s like the one I gave you before, but with a few corrections.” She pulled a blue sweater from the bag, and held it high so Daisy could see that. “I thought you deserved it,” she said.

  She handed the sweater to Daisy, who held it against her body to see if it fitted. “It’s beautiful,” she said.”

  “Nah, just a small gift from a friend,” answered the old lady. She thought of the two sides of Marina’s picture, the two sides of the first sweater, the two sizes of Nathan’s sculpture and the two sizes of Daisy’s mind. Things seemed balanced now. “Plus, I enjoyed doing it. Knitting helps me think.”

  “And what were you thinking when you made this?” asked Daisy.

  “About a friend I met on the beach a few months ago,” said Grandma Bertha. “I think you’d like her. You would probably be best friends. Now, please, let’s order and talk more about your date.”

  Grandma Bertha wasn’t such a good listener this time. She was lost in her thoughts. She asked herself if she had solved anything in this case. Daisy wasn’t out of danger, even if Nate was the best boyfriend a girl could have. But not everything has a solution in real life, does it? All you can do is fix what you can, help people to look for their own answers, and hope that things end well. Daisy’s sleepwalking and guilt complex could return at any time, and when that happened, only Daisy could fight it.

  Grandma Bertha finished packing that afternoon. She met Daisy and Nate once again before taking the train home. They held hands and smiled all the time. A few tears were shed when they said goodbye, and even though they insisted on following Grandma Bertha to the train station, she preferred to take a cab.

  “Thank you for your hospitality, Marina,” said Grandma Bertha to her host, while the cab driver put her suitcases in the boot. “The doggies were very happy too.”

  “I’m the one who should thank you, Albertha,” replied Marina. “You brought some adventure to my life. Although it’s frustrating that we’ll never know what really happened at the unveiling.”

  “I guess not,” said Grandma Bertha.

  “It’s too bad that your last case will go unsolved, isn’t it?”

  “My last case?” asked Grandma Bertha. “Who said that? I don’t intend to retire any time soon, my dear.”

  “Do you have anything in mind?” asked Marina.

  “I always do.”

  Epilogue

  As usual, Lydia knocked on Grandma Bertha’s door before entering. “You’re not watching that violent crap again, are you?”

  Every time she asked that, Grandma Bertha had to stop herself from snapping at Lydia. She was watching The Curse of Frankenstein, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, which happened to be her favourite movie in the entire world. Right now, Baron Frankenstein was helping Paul Kemp to bury the creature he had built from pieces of dead bodies. Grandma Bertha had seen the film often enough to know that, as soon as Kemp went away, Frankenstein would dig the creature up and take it to his lab to continue his experiments.

  But instead of giving the answer that Lydia deserved, the old lady just pressed the stop button. She missed her old garden shed. They now lived in a three-bedroom apartment, and even though she had quite a bit of space for herself and the dogs, it wasn’t as nice as the shed she used to have.

  “Come in, Lyd,” she said. “I’m not watching anything.”

  Lydia stepped into the bedroom. The dogs started to bark at her. They didn’t like it when she invaded their space. “Could you ask them to stop?” she said, afraid of being bitten.

  “Rufus! Castor! Mustafar!” yelled Grandma Bertha. The dogs went quiet. “How can I help you?”

  “You’ve got mail,” said Lydia, and only then did Grandma Bertha notice she was carrying two letters.

  “Thank you, hun,” said Grandma Bertha, taking the letters.

  The first was from Winifred Compson and the other was from Daisy Erickson. Grandma Bertha was eager to read them both, but decided to read them in chronological order, so she opened Freddie’s letter first, trying to ignore Lydia, who stood there as she read them.

  Dear Grandma Bertha,

  I’ve been thinking of you for quite a while now. For the past months I’ve been trying to fix things in my mind. I’ve read about you and the cases you have solved since we met. You’ve done so much good for so many people! Every time I think of giving up, I remember you. I write this letter without even knowing if you’re going to be at the address you gave me. If you are, please give me a call at the number below. I’d love to come to visit you. We have so much to talk about!

  Yours,

  Freddie

  “So, what’s it about?” asked Lydia.

  “We’re going to have a visitor,” said Grandma Bertha, her eyes shining. “I think we can accommodate her in this room.”

  “I’ll have to clean it up,” protested Lydia. “The apartment is a mess, and the cleaning lady isn’t coming for another week. What about the other letter?”

  Grandma Bertha opened the second envelope, which actually had two letters in it. The first one was written by a firm hand – a sculptor’s hand.

  Dear Grandma,

  We hope these letters will come as a nice surprise for you. Daisy thought I should write to tell you that Mr Manfred House, the famous artists’ agent, has given me a contract. I’ve made a series of sculptures based on a certain lady who I admire very much, and he thought they were some of the best work he’s ever seen. I’m attaching a few pictures.

  Sincerely,

  Nate

  There were four photos held together by a paper clip. They showed a series of clay sculptures depicting an old lady knitting. Grandma Bertha smiled as she noticed how well Nate had captured her likeness.

  Then she read the third letter.

  Sweet Grandma,

  Since we last saw each other, I’ve had several long, heated discussions with my father about my past, my future, and what I want to do with my life. I told him I wasn’t going to be his puppet forever, and I was going to do what was right for me. To my surprise, Scarlett was
on my side in this discussion. I ended up crying, but victorious.

  I’m now living in a rented flat, not far from Nathan’s place, and I’ve decided to go to college. I’ve enrolled on a journalism course, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. As you know, my family are wealthy, and I don’t need to work for a living, but this is something that will make me feel alive and useful. After all, money isn’t everything, right?

  Speaking of money, I’ve been talking to Nate about getting you a present. I wasn’t sure what we could give you, until he remembered something you mentioned to him. Look in this envelope and you’ll find a little something. Then go to your front door, and you’ll see what we got you.

  Love, Daisy

  Grandma Bertha turned the envelope upside down. Something fell out into her lap. A set of keys. “Let’s go outside, shall we, Lyd?” she said, getting up. “I need to check something out.”

  Lydia didn’t say a word as they took the lift to the lobby, looking at her mother-in-law with suspicious eyes. She was always afraid of Grandma Bertha’s surprises.

  Parked in front of the apartment was a brand-new dark blue van, tied up with a red bow.

  “What is this?” asked Lydia.

  “I think it’s my new ride.”

  THE END (for now…)