The Devil's in My Bathroom

by Eddie Latiolais

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: Satan’s Girlfriend

  Officer Velma Gillis took Tony and Wainwright to New Lake General. She arranged to have Wainwright set up in a rapid detox program, while remaining anonymous. She didn’t want anyone to know he was there. Tony managed to find Peter Grimes’s room and sneaked in.

  “You are Peter Grimes?” asked Tony.

  Peter opened his swollen eyes and saw Tony. “Who the hell are you?”

  Tony looked around to make sure nobody else was in the room. “I am your worst nightmare.”

  The drugs Peter was given made everything look blurry. He stared at Tony’s distorted face and got scared.

  “Are you…?”

  “It does not matter who I am. You are a very bad man. Your partner is going to get well and expose you for the terrible person you are. That was also very cruel the way you had your wife killed.”

  “It wasn’t planned. I didn’t know something like that would happen. I don’t even remember how it happened.”

  “You play with fire – you get burned,” said Tony.

  “Where is Deborah?”

  “Who’s Deborah?”

  “She works for you.”

  “I have a lot of people who work for me. I can’t recall any Deborah.”

  “So, this is how you are playing this game. I will not have any pity on you Peter Grimes. You have tried to destroy the life of a friend of mine, and you are keeping me from my little fettuccine. You will go to hell for this.” He left the room, slamming the door behind him. Peter was left shaking in his bed. He buzzed the nurse, who came running in.

  “Is there a problem, Mr. Grimes?” she asked.

  “Who was that man who was just my room?”

  “Sir, I was right next door at the nurses station and I didn’t see anybody.”

  “You had to. He was a tall, dark-skinned, kind of evil looking man.”

  “I’m sorry sir. The painkillers you’re on probably have some hallucinogenic effect on you. You’ll be fine.”

  Peter started thinking, I think I just came face-to-face with Satan.

  As the nurse walked out, Chief Bushman walked in. “How are you, Mr. Grimes?” he asked.

  “What the hell do you think? My wife’s dead, I have two mangled legs and Satan just visited me.”

  “I’m sorry about all that, sir,” said the Chief. He thought, What does he mean Satan just visited him? He added, “I just wanted to give you my condolences, and let you know that Elderberry is still way off track. Everything’s okay in that situation.”

  “It better be,” grumbled Peter. “I don’t think I could take anything else going wrong.”

  The door opened again and in walked Velma Gillis.

  “What are you doing here, Officer Gillis?” asked Bushman.

  “Would you mind if we step outside for a few seconds, Chief?” she asked.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Grimes,” he said, and then walked out the room with Gillis.

  “I have just found the ultimate missing person,” she gleefully said. She gave Bushman the entire story and let him know that nobody knew about Wainwright being in the hospital. Bushman congratulated Gillis on her good work and made her promise not to tell anyone else about Wainwright. He wanted to investigate the situation himself. He went back to Peter’s room.

  “Uh, Mr. Grimes, we have a slight problem,” said Bushman.

  “Wainwright is…”

  Once again the door opened, and this time Jamie walked into the room. She had a bouquet of flowers and set them on the table next to the bed.

  “I’m so sorry about the accident, Mr. Grimes,” said Jamie. She looked at Bushman and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  “I’m Chief Samuel Bushman, ma’am, head of New Lake City Police.” He extended his hand and gave Jamie a shake.

  “Pleased to meet you. I’m Jamie O’Malley, head of Apocalypse Records.”

  “What are you doing here, O’Malley?” asked Peter.

  “I just wanted to say how sorry I am for the awful accident. You must feel terrible.”

  “Look, lady. I know you don’t mean a damn word of your phony sympathy play. You’re here to gloat. I still haven’t figured out what you’re doing pretending to be the head of Apocalypse when you know goddamn well Carlos Verona owns it legally.”

  “Really?” asked Jamie. “Please, tell me more.”

  “I think Mr. Grimes needs his rest, Miss O'Malley,” said Bushman.

  “No, let her stay,” directed Peter. “I want to know the real reason she’s here.”

  “I already told you,” said Jamie. “I just want to offer my condolences on behalf of myself and the record company.”

  “That’s bullshit and you know it. I don’t know what you’re doing, but I will get to the bottom of this.”

  “So will I, Peter,” said Jamie. “Take care and get well soon.” She shook Bushman’s hand as she left the room. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  “The pleasure was all mine,” said the smiling Bushman.

  “Wipe that stupid grin off your face, Bushman,” said Peter.

  “Sorry, sir. She sure is one pretty lady.”

  “That bitch is up to something and I want you to find out what it is. She has no right to Apocalypse Records. We did everything legally. Verona Enterprises is the legal owner.”

  “You shouldn’t be saying that too loud, sir. That’s still supposed to remain confidential.”

  “Yeah, I know. These painkillers are making me blab away everything. I didn’t love Francine as much as I used to, but I didn’t want her to die. Carlos’s son got her liver, so I guess I should be happy, shouldn’t I?”

  “If you say so, sir.”

  “What were you about to say about Wainwright before that red-headed monster interrupted you?”

  Bushman stalled for a few seconds then blurted out, “Sir, Wainwright is here in the hospital.”

  “What?”

  “Officer Gillis brought him here. He’s in rapid detox.”

  “Does anybody know he’s here?”

  “Just Officer Gillis and the man who brought him to her.”

  “Well, you know what you have to do, Bushman.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m afraid I do.”

  At New Lake International, the 757 carrying Debbie and Dave Peltier landed. Dave convinced her to come to the hospital with him. They got into the elevator just as the one next to it opened, letting Tony out. They went to Grimes’s room.

  “Well, what do we have here?” asked Dave.

  “Peltier? Is that you?” Everything was looking blurry to Peter.

  “Yeah, it sure is,” said Dave.

  “What in the hell were you doing in New Orleans?”

  “I wasn’t in New Orleans.”

  “That’s what my wife said right before we hit that truck.” His memory was starting to come back.

  “You’re all drugged up from painkillers, Grimes. I wasn’t there.”

  “Who is that with you?”

  “You don’t recognize me, Peter? I’m Deborah Bailey. I used to work for you.”

  “Deborah? You’re Satan’s lover,” screamed Peter. “Get her out of here.”

  Debbie was confused but decided to seize the moment with her acting skills.

  “Right. I am the lover of Satan. I am here to claim his prize.” She was trying not to laugh.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I know that Wainwright is alive. He didn’t die in that crash. He was never on that plane.”

  “You know he’s here, too?” Debbie and Dave were both surprised.

  “Yes, we know he’s here. He’s here to get revenge on your soul,” said Debbie, using her best evil voice.

  “How can he get my soul if he’s in detox?” asked the frightened Peter.

  “He really is here?” asked Dave.

  “I thought you just said you knew that,” said Peter.

  Dave ran out the room, leaving Debbie alone with Peter.

  “Why are you and
Satan torturing me?”

  “You are an evil man, Peter,” said Debbie. “You have been doing things to hurt people.”

  “But I thought Satan liked those kind of things.”

  “Hey, listen. I’m Satan’s lover. That asshole does what I say now. I don’t like the way you made Mr. Wainwright suffer this past year just so you could screw him over.”

  “But that was all Carlos Verona’s idea.”

  “Really?” She was wishing she had a tape recorder.

  “Yeah. I just wanted control, but Carlos wanted to make him suffer for stealing his girlfriend.”

  “Oh, I see. But you were the one who set up my best friend with that pedophile Harold Rogers.”

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the one who did the setting up?” Peter was also starting to remember Debbie.

  “Hey, buddy, I don’t like to be corrected.”

  “Sorry.”

  “You’d better be – and just where is this Harold guy?”

  “He’s in New Orleans with Verona's niece.”

  “Oh, I see – and how about my lover?”

  “You mean Satan?” Debbie was really enjoying playing with Peter. “Yes, the dark one himself. When was the last time you saw him?”

  “I just saw him a couple of hours ago.” Debbie remembered Andie telling her about Nick’s fear of Tony, thinking he was Satan.

  “Tell me, Pete, did this image of Satan you saw speak with an Italian accent?”

  “Yes – an eerie, demonic, dark-sounding voice that nearly made my ears bleed.”

  “Thank you, Pete. I’ll put in a good word for you.” She left the room.

  Downstairs at the cafeteria, Tony was getting a bite to eat. He noticed Kat sitting alone at a table and went over to talk to her. She explained that her mother was in the hospital, recovering from minor surgery, and she was just staying with her for a few hours. Debbie walked in front of the cafeteria and saw them sitting together. She burst into tears and ran outside, passing right in front of Officer Gillis, who was coming in for a cup of coffee. Gillis walked up to Tony and Kat.

  “I think I just found your missing person,” she told Tony.