Dead 'N Breakfast

by Paulette Brewster

  “Good. Now put both hands on the table and stand up slowly. Stay there. Just like that. So, we’re going to take a little walk out the kitchen door. And don’t think you’re quicker than I am, because I guarantee you aren’t,” Claire laughed quietly behind her.

  Liz stepped onto the dark porch barely aware of the chill in the air. Claire followed keeping a short distance between them. Ahead was the outline of a black car sitting next to her dad’s truck. Liz guessed that Claire must have gotten an old rental sedan because it sure wasn’t the little red sports car she’d been driving.

  “Get in. Passenger side. Now slide over to the driver’s seat. And don’t do anything stupid.” Claire’s voice turned hard on that last word, making a shiver run down Liz’s back.

  The inside lights didn’t come on when the door opened, but Claire used a flashlight which gave Liz the feeling of being in a spotlight. She scooted across the bench seat until she was behind the wheel and kept her eyes facing forward. In less than a minute, Claire was in the car and closed the door. Holding the gun in one hand the flashlight in the other, she nearly blinded Liz as she directed the light into Liz’s face.

  “Start it up.”

  Liz turned the key twice before the engine came to life, and she sure wished it wouldn’t have. Her heart pounded. She was trapped. Even if she blew the horn in her isolated driveway, it wouldn’t accomplish anything except getting herself killed. She had to wait until they drove past Brian’s or Polly’s house before anyone would hear it. Then maybe she could blast the horn or even wreck the car. Stay calm, she told herself as she took in a slow breath, play this by ear. Be brave if you have to. Of course, you have to. She grasped the wheel in a death grip. Claire kept the flashlight trained on the steering column which illuminated her legs, feet, and even her hands. So much for being under cover of darkness. If she could create a distraction. Yes, that’s what she needed. Think of something!

  “You knew Kevin, didn’t you?” Liz said, her voice tight as she fought the rising panic.

  “For a long, long time. Now, back out and drive down the road past Brian’s place.”

  “Why did you kill him?” It served a twofold purpose of being a distraction plus she had to know.

  “He thought he could double-cross me and on top of that, he was going to blackmail me. Can you believe it! How stupid was that?” She laughed. “And he was stupid.”

  “Why did you kill him in my barn?” Liz had other questions but her mind was desperately trying to figure out where to crash the car. A tree beside the road? She’d need more speed for that.

  “That stumps you doesn’t it,” she said then paused for a moment. “It tickles me that you weren’t able to figure any of this out.” She paused again then spoke in a deadly calm voice. “Because, my dear, you were the main target right from the beginning. And Kevin, well… he was useless. He’d served his purpose years ago. He just wasn’t smart enough to know he was dispensable.”

  As they approached Brian’s pitch dark house, she realized with a sinking feeling that she could forget his help. Her heart sank but her mind shifted into hyper-drive. The realization that she would have to rely on herself brought an overwhelming feeling of resistance to her situation. She would not give in to this craziness.

  “What? No more questions?” Claire was enjoying the torment she was dishing out, like a human version of cat and mouse. “Well, let me give you the whole story. It’s not like you’re going to tell, is it?”

  Liz said nothing as they passed Brian’s, her only chance of escape. She gripped the wheel tighter as she pressed the accelerator slightly.

  “Once upon a time there was a very wealthy man who owned a huge company in a large city. He had a wife and children and they all lived together in a beautiful mansion. Then one evening, a young waitress caught his eye and before she knew it, she was living in a nice apartment, nothing fancy, in the suburbs. When she got pregnant, he ditched her. Told her to get lost. But she was smart, and she had proof, and she used it. She threatened him with a tell-all notice to every newspaper with photos included if he didn’t give her money, and lots of it.” Claire paused long enough to tell Liz to slow down.

  “Now pull into that drive,” she said.

  Alongside the road was a small parking area that was mostly hidden by a row of maple trees and at the far end was a narrow walking path leading to Falls Point. Liz had spent many enjoyable hours walking the paths that wound around the rocky heights near the Falls, but never at night. It was far too dangerous for that.

  “Park at the farthest end, beyond the trees.”

  Liz did as she was told. The headlights lit up the deserted area until she turned the key off and the lights went out. She sat, waiting for further directions and used those moments to consider a way to escape in the dark. This place was as familiar to her as her own backyard. It was obvious that Claire had spent plenty of time there during her stay to be so confident about the path to the Falls. If only Claire would make just one small mistake, one careless move so Liz could catch her off guard. If she lost her flashlight or tripped on a rock would be enough for Liz to get away and hide.

  “Get out of the car. On this side.” Claire moved slowly, backing out of the car, blinding Liz with the flashlight then Liz did the same. When they both stood alongside the passenger car door, Claire pushed the door shut and ordered Liz to walk toward the path.

  Trying once again to create a distraction, Liz faced Claire and demanded, “Where is the knife?”

  Claire hesitated for a moment before answering, “I knew you found it. I saw you go into the barn that night. When you came out with those two pails, there was no doubt in my mind.”

  Liz couldn’t see past the bright light, but she could still hear the smile in Claire’s voice.

  “And your fingerprints are all over that knife, aren’t they?” Claire said with accusation dripping from her words. “I was afraid you might have taken it. If you had, then my plan wouldn’t work. So, I came up with something else because they had to find that knife.”

  “I didn’t take it. Where is it?”

  “Oh, they’ll find it for sure now,” Claire laughed. “It’s in your truck! Under the seat with your fingerprints on it.”

  Liz caught her breath. All this time the murder weapon had been in her truck.

  “I swear that detective is as dumb as a box of rocks,” Claire said with disgust. He had all day Sunday to locate it but he didn’t! So, I figured I’d better give him some help and that’s when I decided to send the anonymous tip. I dropped it into one of the mailboxes behind the post office. Nobody saw me. Just like nobody saw me put the knife in your truck after midnight, while you were sleeping. Or don’t you sleep much anymore?” Claire’s thoughts seemed to be rambling but she still managed to keep the gun pointed at Liz. “Now, get moving.”

  Walking in the rocky area was hazardous even when the light was shining directly on the ground, but most of the time Claire had the light trained squarely on Liz’s back and that made it difficult for both of them to keep a steady walk. After they rounded a sharp curve in the path where the rock wall rose on one side and a cliff dropped off on the other, Claire called for her to halt.

  “This is the place. Now, just as a reminder…” she said, then pushed the gun into Liz’ back. “You will do exactly as I say.”

  Liz stared into the darkness ahead of her, barely breathing.

  “See that small tree hanging onto the edge of the cliff?” Claire made a quick arc with the flashlight toward the spot. “Poor little thing looks so frail. It doesn’t have much of a future trying to cling to that rock. Now I want you to step over there, right beside it and be sure to hang on tight to the little trunk or you just might slip. And well, you know what’s down below, right?”

  Liz took a step toward the cliff where the shallow roots of the tree had sprouted through a crack years ago. The stunted growth had reached about two feet taller than she stood and the trunk was no more than three inches in diame
ter if that. She hoped it was stronger than it looked.

  “Now wrap one arm around it while you get as close as you can. It will help you maintain some balance because this kind of height can have such a dizzying effect, you know.”

  There was only room for her to stand in front of the tree or else she’d risk losing her footing if she stood alongside it.

  “No, no, no,” Claire said, angrily. “Beside it. And one arm around it.”

  A cold breeze rose from the cliff, swirling around her as she stepped closer to the trunk with the heels of her shoes practically off the edge. Her turtleneck sweater didn’t provide much warmth as she gripped the tree with her arm around it, holding on for dear life.

  “There you go,” Claire said as she directed the bright light onto Liz’s face. “Exactly what I had in mind. So, this is what I’m going to do, in case you haven’t already figured it out yet.”

  Liz had figured it out as soon as they started walking on the rocky path. First the suicide note, then the accidental fall off the cliff in the dead of night. How long had Claire been planning this? More importantly, how was she ever going to escape? Below was a ledge that she and her sisters used to drop rocks onto, but never would they have considered jumping down there. At that moment, she contemplated if that was her only chance to survive, although it was a slim chance at best. Her heart thumped harder and her hands were sweating despite the cold air. She dared not close her eyes. She had to stay alert to any move that Claire made.

  “Okay, are you ready for this?” Claire said softly.

  Liz heard the stones rub together beneath Claire’s feet as she moved closer.

  “It won’t take but a moment,” Claire went on still using a soft voice. “Only a moment…”

  From the corner of her eye, Liz caught sight of a quick flash of light. She wanted desperately to look in that direction but was afraid to take her eyes off Claire for even a split second. Then she saw it again, surely it was coming from around the bend of the rocky path where the parking lot was located. Two more quick flashes and a surge of relief mixed with overwhelming fear flooded her body. She clung desperately to the little tree, knowing she had to keep Claire distracted from those lights.

  “You didn’t finish your story,” Liz began. “What happened to the pregnant young woman? And who was she?”

  “You’re just trying to prolong this, aren’t you? But I don’t mind. I enjoy talking about it. Besides, I’m getting immense pleasure in drawing out your suffering. So, hang on tight, if you can. This is going to take a while. Get comfortable.” She laughed again.

  Liz strained her ears for any sound of approaching feet but heard nothing and the flashes of light had disappeared, not even a glimmer in the pitch blackness. The cold wind swept up the cliff and circled her legs, blowing her hair into her eyes until it was difficult to see anything beyond the brightness of Claire’s flashlight.

  “The woman was my mother and the man was my biological father. Of course, they never married but she didn’t care since he was plenty rich and capable of supporting her for the rest of her life. My mother invested all of that income into our designer business. He knew she’d follow through with her threat if he didn’t pay up. If his wealthy family had gotten wind of his tryst, one of many I’m sure, he would have found himself divorced. He had married wealth, you know, and his firm had grown beyond his wildest dreams. My mother told me plenty of stories about how wealthy he was. Yes, Mr. William Charles was more than willing to pay huge sums of money to keep my mother quiet. When my mother died, I simply applied the same pressure and the payments kept coming. Then you disturbed everything with your digging around in his business. Thanks to you, he died of a heart attack in jail. Not that I cared about him.”

  “But neither were there any more blackmail payments,” Liz said.

  “Exactly,” she replied, her voice hardened. “You ruined my life. And I’m going to end yours.”

  Liz felt the cold breeze lift around her as the brittle leaves rustled overhead. Her hair brushed across her face as the wind increased but she didn’t dare move a muscle. There was no feeling in her hands, but sheer panic kept her grip secure.

  “And Kevin?” Keep talking, she told herself, just keep talking.

  “He worked for me as well as Mr. Charles, but primarily for me. So, when that trial came up, I hired the best lawyers I could find to keep him out of jail. It was all for nothing. I should have let him rot there. But on the other hand, I took great pleasure in killing him. He thought we were going to kill you, but that wasn’t my plan at all. I needed to get rid of him and you too. Sort of like, two birds with one stone. I simply told him to meet me in your barn at midnight and we’d kidnap you then kill you. But like I said, he wasn’t smart at all so when he turned his back, I stabbed him. Good riddance. The real plan was to kill him and be sure to point the finger at you. I think it would have worked except that detective was pretty slow to take the bait. And so, here we are.”

  Liz heard the emotional change in Claire’s voice and held tighter to the little tree, trying to brace herself against any sudden move Claire might make to push her over the edge.

  “I’m done with all this talking.” Claire suddenly shouted at her, “I’ve waited weeks for this. Weeks! And I am done talking!”

  Liz saw the gun raised in front of the flashlight. Instinctively, she braced herself for the impact of being shot. With eyes wide open, she watched in disbelief as a black blur raced out of nowhere in front of her as the gunshot rang out, echoing off the cliff and into the valley below. Liz saw it all happen in what seemed like a split second of slow motion. Claire fell to the ground at the same moment that Liz felt a strong arm grip her around the waist, hauling her to safety. Suddenly, the surrounding area filled with light and she realized Brian held her in a suffocating grip while Ben stood near Claire who was lying on her side. Miles was there too, holding a gun pointed at Claire.

  In the distance, Liz heard the scream of sirens heading toward them.

  She pushed away from Brian just far enough to see his face. “How did you find me?”

  “I’ll explain later, but Bess had a lot to do with it,” he said. “I think you’re hurt.” He touched her arm, the one that hadn’t been hanging onto the tree.

  “I am?” Then she saw the deepening red stain on her sweater grow larger. Had Claire shot her?

  “I think the ambulance just pulled into the parking lot,” Brian said, avoiding her arm but holding her up.

  “I don’t need an ambulance,” she said, but when she tried to walk, her legs nearly gave way beneath her. Her whole body began shaking uncontrollably and her teeth chattered.

  “Yes, you do,” Brian said, his voice firm, allowing for no arguments. “You’ve been through a lot and I don’t want your folks thinking the worst of me, so don’t argue.”

  She didn’t have the energy to put up a fuss. Her body and mind felt drained to the point that thinking just wasn’t happening.

  “Fine,” she replied, still chattering as she leaned against him for support. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and she welcomed the warmth.

  "When I leave here, I'll go back to your house and lock it up for you. Do you know where I can find the key, so I don't lock you out?"

  She dug the key out of her jeans pocket, using her good arm. “I was in a bit of a hurry,” she replied, giving him a look.

  He nodded as he pocketed the key. “You’re safe now.”

  Then he led her down the rocky path toward the waiting ambulance.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Liz spent the night in the hospital due to the gunshot wound as well as the trauma she’d been through. Surprisingly, it was only a flesh wound. As good as it had turned out, she still had plenty of pain. In the morning, the doctor was reluctant to allow her to leave and then he discovered she would be home alone and insisted she stay another night. Exhaustion alone made her agree without a fuss.

  When Brian showed up that afternoon, he told h
er that Polly had volunteered to take care of the animals.

  "Polly said to be sure and tell you that Bess misses you. She swears that's a fact because Bess won't get off your bed except for food and a quick trip out to the barn."

  Liz smiled, placing her hand over her heart. "She loves me."

  "I'd say she does," he replied with a smile. "And Polly sent this for you." He laid her cell phone on the nightstand. "She said your mom called a few times, but she didn't take the call on your phone. Instead, she called Sarah back from her phone. So, it's fair to say your folks are up to speed on everything that's happened."

  “Well," she said, sighing. "No reason to hold anything back now. It's over."

  She gave him a direct look so he could see that she meant what she said. "Thank you for everything you did. I'm sure if it wasn't for you, I'd be at the bottom of that cliff." A slight tremor rushed through her body as she realized just how close she had come to death.

  “How did you know where to find me?” she asked.

  He nodded without speaking. She guessed he needed a few minutes to put his thoughts and words together, then he answered. “Ben and I have been driving by your house later in the evenings just to check for anything unusual and last night I saw an old black car by your garage that I hadn’t seen before. So, I pulled in just to get the plate number then headed toward the covered bridge where I turned around and went past your house again. This time the car was gone but the lights in the house were still on. I stopped to see if everything was okay but when there was no answer, I tried the door. It was unlocked. I opened it and called your name but still got no answer. I had a bad feeling about it, so I went inside and that’s when I found the note on the table. I called Miles right away and asked him to run a check on the license number I’d written down. Then I went searching on my own. It didn't take too long before I found the black car in the parking lot at The Falls and when I pulled up behind it, there was Bess inside the back window."

  Liz caught her breath. "She was in the car? She followed me and I didn't even know it!"