Hideaway Hospital Murders (26 page)

Jake studied Greg and Cynthia and wondered
whether they would live through the night.

“
So, this lovely couple was
willing to give their lives for one of these women,” said Carnie.
“Wonder which one?”

She reached behind her back to the scabbard
and pulled out her knife—the one she had nearly stabbed Jake with
earlier. She had strapped it on when she went up to her
bedroom.

She went to Betsy Holsom and held the knife
at her throat.

“
Please don’t,” said
Cynthia.

Then she tried Ellen Pinkly.

Greg said, “Why are you doing this?”

Next was Marcia Cleggmore. “Is it this one?
If so, you must be rich.”

No reaction.

Then Carnie went to Beverly’s bed.

Cynthia gasped.

“
Bingo,” said Carnie. She
clasped the knife in both hands and raised it above her head and
said, “Say goodbye to Mommy.”

Greg ran at Carnie with surprising speed,
catching her off guard.

Carnie took the knife in her right hand and
tried to stab him.

But he managed to grab both of her
wrists.

She couldn’t break free from Greg’s grip, so
she pushed and pulled and spun him around the room. They looked
like a dance couple at an amateur competition—except for the big,
sharp knife in her hand.

Jake just stood there watching, gun in
hand.

Cynthia didn’t think she could help Greg
without getting shot.

Finally, Greg lost his balance and tripped
backward, cracking his head on the edge of the table as he went
down. He still had a grip on her arms. But he was feeling weaker
and dizzier by the second.

Carnie used her body weight to push the
knife down closer and closer to Greg’s chest.

“
No! Don’t hurt him!” said
Cynthia. She looked at Jake. “Do something!”

But Carnie was determined. The knife was
only two inches from his chest. Now she knew she would win. She
pushed down even harder. The tip of the blade was touching his
shirt. Just one more good push, she thought, and he’s a goner.

“
Carnie! Stop!” The voice
of authority echoed from the corridor.

Carnie pulled the knife away and stood up.
“Hi, Grandma.”

Chapter
33

“
Let’s get one thing
straight, Carnie,” said Sylvia. “
I’m
in charge now. And you don’t
kill anybody unless I tell you to.”

“
Yes, Ma’am.”

Jake and Cynthia were amazed at Carnie’s
metamorphosis. She had gone from monster to mouse right before
their eyes. Greg was still too dazed to notice.

“
Take these two and put
them over there and handcuff them to beds.”

“
We don’t have any more
handcuffs,” said Carnie.

“
Borrow a couple from those
women.”

Cynthia didn’t want Carnie to grab her, so
she walked to the right side of her mother’s bed and stood.

“
No, not there,” said
Carnie. “Not by your mother.”

“
It doesn’t matter, Carnie.
Just cuff her,” said Sylvia.

Jake helped Greg stand up and walked him to
the left side of Betsy’s bed—the farthest distance from Cynthia.
Greg leaned against the wall and slid to a sitting position on the
floor. Jake handcuffed him.

“
It was stupid to leave the
van in the barn,” said Sylvia.

“
I was planning to dump
it,” said Carnie.

“
Well, it’s too late for
that. But it doesn’t matter now.”

Sylvia glanced at Cynthia and then at Greg.
“I saw your car. Nice hiding place. In fact, I parked in that area
too. By the way, I hope you have a good warranty on those tires.”
She pulled out a large pocket knife and held it up, smiling.

Carnie stepped in close to her grandmother
and whispered, “What’s the plan?”

“
Just be patient, My Dear.
Now give me a proper greeting.”

Carnie hated it—even in private. Now she was
being forced to do it in front of other people. She kissed Sylvia
on the lips.

But it was just a peck—not nearly enough to
satisfy her grandmother. Sylvia took Carnie’s head in her hands and
gave her an open-mouth kiss lasting five seconds.

In the blink of an eye, Carnie could have
unsheathed her knife and gouged out Sylvia’s tongue. And then her
eyes. Then she could have cut out her heart and stomped on it.

She
could
have.

**********

Macy tossed and turned and
thought about Elmo’s eyes and lips and arms. They had both wanted
to make love. And they
would
have—if Carnie hadn’t
interrupted. Of course, doing it on a hard floor was not what she
had pictured for their first time.

She had imagined it thousands of
times—waiting naked on a warm bed, under a satin sheet, when he
walked out of the steamy bathroom in his robe. They would eye each
other with burning desire as he walked toward her. It would be all
he could do to restrain himself from running to the bed and leaping
on top of her.

He would untie his robe and let it fall
open, revealing his lean, muscular chest and his firm lower body,
already throbbing for her.

Because Macy had not been with a man in many
years, she had trained herself in the art of self-fulfillment.
Through graphic visualizations, she could ring her own bell
repeatedly—hands free.

But now she really needed to get some sleep.
Tomorrow will be a wonderful day, she thought. She got up, put on
her robe and went down to the kitchen for a glass of warm milk.
When the microwave beeped, she reached to open to door.

“
Why are you still
up?”

Macy spun around and saw Elmo, standing in
the doorway wearing his robe and slippers.

“
I couldn’t sleep,” she
said.

“
Yeah, me
either.”

“
I’m just so
excited.”

He walked to her. “I love you, Macy.” He
gave her a quick kiss. “Hey, since we’re both having trouble
sleeping, you want to go down and watch a movie?”

“
Sure.” She smiled. They
had watched hundreds of movies and countless TV shows together. And
now she could enjoy that with Elmo for the rest of their lives. As
well as making love to him any hour of the day or night—any time he
wanted her.

**********

“
Who’s this?” said Sylvia
to Carnie.

“
His name is Jake. He’s a
friend of mine.”

“
And he helped you set this
up?”

“
Yes, ma’am.”

Cynthia interrupted. “Excuse me, but could
somebody please tell me what’s going on here? Why have you
kidnapped these women and drugged them? And why are you holding
us?”

Sylvia turned to Cynthia. “Lady, I don’t
think you understand the precarious situation you’ve gotten
yourself into. I have total power over you and everybody in this
room. For example: Carnie, go over there and slap Jake in the face.
Slap him as hard as you can.”

Carnie reluctantly followed her
grandmother’s orders.

Jake stared at Carnie, dumbfounded.

“
No, that wasn’t good
enough. You hesitated. Do it again. Now!”

This time, Jake grabbed Carnie’s hand before
she could strike him.

“
You failed, Carnie. Make
him pull his pants down. Underwear too.”

“
Forget it,” said Jake to
Carnie. “I’m not playing this game.”

“
Oh, but you
are
, Jake,” said
Sylvia. “Now, do what I said, Carnie.”

Carnie reached for Jake’s belt bucket, but
he pushed her away.

“
Okay, that’s it,” said
Sylvia. “End of game. Kill him, Carnie.”

Carnie turned and gave her grandmother a
stone cold stare.

“
Kill him, now!”

Carnie reached behind her back and pulled
out the knife.

Jake grabbed the pistol off the couch and
pointed it at her. “What are you doing, Carnie? I love you. Put the
knife away.”

“
Love?” said Sylvia with a
sneer. “Boy, you don’t even know what love is. Just because you got
into her panties, you think she loves you? No. Carnie only loves
one person and that’s me. Kill him!”

Carnie moved toward Jake with demonic look
in her eyes that freaked him out. He pulled the trigger. But it
didn’t fire. Of course not, he thought. She had never loaded
it.

Jake kicked Carnie back and she took a swipe
at his leg and missed.

“
Do it!” said
Sylvia.

It all happened too fast. The knife was in
Carnie’s hand. She raised it above her head and then threw it at
him.

Jake looked down and saw only the handle of
the knife. The long blade was buried deeply in his chest. He
slumped to the floor and fell over backwards.

Carnie went to his side. She looked as
though she had just come out of a trance. “I’m sorry, Jake.”

But it was little consolation. If he’d done
the right thing and turned himself in, he would have been wearing a
one-piece prison suit.

But now he’d be wearing nothing but a toe
tag.

**********

Mallie Mae got up to go to the bathroom.
Soon Elmo would know just how much his mother cared about him. She
had disgraced herself at the restaurant for the sole purpose of
keeping Carsie and Elmo apart. And bringing Macy and Elmo together.
And she was proud of herself for doing it.

But it had not been easy. We are trained as
toddlers to only go in the potty. So, after more than 70 years, it
took great effort for her to pee in her panties. And not just a
little spurt. She needed enough to soak through her clothing and
the fabric of the chair, so it would spill over and drip on the
floor.

But it had been well worth it. Elmo would
now dump Carsie. He was in love with Macy, and always had been.
Most of the time Macy and Elmo spent together had been late at
night, after Mallie Mae had gone to sleep. She knew they enjoyed
watching movies together, but she had never seen the possibility of
romance. All three of them had been fools, she thought. But not
anymore.

When she came out of the bathroom she
decided to check on Macy. She cracked her door and peeked out.
Macy’s door was open and a faint light shone through her doorway.
Mallie Mae couldn’t resist. She walked to Macy’s doorway and looked
in.

“
Macy?”

Macy was not in her bedroom
or her bathroom. Maybe they’re watching a movie, she thought. Or
maybe they’re
in his
bed
.

She went downstairs and checked Elmo’s study
and his bedroom. Both had their doors wide open. They must be in
the Media Room, she thought. She tiptoed down the stairs,
listening carefully as she went, and was nearly at the bottom of
the stairs when she heard Elmo and Macy talking softly. She peeked
out and saw them standing at the closed guest bedroom door—Carnie’s
door. Bright light shone from the gap under the door.

“
Do you really think we
should bother her? It’s 1:00 in the morning,” said Macy.

“
Well, apparently she’s up.
And I just want her to know we’re going to be watching a movie.
Don’t want her to worry if she hears strange noises.”

“
And you want to apologize
again,” said Macy.

“
Yes. Am I being
silly?”

“
No. I understand. I’ll
apologize too.”

Elmo knocked on the door and waited.

No answer.

He tried again.

Nothing.

“
Wonder why she’s not
answering?” said Macy.

“
Carnie? You okay?” he said
through the door.

Still no response.

“
Now I’m getting worried,”
he said to Macy.

“
Do you have a
key?”

“
Yeah.” He rushed into the
Pub Room and opened a cabinet behind the bar and pulled the key off
the hook. Then he went back and opened Carnie’s door.

Macy looked at Elmo in shock. “What in the
world is this?”

Mallie Mae gasped, and was surprised that
neither Macy nor Elmo heard her and turned around. She knew this
day would come.

But why did it have to come now?

Chapter
34

Carnie took the pistol from Jake’s lifeless
hand. She ejected the clip, began to load it with bullets she had
brought down from her bedroom and hidden under a bag on the
table.

Sylvia walked over to where Cynthia was
standing, handcuffed to her mother’s bed. She looked at Beverly
and then at Cynthia as she smiled and said, “You know, Carnie
enjoys killing old women. Don’t you, Carnie?”

Carnie didn’t answer.

Sylvia continued. “I’m sure you heard about
the poor old lady in Marshall and her nurse. I understand the house
was a bloody mess. And her safe was robbed too.”

“
Why are you telling me
this? Now I know who the murderer is.”

Sylvia’s smile grew bigger and more
evil.

“
You’re planning to kill
all of us, aren’t you?”

“
We’ll see.”

Sylvia turned and walked toward Carnie.
“Where’s the bracelet?”

“
In my room.”

“
I want to see
it.”

“
Right now?”

“
Right now. Go get
it.”

**********

Elmo and Macy were standing in Carnie’s
doorway, looking at the hole in the floor.