Hit & Mrs. (16 page)

The friends gasped.

“I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I was desperate and I did it. But now they're going to kill your friend if she doesn't give them the bag. I think they're going to kill all of us. They kept me prisoner, but Keaton and I escaped. I came to warn you.”

They looked at the small, slender girl with the pale and frightened face. She was shivering. “There's five million dollars worth of diamonds in that bear.”

Gemma's mouth dropped open. “I don't believe it.”

“Can you call your friend? I need to warn her.”

Augusta reached out and put her arm around Gracie's shoulder. “Of course. Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll keep you and your baby safe. I'll call Bette right now.”

Gracie looked like she wanted to cry.

At that moment, a very large and scary-looking man ran up to them as a black car squealed to a stop by the sidewalk. Dumber grabbed Gracie's arm. “Everyone get in the car. Do it now, or the girl gets it.” He held a knife against her side.

“Don't hurt her,” both women said. They had no choice. They got in the car. Then Dumber pushed Gracie in and jumped in the front seat, as Dumb put his foot to the floor. The car took off like a shot.

CHAPTER EIGHT

After Ida got off the phone with 911, she called her eldest son, Mordecai, who in turn called David, who called Simon, who called Lenny, who called Moshe. Five sons and their families arrived at the scene shortly after the police got there.

There was a stampede up the stairs once the body was removed and the police had finished their interrogation of the Weinbergs. The brothers were in a panic when they saw the state of their parents. Izzy's nose was twice its normal size, and Ida's black eye was turning a lovely shade of mauve.

Mordecai slapped himself on his cheeks. “My God, he tortured Papa. Look at the burns. Did he try and drown you, as well? Oh, this is too much.”

Ida and Izzy looked at each other and stayed quiet. They hadn't had this much attention in years. Might as well take advantage of it.

Ida howled. “The pain! The pain I tell you. You have no idea.”

Her daughters-in-law rushed about. They made food, swept the kitchen, and one of them even did a wash while another cleaned the bathtub. There were so many people in the house that no one could hear themself think.

Uncle Sid, Izzy's older brother, arrived on his son's arm wailing and gnashing his false teeth. “Oy, thank God Mama and Papa aren't alive to see this terrible day. It would have killed them dead. Dead, I tell you!”

He grabbed Izzy. “Was it awful?”

Ida butted in. “He was comatose for most of it. Ya wanna know what happened, ask me.”

Izzy lit a cigarette. “I wasn't comatose when I was trying to get you away from that maniac.”

“Well, you were out like a light for the rest of it.”

“Not voluntarily.”

“Whatever.”

“And how did you kill the man?” Uncle Sid asked Ida.

“She browbeat him to death,” Izzy answered.

Ida scowled. “Why didn't I leave that damn duct tape on your mouth?”

“You should have. I have no lips now, thanks to you.”

Ida looked at her sons. “Did you ever hear anyone complain more than him?”

“So what did the police say?” Uncle Sid asked.

“They asked me why someone would be after Bette, but I told them I had no idea, unless she's up to something in that precious car of hers. You can never get a thing out of her.”

“Have you tried to call Bette and warn her about this?” Uncle Sid asked.

Everyone looked at each other.

“Did we?” Izzy yelped. “Did we?”

Ida couldn't tell him that Bette had hung up on her. It was too embarrassing.

“For the love of God, in all this confusion, has no one thought to let Bette know what's going on?”

The family looked at one another.

“Get her on the phone!”

Mordecai reached for the phone and dialled Bette's cellphone. A man answered and said he had the wrong number. Thinking he'd misdialled, Mordecai tried again. The same guy answered.

“I'm looking for Bette Weinberg. Is she there, please?”

“I told you before. I don't know any Bette, so screw off.”

“Who is this?”

The line went dead. Mordecai looked at his father.

“What's wrong?”

“A man answered.”

“Oh my God, she's eloped,” Ida said.

“Eloped?” Izzy said. “Who goes on their honeymoon with three girlfriends?”

Ida drove back and forth over the rug. “How do we know she went with three girlfriends? Maybe this whole thing has been a ruse to cover up her tracks.”

Izzy dismissed her. “That slap to the head affected your brain.”

“Who's the guy, then?”

“How the hell should I know?”

Mordecai pleaded with his parents. “Enough with the bickering, you two. I know this is difficult, but you need to put everything aside and concentrate on Bette.”

Ida drove over to the living room window and looked out. Her shoulders slumped. “Where are you, Bette?”

Bette and Linda were on their way back to the hotel from the Canadian consulate on 6th Avenue. They'd been very helpful and assisted Bette with all the necessary paperwork. It was a relief to have something go smoothly for a change.

And then Bette's phone rang. “I bet this is Ida again. Wonder what she'll make up this time?” She answered it. “Hello?”

“The cock crows at midnight.”

“
Hello?
”

“I
said,
the cock crows at midnight.”

“Ma? Is this you? Just what the devil do you think you're doing?

I've had it up to here with this cloak-and-dagger stuff.”

“Who is this?”

“Who's
this?
You called me, remember?”

They hung up.

“Was that your mother?”

“No, some other wing nut.”

They continued their journey. “I hope Gemma feels better,” Linda said. “Maybe we can actually do something this afternoon.”

“Let's hope so.”

The phone rang again. “Hello?”

“The cock…”

Bette spoke louder then she intended. “The cock? You again?”

A few people on the street turned their heads and looked at her. “Listen here, you've got the wrong number. I'm not interested in your cock or anyone else's, so give me a break and stop phoning this number.” She clicked the phone off and put it in her pocket. She rolled her eyes. “Don't even ask.”

Stuart knocked tentatively on the bathroom door. “Ryan. Come out of there, please. I think I know what might have happened.”

She yelled from inside. “You think? I
know
. I'm being taken for a mug.”

“Stop acting like a child and let's talk.”

The door swung open. Ryan stood there in righteous indignation. “Why do you always say that? Believe it or not, I'm allowed to be upset. I do own my own feelings. Age has nothing to do with it.”

“Sorry, you're right. Come and sit down.”

She flounced by him and threw herself in a chair. “So? What's your explanation? I can't wait to hear it.”

“I think Linda's behind it.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“She's here at the hotel.”

“
What?
”

“I know. I think she's following me. I think she sent that girl just to upset you.” Stuart crossed over to the window and looked out. “I can't believe she'd do something like that, but maybe I drove her to it.”

“You didn't drive her anywhere. People are allowed to fall in love.”

“Not when they're married.”

“Rubbish. No one gets married anymore. It's an ancient ritual that means nothing. The only reason I want to get married is to have a wedding.”

Stuart couldn't get his head around that, so he kept his mouth shut.

Ryan crossed her arms. “Who told you she was in the hotel?”

“Wes.”

“That's who was on the phone? What did he want?”

“To tell me the house was broken into.”

Ryan stood bolt upright. “The house was broken into? Oh God, I hope they didn't take my stereo system.”

“Not our house, my old house. Linda's house.”

Stuart flinched. “It's not okay.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Wes doesn't want her to know. He thinks she's here on vacation, but I think she's stalking us.”

Ryan ran up to him. “Maybe she wants to kill me. You read it all the time in the
Gazette
.”

“I really don't think so.”

“Maybe she wants to kill you. That's the more likely scenario.”

Stuart shook his head as if to clear it and paced the room. “You're overreacting. But I don't like the thought of her following us. I think it would be best all around if we changed hotels.”

“Stupid bitch, screwing everything up like this.”

Stuart went over to the closet and took out his suitcase. “Let's go. Then maybe we can have a nice night out. I'll feel better if she doesn't know where we are.”

Ryan helped him pack.

Bette and Linda got on the elevator and pushed the button for the seventh floor. The door closed. When it opened again, Stuart and Ryan were standing there waiting to get on. The four of them reeled away from each other in shock.

“Oh, God,” Linda cried.

“Don't kill us,” Ryan shouted.

Linda stepped out of the elevator, Bette behind her. “Kill you? Are you insane? I wouldn't waste my breath on you, you little home–wrecker. What's she talking about, Stuart?”

“Why are you here, Linda? Why are you following us?” Stuart tossed his head towards Bette. “And why did you bring your posse with you?”

Linda put her shoulders back. “Do you honestly think I'm pathetic enough to run around and spy on you two? I can't imagine anything more boring.”

Ryan pointed a finger at Linda. “That little trick of yours didn't work, lady.”

“What trick?”

“Sending a girl with a baby to my door, asking for Mrs. Keaton. You think I fell for that? What a pathetic bitch you are, pulling a stunt like that. Stuart is well rid of you.”

Linda made a face. “I don't know what kind of drugs you're on, missy, but I suggest you take a few more and hopefully overdose on them.”

Ryan clutched Stuart's arm. “Did you hear that? She
does
want to kill me.”

Stuart stepped closer to Linda. “You don't have to like me anymore, but for pity's sake, look at what you're doing. If you want to keep your dignity, you'll stop with these little charades and go home.”

“And when you do go home, I hope you find the robbers stole everything.”

“Ryan, don't,” Stuart pleaded.

Linda looked at Bette in confusion. “What robbers? Are you telling me my house was robbed?”

“What goes around comes around,” Ryan said.

Bette took a step towards Ryan. “Shut up, you little tart.”

“My house was robbed?” Linda looked horrified. “Why didn't someone tell me?”

Stuart looked at Ryan. “Go downstairs and wait for me in the lobby.”

She started to protest.

“Now.”

Ryan stomped into the elevator and stabbed at the button. Mercifully, the doors closed.

“Bette, would you mind leaving Linda and me alone for a moment? I need to clear things up for her.”

Bette looked at Linda. “Are you okay with that?”

Linda nodded and Bette walked away. Only when she turned the corner did Linda say, “What happened?”

“Wes called me. Apparently when Clive went over to feed Buster, he found that someone had broken in.”

“Is Buster all right?”

“Buster's fine, and strangely enough not much was taken, or even damaged. So Clive called Wes and Wes called the police.” Stuart wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket. “Wes didn't want you to know about it. Didn't want it to ruin your so-called holiday.”

“It is a holiday. You can think what you like. It makes no difference to me.”

“Wes and a girl named Chloe are staying at the house until you get home.”

“Chloe? I've met her a few times. I didn't know it was serious.”

Stuart shrugged. They avoided each other's eyes; to talk about ordinary things was more painful than anything else.

“I've asked Wes to have the locks changed.”

“Good idea.”

“And I cancelled all the credit cards, just in case.”

Linda's head flew up. “Oh, right.”

“Will that be a problem for you?”

“Would you care if it was?”

He closed his eyes. “Don't.”

“I didn't, Stuart. You did.”

Linda left him standing by the elevator. When she returned to the room Bette was waiting for her. “Are you okay? Did they trash the place?”

Linda shook her head. “Not much was taken. But that's why he cancelled the credit cards. Where are Augusta and Gemma?”

“Maybe they're getting ice or something.”

Linda took off her coat and threw it on a bed. “Would they both go?” She looked around. “Our parcels aren't here. Surely they wouldn't get ice holding shopping bags.”

Bette looked around too. “They've put them somewhere.” She checked the closet and the drawers. Linda looked under the beds and behind the curtains. They both went into the bathroom. They couldn't find a thing.

“They never got back.”

Linda bit her lip. “They must have stopped for a drink, or maybe a bite to eat.”

“Gemma said she had a headache. I can't imagine them stopping anywhere.”

Linda hurried over to her phone. “We'll call them. Augusta has her cell with her.” She pressed the numbers and waited. “It's shut off. That's not like her. She always has it on, in case the girls need her.”