Slumbered to Death (12 page)

“Hi, Mary. Dad, how are you?”

“I’m okay,” he said, exasperation and impatience mingling in his tone.

“He’s in pain, and the stitches are starting to itch,” Mary said.

“Mary,” Gideon admonished.

“What, Gideon? Why is that classified information? She’s your daughter and she wants to take care of you. Most people should be so lucky.” His scowl deepened, but he didn’t comment. Mary turned her attention to Sadie. “Have you eaten? Supper’s on the stove. Help yourself.”

Sadie went into the kitchen, trying hard to quash her bubble of resentment. She liked Mary, liked her very much. She approved of her interest in Gideon. Why did it hurt to see them together? Was it because Gideon and Victoria had never seemed so happy or was it because Gideon was warmer to Mary than he was to Sadie? Whatever the reason, the feeling was ridiculous and one that Sadie vowed to overcome. She wanted Gideon to find someone who had a chance of making him happy. She wanted Mary to be happy. She wanted to have a peaceful, mature relationship with her father. As far as Sadie could tell, Mary might be the key to making that happen.

By the time she returned to the living room, she had banished her immature jealousy and she was smiling. “What were you guys talking about when I came in? It sounded like a party.”

“We were reliving old times,” Mary said. “Did your dad ever tell you about the time one of the rookies almost shot him?”

“No,” Sadie said, settling into the recliner as she prepared for a good yarn.

“You make it sound worse than it was,” Gideon groused.

“I haven’t made it sound like anything at all because I haven’t told the story yet. Hush. Anyway, Sadie, your dad was in his office when one of the new recruits decided to put on a show. He thought he was some sort of sharp shooter and had brought in one of his personal revolvers. So he loaded the gun, spun the barrel, clicked it into place and BLAM! It went off, shot through a wall, and lodged in your dad’s filing cabinet, a mere three inches from his head.”

“What did you do, Dad?” Sadie said. She couldn’t believe her dad had never told her such a harrowing near-death story before. How many others had he been keeping from her over the years?

When Gideon didn’t reply, Mary answered. “He marched out of the office to dead silence. Everyone was staring at him. The little pipsqueak in question stood quaking in his boots, the gun dangling limply from his hand. Gideon took the gun, dumped the bullets into his hand, shoved one in the guy’s front shirt pocket and said, ‘I’ll tell you when you can put it back in, Barney Fife.’ And that was the end of that.”

“Oh, Dad,” Sadie said, laughing. The same sort of cool detachment and perfectionism that made her dad a not-so-warm father had probably made him an excellent police chief.

“That was one of hundreds of stories I could tell you. It seemed like there was always some mini-crisis there, some fire for Gideon to put out, and he did it better than anyone. The place hasn’t been the same since he left. Everyone misses him.” Realizing she may have revealed too much, Mary buried her head in her food, tucking in to her chicken pot pie with relish.

“This pie is amazing, Mary. I had no idea you could cook like this,” Sadie said.

“It is good,” Gideon agreed, which was so surprising that Mary and Sadie looked up at him. “What? I can say nice things. You’re also the best secretary I ever had, and the only one I didn’t want to hit upside the head with a board.”

Mary’s cheeks were definitely glowing now, and Gideon looked a little flushed, too. Sadie decided it was time for a rescue. “Anything in your compliment bag for me, Dad?”

“You’ve been less trouble than I expected since you came back, daughter,” Gideon said. “Keep the status quo.”

“Inspiring words, Dad. Thanks.”

“Well, I have words for Sadie,” Mary said. “You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman, not just outside but in, as well. You’re smart and capable and spirited. Victoria would have been proud. Any parent should be.” She raised her water glass to Sadie and took a sip.

“Oh, yeah, Victoria was proud of her creation, all right,” Gideon muttered.

“Gideon, she’s gone. Let her rest in peace,” Mary said.

Sadie held her breath. Even this many years after her death, her mom was still a touchy subject for her dad. Usually any mention from Sadie was enough to earn an explosion from him. Now he took a breath, changed his mind, and let it out with a whoosh. “Probably right,” he said. “Let’s watch the news.” He reached for the remote and Sadie bit back a retort. How much news did one person need? Her dad usually had it blaring all day. The visit with Mary was probably the longest he had gone without watching in years.

Mary gave Sadie a look. Sadie wasn’t sure what it was supposed to mean. Was she saying that Gideon needed the emotional reprieve the television provided? Was his life so hard that he had to drown it in news coverage to survive? She would never understand her father, never. Even with Mary as a guide, Gideon was a baffling mystery. Two women who cared about him sat a few feet away, and yet he preferred the company of reporters he didn’t know. Nonetheless, she sat and watched the news cycle repeat itself for ninety minutes before she gave up and went home.

“I’ll walk out with you,” Mary said. “See you, Gideon.”

“See you,” Gideon murmured without tearing his attention from the TV.

“How do you stand it?” Sadie whispered once they were free and clear of the house. “He would rather watch that stupid box than interact with either of us.”

“It’s hard to see him like that,” Mary said.

“Like what?” Sadie asked. As far as she was concerned, Gideon was acting perfectly normal.

“Withdrawn, listless, adrift, without purpose,” Mary said.

“Mary, I hate to disillusion you, but that’s how he always is, it’s how he’s always been.”

“Maybe at home, but at work, he was a different man. As a chief, Gideon was an inspiring leader, the kind of guy that men would willingly have followed into a haze of gunfire or died for. He always had the right answer, always knew the wise decision. He was good at balancing politics with reality, good at schmoozing the higher ups without losing touch with the little guy. In short, he was amazing at what he did.”

Sadie had seen her dad in action at work too many times to disagree. “He always gave his best to work. We got scraps and leftovers.”

“He knew what to do at work. He didn’t know what to do with you or Victoria. He couldn’t order you around and make you fall into line, and the deep emotional stuff has never come easily for him. He needs to be taught how to communicate in that way. Unfortunately he and your mom didn’t communicate well. Now he’s stuck in that same pattern with you. And without work as an outlet, he has nothing. What does he do all day? He fishes and watches the news. He’s fifty five years old, Sadie, and he acts like a withered, bitter old man. This is not good, this is not good at all.” She glanced worriedly at the house and Sadie followed suit.

Should she be worried about Gideon? Mary was, but Mary was most likely in love with him. To Sadie, Gideon was acting normally, but Mary saw something different, something sinister. “What do you suggest?”

“He needs a job or a hobby,” Mary said. “And he needs you.”

Sadie sputtered a laugh. “He doesn’t need me. He doesn’t even want me.”

“He does,” Mary argued. “He may be horrible at conveying it, but he loves you, and he’s proud of you, and he wants you in his life.”

Arguing was too painful. Pointing out that Gideon had kicked her out of his house and told her not to come back that very morning hurt too much. Instead she shook her head. “I think you’re wrong on this one, Mary.”

“I’m not, Sadie. I’ve known Gideon for fifteen years. I worked with him every day for twelve of those years. I saw him at his worst, I saw him at his best, I lunched with him, listened to him talk about you, about Victoria, about his life. Maybe I’m biased because he and I are friends, or maybe I have a soft spot for guys who need rehabilitation, but there’s potential in Gideon; I feel it. I
know
it.”

“I’m going to have to take your word for it,” Sadie said. “I’m trying to do my duty by dad, I’m trying to be a good daughter and stay in touch, but I have no hope for a miraculous reconciliation. Dad is who he is, our relationship is what it is, and there’s too much water under the bridge for much change.”

“Sadie, I understand where you’re coming from, but I don’t think you mean it. All little girls love their dads and want a relationship with them, even if they’re royal jerks sometimes.”

Tears sprang to Sadie’s eyes. She sniffed them away and swallowed them down. “You’re spot on with the royal jerk part, Mary.”

Mary smiled, not calling her on her tears or her attempt to brush off the conversation. “How’s your case coming?”

“So far so good. Hopefully we’ll find some more answers and wrap things up tomorrow.”

“Sounds like you were sort of cut out for this detective stuff.”

Sadie shrugged, more pleased by the compliment than she wanted to admit. “Thanks for checking on Dad, feeding him, and keeping him company. It’s nice to not feel like I’m alone in having to look out for him.”

“On most days I would say Gideon is fully capable of looking out for himself. He’s in more pain than he’s willing to admit, of course.”

“Of course,” Sadie echoed.

“He’ll be back on his feet in no time.”

Mary didn’t sound enthused by the prospect. “His physical recovery isn’t all that’s important. You’re the one who said he’s lonely. Don’t let him be lonely, Mary.”

“I’m not sure it’s up to me,” Mary said. “Gideon is his own person.”

“Gideon is prickly and impossible, but he genuinely likes you, and that’s more than he cares for anyone, including me.”

“Not true,” Mary said.

“Let’s agree to disagree on that.” She stepped forward and gave Mary a hug. “Don’t let him push you away. He needs you.”

“Ditto,” Mary whispered. She returned the hug, bustled to her car and drove away. Sadie turned to survey Abby’s house with a sigh. The light was on in Luke’s room, but nowhere else. The house, usually so welcoming and homey, looked unwelcome and a little bit daunting. Was there no soft place to fall in the world?

“I’m Sadie Cooper,” she whispered. “I’m just fine on my own, and I don’t need anybody.” She put up her head and walked to the house, trying hard to believe the lie.

Abby dropped Sadie at Ben’s house the next morning. Her car was due for its quarterly oil change. “It’s nice of that boy to offer to drop off your car at Ben’s house when he’s done with it,” Abby said.

“It is, isn’t it?” Sadie agreed. It was the sort of arrangement of which Gideon would not approve.
You treat men like they were born to serve you,
he would say. But she hadn’t cajoled the oil technician into delivering her car. She hadn’t even flirted with him. She had been cheerful and friendly, and he had made the offer. Was it so wrong to take him up on it? Was it wrong to ask him to drop the car at Ben’s house instead of Abby’s? Maybe she had pushed things a little by asking it to be done by noon, but he hadn’t seemed to mind.

Sadie tried to be on time and arrive precisely at nine. Though he hadn’t said as much, she had the sense that Ben had an impeccable sense of timing.  Abby dithered on the doorstep, fretting about her inability to tag along.

“I have all these social engagements, you see,” she explained to Ben. “Sadie does a lot of the footwork for our company, but I keep up appearances in the community. One can never be too concerned with social conventions.”

“I wholeheartedly agree,” Ben said. “Connections are important; ask any good mogul or politician. You ladies are lucky to have each other. Think how hard it would be for one person to do it all.”

Abby seemed mollified by this. Ben offered her tea, but she declined. “You’re probably right,” he agreed. “We really should be going. I’m anxious to have this over and done with as soon as possible. Another time, perhaps. You still owe me that conversation about Victorian architecture.”

“Of course,” Abby agreed. “Any time.”

“She’s a dear,” Ben said as Abby left. Then he walked Sadie to the car and opened her door.

“She’s the best,” Sadie agreed. “Abby is…unconventional. But once she’s on your side, her loyalty is boundless. She’s seen me through more than one life crisis, that’s for sure.”

Ben shot her a sympathetic glance, and she looked away, embarrassed. She hadn’t meant the statement to sound self-pitying. She wasn’t a fan of laying her troubles at another’s feet. “I mean, you know, she always knows which shoes go with which outfit, that sort of thing,” she added

He smiled as he turned back to the road. “You can’t fool me, Sadie Cooper. You’re deep. Admit it.”

“And ruin my frivolous image? Never.”

“I shouldn’t be having fun. This is horrible, but I’m so relieved this all might be over soon.”

Sadie didn’t want to sound like the voice of doom, so she kept her comments to herself. But she didn’t understand how seeing Edmond Hankins in person would end things. Why was Ben so convinced that Edmond had anything to do with his nightmares?

They arrived just as someone else was pulling into the driveway. A woman got out of the car and studied them through narrowed eyes. “Who are you?” were her first words.

“I’m Sadie Cooper, and this is Ben White. We’re looking for Edmond Hankins.”

“What do you want with Ed?”

“He and Mr. White were in the army together, and we would like to ask him a few questions.”

“I didn’t know Ed was in the army,” she said. “Then again, we don’t talk much about our lives before. They weren’t very happy. I thought maybe his harpy wife sent you here. The woman issued a missing persons report. Can you believe that? Take the hint, lady: Ed doesn’t want you. Let him go.”

With effort, Sadie banished the thought of Nora Hankin’s sad face, along with the faces of her three young children who were now without a father, deadbeat though he was. Obviously Edmond Hankins was hiding so he wouldn’t have to pay child support. In Sadie’s opinion, that made him the worst sort of man. “I’m sorry; I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’m Shelly Knowles. C’mon, let’s go see if Ed wants to talk to you.” She stretched her neck back and forth. “Night shift is a killer, you know? If my deadbeat husband would hand over some support, then I wouldn’t have to work like this.”

She turned. Ben and Sadie exchanged a look behind her back. Was he thinking what she was thinking? Shelly Knowles seemed to have a double standard for her life; she wanted her husband to pay her support, but she had no concern for Nora Hankins or her children. Ben grimaced and shook his head in disgust. Yes, apparently he was thinking the same thing.

“Wait here while I make sure Ed is up and wants to talk,” Shelly commanded. Ben and Sadie stood on the porch, staring at their dilapidated surroundings. The lawn hadn’t been mowed in what looked like a long time. Paint was peeling from the rails and slats. A large pile of fallen leaves huddled in a corner.
Looks like Ed isn’t any more energetic here than he was at his last house,
Sadie thought. She hoped she would be able to keep the distaste out of her tone and expression when she met the elusive Mr. Hankins. If there was one thing she couldn’t abide in a man, it was laziness.

“Looks like old Ed needs to get off his butt and get busy,” Ben whispered.

Sadie’s chuckle was interrupted by a piercing scream. She and Ben glanced at each other in alarm before scrambling over each other to dash inside. Shelly was bent over a man in a recliner.

“He’s dead!” she screamed, clutching Edmond Hankins hands to her as if she could revive him by sheer will.

Sadie wasn’t sure. He looked like he was asleep. There was no blood, no apparent wound. She and Ben pressed closer. Ben moved Shelly out of the way with a command to call an ambulance. He pressed his hand to the man’s neck and looked at Sadie with a shake of his head.

Though she was hysterical, Shelly moved into the other room and dialed 911. Sadie could hear her sobbing on line with the dispatcher. “Heart attack?” she whispered. He didn’t appear overly large, but if he was a slacker in his personal life as much as he was about his house, then it was a safe bet that he didn’t take good care of himself.

Ben shook his head. His eyes were glazed, his pupils widening with shock. Sadie reached out and clutched his forearm. “Ben, what is it? Say something.”

“His neck. His neck is broken.” He pushed Edmond Hankins head. When he removed his hand, the head flopped unnaturally and grotesquely to the side.

“How did you know that?” she whispered. How could he tell from looking when she hadn’t been able to?

He clutched her hand in both of his. “Because it’s the way we were trained to kill men in the army. Sadie, what’s going on?”

He was shaking, trembling all over like he was having convulsions. Sadie led him to the couch and shoved him to a sitting position. His face was white, his eyes huge and fevered. “Sit here for just a minute while I check on Shelly, okay?” He nodded, staring straight ahead and gulping as if trying hard not to be sick.

Sadie went to the kitchen and retrieved Shelly who was weeping on the floor. Though she didn’t know why, she felt the need to keep an eye on both of them. She pulled Shelly to a standing position and led her zombielike back to the couch. The minutes ticked while they waited for the police and an ambulance to arrive. Sadie stood sentinel in front of the shocked and trembling duo on the couch. She felt as if any moment one of them might keel over into a dead faint on the floor, and her guard duty didn’t end when the authorities arrived. The police began pelting questions at all of them; Sadie was the only one coherent enough to answer. She placed an encouraging hand on each of their shoulders when it was their turn to talk. Ben’s story she already knew; he had arrived with her. Shelly had been at work since midnight; an entire team of coworkers could verify her alibi.

“Why are you here?” one of the officers asked Sadie.

Tricky,
Sadie thought. Though they were innocent, any answer she might give could sound incriminating in light of the murder. “I’ve been looking for Mr. Hankins for the last few days,” she said. She paused to see how that news went over. Not well if the frown the detective gave her was any indication.

“You’ve been looking for him. Why?”

“Because he disappeared. His wife filed a missing persons’ report.”

This was news to the officer. Sadie could tell by the way he tried to hide his surprise. “Are you friends with the wife?”

“No.”

“Does she know you found him?”

“No.” Poor Nora Hankins. As if she hadn’t suffered enough because of her husband, now she was going to be under suspicion for his murder. “She has three small children. I seriously doubt she would leave them to come kill their father. Especially because she’s a short woman. Her arms didn’t look powerful enough to…” she waved toward the body, not wanting to say the words “to break someone’s neck.”

The detective tipped his head to the side. “That’s a very odd thing for a civilian to say.”

“I’m only half a civilian. My dad was a cop, and I’m a private detective, I guess.”

“You guess? You mean you don’t know?”

“It’s new,” Sadie said. She didn’t like the detective’s tone. He reminded her too much of Gideon, and she was becoming defensive.
Don’t get mouthy; don’t say anything you’ll regret. Keep calm.
“It’s too bad you guys didn’t find Mr. Hankins when his wife was looking for him. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” Too late, she bit her tongue.
Way to keep your cool, Sadie.

“It’s too bad you did find him,” the detective replied. “Maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

They squared off, glaring. “What’s your name?” Sadie asked. She didn’t know him, and he obviously didn’t know her if he didn’t know she was Gideon’s daughter. Though he was middle-aged, he must be new.

“Detective Jenks.”

“Jenks, you’re going in my file.” Even Sadie didn’t know what that meant, but she thought it sounded impressive. She put her hands on her hips and stared unblinking up at him.

“And you’re going in mine, Miss Cooper. Believe me when I tell you that mine is much more ominous than yours.”

“Are we done?” Ben’s voice sounded feeble. Sadie and Detective Jenks looked at him in surprise as if they had forgotten he was there.

“For now,” Jenks said. Sadie rolled her eyes. That was the kind of stuff the police always said when they wanted to maintain the upper hand of intimidation.

“If you want anything further from either of us, you can contact our lawyers,” Sadie said. She didn’t have a lawyer, but she couldn’t stand the thought of the obnoxious Detective Jenks winning their encounter.

“I just might do that,” Jenks said.

“See that you do,” Sadie said. She bustled Ben out the door to make sure the last word was hers.

She took Ben’s keys and drove him home, keeping her arm around his waist as she ushered him inside. She made tea, not because she wanted any, but because it seemed like the sort of thing that might soothe him. She handed him the steaming cup, and he took it with shaking hands. After a long draw of the hot liquid, he spoke.

“I can’t believe the way you talked to that officer.”

Sadie took a breath to speak, but before she could apologize, he hurried on. “That was amazing. I was scared to death he was going to start accusing us. You have to admit it looked suspicious for us to be there, and you put him on the defensive.”

“People who aren’t guilty have nothing to fear from the police,” Sadie said. “They’re mortal, just like everyone else. The badge doesn’t give them the right to trample the rights of others.”

He reached out and clasped her hand. His fingers were cool and still trembled slightly. “I’m so glad you were with me today, Sadie. I don’t know what I would have done without you. When I saw Ed like that, so many memories came rushing back. I’m afraid I sort of lost it, and I’m sorry. I’m embarrassed over my behavior.”

“Ben, don’t be. Please. If you didn’t react badly to seeing a dead body, then you wouldn’t be normal.”

He studied her and she read the unspoken charge in his expression.
You didn’t react badly to seeing a dead body.

She forced a smile. “Nobody ever accused me of being normal.” In truth, she had no idea why the sight of the lifeless man hadn’t affected her.  Maybe because her first priority became taking care of the two people who were falling apart or maybe because she knew she needed to be coherent to talk to the police.
In every emergency, someone needs to have a clear head
. How many times had she heard Gideon say that? How many times had she heard him express frustration because a witness fell apart and made his job more difficult? Perhaps she had internalized his complaints and determined to do a better job if it was ever her turn to be a witness.