The Chilling Spree (43 page)

“Because you’ve started over before?” the
middle man asked. “We’re all too old to consider pulling up stakes
and starting over somewhere else. Besides, there are roots here,
considerations that cannot be so easily dismissed.”

“Hmm,” Eugene grinned. “My
wife
would
agree. So what do we do about this latest wrinkle? I thought our
man inside assured us that Franchetta was certain that Helen
Eriksson would disappear after Datello was arrested. We made sure
it happened, and here she is, still in Darkwater Bay, still posing
risks to our operation. And yes, my young friend, still the thorn
in your proverbial or perhaps literal side. So what do you propose
we do about it? As the two of you are so fond of reminding me, I’m
too old to beat around the bush, so let’s hear your
suggestions.”

“Death would suit me just fine,” the
youngest uttered under his breath.

“Excuse me?”

“Eugene, he’s frustrated. This hasn’t been
easy for him, and well… other than Luke’s rather grisly murder,
there have been a few other disturbing developments –”

“Rumors,” the youngest man snarled. “Just
rumors!”

Middle man patted his arm. “Of course they
are. But regardless, we’ve put off the final solution for far too
long, relied on faulty information from people who clearly had no
idea what Helen Eriksson’s true agenda in Darkwater Bay was all
along. So now, we face a decision.”

Eugene shrugged. “I’m open to suggestions.
It’s no secret that I’m not the decision maker in this little
partnership of ours. I presume you asked me to be here because of
my connections.”

“Yes,” the youngest nodded. “I’ve been
thinking about this, considering what it’ll take to be rid of her
once and for all.”

Eugene smirked, “And here I thought that
murdering one’s former spouse should’ve done the trick. Yet here we
are. Clever how all of that has suddenly shifted from murder to
suicide.”

“Our man inside doesn’t buy that for a
second,” youngest shook his head adamantly.

“So you’ve said,” Eugene nodded. “So what’s
the bill? Who are you looking for to take care of the problem?”

Middle man and youngest man shared a brief
glance.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” middle
man asked.

“An anchor around her neck suits me just as
well.”

Eugene barked out a rasped laugh. “Let’s not
forget what got us into business in the first place.”

“We know your motivation, Gene,” youngest
man sneered, “and it has less to do with profit than it does –”

“Let’s not rehash, gentlemen,” middle man
mediated. “We’ve been observing her quietly for months, Gene. She’s
headstrong, willful, resourceful and completely lacks hesitation of
any kind when it comes to eliminating obstacles. She won’t go
easily.”

Eugene rubbed his surgically tightened chin.
“So we’re thinking someone who enjoys the challenge, yes? He can’t
be put off easily by disobedience.”

“She’ll still have to be broken a bit before
the transaction,” middle man said.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Gene
chuckled. “Our friend rather enjoys that responsibility in the time
he spends with the merchandise prior to the transaction taking
place. She’ll break. They all do.”

Youngest curled his fingers into the lapel
of Eugene’s coat. “I want this done, do you understand me? I want
it done now! I want this woman gone, out of our lives once and for
all. I don’t want to have to worry that she’ll ever come back, ever
show up again. Are we clear, Eugene?”

He regarded the almost insane fervor in his
determined partner’s eyes, wondered if he’d ever felt so strongly
about anything in his life. Sure, he knew there was history with
this woman, that his business associate had good reason for her to
leave Darkwater Bay, but could he possibly understand what he was
sentencing Helen Eriksson to?

“You do realize of course, that the results
can be… unpredictable when training begins later in life.”

Youngest opened his mouth, but middle man
cut him off.

“We’re aware, Eugene, which is why I believe
he’s asked for a collector who has no qualms about doing anything
to keep his merchandise in his possession. And I shouldn’t have to
remind you that you just promised us that they all break in
time.”

“Yes, I’m just not certain there could ever
be enough time for
this
one to break. I read the papers
after all.”

“Can you find someone or not?” youngest
hissed. “That’s the bottom line here. Either you can do the job, or
you can’t Eugene. If not, stop wasting my time, and I’ll find
someone who can.”

Eugene wondered where, if the church
directory might offer the solution the young man sought. He stifled
his laughter. “You already know the answer to that question, my
friend. I’ll make the contact and arrange everything on the
receiving end. If you want this transaction to remain profitable,
I’d suggest the timing coincide with our planned delivery to
Darkwater Bay in a few weeks. Or are we concerned that the good
detective can’t mind her own business for even that long?”

“She’ll mind it.”

Gene regarded his partners, the grim
determination of one, the barely concealed irritation of the other
as he tried to mediate, to broker one more deal. It had been a good
run, but perhaps it was time to pull up stakes and retire somewhere
without the stress that seemed to shroud these two.

“If she doesn’t, I’ll put an end to the
problem myself. With my bare hands, if necessary,” youngest said.
“Eugene, this will be the last time we speak until this matter is
resolved. Do a good job, and I’ll find a bonus very much to your
liking in the matter.”

His senses sparked to life. “Indeed. How
much
to my liking?”

“Very young, very trainable,” the youngest
man said.

Eugene smiled. “Then I should have good news
for you soon, gentlemen.” He gave a single mock salute to the
youngest before addressing the middle man. “And I’ll give your love
to my wife if you like.”

“Tell her I’ll be in touch very soon,”
middle man said.

Johnny slumped into bed beside me.  I
wasn’t asleep, even though it was nearly midnight again.  I
snuggled back against him.

“You’re awake?”

“Like I could sleep until I knew you were
home safe and sound.”

Johnny sighed.  “How’s Crevan?”

“Too quiet.  He didn’t seem
particularly upset that Madden killed Underwood.”

“Sadly, that seems to be the prevailing
attitude downtown.  He deserved his day in court, Doc. 
The guy got off too easy if you ask me.”

“I know it’s hard for you.”

“When you talked to Madden, did he say
anything?”

I rolled over and peered at Johnny in the
darkness.  “Not a word.  He wouldn’t even look at
me.”

“They told me you asked to see him in a room
where the conversation couldn’t be recorded.”

“We agreed that it would be off the record,
Johnny.  I thought if he was going to talk to me, he might
open up if he knew we were in a room where recording isn’t
permitted.  I don’t think he even realized where we
were.  I’m not sure he understood a word I said to him
either.”

“Well, he’s not even talking to his
lawyers,” Johnny said.  “It’s weird.  When he shot
Underwood, he never said a thing.  When we pulled our weapons
and told him to drop the gun, he did it.  He laid down on the
cement and put his hands behind his head.”

“That is odd.”

“It’s like… I don’t know, he was resigned to
being arrested.  The only thing he said was that he wanted a
lawyer.”

“Nothing more?”

“At the time, I thought it was because he
knew we had him dead to rights.  Like I said, the news media
was right there, caught the whole thing on tape.  I’m not so
sure anymore.  He sure seemed to take a shine to you from day
one.  You’re sure he didn’t say or do anything?”

“Honestly, he acted like he was in
shock.”

“I can’t figure out how he knew we even
arrested Underwood, Helen.  It’s got me stumped.  How did
he know when to show up?”

“Maybe he figured that we caught him. 
It was probably all over the morning news that a press conference
was scheduled at the district courthouse to address the recent
murders.  It wasn’t like we hid the fact that Underwood was
our primary suspect.”

“Shit,” Johnny muttered.  “I know
you’re right.  I just hate it that something we might’ve
inadvertently said pushed this guy into killing someone.”

“Johnny, there was no way to foresee
this.  I was as surprised as you were when you told me what
happened.”

His arms tightened around me.  “I
know.  It’s just hard to accept, that we went through all of
this and Underwood skirts his day in court anyway.  At least
we’ve got Madden.”

“You realize his lawyers will argue against
competency.”

“I don’t doubt it a bit.  Guess I was
hoping you saw something different than we did.”

“Because it would demonstrate that he’s
merely acting?”

“Yeah, but I’d rather not think about it or
talk right now.  I’m glad it’s over.  If Madden snapped,
Zack will do the right thing.  I guess there’s one upside to
all of this.”

“What’s that?  Aside from the fact that
Underwood can’t hurt anyone else.”

“No trial saves the taxpayers a boatload of
money.”

I slid my hands beneath Johnny’s
t-shirt.  “I can think of a few things that might take your
mind off work for a few hours.”

“Helen,” he whispered.

“I want you.”

“Yeah, I know.  I’m worried.”

“About?”

“You seem too calm about all of this –
Underwood’s murder, Madden being such a blank slate.  It
doesn’t feel like you.”

I tugged the t-shirt up, without much
resistance.  In fact, Johnny helped me strip it away when it
got to his shoulders. 

“Don’t you see this for what it really is?”
I asked.  “I’m ready, Johnny.  I’m ready to put all of
this behind me now.  It’s time for the next chapter, for
our
life, a future we both want.”

God help me, but this time, he bought the
lie, hook, line and sinker.

If only getting out was really that
easy.  What had Underwood said?  Crevan’s lust was
unnatural. 
Not of the father
.  My problem was a
whole lot worse.  Everything about me was exactly of my
father.  I was certain that there was no escaping that
truth. 

It’s always the certainty that proves us
wrong in the end. None of us saw the collision course looming on
the horizon. Not Johnny. Not Crevan. Most of all, not me. Drifting
away from law enforcement wouldn’t stop events that were destined
to unfold. It was already much too late for that. Then again, not
even I understood how much like Wendell I really am.