The Queen and I (31 page)

Melissa screamed in horror as Louis began to make the descent to the cellar, and Jeffrey was quick to pull her behind him as the attacker centered himself in the small room and surveyed the surroundings and his prey. He was measuring all of them for weakness and strength, deciding who it was he would take first. Jeffrey was finally able to make out the features of his face again and noticed that Louis appeared to be speaking to someone, although no words were coming from his mouth. It was obvious that the man was suffering from some kind of a delusional episode, and Jeffrey hoped he could use it to his advantage.

Schultz screamed at Grecko, “Louis! It’s me, Heinrich! You don’t want to hurt me; it’s them that you want. It’s Rothstein who has to die.” He paused for a moment to assure himself that Louis was listening and continued, “Remember that you promised to sing for me when this was all over? The two of us were going to go to a concert together?”

Heinrich watched hopefully as Louis’s eyes seemed to drift to a far-offplace. Louis was on stage. There was an audience filled to capacity to hear him sing all of his favorite arias in that perfect soprano. He smiled at the thought and turned his attention to Heinrich; there was recognition in his eyes.

“Mother is dead,” he said calmly.

Schultz blinked in surprise to hear this revelation, but was not entirely surprised, based on Louis’s behavior.

“The Way took her,” Louis continued. “It told me that you and Rothstein wanted her gone.”

“That’s not true, Louis,” Heinrich said defensively. “I liked your mother very much; I like you, too. Why would I want to hurt your mother?”

Louis once again stared off into that distant place and said, “The bunnies say you must join her.”

Jeffrey and Jacob exchanged puzzled glances as they watched the two men converse, and the mention of bunnies only confused them more.

“The bunnies said that you are evil, and you will never understand the Way.”

“That’s not true, Louis,” Schultz pleaded. “I understand the Way, I’m just a little fuzzy, but … but if you teach it to me, then we can follow the Way together.” Schultz looked at Grecko with hopeful eyes and was convinced he was getting through to the monster he had created and unleashed.

Louis turned back to Schultz and smiled, “You will never understand the Way.” He shook his head, “It’s time for you to leave now, Heinrich.”

Schultz cowered where he stood, and Jeffrey could feel Melissa’s body tense up behind him as Louis withdrew a butterfly knife from his pocket, a keepsake from the late Mendel Fujikawa. Heinrich recognized the blade immediately and screamed in unabashed fear as Jeffrey and Jacob made a move to try to help.

At once, in a blur of movement and phosphorescent green, cold air blew down into the cellar, and two hands reached down, seizing Louis by the collar, pulling him like a rag doll from the cellar below to the pantry above.

Jeffrey, Jacob, Melissa, and Schultz watched and listened as furniture was overturned, items were thrown, and cursing and garbled speech was heard from above. Jeffrey exchanged concerned glances with the others since they could not understand how Louis could possibly be putting up a fight with Saul.

The ghost was not of this world, and unless this Grecko fellow had a few demon friends in his back pocket, he was pretty sure Saul could handle himself. But this was taking too long, and it was becoming too quiet.

After a long moment of no sounds to be heard, Jeffrey motioned for everyone to stay where they were as he climbed the ladder of the cellar to investigate what had happened. What he saw when he got up there was a total mess of flung debris of the kitchen sort, pots, pans, spoons, cans of food, and a few overturned chairs. He found Louis lying in a crumpled heap of limbs and blood, and he realized his head had been twisted almost completely around. He looked around the room for Saul and could not find him. Jeffrey walked back to the cellar entrance and motioned for everyone to join him, and they huddled in the kitchen together, looking down at the dead Louis Grecko.

Saul was nowhere to be found, and this made Jeffrey very nervous and a little afraid. He had not realized how much the ghost had come to mean to him until this very moment when it appeared that Saul had made some kind of extreme sacrifice to protect his friend.

They all spun around, and Melissa screamed in surprise as Abby Tisch came in through the back door, her gun held shoulder high. She had the look of a crime detective on the hunt for the killer in a climactic conclusion to the novel. Her eyes went wider still when she spotted the destroyed form of Louis Grecko in the middle of the kitchen and immediately asked, “Where’s Saul?”

Jeffrey shook his head, and he could feel tears building up in his eyes. He was becoming scared and wanted to find his friend and help him now, but he had no idea where he was.

“Maybe he sacrificed himself to stop Louis,” Jacob offered.

“Maybe taking Louis’s life meant Saul had to sacrifice his own,” Melissa added. “Maybe those were the rules, and Saul broke them.”

Jeffrey’s heart sank at her words because they made too much sense. For whatever reason, Saul had been stuck here in this cabin for all of these years; it obviously had to do with the fact that the afterlife was governed by its own set of rules. It could quite possibly be that Saul had broken those rules when he killed Louis Grecko, and his punishment would be to never exist again, or even worse, exist in a place where no one deserved to go.

Melissa began to cry, and Abby was quick to comfort the girl, when the sound of Neil Diamond’s
Holly Holy
began to play over the speaker system. They all exchanged confused looks, and Jeffrey quickly ran through the kitchen door to the living room beyond and found Saul lying on his side; his hand was clinging to the edge of the cabinet stand where the sound system sat.

Jeffrey crouched to his knees and turned Saul over, his face was beaten, and his left eye was almost swollen shut.
This is beyond the realm of possibility,
Jeffrey thought,
but then again, the
whole concept of a ghost was beyond the realm of possibility only a couple of months ago
.

“Saul?” he asked softly. “Saul, can you hear me?”

Saul looked up at Jeffrey and asked, “Isn’t it beautiful, the music?”

Jeffrey looked up at the speakers and then back at Saul and agreed, “There’s nobody like Neil.”

Saul smiled and coughed; he looked at the remaining members of the party and said to Jeffrey, “We made a good team, didn’t we?”

Jeffrey was confused by all of this and answered, “We
are
a good team; you’re not going anywhere.”

A tear ran down Saul’s left cheek and he closed his eyes for a brief moment. Jeffrey watched in bewilderment at what was happening to his friend. He could not understand how any of this was possible, and he asked, “Is there anything I can get you, anything I can do for you?”

Saul smiled, took what seemed to be a long, last breath, and was still.

Melissa buried her head in Abby’s shoulder, and Abby herself began crying. Jacob was as confused as Jeffrey was, and Heinrich was still trying to grasp the fact that Louis was dead and that it was a ghost who had done it.

Jeffrey fought back tears of his own and said gently, “Saul?” There was no response. “Saul!” Again, this time with more force. He looked up at Jacob and Abby and asked, “What do we do now?”

“You can start by telling that miserable drama critic, Irving Davilman, that I can
to
do a death scene.”

Everyone froze in stunned relief as the ghost rose to his feet and brushed himself off for effect, all of his bruises magically disappearing since they had only been there for effect. He smiled at everyone and extended his arms, saying, “Ta-da!”

“You little mamzer!” Melissa said as she ran to hug him.

“That was not funny, Saul.” Abby was furious and relieved at the same time.

Jacob rubbed his temples and said, “I need a drink.”

Schultz became lightheaded and sat down while trying to compose himself. This was not what he had expected when he had woken up that morning.

Jeffrey smiled at the ghost and put a hand on his shoulder and said, “A performance that would make Meryl Streep green with envy.”

Saul blushed for effect and hugged Melissa Foreman.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Premier

The dust had cleared, inquiries had been made, funerals were held, and Heinrich Schultz was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

The small town of Zion was thrust into the public eye before it knew what was happening, and it became a household name in every dinner conversation and water fountain discussion across the country.

Mayor Baker did his best to portray his tiny hamlet as the peace-loving and serene place that it was, but there were those in the media who were determined to paint the small town out to be a sort of Amityville of the twenty-first century. Paparazzi from around the world came to see the site where a madman had tried to kill a well-known playwright and to find out how much the citizens knew of the fact that one of the world’s richest men had been behind the scheme to pull off the murder.

Jeffrey, for his part, tried to deflect as much attention as he could away from the residents of his new home, but there was the insatiable desire to find out those juicy tidbits that sold papers. There were rumors of a ghost who had assisted the playwright in his escape from the madman, resulting in the would-be-killer’s death. There was a report of a love triangle gone very wrong, which was the real cause of what had happened. Features aired on all of the networks on the people who were killed, and one of them, a Mendel Fujikawa, had been Heinrich Schultz’s secret lover. They even pried deep into Jeffrey’s life and uncovered the fact that Rachel was sleeping with the man who Jeffrey had bought the house from.

Made-for-TV movies were being planned, exposés equaled high ratings, and the little town of Zion was crushed under the ever-present weight of the prying eyes of visitors, tourists, and the morbid individuals of society who wanted to see the site of the haunted house where a killer had been murdered.

The New York City police department confirmed that the man who died was a Louis Grecko and that he was the chief suspect in the murder of his mother and the two young lovers found in the apartment just off of Kings Highway in Brooklyn. Sources even revealed that this Grecko was being considered in over eighty murders committed over the last thirty years, and some of those cases had already been solved with men who had been wrongly accused and prosecuted.

Jeffrey stayed away as much as he could to try to divert the attention away from the town, and after a while, it began to work. But Jeffrey still had things to do in Zion, and he needed to get back as soon as he could. There was work to be done, and his friend was waiting patiently for his return so they could finish what they had started.

For now, he was content to keep all of his correspondence between himself and the town via phone calls and text messages, mainly to Melissa, who then relayed them to Saul. But he also sent Jacob to and from the town to work on the notes Jeffrey had penned so that Saul could review the material and add his own personal touches to the story. The story of the innocent town that was turned upside down forever due to the machinations of a homosexual billionaire with an unhealthy affection for his cat, and the serial killer who talked to animals and trees while fancying himself an opera singer. It was to be Jeffrey’s greatest work, and it needed to be done just so.

He wished he could be there personally to do the rewrites himself, but that was simply not an option at the moment. He had to be content and trust that all of the fine touches could be completed by Jacob, who he now trusted with responsibilities other than messenger boy. Jacob was now a collaborator on the play, and Jeffrey could not be more pleased with the work that his friend was doing.

Abby Tisch had left the small town of Zion to go to New York and became Jeffrey’s press agent, for all intents and purposes. Rumors flew around the Broadway community that Jeffrey and she were an item, but for now, they only got the answer of “We’re very good friends.”

Jeffrey often thought about the small town that had changed his life forever and the people who had left an indelible mark on his career. Every word he wrote was with great respect for the people who wanted nothing more than to make him feel comfortable and at home. They wanted him to feel like he was one of them, and they never wanted him to leave. The mayor repeatedly called and asked for Jeffrey to return so they could throw a grand reception for him and give him the key to the city, but Jeffrey’s plans were greater than any his former neighbors had planned for him.

He made phone calls, got backers onboard, contacted Anders and Yvonne, and had them work out the kinks in the script together. Jeffrey made all of the arrangements to give the town of Zion what they thought they had always wanted and that only he could give them, their turn in the spotlight.

The word came in the form of a major announcement at a press conference held at Radio City Music Hall and Jeffrey, along with Jacob, Abby, and Mayor Baker, announced that the premier of the play
Katz
would be held in the tiny community theater of Zion, New York.

This was unheard of, many critics claimed it was nothing more than a bad publicity stunt, and Jeffrey was just exploiting the small town for his own personal gain, but he let those words fly by and paid them the attention that they deserved; he ignored them.

It was time for him to return to the town that had meant so much to him over the last year and that had helped him find his passion again and the ability to put his thoughts to paper, to bring his imaginations to life. He knew he would never forget the town of Zion, and he would always hold a special place in his heart for it and its people, but he also knew that in order to save the little town from a future that would destroy it, he would have this one last night to let them shine in the spotlight, and then he would see to it that they were never bothered again. He would return to Zion and say good-bye forever.

* * *

The cabin appeared to be quiet from the outside, but within it was a jumble of movement and organized chaos. Saul was arranging all of the fashions for the big premier and seeing to it that the town was prepared to put its best foot forward. He was helping with outfit design, alterations, and general decorations so that the world would know what fabulous meant, and when they thought of that word, the first thing that they would think of was Zion.

Jacob had made the introductions between Anders and Yvonne with Saul, and the three of them quickly became thick as thieves. All three were very careful to nurture and reassure young Melissa that she was going to be spectacular in her first-ever performance in a play written by a real, honest-to-God playwright. The girl was never happier than she was in those days leading up to the premier and loved the two actors who had made her their official little sister. They taught her how to accessorize, put on makeup, and how to make men beg for her attention. Saul chastised them to remember that she was still only a child and that she had the rest of her life to be corrupted. The drag queen and the leading man laughed it off and went about their business of tutoring young Melissa, preparing her for the arrival of the media and the cameras that would follow.

All throughout the town of Zion, banners were hung, decorations adorned every storefront, and the citizens readied themselves for the onslaught that was to come. This was their moment to shine, and they were not about to let it slip away from them. They would show the rest of the world that you truly could not judge a book by its cover and the small package that was the little town held a much larger personality.

A ceremony was planned at city hall for just before the premier so that the mayor could finally give Jeffrey that key he had promised, and so the entire community could say “Thank you” to the man who had changed their lives forever. They loved Jeffrey David Rothstein and were determined to convince him to never leave them.

* * *

The day of the premier finally arrived, and the town treated the day as an official holiday. Schools were closed, most businesses closed early, and the final touch-ups were completed to the small theater where they would perform the new play by Jeffrey David Rothstein,
Katz.

A crowd formed early, since people wanted to get the good seats outside of city hall for the key ceremony, and barriers were setup outside the theater in preparation for the crowds who would undoubtedly show up to get their pictures of the stars of stage and screen who had been invited to the show. Many members of the town were given special seats for the performance, but unfortunately they had to limit the number of tickets for them so that the media, critics, and backers who had funded the play to begin with would have their spots. In spite of all of that, the feeling in the town was not one of disappointment, but that of excitement, excitement for one of their own who had made good. Not just Melissa Foreman, who the town was so proud of, but also of Jeffrey, because he was, after all, one of them now, and he would be for life.

Jeffrey arrived with Jacob and Abby Tisch via limousine and police escort. The crowds awaiting him were electrified by the showy display of Broadway glamour at its finest. This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to the town, and the people of Zion would all remember this moment for the rest of their lives.

He emerged from the car to a roar of delight and approval and waved graciously to all who had come out. He made his way to the barricades so that he could take pictures, shake hands, and sign autographs for those who wanted them. Even Jacob was treated like a celebrity, and this made Jeffrey very happy. They had been through a lot together, and now it was as if this episode in their lives had taught them that they were better together than apart. They were a team now, and if Jeffrey had his way, they would be so for a long time; they had much more to offer and many more plays to write.

Abby was also being treated as a celebrity, and many members of her former community were anxious to ask what her relationship with Jeffrey was really like. She just smiled and casually held up her ring finger for everyone to see the diamond set in the gold band and said, “We’re very good friends.”

Jeffrey watched as she consorted with the new wave of photographers who now wanted to be the first to get a picture of the ring. Their relationship was not exactly the best-kept secret in town, but nobody had suspected that they were at this point. The truth was that shortly after the incident with Louis Grecko, the two of them had become very close as they comforted each other over the ordeal they had just experienced. They worked very hard to keep their true feelings for each other out of the public eye, but they had agreed that there was no better time to out their romance than at the premier in the town that they both loved so much.

Abby was the polar opposite of what Rachel was. She was spontaneous and free, kind and caring, and she was free with her emotions and not guarded at all about displaying them. She also happened to love his bubbe, and Bubbe felt the same. Her life had changed forever since she had met him, and she always wanted him to know how grateful she was that he had come into her life. They were joined now by forces that were stronger than any that she had ever known, and she had Jeffrey and the wonderful ghost, Saul, to thank for that.

The key ceremony was held, a brief cocktail party was enjoyed by all, and then the guests were escorted to the premier. Before the actors made their way to the stage, the performance was blessed with a prayer by Rabbi Jackson, and a song was offered by the town cantor, Rufus O’Neal.

Everyone in attendance waited with excitement as the lights went down and the curtain went up. This was what they had all been waiting for, and they would not be disappointed.

Katz
was a brilliant tale of innocence lost, forbidden love, mainly between the Schultz-based character and his cat, revenge and deception, and supernatural displays of friendship and trust. At first, the audience was left speechless, and then it erupted into applause and cries of “encore.”

The members of the cast were individually brought out, one after the other, to get their own private chorus of cheers, none louder than those for Melissa. And then the man of the hour, Jeffrey, was introduced to the audience, and the theater erupted anew. He received three curtain calls, and all in attendance knew that the master had returned and that he would soon reclaim his title of the prince of Broadway.

Jeffrey looked to the backstage area and saw Saul standing there with pride, applauding as loudly as he could. Jeffrey motioned for Saul to come out on stage with him, and the ghost emphatically shook his head no. Jeffrey motioned again, and Saul was still unwilling to go. Finally, Jeffrey pointed to Anders and Yvonne, and the two of them pushed the unsuspecting ghost out onto the stage.

The audience stopped applauding almost immediately, and a hushed silence fell over them. Some tried to make out what it was that they were seeing, and others were just overcome with fear at what was clearly a ghost standing before them.

Saul whispered to Jeffrey, “Are you out of your mind?”

“Give them a minute,” Jeffrey reassured his friend.

The silence continued, and finally, in the back of the theater came the sound of a lone round of clapping. It was shortly followed by two more, than a dozen, and before you knew it, the audience was standing and giving an ovation to the ghost, who up to now had only been a rumor, but who had also been the inspiration behind this incredible work.

Saul smiled broadly and took the bow that he so richly deserved. It was like being back on the stage at vaudeville all over again, except this time he was being praised for his work in the Broadway theater. His time had finally come, and he had seized it. From this moment on, there was no one or nothing that could take this moment away from him. Saul Milick had returned to the theater, and the people loved him.