The Wager (15 page)

T
urk O'Brien pulled into Gus and Gloria Gustafson's large driveway in his second car, a well-worn Toyota, and noted gratefully from the cars that the entire group appeared to be gathered. He pulled in next to Frank Simpson's Mercedes and made his way through the front yard area. He knocked on the front door. Gus himself opened the door and Turk moved into the impressive house. Turk found himself looking out glass windows stretching to the raised ceiling and staring out at an impressive panoramic ocean view.

"You and Bea are going to have to get out of this area for a while," Art Maloney advised him.

"You're sure this composite looks like me?"

"Damn sure!" Gus reinforced Art's opinion. He's got composites of Angus and Dogzilla, too. The others nodded.

"Not just out of this area," Esther warned.

Malcolm Brooks warned Turk that his lawyers had advised that the only place that would be safe from interference was Mexico or some other foreign country once he and Bea went ahead with their plans to get lawyers to contest the Power of Attorney. That if it became known that Bea was still alive then anywhere within the United States Bea would be subject to US law and Turk would be risking arrest as a kidnapper, and the rest of them as accomplices.

"I'd have to cross two states and an international border to

reach Mexico," Turk sighed. He was becoming weighed down with worry about Bea.

"There might be a way," Tyler suggested.

"I'll do anything," Turk vowed.

Tyler launched into an explanation of his shipments to Mexico of finished coffins for Mexican funeral homes. He explained that he was in partnership with a chain of Mexican funeral homes and part of his responsibility was the supplying of coffins of the highest quality wood. Tyler told them that every four months he arranged the shipping of twenty or so coffins in two of his trucks all the way from his funeral home to a funeral home in Guadalajara, Mexico. He added that a shipment was scheduled in the next two weeks. Everyone in the room figured out what he was suggesting at once.

"It might work," Gus Gustafson was the first to speak.

"I'll accompany the shipment personally as usual," Tyler volunteered. "Providing Honey, here, will accompany me."

Honey Pratt gasped. She realised that the Funeral Director was trapping her into remaining in his life, at least until Bea and Turk could safely reach Mexico. She realised her daughter was going to have convulsions at the thought of her heading off to Mexico with Tyler. She also realised that she had become much too fond of Tyler.

"I'll be just like Linda," Honey thought to herself. "Ty'll say he just wants to be a friend one of these days and I'll go around with a broken heart for the rest of my life."

"I'll have to go," Honey decided. "I'm not ready yet to cope with losing Tyler. But maybe it will be all right to tell Charlotte that I'm taking a trip to Mexico with Tyler. The girl still thinks our relationship is platonic."

"Yes, it just might work. Of course, your regular crew will have to be replaced unless you feel they would cooperate and

can be trusted," Esther Goodenough added more plotting to the plan. "But maybe a couple of the club members could drive the trucks in their place."

"I'll do it," Malcolm Brooks volunteered. "I was going to take a vacation anyway."

Linda Daniels gave him a look of absolute astonishment. It was the first time she had seen him since his arrest for drunk driving. She tried to still the ache in her heart as his voice continued to do something to her. He had not even called when her partner, another veterinarian, had notified him of the change in veterinarians.

"Providing Linda will come along and keep an eye on Trump. I wouldn't want to leave him behind."

"That's all he wants," Linda mused when she got over her shock. "A caretaker for Trump." But Linda could not believe that Malcolm was becoming so altruistic he was volunteering several weeks of his time to help someone he hardly knew and that he wanted her to accompany him.

"Maybe Monica will look after Trump," she suggested.

Malcolm gave a short, rueful laugh.

"Monica is not speaking to me! Broke our engagement after Raptor coiled around her. Claims her looks were damaged in that accident. We've recently reached a legal agreement."

"What about the baby?"

Malcolm felt his face redden. He felt considerable guilt and apprehension over the matter.

"My lawyers have negotiated custody once the child is born."

Linda's heart picked up its beat. The wretched way she had been feeling since Malcolm's engagement suddenly left her.

"You've changed, Malcolm."

"After all, Turk did save my life, my dear."

"I'll come with you." Linda could not believe she had agreed to such a foolhardy thing. But the pain of not seeing or talking to him was still raw.

"I must be a masochist," she decided, "but Bea does need help."

"Can you move the timing of the shipment up?" Linda realised that Turk O'Brien was frantic to get under way.

"Maybe to ten days from now."

Tyler told them that he would add two coffins from his own show room, put air holes in them and prepare his two trucks for the journey.

"Two coffins?"

"There might be a composite of Turk at the border, too, for all we know."

"I'll come along in one of my motorhomes," Gus Gustafson volunteered. "One of the ones used for shooting movies. That way we can cook, sleep in it and avoid restaurants and motels."

"Perfect," Tyler advised. "I'll take care of the details this afternoon and have my brokerage firm prepare the custom forms. I'll speed everything up. We can leave in ten days at the most."

Esther Goodenough advised everyone to stay away from Tyler's Funeral Home in the meantime in case they were being followed.

"Except for you Turk. You had better take cover there immediately along with Bea. That private detective may find someone who identifies you and tracks you to your house. Won't do him much good if you aren't there."

"I've put the Porsche in storage."

"What about Dogzilla" Gloria queried.

"No problem!" Tyler advised. "He can stay at the funeral home, too. Angus is already there. We'll fly them down once Turk and Bea get settled in Mexico."

"Esther and I will keep an eye on the dogs when you leave," Art Maloney volunteered.

"Virgie and I will alternate with you," Frank Simpson insisted.

Virginia Kelly nodded in agreement. "Maybe we could have some of our sessions in Tyler's place," she thought. Her son and daughter and their spouses were asking what was in the large trunk in her bedroom. "I'll ask Frank to move the trunk over there for a while."

N
orm Dixon was discreetly following Gus Gustafson when he noticed him turning into one of the wealthy estates at the top of the mountain. He was convinced the movie producer was one of the people who had removed Bea Broughton from the care home. The detective was surprised to find him pulling into the large estate at the top of the mountain.

"I'll be damned. These seniors include some very wealthy and powerful people." He pulled over down the street and inserted the address into his laptop.

"Malcolm Brooks lives there. My God, the CEO of Brooks Enterprises. Don't tell me he's a member of this club."

Norm instantly realised that the large estate he was viewing was a perfect place to have hidden Bea Broughton and for that matter the mysterious fellow she had been seeing. The place was big enough to hold a small army. The detective took in the security features around Malcolm Brook's house as he pretended to be checking out a city map in case anybody took notice of him. He noted the high wall all around the estate going most of the way down the mountain. He looked at the large, coded lock on the gate.

"That would be difficult to get through," he noted. Norm detected the presence of an alarm system on the entrance door and around all the windows of the house.

"All dependent on electricity," he noted.

Norm glanced around and started as he noticed one of Malcolm's house cars moving toward the gate. The gate sprang open to the signal of a remote control and the car came closer. He stared at his map hoping they would think he was a tourist but turned his head in time to notice that the middle-aged occupants of the car going out the front gate were likely Malcolm's household servants. Right after them came Gus Gustafson's car and a well-dressed man who he presumed might be Malcolm Brooks himself.

"There's just one car left in the driveway. Expensive. Probably belongs to Malcolm Brooks. The house must be empty. This might be a chance to look inside and see if Bea Broughton is hiding there."

The large detective contemplated breaking into Malcolm Brook's residence.

"Big penalty if I get caught. Might lose my license."

He had been keeping Gus Gustafson under surveillance for some time since his suspicion that Gus was one of the dog greeting people at the care home the night Bea disappeared but this was the first time he had trailed him to Malcolm Brook's residence. He was very familiar with Gus's usual schedule and the trip up the hill had been a surprise.

"Dog walking park, eight to nine. Movie office, nine-thirty to four thirty. Stops by his favourite health club and does a workout for an hour until five thirty, and then drives himself home. Eats dinner with his wife and often they go out in the evening."

Norm glanced at his watch. It was 10:30 in the morning.

"Perfect place for Bea Broughton to be hiding," the detective told himself again. "Bet the servants won't be back until this afternoon. I can't miss this opportunity. Might be the break I've been waiting for."

The big man put on a jogging jacket and runners, started jogging next to Malcolm Brook's fence, waited until he reached a spot where Malcolm's neighbours could not see him from the street and made a lumbering run at Malcolm's fence. As he reached the high, metal fence he desperately leaped at the fence and grabbed onto it as high up as he could. He pulled his bulk up with great difficulty and barely managed to hurl himself over the top. Norm landed with a whump and pulled himself to his feet with difficulty.

"Got to lose weight," his body told him. "Too much sitting around watching people in this job." The detective limped slowly toward the house. His right heel had still not healed from the Pitbull attack. The detective spotted a window that could not be seen from the street. He glanced at the alarm system on the window and quickly cut a key wire. A quick prodding of the window lock with the specialized tools he always carried had the window open. Norm had to wiggle frantically to get his large body through the window and he landed with a bang in Malcolm Brook's living room.

"Thank God! Doesn't seem to be anyone here."

Norm desperately tried to get his breath back as he pulled himself up from the floor. The sight of a large, boa constrictor coiled on a wooden perch inside a glass cage fired up his already activated adrenaline. The big man hastily glanced around.

"My God, what else has he got in this place?"

Norm felt his body shudder as whooping from Malcolm's Howler monkeys that he kept in a glassed in porch near the dining room reached him. He glanced at the tropical fish tank covering one wall of the living room and realised that it contained two large, oval, brown fish with large teeth.

"Pyrannas, he thought anxiously. "I wonder where the black widow spiders are."

Norm inspected the kitchen, Malcolm's office and the other rooms on the first floor. Nobody was present there or in the servant's quarters. Norm labouriously climbed the long staircase leading up to the bedroom area on the top floor.

"Bea Broughton would be there, if she's here," he thought.

He searched the upper four bedrooms but no one was there.

"Maybe the Master Bedroom," he thought hopefully. He pushed the door open and started in surprise. The room was occupied but not with the person he was expecting. A huge Sheep Dog sleeping on the bed suddenly awoke.

"My God, Malcolm Brooks is in on this. That Sheep Dog looks just like the one in John Broughton's composite."

"Nice doggy," he screamed as the large dog took one look at Norm, jumped up in surprise and started barking and growling furiously. The detective made for the door but the dog leaped at him and landed on his back before he could get out. Norm crashed to the floor with a bang. The dog lunged at his outstretched arms, barking furiously. Teeth sank in unmercifully and Norm felt himself being dragged further into the room.

The detective had frightening images of his shredded body being found later by the household servants. He managed to brace himself against the wall and landed a large kick on the huge dog's chest. The dog few backwards and Norm scrambled for the door. An end table crashed and the lamp on it came tumbling down. The dog leaped back to his feet. Norm's large body blocked the door but he did not manage to close it in time to keep the dog in. Norm gasped as he could feel the huge Sheep Dog breath as it crashed down the stairs after him.

He made it to the bottom gasping for breath but the dog caught up to him as he reached the living room. Norm screamed as the dog leaped at his chest when he turned to face him and fell backward. The impact threw the detective into the glass Pyranna tank and to Norms's horror the glass broke under his large weight. The fish spilled out of the tank along with their water. Norm screamed as one bit him on his face as it glanced across it on its way to the floor. Norm placed his hand on the bite and blood dripped off.

Norm stared in horror as the large fish wriggled desperately in what remained of their water on the living room floor. His horror turned to relief, though, as the large Sheep Dog started lunging at the fish instead of at him.

"Now's my chance to escape," he thought. The sound of the Howler monkeys screeching in their cages echoed in his ears as he managed to reach the window through which he had entered. The dog continued to chase the fish. Norm gasped as he again pushed his body through the open window again. He wiggled out and landed heavily on the grass. He forced himself to suppress his fear and managed to stand up, shut the window and maneuvered the window lock closed again. Despite his heart pounding fiercely Norm took the time to reconnect the alarm wire.

The detective could not believe his eyes as he turned to head to the fence. The largest bird he had ever seen came charging at him across the lawn.

"My God!" he screamed as he lumbered desperately toward the fence. The bird was as big as an ostrich and as Norm looked at it his heart started pumping furiously as he noticed the sharp, razor claws on its legs. Norm reached the fence but as he leaped desperately up and grabbed onto the fence the large bird ripped at his seat with its sharp beak.

"God!" Norm screamed as he struggled to hold his grip on the fence. Fear shot adrenaline into the detective's body and he somehow managed to throw himself over the top of the fence. He landed with a heavy crash that knocked his breath out. The big man staggered to his feet and felt the back of his pants. They were wet with blood from the bird's attack. Norm lumbered down the street toward his car.

"Broughton's going to pay big bucks for this."

As he lumbered down the sidewalk closer to the house Norm could hear the cacophony of the whooping of Howler monkeys, the sheep dog's fierce barking and numerous crashes as the dog chased after the doomed Pyrannas through Malcolm Brook's living room. He finally reached his car and sighed with relief that he had made it out of the estate alive. As he calmed somewhat and investigated the damage to his body inside his car he experienced a huge feeling of disappointment that Bea Broughton had not been in the house.

"Bea Broughton wasn't there," he acknowledged his mistake. "If anyone ever figures out what really happened I'll lose my license. Maybe that would be a good thing. I need to find some other line of work. Wonder if a Pyranna bite is poisonous?"

Later that afternoon Gus Gustafson dropped Malcolm off in front of his driveway and drove off. Malcolm wondered why a glass company truck and a carpet cleaning truck were parked there. He wondered why Trump, who was out in the courtyard, slunk off behind the house instead of greeting Malcolm like he usually did. Trump seemed to have bandages on his feet and was limping rather badly. He went into his house to find his custom built Pyranna tank being repaired by a glass company employee and his living room carpet being cleaned by a carpet cleaning outfit. The living room furniture was stacked in the

dining room next to the glassed in porch holding the Howler monkeys and Malcolm could see that much of his collection of art objects from around the world was chipped and cracked if not outright destroyed. Malcolm forced himself to stay calm.

"Whatever happened?" he questioned his butler who was supervising the workers. "An earthquake? And where are Vicious and Reprehensible?"

"Gone, Sir."

"Gone, you mean as in dead?"

"I'm so sorry Mr. Brooks. I found them in the dining room on the floor. It was Trump, Sir. Seems to have somehow broken the glass in the fish tank and chased the Pyrannas all over the place before they died. When the housekeeper and I were out purchasing supplies and you were having lunch with Mr. Gustafson."

"Good Lord!" Malcolm went into what was left of his bar and poured himself a whiskey. "Talk about the impermanence of everything in this life. Honey Pratt is right."

"Is Trump all right?"

"Dr. Daniels came over and took care of him, Sir? She said he'll be all right. Just to keep him quiet for a few days until the cuts on his paws and the bites from the Pyrannas heal."

"Linda came?"

"Yes, Sir. The other veterinarian that's taking care of your animals was busy at an emergency so he contacted her. She came right over, took care of Trump, gave the Howler monkeys a sedative that calmed them down, sympathized about the loss of the Pyrannas and told me to tell you that she would be back to remove the dog's stitches in several days."

Malcolm went into his bedroom, noted that Trump had done a number in there as well as he looked at crashed furniture, broken lamp and piles of sheep hair. Malcolm sat down heavily in an armchair and gulped down his whiskey.

"Linda was here and I didn't get a chance to talk to her." Malcolm winced in surprise as he realised he was more concerned about missing Linda than his dead Pyrannas and destroyed large art collection.