by Marja McGraw
“Go with your gut instinct,” Prudy piped up from the backseat. “She’s holding something back. I know her, even if it has been years since I’ve seen her.”
“Enjoy your nap?” Pete asked.
“You betcha! We oldies but goodies need rest to keep us sharp.”
Pete dropped Prudy and me off at my house and I walked her over to Dolly’s. My neighbor met us at the door and I knew she’d been waiting for us. With the two women settled in, I returned home, ready to relax. It was late, but I turned on the old movie station again. The Mad Miss Manton with Barbara Stanwyk was half over, but I left it on. I knew the story well, having seen the movie a few times. I thought she and Henry Fonda made a great duo.
I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep on the couch until I heard tires squealing in front of the house, like someone leaving in a hurry. Bubba jumped up and started sniffing frantically at the bottom of the front door.
“Now what?”
Nineteen
Hearing the sound of screeching brakes somewhere in the vicinity, I decided I’d better see what was happening. Squealing tires and screeching brakes didn’t bode well when they were heard late at night. And near my home.
I ran outside hoping to see the vehicle, but only got a glimpse of the taillights as it disappeared around the corner. Turning back to the house, I found Bubba sitting on the front porch, the hair on his back standing on end. I reached inside the house and flipped on the porch light.
“What is it, Bubba? What happened?” As if he could tell me. In a way, he did. He stood up and began sniffing a plain brown bag that had been thrown onto my porch.
His sniffing was becoming a little too intense. “You get away from that thing. No telling what’s in there.”
I picked up a flyswatter that I’d left on the porch and nudged the sack. It didn’t move or make a noise. I pushed it again. It felt like there was something soft inside.
Bubba was beginning to push the bag with his nose. “I said to leave it alone.” He glanced at me and went back to sniffing, beginning to scratch at the sack with his paw. I swatted at him with the flyswatter. He gave me an indignant look and moved back.
“You come with me.” I took hold of the dog’s collar and opened the front door, pushing him inside the house, which is a lot more work than it sounds like. I followed him in and found a flashlight before returning to the porch.
Telling Bubba to stay and closing the front door, I walked to the side of the house, looking for a pair of gardening gloves I’d left sitting on a patio chair. Finding them, I put them on and returned to the porch.
“Okay, what have we here?” I asked myself. After first checking to make sure nothing was written on the bag, I took hold of the edge of the sack with one hand and tore it open with the other.
“Aahhhh.” Staring at the contents of the sack, I felt repulsed, not frightened. “Very original. Every ‘B’ movie uses a dead rat for intimidation. You’d think they could have come up with something more imaginative than a dead rodent.”
I dropped the sack and walked back to the yard, looking for my shovel. For once I’d actually put it away, and it took me a few minutes to find it. I was glad I’d thought to grab my flashlight.
Returning to the porch, I carefully scooped up the bag and carried it to the trashcan. After placing the body in the can, I set a heavy rock on top to, hopefully, keep the dog away from the rodent. I thought the world of Bubba, but he was, after all, just a curious animal. He’d probably love to get his fangs into the rat. Or at the very least, roll all over it. Ugh! Nah, Bubba didn’t eat anything unless someone he trusted gave it to him.
I heard a sound and turned toward the house. Bubba was scratching at the back door, wanting to come out and join the fun. Uh huh. Smart as a whip, but still just an animal.
I walked around to the front door and opened it to let Bubba out. “Let’s go see Dolly,” I said. He reluctantly followed me, but kept turning to look toward the house. He wanted… Well, I didn’t want to think about what he wanted.
The lights were on at Dolly’s house so I figured the ladies were still sitting up talking. I wanted to tell Prudy what had happened.
Dolly answered my knock and invited me in for a last cup of tea. “I thought you’d be in bed by now,” she said.
“Uh, someone left a gift on my porch. I’m not sure what to think and I wanted to talk to Prudy.”
Prudy, who didn’t seem to miss much, raised her head when we entered the kitchen and looked down her nose at me. She held Miss Kitty on her lap and stroked the cat’s back. “What kind of gift, doll?”
“I think it might have been from whoever left that message on my answering machine.” I pointedly glanced at Dolly, who was petting Bubba, not wanting her to know what was going on.
“Oh, puleeese,” Prudy said. “I already told Dolly about the message. Now what was on the porch?”
“A dead rat.” No point in arguing with her. She and Dolly were determined to have their own way.
“You didn’t see anyone?” Dolly asked. “And how did they know where you live?”
“I’m in the phone book. And, no, I didn’t see anyone. There was a car, but I didn’t get a good look at it.”
Dolly nodded. “Now that you mention it, I thought I heard a car racing down the street a few minutes ago.”
“What kind of car was it?” Prudy asked.
“I didn’t actually see it,” I replied.
“Don’t you know one car from the other?” Prudy asked. “Was it a Chevy, Buick, Ford? Mercedes, BMW? What?”
“Prudy, listen to me. I didn’t get a good enough look at it. I only got a brief glimpse of the taillights as it turned the corner. Period. I don’t know what it was, and I don’t know who was driving it. So don’t push me on this.”
“Oh, sorry, doll. I didn’t mean to push you. But this means that someone isn’t happy about us looking into Matthew’s murder.”
“I know it does. But, at the moment, there’s not a thing I can do about it. Do you have any bright ideas?” I was ashamed of myself, even as I spoke. There was no reason for me to snap at Prudy.
And then she let me off the hook. “It’s really too soon to know anything. I realize that. I was just hoping you’d seen something. But if you didn’t, well, then you didn’t. But I think it’s interesting that we’ve just started working this case and we’ve already got someone’s attention.” She rubbed her hands together.
“I think you’re forgetting something. This is a murder investigation. We’re looking for a killer who thought he, or she, had gotten away with their crime. And most of the suspects are still young enough to be dangerous. Look what you did at your age. You took on a teenager with nothing but your cane. And you won. So don’t think this is a game. Someone doesn’t want us investigating, and the call and the rat are pretty tame when you consider what they could do.”
“You’re right. I’ve been away from the business for too long. I know how serious this is. I guess I got a little too excited about working again. Forgive me?”
“Of course.”
We had Dolly’s full attention. “What teenager? What did you do with your cane? You won?”
Miss Kitty leaped off of Prudy’s lap and up onto Dolly’s, giving Bubba a get lost you dimwit look.
“Prudy, you fill Dolly in. I’m heading home. I’m not really sure why I came over here, except maybe to warn you to be careful.”
“Don’t worry about us, cookie. We’ll be just fine. It’s you I’m worried about. No one will expect me to cause any trouble, but you’re young and smart. You’re the one someone fears.”
Suddenly the dead rat carried more weight. A nervous chuckle escaped my lips and I put my hand to my mouth. “No one is going to bother me,” I said, trying to assure myself and the women at the same time.
Prudy wagged her head back and forth. “Don’t fool yourself. I’m sure glad you’ve got Bubba to keep an eye on things.”
“Yeah. Bubba. He can be very pro
tective, when he wants to be.” I glanced at him. He’d fallen asleep next to Dolly’s chair.
I nudged him with my toe. “Let’s go home.” He opened one eye and acknowledged me before slowly pulling his bulk into a standing position. Miss Kitty’s claws made a brief appearance and her tail swung slowly back and forth.
“Dogs are great protection,” Dolly assured me.
“He sleeps upstairs.” It made me feel better to say it aloud.
Prudy stood up and, clutching her cane, walked me to the door. I noticed she looked tired.
“Prudy, maybe you’d better get some sleep.” I didn’t want her making herself sick. She needed her rest. After all, she wasn’t twenty-nine anymore.
“I’ll be fine, Sandi. I just want you to be careful. One dead rat is enough. We don’t need a dead Sandi, too.”
“I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got Bubba, and even if I didn’t, I can take care of myself.”
“I know, but I’d feel so guilty if something happened to you. Don’t forget, I’m the one who brought you into this. If it wasn’t for me, you’d be out chasing someone who committed fraud instead of hunting down a killer.”
“Prudy, quit worrying. I won’t take on a case that I don’t think I can handle. It was just a silly rat. Don’t make more out of this than you need to. And to be honest, this just makes me more intent on finding Matthew’s killer. I don’t like to be threatened.”
Prudy smiled. “Yes, ma’am, you and I are like two peas in a pod. You remind me of myself when I was your age.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you.”
“And don’t get your knickers in a knot, doll. This was just a tiny warning. Could have been a lot worse.” Prudy was trying to reassure me after having told me to be careful. Like me, she wasn’t sure how to take this threat.
I gave her a hug and left before she could say anything else. Everything would work out fine, and I really didn’t want her to worry.
As soon as I walked into the house, I picked up the phone and called Pete.
“Guess what?” I said, when he answered.
“What?”
“No one threw a rock through my window this time.”
“Uh oh. You’ve been threatened again.”
Twenty
“Yeah. This time they left a dead rat on my porch. Real cute, huh?”
“Actually, I was just thinking about you, Sandi. I think I’ll drive on over. We can talk more when I get there.”
How dumb did he think I was? I knew he wanted to come over to protect me. Sometimes Pete’s caveman mentality overwhelms him, making him feel overly protective. It’s the old Hunter/Gatherer vs. Woman Take Care of Cave thought process. But we hadn’t had any time alone lately, and I missed him. I knew I could take care of myself, and he knew it, too. Well, hey, if a visit would make him feel better…
“I’ll be right here waiting for you,” I said.
While I waited, I thought about who might have left the rodent on my porch. Opal had left her house right after we pulled out of the driveway, and she’d turned in the same direction. I’d given her my address, so she didn’t even have to search for it. She could probably find a dead rat at one of the construction sites her company was working on. Somehow I couldn’t picture her dirtying her hands though.
Stretch was a dentist. Did it follow that he might know where to find a rat? Maybe someplace where rats were used for research? It seemed far-fetched to me.
I hadn’t even talked to Slim yet, so I doubted if he’d been my visitor. Well, he knew I was working on the case, and if he had something to hide he might try to scare me off.
We hadn’t located Hector, but if he’d heard about our investigation, a rat might fit right in with his greedy mentality.
However, when I really thought about it, the rat and the phone call weren’t anything to get upset about. Far worse things could have been used to frighten me, like guns, cars and physical violence. I had a feeling that this person was a novice, someone who enjoyed those “B” movies way too much.
Bubba had settled himself near the back door and began whining, wanting to go out. I knew he wanted to check out the trashcan.
“Go lay down,” I said. “You’ve already done your business outside, so I know what you want. It ain’t gonna happen, pal.”
With one last whine, he turned and headed for his blanket. He kept his eyes glued on the back door, alert to any movement I made, just in case I headed in that direction.
Glancing at the clock didn’t help. It was ten-thirty and I was ready for sleep. But Pete was worth waiting up for, and when I thought of him, all thoughts of sleep disappeared.
Half an hour later the doorbell rang.
I opened the door and Pete stepped in, closing it behind him. He had his lips locked on mine in nothing flat, and I felt like I was right where I belonged.
“Sandi, sometimes I think you should get out of this business. It seems like someone’s always after you.”
“That’s your imagination working overtime,” I replied. “We’ve had a few odd cases where someone came after me, but it’s not a lifestyle. Most of our cases are for the insurance companies. Besides, you know I can handle myself.”
“Sometimes I wonder.”
He sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. “Come see me, baby.”
The look on Pete’s face sent a chill down my back, a good kind of chill. I smiled at him, wanting nothing more at that moment than to enjoy the man I cared about most. I sat down next to him, moving very close, and snuggled up.
“Ah, this is what I’ve missed. We haven’t had enough time together lately – alone.” Pete leaned down and kissed my forehead before he nuzzled my neck. “Your hair always smells good.”
I didn’t say a word, but enjoyed the nuzzling, more chills spiraling down my back. I turned and our lips met, almost sizzling with the desire to meld together.
“Sandi, let’s – ”
The phone rang.
“Don’t answer it,” Pete said, a pleading look in his eyes. “Let the machine pick up.”
“Okay.” I snuggled closer to Pete and he put his arms around me.
The phone rang again. I heard the machine pick up and my message played.
Pete and I stood and headed for the kitchen when we heard the response.
“Did you like my little present?” The voice was something out of a horror movie, distorted and frightening. I couldn’t tell if it was a man raising his voice, or a woman lowering hers. I heard a slight crackling sound, as though the receiver had been covered with paper or cellophane.
Bubba stood and stared at the phone. The voice didn’t sound right to him either.
“You’re such a busy woman. I’m sure you can find some other little case to work on. I’d hate to have to bring you another gift. You might not like the next one.” I expected to hear a cackle but there was silence for a moment.
I picked up the receiver, and our voices continued to be heard through the recorder. “You’re not going to scare me off, so quit trying. I’ve played this game before, and guess what? I’m still here. You’re playing with a pro, so get a life!”
“Oh, I can scare you off. If not, I may have to kill you off.” That’s when I heard the cackle I’d been waiting for.
Pete grabbed the phone out of my hand. “Who the hell do you think you are?” His voice was furious and his expression told me he might do the killing. “Anything happens to Sandi and I’ll hunt you down like a dog. You got that?”
“I heard you. But remember, you can die as easily as your girlfriend.”
“Listen you – ”
Click. The connection was broken.
“I guess you scared him. Or her.” I took the receiver back and hung up the phone. “You can be kind of scary when you want to be.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like anyone threatening you.” He still appeared angry. I couldn’t blame him. I was, too. We sat down at the kitchen table.
> “And I don’t like having nuts call my house like that. But this is silly. I mean, words aren’t going to hurt me. Even that rat was ridiculous.”
“No it wasn’t. My gut tells me this guy isn’t going to stop at the rat. Someone really doesn’t want this investigation reopened.” He drummed his fingers on the table.
“Which is exactly why I’m not letting go of it. Prudy wants our help and I’m going to give it to her. Besides, at this point I think if I drop the case, she’ll pick it up on her own. I don’t want to see her get hurt. She’s a lot more vulnerable than I am.” I reached over and took hold of Pete’s hand, stopping the drumming.
The phone rang again and Pete picked up the receiver before I could reach it.
“Listen up, asshole! I’m going to – ”
He stopped and listened.
“Oh, Stan. Sorry. I thought you were someone else. What do you want?”
I waited while Pete listened.
“Now? Couldn’t this wait until morning?” Pete didn’t sound happy. “Can’t you take a cab?”
Another pause.
“Oh. Yeah, sure. I’ll see you in about half an hour.”
“What is it?” It had to be important for Pete to leave.
“Stan and Felicity are stuck downtown. His car broke down and he’s lost his wallet. His credit cards are gone so he can’t call a tow truck.” We stood and walked out to the living room.
“What about Felicity? She should have credit cards with her. Oh, no, he wouldn’t want to ask her to do that. They don’t know each other that well yet.”
“Exactly. Why don’t you go with me?” We walked out to the living room.
“No, you pick them up. I’m tired anyway, so I’ll see you tomorrow after Prudy and I talk to Slim.” I was beginning to wonder if Pete and I would ever have any us time.
“Are you going to be okay?” he asked.
“Of course. I’ll lock up, and I’ve got Bubba here to watch over things.”
Bubba must have heard his name, because he came sauntering out of the kitchen. He walked over and nudged the back of Pete’s knee, as though to acknowledge his presence. Pete scratched the dog’s head and patted his back. It had taken a while, but the two males in my life had finally adjusted to each other, if somewhat warily.
