Dead In Bed

by Curry, Edna

  The knife cutting into my neck didn’t leave me much choice other than to play along for now and hope for a better opportunity later.

  My gut clenched and I was afraid I’d disgrace myself by losing my breakfast. What chance was there they’d let me live after they’d already killed Clara and Harry? The penalty for three murders was no worse than for two.

  Chapter 16

  Ken pulled out a cell phone and talked to his security guards.

  “Okay, you can leave, now,” he told Gus.

  My heart was pounding and my mouth felt dry as dust. Gus still had one of his heavy arms clamped around me, holding me tightly against his chest. I could hear his rapid breathing. The sour, sweaty smell of his fear turned my stomach.

  At Ken’s words, Gus began walking me backward toward the kitchen door, keeping me between him and Ben’s gun. Everyone else in the room seemed frozen in place, then several began moving under cover of Wade and Janine heading for the door. I could feel Gus turn from side to side, trying to watch everyone and still keep moving toward his escape route. Gus tightened his grip, dragging me along. His arm was like a steel band across my chest and his knife still cold against my neck.

  Across the room, Ben tensed as I met his gaze. His brown eyes pleaded with me to give him an opening, just one chance at the guy.

  The pounding of my pulse sounded loud in my ears and my hands felt clammy. I knew I had to try something here and now while there were still others to help me. If he got out into the car, I’d have little chance of getting away.

  “Hurry up, Gus,” Janine yelled.

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw her and Wade disappear into the kitchen.

  I sensed movement behind me but had no idea if it was friend or foe. As we neared the door, I suddenly stomped on Gus’ foot. “Now, Ben!”

  As Gus swore in pain and relaxed his hold, I went limp, sagging to the floor.

  Surprised, Gus tried to reach down and grab me again. I felt his large hand grip my hair. I winced against the pain of hairs being pulled from my head. I braced myself against being hauled back to my feet to be his shield again.

  Instead, I heard a sharp crack and a grunt. Gus relaxed his grip on my hair and fell to the floor on top of me.

  I screamed as his weight covered me and I struggled to get out from under his heavy body.

  A moment later, someone rolled him off of me and Ben pulled me to my feet and began checking me over for damage. “You okay, Lacey girl?”

  I nodded, fighting to regain my breath.

  Ben knelt down to check Gus. “He’s dead.”

  Then Ben took off after Wade and Janine who’d disappeared through the kitchen door. Ken was talking into his cell phone again as pandemonium reigned in the lunchroom.

  Sam came running over and hugged me.

  “Are you okay?”

  I nodded, trying to catch my breath. Pain surged through my left arm and my neck stung. I reached up to touch it, my fingers coming back bloody.

  Sam turned my head to look at the cut on my neck.

  “I think it’s just a nick. Shouldn’t need stitches or anything.” He reached into a pocket, pulling out a clean handkerchief. “This should stop the bleeding.”

  “Good.” I looked around. “Don’t let Wade and Janine get away.”

  I started toward the kitchen after them, but Sam caught my arm, stopping me.

  “Don’t worry. Ben and his deputies have the White Company security guards to help them. They’ll catch them. Come sit down, Lacey. You’re hurt.”

  He helped me to a chair and sat beside me. I shuddered, trying not to look at Gus’ body, lying on the floor.

  The rest of the employees gathered around, talking in shocked voices, trying to make sense of it all.

  “I don’t know what is in that report, but it sure shook those three up. I’m assuming it’s enough to settle all of this,” Ken said.

  “I think so,” I told him.

  Just then a commotion at the kitchen door made us turn in that direction. Ben and Tom appeared with Wade and Janine in handcuffs.

  “Let’s finish this now while everyone else who might be involved is here,” Ben said. He shoved Wade and Janine into chairs in the front of the room and sat beside them.

  Ken was back at the front of the room.

  “Give me a minute to read this,” he said, waving Harry’s report.

  “Make it short. I’ve called for the coroner and we need to take pictures and stuff here,” Ben said. “And Tom will be in charge now. We have to follow procedure, you know, and bring in the state guys to investigate a fatal shooting.”

  Ken nodded.

  “Do you want us to move to another room? We can use the executive meeting room in the office area,” Sam said.

  “Okay,” Ben said. “That’s probably a good idea.”

  I was relieved to hear that suggestion. I couldn’t wait to leave the room where Gus’ body lay. Everyone rose to their feet with a murmur of agreement.

  “Take your chairs with you,” Sam called out. “I don’t think we have enough chairs there. Oh and Sandra, can you find a band-aid? Lacey’s still bleeding.”

  We all moved down the hall to the office area where Sandra unlocked the meeting room and turned on the lights.

  She went to the bathroom and came back with a band-aid and a wet paper towel. She gently cleaned the blood on my neck.

  “Thanks, Sandra. Got any aspirin?” I asked.

  She nodded and went to get some.

  My arm still hurt like heck and I decided when this was over to get it x-rayed. I could flex my fingers all right, so I was pretty sure it wasn’t broken.

  The meeting room was decidedly nicer than the lunchroom. Oak paneling lined the walls and real paintings decorated it. A long oak table with ten chairs around it filled most of the center of the room. Large windows let in the pale November sunlight.

  Everyone settled in around the table while others lined their chairs along the wall. Ken stood at the head of the table, still reading Harry’s report.

  Finally, he handed the report to Sheriff Ben. “I’m sure you’ll want to see this.” He turned to me. “You have more copies?”

  I nodded. “One’s in a safe place and, because my office had been burglarized, I’ve made sure enough copies are in various places so they wouldn’t get them all.” I shot an angry look at Wade. “I went to school with you, Wade. I led hundreds of cheers for you when you were our town’s sports hero. I sure never thought you’d turn into an embezzler and a burglar.”

  Wade flushed and shrugged, then cleared his throat. “It didn’t start out that way. But one thing sort of led to another.”

  “So, you started cooking the books and keeping the rest of the money for yourselves?” Ken asked.

  Wade nodded, his face turning a dull red. He kept his gaze on the table in front of him.

  Janine burst out. “It wasn’t all Wade’s fault. Uncle Gus started it. He’s resented the Carters ever since they bought his dad’s half of the factory. He always felt cheated and wanted revenge as much as the money.”

  Wade looked up at Janine in surprise. “You weren’t supposed to know what was going on. Gus said—”

  She smiled sadly at him. “I’m smarter than Uncle Gus gave me credit for, Wade. I figured out what you two were doing a long time ago. Too bad Clara suspected, too.”

  Sam eyed her. “I know Clara suspected something was wrong and hired Harry to find out what was going on. But I don’t understand who killed her or why? Wade? Surely you didn’t kill her?”

  Wade blanched. “Of course not! I loved Clara. I’ve loved her since high school, you pompous jerk. Yeah, she broke up with me and went off to that fancy eastern girls’ school. And then came back and married you. But I loved her anyway. You didn’t deserve her.”

  Sam bowed his head. “You’re right about that. I know I didn’t.”

  “How does Clara’s death tie into this?” Ben asked frowning.

  Sam turned sad eye
s on the Sheriff. “I wish I knew, Ben.”

  I shifted restlessly in my chair. “We know Harry was killed after Clara. I think it’s pretty obvious that Harry was killed because of what he was investigating at the factory. Someone, probably Gus, ran him off the road to prevent him telling what he knew.”

  Both Janine and Wade refused to meet our eyes.

  “You’ve got that right. Just this morning, I found damage on Gus’ SUV that matches the damage on Harry’s car. I was going to go and ask him about it when Sandra called me here. So I think we can safely close that case. But it doesn’t explain Clara’s death,” Ben said.

  Suddenly, Sam sat up straighter. “Janine, what did you tell me in the hospital yesterday?”

  She blanched. “I…I didn’t tell you anything, Sam. Except that I was quitting after you said we were all through together.” Her face went from white to bright pink and she glanced around the table. “Well, you all knew we were seeing each other anyway, didn’t you?”

  “But you told me you only dated me to make Wade jealous. You said you really loved Wade, didn’t you?” Sam persisted.

  Everyone looked at Wade, who shrugged. “Can I help it? What am I supposed to do?”

  Sam jumped to his feet, then pointed a finger at Janine. “But you killed Clara because of it, didn’t you, Janine? You thought if Clara was dead, Wade would get over her and love you, didn’t you?”

  “So what?” Janine yelled back. “Clara didn’t deserve both of you. She told me she knew about us and she was going to fire me for seeing you.”

  Sam sank heavily back into his chair. “So how did you do it?”

  Janine laughed. “That was easy. I just hid your keys when you were at my apartment the night before. So you went home without them. Then, after I saw you drive off to work in Clara’s Mercedes the next morning, I started your car with the remote starter on your keys. I knew Clara was probably sleeping in, so wouldn’t notice the carbon monoxide coming up from the garage. Neat, eh? But you can’t prove it.”

  Ben glared at her. “We all just heard your confession. Besides, I’ll just bet the fingerprints on those keys will match yours.”

  “But…but I wiped them clean.” Janine whimpered, then shrank back in her chair as Ben told her she was under arrest and read her rights.

  “Did Gus know you killed Clara?” I asked Janine.

  Janine shook her head, mute now that she began to realize the trouble she was in.

  Sam sat down and put his head in his hands. “Then, Ben, you were right. I caused my Clara’s death by being unfaithful.”

  Ben clapped him on the back. “Lots of men fail on that account, Sam. I’m sure you didn’t intend for anything like this to come of it.”

  “No, of course I didn’t.”

  I spoke up. “So Harry and Clara’s deaths were connected in a way, but were really separate cases. No wonder we were confused.”

  Ken had been standing at the head of the table, looking shocked and uncertain through all of this.

  “I’m going to turn this over to Sam to deal with. Our job is done. Sam, it’s up to you to file charges against Wade and the Sheriff will handle those for you. You can reopen the factory whenever you’re ready. Without those guys draining your money, the factory should be profitable again.”

  Everyone cheered as the meeting broke up.

  Sam shook Ken’s hand, thanking him. Looking dazed, he gave Sandra and Bill the order to reopen the factory as soon as possible. Tom led Wade and Janine, both still in handcuffs, out to waiting police cars.

  Ben slipped an arm around me. “I won’t ask how you got that report, Lacey girl.”

  I grinned. “Good. Then I won’t have to tell you.”

  He frowned at me. “But don’t push your luck. Someday you’ll run out of it, you know.”

  “Gosh, Ben. I sure hope not.” I kissed his cheek.

  Shaking his head, he followed Deputy Tom out to take care of his prisoners.

  Sam gave me a hug and I winced as he pressed against my bruised arm.

  “Good job, Lacey. Thanks for figuring things out and saving my neck,” he said.

  “You’re welcome, Sam. Just doing my job.”

  The End.

  ***

  If you enjoyed this story, I’d appreciate it very much if you’d take a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any of the other sites. http://amzn.to/1nUDnMU

  About the author:

  Edna Curry lives in Minnesota and often sets her novels there among the lakes, evergreens and river valleys. She especially enjoys the Dalles area of the St. Croix Valley, gateway to the Wild River, which draws many tourists who give her story ideas. Besides non-fiction articles, she writes mystery, romance and romantic suspense novels.

  Edna is married and is a member of the Romance Writers of America and two of its chapters: Kiss Of Death and Northern Lights Writers.

  Circle of Shadows (half of Deadly Duos #1) was a finalist in RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Contest.

  Visit her webpage at http://www.ednacurry.com

  Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/Edna.Curry.author

  Twitter: Edna_Curry

  Blog:

  http://ednacurry.blogspot.com/

  ***

  Recent or upcoming books by Edna Curry:

  My Sister’s Keeper

  Best Friends

  Lost Memories

  Mirror Image

  Hard Hat Man

  Double Trouble

  Flight to Love

  Circle of Shadows

  Traveling Bug

  Secret Daddy

  Never Love a Logger

  I’ll Always Find You

  Meet Me, Darling Melange Books

  Wrong Memories

  ***

  Short stories:

  5 Children’s Stories

  7 Short Stories

  Non-fiction:

  The Jam of all Jams

  The story of the world’s largest logjam ever.

  Lady Locksmith Series:

  The Lilliput Bar Mystery -- Book 1

  Body in the Antique Trunk -- Book 2

  The Missing Banker -- Book 3

  Lacey Summers’ PI Mystery Series:

  Yesterday’s Shadow -- Book 1 (prequel)

  Dead Man’s Image -- Book 2

  Dead in Bed -- Book 3

  Eccentric Lady -- Book 4

  ***

  Lin

  Links to Edna Curry:

  Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ZVCvXP

  Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Edna+Curry

  B& N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Edna%20Curry%22?Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ntx=mode%20matchall

  Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bookworm777

  I

  Excerpt of Eccentric Lady:

  Eccentric Lady

  A Lacey Summers P.I. Novel

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AN9ZPOE

  Lacey’s new client, Patti, comes to her in a panic because her Aunt Agnes is missing. Patti calls Sheriff Ben stupid for refusing to investigate. Is Patti lying? The case gets more weird when Agnes’s body is found, her nasty nephew and brother and his girlfriend arrive, and Patti begins dating Agnes’ lawyer.

  Though Ben and even her trucker fiance, Paul, want her to drop the case, Lacey continues searching for the truth. Someone else doesn’t want her snooping, either. When threats and intimidation don’t work, she’s kidnapped. Will she survive to solve this case?

  Eccentric Lady

  A Lacey Summers PI Novel

  By Edna Curry

  Prologue

  Agnes Simms stared at the box of her late father’s papers in shock. When she’d climbed the pull-down ladder to her attic, she hadn’t expected to find anything like this.

  She’d promised to donate some items to the upcoming church rummage sale and decided it was long past time to clear away some of her father’s things from the attic.

  Her par
ents had lived in this Lander’s, Minnesota, house all the years she was growing up, so there was a lot of cast-off stuff up here. She turned on the light, and gazed around her. Dust motes danced in the sunlight that shone through the dust covered window at one end. The window at the other end was half-hidden by boxes of stuff stacked in front of it. The slanted roof wasn’t high enough to allow her to walk upright anywhere except in about ten feet of the center of the room.

  She sneezed at the musty smell of old clothes and paper. She’d have to wash any clothes or dishes she found good enough for the sale, that was for sure. After hours of sorting, she’d gathered several boxes of clothes, dishes and books she thought might sell and carried the books and knick-knacks down to her back porch. She took the clothes to the laundry room and started a load of them washing and went back to work in the attic.

  Finally tired and ready to quit, she’d decided to open one more box.

  Now she realized it was full of her father’s personal files from his desk. Odd that her mother hadn’t gone through them, but then, Henrietta had been so angry with Roscoe after their bitter divorce that she probably couldn’t deal with it all emotionally. Especially after his suicide. So everything had been relegated to the attic by the cleaning women Henrietta had hired.

  Agnes shuddered at the memory of her father’s death ten years ago. Her mother had told her about it only once. Henrietta had gone over to talk to Roscoe about something or other, a few months after she had moved to her own apartment. She was alone by then, since all three of their children were already grown before their divorce. The girls had been in college and Arnold off on some job.