by Iris Kincaid
“We . . . grew up in the same town,” Margo said feebly. “We went to the same school at the same time.”
“You’re keeping things from me. Which doesn’t work for me. Not as a cop. And not as someone who I thought was getting close to you. I thought we had some real trust here. But maybe we don’t. In either direction.”
He turned away and walked back into the station. Margo turned away woodenly and wandered off in a daze. What had she done?
*****
Finn was right. Why, why, why hadn’t she confided in him? Margo just hadn’t wanted to help put the final nail in Russell’s coffin. It would have been too easy for Finn and the police force to completely give up on following any other leads. But now he was mad at her, and after their wonderful night together. What if his feelings about her had changed? She had to figure out some way to make this right.
It would help if she had someone to talk to. Bette? That would actually feel a bit hypocritical. Margo didn’t know when she would ever be able to let her sister know about her newfound powers. But how could she talk about keeping secrets from Finn when she was also keeping such a big one from Bette?
Delphine. That’s who she needed to talk to. In the short time they’d known each other, she had become so comfortable with the older woman. So safe. It was nice to have someone who she could say anything to . . . someone she didn’t have to hide anything from.
Margo rounded the corner to the street Delphine’s boutique was on, and for the second time in as many days, she was met with the sight of Walter Knox. This time was quite a bit more surreal than seeing him have his car repo-ed. He was standing right next to Delphine, their bodies angled away from Margo. Walter’s hand was outstretched and Delphine was counting cash bills into it. Crisp bills that even from a distance looked a lot like hundred-dollar bills. What on earth could Delphine be paying Walter for? Margo didn’t even know the two them knew one another.
But what she did know was that she had rattled on enough about Julian Meeks’s murder, and her own attempts to uncover the truth, and that she had most certainly mentioned Walter’s name to Delphine. If she knew him, why wouldn’t she have said so? And again, why was she giving him money?
They were in front of Delphine’s business. Any normal transaction should have had money going in her direction, not his. But then, he was an accountant—perhaps Delphine was one of his clients. But no one pays their accountant in cash. Check usually. PayPal, possibly. Something business appropriate.
All of a sudden, Margo was on the very uncomfortable end of having a secret kept from her by a trusted friend. The payout continued till it amounted to what Margo would have estimated as $2000. What service had Walter performed for Delphine to get such a nice compensation?
Margo drew back into a doorway to remain unseen. Delphine returned to her shop and Walter took off briskly down the road. Margo scurried after him. There was no reason to think that a direct confrontation would be fruitful. But she did want to know what he was up to.
It was entirely predictable that Walter was headed directly to his car dealership. He was going to get his car back, apparently, courtesy of Delphine. Which brought Margo’s thinking back to Delphine—who was someone Margo had taken at her word, never questioned, and knew very little about.
*****
It was much earlier than she needed to get to the theater, but sometimes, the lobby sitting area served as a cozy little oasis of solitude. A place to think things through. As Margo approached her theater, she could see a man reading the posters and reviews right outside. But his back was to her, and she didn’t see that it was restaurant owner Ian Fowler until she was right on him.
“Well, look who we have here. A little thief. You have a lot of nerve going into my things. Taking things that don’t belong to you.”
“I was taking things that didn’t belong to you. You messed Russell Knox up, but good. Delayed his restaurant’s opening. Got him in trouble with his creditors. You want to take me to court? That would necessitate your explaining how those documents came into your possession. I believe the operative concept here is mail fraud, with malicious intent.”
“You got me in hot water with the cops. They not only wanted to talk to me about those letters, but about poisoning the dead guy and things that have absolutely nothing to do with me. He wanted to look over the office and the kitchen, but I said no warrant, no search. Look at the mess you got me in.”
“You’re a free man, which is more than Russell Knox can say.”
“You can get yourself into some serious trouble if you keep messing with me.” There was a menacing tone behind the implied threat.
“Don’t you have a dinner shift to get ready for?” Margo was not in a mood to be intimidated.
“You think about what I just said.”
“What I’m thinking is that I would love a plate of yummy tapas. And I’ll bet hundreds of folks in Oyster Cove would agree.” She arched an eyebrow at him, slipped into the theater, and left him fuming. Two months ago, that man would have had her cowering, assuming she would ever have had the nerve to do anything to cross him, which she hadn’t. Thank you, Lilith.
*****
Finn mindlessly pushed the eggs over easy around on his plate. He was at his favorite diner, one he stopped by often on his way home after the all-night shift. The last sixteen hours had been a torturous anxiety. He had been awfully rough on Margo. Perhaps he should have given her the benefit of the doubt. He paid for the barely eaten meal and stumbled out into the street—where he found Margo standing, waiting for him. The relief of seeing her was almost enough to make him forget how mad he was supposed to be. Almost.
“Russell was a year behind me in junior high, so I never paid him any attention. I never even knew his name,” Margo began. And so she gave the full detailed account of that bullying event that had left her with such shame and regret.
She was well aware that it was likely to sound silly or pathetic or a lie. The event was obviously more traumatic for Russell Knox than for herself, and yet he had been able to move past it with flying colors, creating a great life for himself prior to the recent unfortunate turn of events. It hadn’t held him back. It hadn’t even caused him to hold any resentment toward her. So, it was hard to convey why it had affected her so, why it had burdened her soul and why she felt that she owed it to Russell to help him out now in his time of need. Not for the sake of an old friendship that had never existed, but for decency. For atonement.
“That was one of the worst things about my old heart. Knowing that I couldn’t ever help anyone. Feeling so useless. I still don’t know if I can help Russell now. But I have to try. I owe him that. And I should’ve told you that. Not because you’re a cop, but because you’re my . . . my—”
Finn came close to her and dropped his forehead down till it lightly touched hers.
Margo sighed. “I wasn’t sure if you’d understand.”
“Understand that my supercool girlfriend just keeps getting cooler and cooler?”
Margo leaned into him with an audible sigh of relief. “So, we’re good, then?”
“Absolutely. In fact, we should shake on it. Full body shake. Over at your place.”
“Oh, I see. You were very highly motivated to forgive me. Lucky for you, we’re on the same page, but Bette is probably going to be home soon.”
“Oh . . . maybe she’ll make us pancakes.”
“No shame.”
Finn threw an arm around her shoulder and steered her toward his car. He stopped for a moment to answer his cellphone. Margo had a hard time reading the strange look on his face. He hung up.
“Guess who just made bail?”
Margo had no problem guessing. But how? Russell’s bail had been set for $100,000.
“Who could have done that? That’s a lot of money,” Margo marveled.
“Family?”
“His family doesn’t have any money. Neither does his fiancée.”
“Well, I hate to delay the .
. . pancakes. But, we need to see what’s going on.”
Margo nodded gratefully. She wasn’t sure how it was coming about, but Russell seemed one step closer to freedom.
*****
Russell was retrieving the small stash of possessions he had brought with him to the jail. He greeted Margo’s entry with a look of stunned gratitude.
“I was wondering if this was your doing,” he said to her.
“I do not sell enough popcorn and Raisinets to ever have a spare hundred grand lying around. No. It wasn’t me.”
“Nobody gave you a heads up?” Finn asked Russell. “Any special visitors in the last few days?”
“No. I mean, a lot of people have expressed their support. There were even a couple of editorials in the paper saying they didn’t think I did it. But I don’t know anyone who could help me like this.”
“Yeah, we saw those editorials. Free Russell. Maybe there was some effort to raise money?” Finn wondered.
“A Kickstarter?” Margo offered. “We should have thought of that. Where’s your fiancée?”
“I called her. She had to get a temp job after the restaurant closed. She really wanted to be here, but the job pays well, and we’re going to need that money, whatever happens. But especially if I wind up going back in.”
“Need a ride somewhere?” Finn asked.
“No reason to rush home—Wendy’s not there. It’s been so long since I could walk around and since I had a meal that wasn’t capped off with green Jell-O. I think I’m just going to stretch my legs. Thanks, though.”
“Well, my boss wants to go over the particulars of this case. Why don’t you walk your buddy out?” Finn suggested to Margo. “I’ll give you a call in an hour.”
“Sure.” Her plans with Finn could wait another hour. Russell really looked as if he could use the company.
As they stepped outside, Russell shielded his eyes against the bright sunlight. “The little outdoor space they let me wander around in was shaded. Which was for my benefit, I guess. But it’s been too long since I’ve felt the sun beating on me.”
“I can imagine. Or I probably can’t. What would you like to do? Anywhere. Anything.”
“Oh, definitely the beach. Fried clams. And a gelato.”
They laughed.
“Green Jell-O, huh? Yeah, we can do better than that.”
Margo and Russell stepped into the street, the street lights and spotlights having given them the right of way. There was a car approaching that had slowed down appropriately as they stood on the curb. But as they stepped into the street, it sped up and headed straight toward them. Margo spotted it first, grabbing Russell’s arm and yanking him back behind the tall streetlight pole. The car veered away, squealing out of control, and skidded into a parked car on the opposite side with a hard crash.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
They had not gotten a great distance from the police station. Soon, they were surrounded by cops and ambulances.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, we’re okay. Who . . . who was that?”
It was the brother of poison victim Julian Meeks, Carson Meeks. He was going to have to be taken to the hospital with a number of minor injuries and then transferred to the jail. But he was still conscious and fuming angrily.
“That devil killed my brother. My family is going to get justice. You’d better know it. I won’t rest until that guy is in his grave. I was willing to spend a hundred grand to get this guy close enough to get his just desserts. And it ain’t over. It’ll never be over till he’s paid for taking my brother away.”
Yes, that was Russell’s secret benefactor, so enraged that he had gladly paid the $100,000 bail to remove the safety of Russell’s prison bars and make him available for final justice.
Finn, Margo, and Russell retreated back to the police station.
“Who’s got that kind of money to throw around?” one cop marveled. “That is a lot of hate right there. You sure you wouldn’t rather stay here, where you’re nice and safe?’ he taunted Russell.
“I would not.” Russell bristled. “I’ve been waiting too long to get out of here.”
“Hold your horses,” Finn warned. “Carson Meeks is in custody. But is he the only nutcase in the family? We don’t know. I need to have a word with my boss.”
Margo and Russell watched Finn confer with his captain. Meanwhile, Lester Quinn came storming in with his very pregnant wife, Rowena, close behind.
“I was just at the hospital. They won’t let me talk to my cousin. What’s up with that?”
“Your cousin just tried to kill two people,” Finn answered angrily.
“I think I was just incidental,” Margo added. “He wanted to kill Russell.”
Lester was confused. “What’s this guy doing out of jail, anyway?”
“Maybe you should check his bank account. There’ll be a hundred grand missing that he used to pay bail to get Mr. Knox out on the streets so he could take a shot at him. Your cousin is going to be in prison for a very long time,” Finn said, seething. Carson’s relatives were not to blame for what had just happened, but Finn had come way too close to losing Margo and he was not in a sympathetic mood.
“Oh, no,” wailed Rowena. “My water! My water just broke.”
The police chief sighed. “Get the ambulance over here.”
“No, I’ll drive her. It’s faster,” Lester insisted.
“All right. We can give them an escort,” the chief said.
“I’ll do it,” Barney volunteered. “No problem.”
There was a flurry of action as Rowena was escorted out.
“And Cochran,” the chief said to Finn, “We’ll cover the safe house until we get this sorted out.”
“All right,” Finn said to Margo and Russell. “Let’s go.”
*****
“Where are we?” Margo asked as Finn drove up to a nondescript motel a few miles outside town.
“The police department is going to cover the tab for a safe house. We booked two rooms. Neither of you should be at your homes. Not until we know there aren’t going to be any more vendettas coming your way.”
“Well, okay, that’s probably a good idea for him,” Margo said. “But no one’s trying to kill me. I was just standing next to . . . the wrong person. No offense.”
“You just saved the wrong person’s life. So, none taken,” Russell said gratefully. “But, I have got to see Wendy and let her know what’s going on.”
“Leave that to me. I’ll tell her you’re safe,” Finn said. “But she could be followed. She shouldn’t be coming out here to see you. The Meekses are a crime family and they are all pretty upset with you.”
“Mafia, right? I knew it,” Margo said triumphantly.
“Yeah, well, maybe you see why you need to stay out of sight as well. When people are that mad, they’ll hurt your loved ones, your friends . . . they’ve made an association now between you and Mr. Knox. They’ll get payback for Julian’s death any way they can. Now, the captain also agreed to put tails on the other two suspects.”
“What other suspects?” Russell shouted, excited to have someone beside himself under suspicion.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” Finn said, looking at Margo pointedly.
She knew exactly what two suspects he meant, but Russell really didn’t need to think his brother had killed someone and tried to frame him until it could be proven beyond all doubt.
“Could I talk to you a sec?” Margo asked. She and Finn stepped out of the car.
“You are being way too paranoid. Nobody is out to get me. I’ve got a business to run. A medical check-up tomorrow. Oh, yeah, remember the heart transplant? This one’s a big deal—I’ve got to take a whole bunch of tests. And I do not want to go into hiding. I don’t want to act scared because I’m not scared. I can take care of myself.”
“Maybe I’m the one that’s scared,” Finn conceded.
“Then how’s this—as safe as we know and hope that Russell will be here, if s
omeone were to go after him, wouldn’t being in the same place as him put me in the line of fire?”
She had a point.
“I still don’t want you back at your place. What about . . . my place?”
“Your place?”
“Yeah, it’s small, but the bed’s comfortable.” He couldn’t help a guilty grin.
“Aren’t you the sly one.”
“And I’m going to call the station and have a detail assigned to your movie house.”
“A guard outside the theater?”
“Inside. Right next to the ticket booth.”
“You’re going to scare the customers.”
“No uniform. Give him some Milk Duds and he’ll just look like he’s waitin’ for someone. Just a few days. The Meekses won’t be a problem if we can find Julian’s killer.”
What if it’s Fiona? Margo wondered.
Anywhere but Finn’s place and she might have objected to leaving her home. “I’ll call Bette and tell her I’ll be at your place for a while,” she conceded, trying not to tip off that this was actually an exciting turn of events.
“I have an Aliens marathon all ready for you. Let’s get Russell settled in. Call his fiancée. Pick up some clothes for you. And go over to my place and . . . take a nap.”
“Fine.”
“Super fine.”
He could be such a goof. But they were both in need of a break from the unanswered questions and violent undertones of recent days.
*****
Their second “night” together cemented an attachment that was barreling past the point of no return. For two people who had spent their adult lives falling asleep with the certainty of early death casting a gloomy shadow over every sunrise, unmitigated joy had taken its place.
“Stay in bed. You’ve got a full shift tonight,” Margo told him.
“If I don’t drive you to the theater, I’m going to have Charlie stop by here and pick you up,” Finn said, reaching for his phone. “He’s got theater detail tonight.”
“Mr. Milk Duds?”
“That’s right. Throw the guy a bone. We’ll have dinner tonight, right? Before I go in?”
Finn fell asleep holding Margo’s hand. She reluctantly disentangled herself when her cellphone vibrated with Charlie’s arrival.
