Lynn Osterkamp - Cleo Sims 03 - Too Many Secrets

by Lynn Osterkamp

  “So what happened? How did she end up dead?” Gayle asked.

  “I took her to my car—used a fireman’s carry to throw her over my shoulder and get her to the trailhead,” Lark said. “If anyone had seen us, I would have said she fell and hit her head and I was taking her to the hospital. But no one did. I take care of this house in the winter for the Busbees. They only live in it in the summer. I brought Sabrina here and I tied her to a chair so she couldn’t get away. The house is isolated and no one besides me ever comes here in the winter, so I could keep her here without anyone finding her.”

  “But why? Why did you want to keep Sabrina here?” Paige asked.

  “I needed to reason with her, but she refused to listen to me. I had to keep her where I could talk some sense into her. I couldn’t afford to leave nursing and I needed to get her to see what would happen if she reported me to the hospital or the board of nursing. It would ruin my career, I might go to prison and I’d probably lose Darby. That would ruin his life, too. And for what? Because I had the courage to help some frail old people escape their suffering? The Victorians used to call death a blessed release for the weary, but now we try to avoid it no matter what.”

  A sudden coldness hit me. Lark was so committed to her crusade that she’d stop at nothing. “So when Sabrina didn’t accept your reasoning, you killed her?” I asked.

  Lark stamped her foot. Her eyes blazed with anger. “Aren’t you listening to me?” she said, her voice shrill with impatience. “I told you I didn’t kill Sabrina. She died accidentally. After I got her to the house, I had to get back to Indian Lakes so I could show up in the morning with the other Moxie members. I left her sedated and tied to a chair. Her arms were tied together behind her back and behind the back of the chair. Her legs were tied to the chair legs in front.”

  “Was she in a white room?” Paige asked.

  Lark stopped, a confused look on her face. “A white room?” She thought for a minute. “Yes. It’s the small bedroom upstairs and it is mostly white. Why?”

  “Sabrina told us she was in a white room. Is that where she died?”

  Lark rolled her eyes. “Yes. Apparently she woke up and was trying to escape and turned the chair over and hit her head on the edge of the bed frame. I got back here late the next day because I had to be with all of you pretending to look for her. She was lying in a pool of blood, no pulse, no respiration. She accidentally killed herself. I was sad for her, but it wasn’t my fault. All I did was tie her up.”

  “Why didn’t you tell the police then?” Gayle asked.

  Lark’s expression hardened. “I knew it would look very bad for me. I couldn’t tell anyone. What I had to do was get rid of the body, but I needed time for the search to end so I could put her where she wouldn’t be found. So I wrapped her in a sheet and put her in the freezer. The people who own this house won’t be back until at least May, so there was no chance anyone would find her before then.”

  “So now you and Darby are running away to Mexico? Can you leave town in the middle of this hospital investigation?” I asked.

  “Watch me.”

  “Lark, think about it,” Paige said, leaning toward her a little bit. “Wouldn’t it be better to stay and face the charges? If you run, leave the country, you’ll never be able to come back. You won’t be able to see your parents and your brothers. Darby will be cut off from his grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins. Is that really the life you want for him?”

  “If I stay here and tell the police what happened, I’ll probably go to jail, and lose Darby,” Lark said, her voice flat. “That would be a lot worse for him.”

  Paige took a deep breath and released it slowly with a deep sigh. “But like you say, Sabrina’s death was an accident and the hospital has no proof of the euthanasia. You’d be guilty of something, but not murder. Maybe you could get a plea agreement and get a light sentence.”

  Lark made a sour face. “No thanks. I’m getting out of here while I can. But now I have the problem of all of you. You may not believe this, but I don’t believe in killing unless the person is ready to go like the people I help in the hospital. I don’t want to kill you. But I can’t have you calling the police and telling them about Sabrina.”

  “How about we promise not to say anything until after you’ve been gone for a week?” Paige asked, running her hands through her hair. “That should give you enough time to disappear.”

  “Why would I trust you not to tell anyone?”

  “We believe you about the accident because Sabina said it was an accident. And you know we care about you and Darby.” Paige said.

  Lark shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t take that chance. What I’m going to do is tie you all up here and go home and get my nursing bag. When I get back, you’ll all help me carry Sabrina to a remote wilderness area. Then I’ll sedate all of you with a long-lasting benzodiazepine drug that should keep you under for twenty-four hours.”

  Omigod, sedation! What would that do to my baby? My pulse raced. First she wanted to hurt Gramma, now my baby. I had to stop her.

  But before I could plead for my baby’s life, Lark continued with an even bleaker picture of our future. “Once you’re sedated, I’ll leave you there in the wilderness. Whatever happens, happens. I’m not killing you. If you wake up and find your way out and live, then you’re lucky. If not, no one will be likely to find you until summer. I’ll drive Gayle’s car back down to Boulder and leave it somewhere in town, so no one will know you were here.”

  “No!” I shouted. “If you do that, you will be killing us. What are you thinking? You’re a nurse. You’re supposed to save lives, not end them.”

  Lark repositioned her gun, pointing it right at me. “Enough, Cleo,” she said. “I’m giving you the best chance I can.”

  I could tell from the set of her jaw that she was firm in her plan. Persuasion was a useless strategy at that point. We’d have to overpower her somehow. I thought about Gayle’s gun. Where was it? How could we find it? We needed to be able to move around the room. “Lark, before you tie us up, could we stand around the freezer and say a few words of goodbye to Sabrina?” I asked. “I know I never met her, but I feel like I know her. And she was a good friend to you three for a long time.”

  “You can say your words from right where you are.”

  “But if we could unwrap her body and look at her face, it would feel more personal.” Gayle said.

  We heard a loud banging on the door upstairs.

  “Be still,” Lark said. “Don’t say anything and don’t make a sound.”

  “Gayle!” someone shouted. “I see your car here. “Now open up or we’ll break in.”

  “Stay right here all of you. I’ll shoot the first one who comes up after me.” Lark went upstairs and locked the basement door behind her.

  “Gayle, let’s look for your gun?” I said in a stage whisper.

  We all dropped to our hands and knees and crawled around the floor looking for the missing gun. “Hurry, we have to find it before she comes back down,” I said, my voice hushed.

  But Lark didn’t come back down.

  We heard a lot of shouting and banging coming from upstairs. “What the hell are you doing with that gun, Lark?”

  “Get out of here,” Lark yelled. “Or I’ll shoot you both.”

  “You’re not going to shoot anyone.” A loud crash. Then a scream that sounded like Lark.

  We jumped up and ran to the stairs. “That voice sounds like Diana,” Gayle said. “What would she be doing here? Is she involved in this whole thing with Lark?”

  Paige reached over to Gayle and put her hands on Gayle’s arms. “No, no, Gayle,” she said. “I called Diana and Hana before we left and told them about you seeing Sabrina in the chamber, and what she said to you, and where we were going. I know you didn’t want to involve them, but it didn’t seem right to exclude them.”

  Gayle grabbed Paige in a huge hug. “You did the right thing,” she said. “Thanks for following yo
ur gut. You pretty much saved our lives.”

  More loud crashes from upstairs.

  “I’ve got her down. Grab her gun,” we heard Diana shout. “I’ll sit on her until she settles down, or I’ll knock her out if I have to. Now open the basement door and see what’s happening down there.”

  The lock turned, the door opened, and Hana stepped down a few steps. “Gayle? Paige? Are you down here?”

  Chapter 35

  Ten days later - Dec 22

  News about Sabrina had gradually dribbled out over the last ten days. First the discovery of her body, then the news of Lark’s arrest, then a profile of Ian—champion snowboarder, Olympic hopeful and grieving son. Boulderites were shocked, saddened, and curious.

  Elisa and I had arrived late enough to her memorial service that we had to look for parking, so we ended up seated at the back of the packed church. The service was called a “celebration of life,” and I tried to think of it that way, but it was hard. Sabrina was too young, she had too much in front of her, and she left too much behind. I grieved for her and for Ian that she would never watch him graduate from high school or college, or see him compete in the Olympics if he achieved that dream.

  Looking around, I saw Moxie, or what was left of it—Gayle, Paige, Hana and Diana sitting together near the front with several teenage kids. Ian was in the front row between Maria and Brandi. He hunched his shoulders, hung his head, and slumped towards Maria. She periodically rubbed his back. I was sure he was devastated now that he had finally had to face the fact that his mother was gone.

  Brandi, however, looked calm and composed—at least from what I could see from behind. Despite all her rants about how precious Sabrina was to her, she showed no outward signs of distress. A hot-looking guy with big shoulder muscles and wavy dark hair sat on her left, his arm around her shoulders. She snuggled in to him.

  While we waited for the ceremony to start, recent events played through my mind like a video on a continuous loop. The painful: Lark holding a gun on us; Sabrina in the freezer; police questioning us for hours. The joyful: Gramma improving so much she was able to go back to Glenwood Gardens where Pablo and I visited her yesterday.

  A white-haired minister began the ceremony recalling that he had known Sabrina and her family since she was a young child. “She always opened her arms to the world,” he said, “lovingly welcoming everyone she met. She gave much and asked for little in return. Her kind and generous nature led her to a career as a nurse, where she was loved and respected.” He went on, describing Sabrina as a devoted mother, a loyal friend, and a joyful human being. He ended his eulogy with a short poem:

  “A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam and for a brief moment its glory and beauty belong to the world. But then it flies on again and though we wish it could have stayed, we feel so lucky to have seen it.”

  A vocalist, with piano and flute accompaniment, sang “My Heart Will Go On.” I was deeply touched by the poem, the music, and the strong feeling of love in the room. Even though I had never met Sabrina, I felt her loss in my heart.

  Moxie members and many of Sabrina’s other friends and co-workers shared fond memories, including humorous stories—many about her famous computer fiascos. But mostly they spoke about how much she meant to them. A young nurse from the hospital told about Sabrina going above and beyond the call of duty, coming in early and staying late to help her when she was new to the job. A physician complimented Sabrina’s amazing rapport with patients, such that he and other doctors called her the hospital’s chief empathizer.

  Gayle spoke tearfully about how much Sabrina’s friendship meant to her, how they had become like sisters over the years, and how she can still sometimes feel Sabrina hugging her. Paige gave thanks for Sabrina’s love, which would always be part of her life. Diana said Sabrina lived life to the fullest and was always cheerful and enthusiastic. Hana talked about how much Sabrina treasured and cared for the people she loved.

  Then Brandi stepped up to the front. “It warms my heart to hear how much you all loved and appreciated Sabrina,” she said slowly. “But someone has to talk about the elephant in the room.” She leaned forward pointing at all of us. “You haven’t heard the whole story.”

  My heart sank. Omigod. What whole story? I didn’t think she knew about Lark’s accusations that Sabrina was involved in euthanizing patients. But whatever dirt she was going to dish, this was no place for it.

  She continued, bitterness and fury in her voice. “My sister was the victim of a vicious group of women who used her to further their malicious agendas.” She paused and looked around, taking in the gasps and shocked faces.

  “Yes, you heard me correctly,” she said, her chin lifted and jutting forward. “And what I’m saying is the truth, not some bereaved sister craziness.” Her voice was loud, shrill and spiteful. “They may think of themselves as her sisters, but I’m her only sister. Sabrina trusted these women with her life and they took it from her. And now they’re going to profit from her death. This is wrong. They should all be held accountable.”

  “No! Stop, Aunt Brandi.” Ian sprang to his feet, ran up and grabbed Brandi’s shoulders. “Stop! You know Mom wouldn’t want this. They were her friends.”

  Brandi pulled herself free and faced Ian. “You’re too young to understand. You don’t know what they’re capable of. Everything they say is a lie.”

  Ian stood his ground. “No. You’re the one who lies. You’re the one who told me Mom had gone off with some man. I should have been looking for her, but I believed your lies.” Ian buried his face in his hands. Sobs wracked his body.

  “No, Ian…” Brandi began, but piano music drowned out her words as the pianist began playing “I Will Remember You.” The music continued as the minister grabbed Brandi’s arm and pulled her off to a side room. Ian and Maria followed slowly behind them. The rest of us emerged from our daze and stood up to begin filing out.

  As we edged toward the front door, Elisa said, “I need to check on Maria before we go. Do you want to come with or wait?”

  “I’ll wait here,” I said. “I don’t want to get into it with Brandi one more time.” I stepped to the side of the vestibule as Elisa headed off to the front of the room.

  “How are you holding up, Cleo?” No mistaking that musical voice. Paige was standing next to me, her eyes red and puffy.

  “I’m okay,” I said. “But how about you after what Brandi just said?”

  Paige shrugged. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “Brandi is spiteful and destructive, but there’s nothing left of Moxie for her to destroy. Moxie is finished. Sabrina is gone, Lark is in jail, and Diana and Hana refuse to take down their revengeful website. Gayle and I don’t even want to try to resurrect Moxie.”

  I felt terrible for her. So much loss. “It’s a shame that it ended this way,” I said. “You all had so much together all those years.”

  “We did,” Paige said quietly, looking inward. “And now we don’t. Things change. People change. Life goes on.”

  “We did have one last Moxie meeting, though,” she said. “The four of us talked a long time about Lark’s accusations of Sabrina. What Lark said about Sabrina that day at Busbee’s house was shocking. But bottom line, we don’t believe her. We don’t think Sabrina would have violated her nursing oath, or that she would do anything to help old people like your grandmother die before their time. Sabrina was a helper, a caregiver who would do anything for someone in trouble.”

  “So you think Lark lied about her and Sabrina having a cause, being angels of mercy?”

  “Yes. We can imagine Lark having that cause, but not Sabrina. As Hana says, Sabrina’s destiny number is six. Sixes are responsible nurturers who like to give help and comfort to those in need. Lark’s number is one. Ones are independent, individualistic and determined, and can be overly aggressive and egotistic.”

  “Do you think Lark killed Sabrina because Sabrina found out what she was doing and threatened to report her?”

  �
��We do. But we’ll leave it to the police to find out the truth. Our concern is for Ian and for Sabrina’s reputation. We decided not to tell Ian, or anyone, what Lark said As far as we know, there’s no way anyone but us would have heard about it. We were the only ones Lark told and she’s been in jail ever since.”

  “But we told the police what Lark said. They may have told Ian.”

  “I doubt it. None of us believed her then and we told the police that too. We told them Lark was saying that about Sabrina to make herself look better.”

  I thought to myself that these Moxie women may have their problems, but they’re all good mothers and they care about Ian. “I agree,” I said. “Why make it worse for him.”

  “Thank you,” she said. Then she put her hand on my shoulder and looked deeply into my eyes. “I also want to thank you for all you did to help us find Sabrina, Cleo. And especially for the contact I had with her spirit in your apparition chamber. That will always be with me. Come to my studio some time. I’d love to give you some free yoga classes.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I just might do that.”

  After she walked off, I mulled over Moxie’s strengths and weaknesses. All strong women who cared deeply about others, but some of whom went too far trying to remake the world to fit their image. I admired and wanted to emulate their strength and support, but also wanted to take a lesson to act consciously, thinking carefully about the consequences of my behavior.

  An arm around my shoulders interrupted my reverie. Elisa.

  “You ready to get out of here?” she asked, tugging at me.

  “Absolutely,” I said. “How’s Maria?”

  “She’s okay. I’ll tell you in the car. Come on.”

  We headed out into the cold. The sidewalks were icy where snow had melted and refrozen, so we picked our way carefully over to the parking lot. It wasn’t the best place for a serious conversation, so I kept my curiosity in check until we were in the car pulling out of the lot. Then I asked again. “Tell me about Maria.”