"Interrogate him?" Miriam said, a hand going to her throat.
"Won't that be dangerous?"
"Sweetheart," he said softly, "this entire situation is dangerous. But before we interrogate him, there is something that the three of you need to do."
"What's that?" Miriam said.
"You have to tell me what's going on." He said. He sat back and folded his arms across his bare chest.
There was silence in the small kitchen. Finally, Miriam spoke. "I don't think we can do that."
"Why not? His voice was clipped.
"I can't let you become tied up in this."
"I already am. I hog tied a man and put him in the cellar. You can't be much more involved than that."
"They're going to try to kill you too." Miriam wailed. "I can't let that happen."
"They already know I'm involved." Derrick said. "If they're smart enough to find us in the middle of nowhere on a country estate, they are smart enough to know that I'm here. Or they will now. He was watching us. I'm sure he's contacted someone."
"He's right." Susan said. "They sent assassins after us and they knew where we lived, who we were."
"You're going to have to tell me." Derrick said softly. He took her hand in his.
A tear ran down Miriam's cheek. "I can't, darling. I can't tell you anything. I've already lost one love; it would rip me apart to lose you too."
"You have to tell me, Miriam." Derrick said. "I'm dead unless you do; knowledge is power when you're dealing with an enemy like this."
Miriam swallowed hard. "Alright." She said. "If you're sure."
Derrick nodded. "I'm sure."
With a sinking heart, Miriam told him what was happening.
FIFTY ONE
Miriam keeps a secret
When Miriam was done, she looked at Derrick again. There were tears streaming down her cheeks. She had told him everything, from Bruce's' death to Toby's. Susan and Naomi, who had not heard of Toby's death before, were both shocked to hear the tale of his demise. Miriam waited now, waited to hear what Derrick would say.
She still had not mentioned X. Best to keep that to herself. Letting Naomi and Susan know that there was someone else watching them would only make it worse.
"You must be so frightened." he said finally.
"You believe me?" Her heart fluttered inside her chest.
"Of course I believe you. How could I not?"
"Well, the story sounds so unreal, like something out of a soap opera."
"That's for sure, but it's worse than any soap opera."
"I'm just so happy that you believe me." Miriam said, clutching one of Derrick's hands to her heart.
"Well, it's not just you that I'm believing." he said.
"What do you mean?"
Derrick looked at Susan. "Susan has a good head on her shoulders. She believes you and that's proof enough for me. Besides, she hasn't been back here since her mother died. Only something dire would bring her, and you two," he said looking at Naomi, "Here into hiding."
Miriam cried a new wall of tears. "But now that you know, they will know that you know. Your life is in danger now too."
"So?" he smiled at her shocked face. "Don't look so glum. I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself." he took Miriam's hand in his. "I won't let anybody hurt you. Any of you." he added. Miriam's hand felt cold in his and he squeezed it to reassure her. She smiled back at him.
"So, the question still remains, what do we do now?" Susan asked. "We have Mr. Tall, Dark and Ugly in the cellar and we're still no closer to finding out who's behind this."
"You said that your Sabrina White costume is at your apartment?"
"Yes," Miriam said, "But I don't know if I want to go back there now. They're bound to realize something is up when their assassin doesn't come back."
"I'll go get the costume." Derrick said.
"You can't, you'll be out in the open, they could hurt you!" Miriam said.
"I don't know how much longer I can stand all of this." Naomi said. She had started pacing the floor of the kitchen. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me. All I wanted to be when I grew up was a doctor, but I can't do math to save my life. And now, now, just when I thought I had my life under control, job, money, no hubby, but that
could change, now we're involved in THIS!" she sighed loudly. "OH GOD!" she wailed. "OH GOD!"
"Am I the only one who thinks you sound like your having an orgasm when you go on like that?" Susan said. "Besides, I keep telling you, God has nothing at all to do with this."
Naomi looked shocked. "Orgasm?"
"Oh god, OH god, OH GOD!" Susan mimicked. "Please, I've faked better."
Miriam chocked back a laugh and than let it out, long and lovely. To Derrick's ears, it was like a soft music. "That felt good. You two stop bickering or we're never going to get anywhere."
"Miriam's right. We have to keep cool." Derrick said.
"Right." Miriam said. "He's right."
"Of course he's right." Susan said. "It's not going to do any of us any good to get hysterical." She turned to Derrick. "You can take my car. Miriam can tell you how to get to her place. Be quick about it though."
"What are we supposed to do while you're getting Miriam's costume?" Naomi asked.
"Interrogate your friend down below." Derrick said with a grin.
FIFTY TWO
the girls interrogate their suspect
The Tall Dark Haired Man was not happy to see them.
Miriam pulled the rug off of the trap door and Naomi removed the chain. They opened the trap door and looked down at their captive. All he saw were their three heads, surrounded by light. Three faces looking down at him.
"BITCHES!" he screamed. "STUPID BITCHES!" he spit at them but it only went a little way into the air before it fell back onto his face. With his hands tied behind his back, he couldn’t wipe it off.
"Now now," Susan said tut tutted. "That's no way to speak to the three nice women who have your life in their hands, is it?" she smiled. "Not so much fun when the tables have been turned is it? When the hunter becomes the hunted?"
"You have to let me out of here." he said. "Now."
"Not until you answer a few questions for us first." Miriam said.
"You don't actually think I'm going to tell you anything do you?" he laughed, a rough barkish sound. "That's funny."
"What's funny," Miriam said "is how you look hog tied with a big gob of spit on your face. Naomi? Care to wash our friend off?"
Naomi smiled. "With pleasure." she said. Her head disappeared from he outline of the trap door for a while. The man waited, watching he other two woman and screamed when a splash of water slapped him in the face. It was cold as ice.
"Thought you'd like that." Naomi said, giggling.
"There's more where that came from." Susan said. "Did you like your little shower?"
"BITCHES!" he screamed. "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU! WHEN I GET OUT OF HRE, I'LL SKIN YOU ALL ALIVE!"
"Shhhh..." Susan said. "Didn't your mother teach you to talk better
than that?"
"YOU STUPID WHORE!" He yelled. "I'LL KICK YOUR FUCKING TEETH IN!"
Miriam smiled. "Naomi? Care to do the honors?"
"With pleasure." she smiled. She went away again and this time, when she returned, a white powder fell on top of him. Flour. It hardened to a cakey substance that clogged his eyes, stuck to his face, his clothes. He was choking on it.
"What's that?" Miriam said. "We can't hear you?"
The Tall Dark Haired Man tried to speak but couldn’t. His choking was
worsening.
"Did you want something to wash that away?" Susan said. "So you can talk to us? We could just leave you here..." she made to close the trap door.
The man made a sound deep in his throat. "...NO!..." he managed to get out. "....please..."
"Alright than." Susan said. "Naomi?"
Again she left and this time showered the man with water colder than the first batch. The sink
in the basement of the old house always ran cold as ice. The water splashed against the man and he gasped for air. "I'll....tell...you....anything..." he said between breaths.
"Anything?" Miriam said. "That's what we like to hear." she smiled a deep smile. "For starters, how about your name?"
FIFTY THREE
the girls get some answers
"My name.
"Yes," Susan said with a sneer. "You have one don't you?"
"Yes...My name is...George."
"Do you have a last name George?"
"Kennedy." the man said.
"George Kennedy." Miriam said, sounding the name out on her tongue. "How did a man with such a plain name get involved in becoming an assassin?"
"...hobby...I like...to kill."
Miriam spat on him. "I hate men like you." the spit hit him in the face, mixing with the water and flour already there. "Men who live only to kill others. Well, now the hunter has become the hunted and if you want to get out of here alive, you'll answer our questions."
"Please...don't hurt me."
"A little late for that, wouldn't you say?" Naomi said. "And don't try any funny business mister, or I'll douse you with more water. We also have some other treats in store in case you don't co-operate."
"Anything...I'll...answer anything."
"Alright," Miriam said. "First, who sent you?"
"You know the...answer...to that." he coughed and was able to speak clearly again. "Why ask that?"
"Because I want to hear it from your lips." Miriam said. "Who sent you?"
"Howard Kowalski."
"And Betty. Who sent Betty?"
"Howard Kowalski."
"Why?" Miriam said. The word was like a bullet.
"I don't know why. All he said to Betty and me was to go and kill you and your friends. He didn't tell us why."
"He didn't explain why he wanted us killed?" Susan said. "That seems strange."
"I'm an assassin." George said. "I do what I'm told and get paid."
"How much were you being paid to off us?" Naomi said.
"I would've gotten fifty thou to off Susan. You're each worth that much."
Naomi whistled long and soft. "Wow, to think we're worth more dead than alive. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars." she shook her head. "You must be really ticked off you're not getting the money now."
"I'll get my money." His face hardened. "You just wait, when I get out of here-"
"Ah, ah, ah!" Susan held up her finger and wagged it at him. "We don't like that kind of talk. Perhaps you'd like to spend a little bit more time in the dark, thinking about what you just said. Oh, and Naomi, could you do the honors?"
"With pleasure." She disappeared for a bit and returned with a bucket.
There was a rustling sound inside.
"Do you know what's in that bucket, George? Can you hear them moving?" Susan asked.
George stared at it with wide eyed fear. "N-no. Wh-what is it?"
"Some friends to keep you company." Miriam said. And with that, Naomi dumped the contents of the bucket into the cellar.
About thirty or so snakes fell out and onto George, who started screaming. They fell through the air and landed all over him, his face, his neck.
The three women had spent an hour or so gathering up snakes from out in the carriage house, the back garden. They were non-poisonous snakes, but George didn’t have to know that.
His screams only intensified when they closed and locked the trap door above him. The three women turned when they heard someone enter the basement behind them.
Derrick stood there holding the Sabrina White costume. "It's time for some detective work." he said.
FIFTY FOUR
the gang goes snooping
"You look incredible." Derrick said.
They were upstairs in the bathroom. Susan, Naomi and Derrick stared at Miriam as she came out of the bathroom. The transformation from Miriam to Sabrina White was easier the second time around and had only taken her thirty minutes. She really did look like a different person.
Gone was the blond hair, covered in a wig of flaming red hair. Her make up was flawless. There was no hint of Miriam in front of them. She was every inch Sabrina White.
"I feel ridiculous." Miriam said.
"You look incredible." Derrick said. He approached her and studied her face under the light. The midmorning sun shone through the bathroom window giving her a halo around her head that looked like a gold aura. "I can't believe that you're in there."
"Believe it." Miriam said. "I even feel different." She did a little twirl. "Do you like me better this way?"
Derrick shook his head. "No, I prefer Miriam."
Miriam smiled. "Good, that's a great answer."
"Well it's all fine and dandy that she looks like Sabrina White now, but what do we do?" Naomi asked.
"Already got that covered." Susan said.
"What do you mean?" Miriam asked.
Susan smiled with mischief. "I booked an appointment with Howard Kowalski."
Miriam put a hand to her throat. "Are you insane?!" she nearly screamed.
"What?" Susan said. "You've already been in his office and no one recognized you. Hell, Louise went to get Howard for you."
Derrick nodded in agreement. "Honestly, you'd fool your own mother."
Miriam turned to the mirror and studied herself. "Yeah, I think I would," she said with a smile. "But you can't just book an appointment with Howard." she said.
"Oh, yes you can, if you're an agent."
"What?" Naomi and Miriam said at the same time.
Susan put her hair up in a quick bun and pulled some dark glasses from her dress pocket. "I am Sandi Candi, Agent to the Stars."
Naomi mouth gaped open. "Sandi Candi?"
"Hey, work with me here, I was thinking on my feet." She smiled. "Besides, if I'm a bimbo, Howard is more likely to talk to me."
"But I don't need an agent," Miriam said. "I already have one."
"Not as Sabrina White, you don't. That's where I came in. With you gone, they have a cast spot open. You're going to audition for that role."
"You want me to go back there?!" Miriam put a hand to her throat.
"That's madness, Susan, madness!" Naomi wailed.
"No, it's not." Derrick said. "It's genius."
"Thank you." Susan said.
"Think about it." Derrick continued. "What better way to get more information than to go right to the source? And what better way to get to the source to audition for the show?"
"Wow." Naomi said. "I have to give it to you, Susan, that's a cool plan."
Susan did a mock bow. "Thank you, thank you. I knew you'd see it my way eventually. And I even have roles for the two of you," she said, turning to Derrick and Naomi.
"Oh?" Naomi replied, "what role am I going to play? Ooooh, can I be her sister?"
"No, not quite. You're going to be my assistant. And Derrick is going to be our chauffeur."
Miriam whistled. "You really have thought of everything."
"There's a limo in the garage. My parents used to use it for going to functions. You gas it up recently, Derrick?"
"Yep."
"Excellent. We'll keep watch the entire time, Miriam. It's a good plan, I think it will work."
"When is the audition?" Miriam asked.
"Tomorrow afternoon." Susan smiled at Miriam's shocked look. "Relax, you're a cinch for this, just be Sabrina."
"That's what I plan on doing."
"Good." Susan clapped her hands. "Anyone want some wine?"
*
Miriam was getting ready for bed, taking off her costume and make up, slipping a silk teddy over her head and pulling back the covers of her bed. There were no X's taped to the windows, the noises of the others getting ready for bed around her comforting. There was a knock on her door that made her start a little. Bracing herself, she
opened the door.
Derrick stood in the hallway, holding a bottle of champagne and a single rose. "
I thought we could continue where we left off last night." he said with a smile.
Hope Falls Page 14
