“There you are,” neighboring farmer, Larry Hollister said as he rounded the front of his old Ford pick-up truck. “I just tried the front door. How’ve you been?”
Michael shook the other man’s hand. “Good. Real good. Just working on the tractor I’d bought at the auction this past summer.”
“How’s it coming? Need any help? The wife says if I don’t get outta the house she’s gonna put me to work. And I don’t do women’s work,” Larry finished with a chuckle.
Michael mustered a smile. “I know what you mean,” he said, then motioned him toward the house and away from the barn. “I’ve got to head out in a few hours, but if you have time for coffee…” He hoped Larry declined. Exhausted and emotionally raw, he wasn’t in the mood for company.
“Not allowed unless it’s decaf. And what’s the point of that?”
“Right.” He stopped at Larry’s Ford. “So, what brings you by?”
“Couple of things. I heard Joe Decker is looking for a temporary place for his horses. You got a lot of land they could run on, and he’ll pay you for the use. And don’t worry, Joe don’t expect you to feed ‘em or nothing. He said he’d come by daily and take care of things.”
No way in hell. The last thing Michael needed was horse and people traffic on his property. He’d stick with the coyotes for now. They served a purpose.
“Sorry, Larry. I’m not interested. Why doesn’t he try Ruth Gardener’s place?”
Larry grinned. “Cuz that woman’s a bit…crazy,” he answered, and to emphasize, circled his index finger around the side of his head.
Michael laughed. “Yeah, I guess she is a little eccentric. Anyway, what else do you have for me?”
Larry moved toward the driver’s side of the truck, then opened the door. “You know Sal Cooper? Lives about a mile down the road.”
“Yeah, we met at the auction when I bought the tractor. He’s the one that had recommended I buy it.”
“Mmm,” Larry grunted. “He knows tractors. Any who, Ol’ Coop tends to be a bit bat shit crazy, too. He and Ruthy oughta get together, if you catch my meaning.”
Michael nodded and wished Larry would shut up and leave. Considering he’d been up all night dealing with his…patient, he had to catch some sleep before his shift started at St. Mary’s Medical Center. He faced a ninety minute commute, and couldn’t risk falling asleep at the wheel. While he hadn’t had anything to drink since he’d begun Westly’s surgery, he couldn’t afford a run-in with the police or highway patrol. He was only halfway finished with his death wish list, after all.
“So,” Larry continued. “Coop was telling me he’s been havin’ some coyote problems.”
Maintaining his perfected poker face, Michael shrugged. “Tis the season.”
“No kidding. Only Coop says these scavengers have been bad. Real bad.”
“How do you mean?”
Larry climbed into the truck, turned the ignition, then rolled down the window. “I guess those nasty fuckers went after his dogs. He’s got these little prissy mutts that he spent a fortune on for his ex-wife, got stuck with ‘em after they split…any who, ripped one of ‘em to shreds.”
“How’s this unusual? I’ve heard about coyotes going after livestock before, why not a dog?”
“I hear ya. Only, when Coop went out to stop ‘em, those damned coyotes circled him. Thank Christ he had his rifle with him. Otherwise…” He trailed off with a shrug. “If those coyotes start giving you a hard time, call the sheriff. If enough of us do, maybe they’ll send out the animal warden to kill ‘em.”
Maintaining his poker face, Michael nodded his head. “Absolutely. I’ve been thinking about getting a dog,” he lied. “But maybe I’ll reconsider…”
“Might wanna. Alright, Mick, I’ll let you get back at it. If you change your mind over the next few days about them horses, let me know.”
Michael gave the Ford a light rap. “Will do. Sorry I can’t help with Joe’s horses, but thanks for thinking of me.”
Larry waved as he backed the Ford down the driveway. When he’d turned onto the county road, Michael released a deep breath.
“Fucking coyotes,” he muttered. He’d have to feed them sooner than he’d planned, otherwise they might cause a problem for him.
*
“Is Eden Risk available?” Pudge asked WBDJ-TV’s pretty receptionist, Carla.
“Your name?”
“Murugan Punjab,” Pudge said, quite pleased with the new identity and that Carla had been fooled by the disguise. Experimenting with other cultures had been fun. But actually deceiving people who knew the real Pudge? An extreme necessity for their plans to come to fruition.
“Do you have an appointment, Mr. Punjab?”
“No, but I had a story idea for her,” Pudge said with a well-practiced Indian accent. “She’s proven to be such an excellent investigative reporter…” Pudge trailed, and hoped the compliments helped gain entry into the station as Murugan Punjab. While Eden knew Pudge in another capacity, being able to talk with her as a stranger, and watch her at work in her office, might help them gain a better understanding of her schedule and this new man in her life. Did she have a picture of him on her desk? Dates scribbled on her calendar? Before they could make a move, they needed to make certain no one would be there to save her.
“Well,” Carla began as she looked at the computer screen. “It looks as if Ms. Risk hasn’t come into the station yet today.”
Disappointed, Pudge clutched the backpack. After all the effort put into the disguise, of course the bitch didn’t have the decency to show up to work. “That’s too bad. Do you know when she’ll be in?”
“No, I’m sorry I don’t. But, if Ryan Anders is available, I’m sure he’d be happy to talk with you.”
the rumors the rumors all true kill anders kill him
Pudge ignored the voice, and asked, “Is this…Mr. Anders an investigative reporter, too?”
Carla smiled. “Yes. A very good one. Would you like me to check his availability?”
This had to be a joke. The prick from Cleveland had only been working for WBDJ for a month and Jeffries was giving him the opportunity Pudge had never been given. Eden’s job.
make him disappear mama taught you how taught you well
Covering up a murder had been the only good thing Pudge had learned from Mama. Well, the only useful thing. But to kill two people from the same TV station? Too risky. They would have to deal with Anders another way.
To maintain the charade, Pudge nodded. “Yes. I would like to meet with this Mr. Anders.”
we must learn more about him we must must
They would, in time. If Anders thought he could waltz into Chicago and steal Pudge’s job…the arrogant bastard had another thing coming.
slice of a scalpel slice dice slice dice
Carla hung up the phone. “I’m sorry Mr. Punjab. Mr. Anders is also unavailable. If you leave your contact information, he’ll call you at his earliest convenience.”
His earliest convenience. How nice of him.
Still, Pudge’s latest charade might prove useful when the time was right to rid Chicago of Ryan Anders. As Murugan Punjab, Pudge could escape detection while probing into the new investigative reporter’s life. And if Anders or anyone else suspected Murugan Punjab to be a fake, Pudge could simply flush evidence of the Indian man down the toilet.
Pudge wrote down the number of one of the several prepaid, disposable cell phones hidden at the house. After Eden had gone to the cops last month, caution had become one of Pudge’s new buzzwords.
“Here you go.” Pudge handed the phone number to Carla. “I look forward to hearing from Mr. Anders.”
Backpack in hand, Pudge left the station, then hailed another taxi. Although Pudge didn’t want to go home, it was necessary. Murugan Punjab needed to disappear for a while.
After all, Dr. Dread had to make a final appearance.
Chapter 9
Hudson glanced at the clock on the lap
top’s screen, scrubbed a hand over his face, then leaned into the sofa. After spending the past hour looking at the driver’s license photos Rachel had sent him to compare to the computer composite she’d created of the first victim, his eyes had grown tired.
Needing a break, he turned to the rat dog lying next to him. “Wanna go potty?”
The ugly Chihuahua stared at him, then dry heaved.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Okay then, let’s go.”
Hoping the cold air would wake him, he didn’t bother with a coat as he left the townhouse. He set the dog on the ground, then sat on the front step and thought about the sick woman lying in bed.
Even while reviewing the photos, he couldn’t take his mind off of Eden, or their argument. He never did have a chance to tell her there wasn’t a security camera in her bedroom. He’d only said there had been to goad her. He didn’t know why. Maybe because she’d lied to him? Or maybe because she looked sexy when she was all fired up. Hell, even green around the gills, she still managed to make him want her...
Them. Naked. Together in her bed.
Her looks, he realized, had nothing to do with wanting her. After she’d dumped him years ago, he’d convinced himself that their relationship had been purely physical. Eden had been right, though. When they’d been together, he’d been lying, not to her, but to himself. He’d avoided the truth, too. About his past and his feelings for her. A not so charming childhood hadn’t helped. A failed marriage hadn’t made opening up and spilling his guts any easier, either.
Over the years, he’d often wondered if things between them would have been different had he simply sat down and told her all about himself, about his true feelings for her. He shook his head. If he had talked, would she have, too? After all, he and Eden were a lot alike. She’d been tightlipped when it had come to discussing the past. As for her feelings for him? Aside from telling him she didn’t want to see him anymore, she’d never once said anything about their relationship. At the time, her reluctance to discuss her feelings hadn’t bothered him much. He knew she’d enjoying being with him, and not because of the many orgasms he’d given her. They’d actually gone on dates, rented movies, hung out as a couple. Yes, while skirting the truth.
Brutal pawed at his boot. He looked at the dog, at his missing leg, and then thought about her cat. Their killer had known about Eden’s animals, which bothered him. Had the man been in her house? How long had he been watching her? Aside from that, what about this stalker?
Before scanning through driver’s license photos, he’d reviewed the security camera feed again. This time he’d honed in on the approximate time he’d figured the killer and stalker had been at the townhouse last night. He’d found nothing. Not a car. Not a person. If the killer had noticed the addition of the security camera, had the stalker, too?
He scooped up the dog, then headed into the townhouse. After he set Brutal onto the floor, the dog walked toward his little doggy bed. Hudson stared at the Chihuahua’s three legs, and remembered what the killer had said about Eden demanding perfection from herself, and yet she surrounded herself with flawed people and animals. That she had flaws, but never let anyone see them. She was tough, but a body could only take so much.
He shook his head. How were Eden’s flaws related to the reasons behind killing the two men? Sitting in front of the laptop again, Hudson stared at the photos on the screen. And what in the hell did the sick bastard mean by there’s no such thing as perfect, only perception?
Fifteen minutes later, Hudson stood, then headed for the kitchen in search of a soda. Tired of looking at the driver’s license photos, and nearing the time their only link to the killer would be leaving school, he decided to call Lloyd Nelson. New to CORE, Hudson hadn’t had a chance to learn much about the former deputy. But he trusted, albeit reluctantly sometimes, Ian’s judgment. Hudson swore Ian had a sixth sense about people and situations. If Lloyd was good enough for Ian, for CORE, he’d work out fine as Eden’s babysitter.
He winced as he drank the diet soda. Too skinny, and obsessed with her workouts and strict eating habits, of course Eden would have nothing but diet crap in her house. As he dialed Lloyd’s number, then waited for him to answer, Hudson realized that in the two days he’d been with her, Eden hadn’t eaten a thing. Who the hell did that?
Lloyd answered, forcing Hudson to shift gears. He explained to the other man the equipment he needed for the extra security camera Hudson had decided to hide on the property, and then the situation.
Within thirty minutes, Lloyd arrived. “That was quick,” Hudson said as he opened the door to the townhouse. “I hate to stick you on babysitting duty, but Eden’s sick and I don’t want to wake her up for this.”
Lloyd shrugged his massive shoulders. “I don’t mind at all.”
As Hudson put on his coat, he watched the other man. At six foot, two inches, Hudson had never considered himself short, until he’d met Lloyd. The guy had at least five inches and fifty pounds on him. With his ridiculous muscles, and long, white hair, Lloyd reminded him of Thor, minus the hammer.
Yeah, Lloyd would serve well as Eden’s babysitter. Intimidating, even with a three-legged Chihuahua sitting on his lap, Hudson couldn’t imagine anyone willing to mess with Lloyd. Then again, a pissed-off Eden could be just as intimidating.
“Don’t I know it,” Hudson mumbled as he shoved his hands into his gloves and thought back to how she’d berated him over the Winters case.
“Sorry, what did you say?” Lloyd asked from across the room.
“Nothing.” Hudson headed for the door. “Call if you need anything. ”
“If Eden wakes up while you’re gone, do you want me to give her a message?”
Hudson stopped, then glanced down the hallway to Eden’s bedroom door. Knowing Eden, and how she needed to be fully immersed in anything she was involved with, he realized no message would help save his ass.
*
Hoping Mama had opted for an early afternoon catnap, Pudge quietly slipped inside the house. After all, they had an appointment to make.
“That you, Pudge?” Mama asked over the blaring TV.
hate her hate her cant let her see you hate her
“Yes, Mama,” Pudge said. “Give me a minute. I have to use the bathroom, then I’ll make you lunch.”
Pudge reached the bathroom, then closed the door. Needing to remove any evidence of Murugan Punjab, Pudge quickly went to work.
“I need to leave soon, but Mama…”
sleep put her to sleep
“Damn it,” Pudge whispered, and stared at the mirror. “I told you I’m not killing Mama.”
sleep didnt say kill sleep
Face now cleaned, Pudge said, “You’re right. She needs to go to sleep. And I have just the thing to help.”
Minutes later, Pudge entered the kitchen. Dirty plates filled the sink and table, stale food covered the counter, and dirt tarnished the floor. Pudge ignored the mess and rummaged through the cabinet that held Mama’s medications. After finding and crushing the pills that would put the fat bitch to sleep, Pudge opened the refrigerator and pulled out the mayonnaise. Once the crushed pills were mixed with the mayo, Pudge made Mama a sandwich, grabbed a bag of barbeque chips and a grape soda, then headed for the living room.
“Here’s your lunch,” Pudge said, and set the food on the tray.
Mama frowned. “No snack cakes? What’s a meal without dessert?”
Pudge eyed the half dozen empty boxes of brownies, Swiss rolls, Twinkies and cakes. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll bring you one.”
“Don’t be stingy,” Mama said over a mouthful. “Bring the whole box. And some ibuprofen, three of them. My ass is hurtin’ today.”
more give mama more
Pudge entered the kitchen, opened the cabinet, then pulled out the bottle of ibuprofen.
sleep give mama more sleep
Pudge considered the amount of crushed pills in Mama’s mayonnaise and the amount of time before the medication would take
effect. Directly ingested, the sleeping pills would knock Mama out fast, but would that be too many pills at once?
do it do it mama wont know wont know do it now now
“Shh,” Pudge hissed, then opened the bottle of sleeping pills. “You better hope this doesn’t hurt her. We can’t afford for Mama to die of an overdose. The police might start looking into what we’ve been up to, and that can’t happen. Not when we’re so close.”
too fat mama too fat to die from pills needs elephant tranquilizer too fat
Pudge smothered a chuckle. “You’re so bad.”
With three sleeping pills in one hand, a box of snack cakes in the other, Pudge walked back into the living room and nearly gagged. “Here you go, Mama. Smells like your colostomy bag needs to be changed. Why don’t I move your tray aside and do that before you finish your lunch?”
“Smell don’t bother me. Now hush up,” Mama ordered, and raised the volume on the TV. “I’m trying to hear this. You can change my bag after I’m done with my lunch and the show’s over.”
“Yes, Mama,” Pudge said, and with disgust and anticipation, watched Mama swallow the sleeping pills. Unable to watch Mama eat, or endure the vile odor, Pudge left the living room for the privacy of the bedroom. Once the door had clicked shut, Pudge looked in the mirror.
soon slice dice slice dice
Pudge opened the closet and pulled out an old suitcase. After opening it, and staring at the disguise, Pudge smiled.
welcome back doctor dread welcome back
*
Hudson climbed out of the Trans Am the second Evan Pope exited the school bus. He waited a moment until the bus had turned the corner, then followed the kid up the walkway to his house.
“Hey, gotta minute?” Hudson asked.
Evan shifted the backpack to his other shoulder and flipped his long, straight bangs out of his eyes. “Who are you?” he asked, then looked to his house.
“I’m a private investigator.”
Evan glanced at the house again, then took a few steps toward him. “No shit?”
“Yeah, no shit,” Hudson said. “I have a feeling you know what this is about. Don’t you?”
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