by Marja McGraw
I jumped out of my chair and ran to the door, looking in every direction as I passed through it. I couldn’t see anyone who resembled John… John… Whatever his name was. I ran outside, and Chris saw me and followed behind.
“What’s going on, babe?” he asked.
“That John guy was here. Addie saw him.” My head flew from side to side, looking for the man or the truck and camper.
“There!” I yelled, watching his truck pull out from the side of the restaurant and onto the street.
He didn’t seem to be in any big hurry.
“Chris, go after him,” I said. “Don’t just stand there.”
“Pamela, by the time I get to the car he’ll be gone. But at least we know he’s picked up his truck, not that it makes any difference.”
I looked into Chris’s eyes. I knew he was right. “Addie is really scared. I think one of us had better follow them home tonight and make sure he doesn’t follow them.”
“I’ll do that,” Chris said. “And I’ll go inside with them to look through the house. I wouldn’t want to see anything happen to those women.”
They were growing on him. They frightened him in an odd way, but he liked them.
“I’d better let the ladies know he’s gone,” I said. “And I’ll let them know that you’re going to follow them later. Phyllis probably thinks we’ve deserted her, so why don’t you go back to work until the ladies leave?”
“How did he know she’d be here?” Chris asked, walking from the street toward the restaurant. “Was it a coincidence or did he see her somewhere and follow her?”
“I can’t see any way that he could know she was staying with Jasmine,” I replied.
“Unless…,” Chris said thoughtfully.
“Unless what?”
“Maybe he saw the mall copper and me reconnoitering his truck. Maybe he followed me home and then here. This is not a good thing, Pamela. If that’s the case, then he knows where we live, where we work, and that Addie is a friend of ours. No, this is not a good thing. Now Victor’s predicament has reached out and moved too close to home.”
“Mikey,” I said. “We can’t let this man come near Mikey. I hope you’re wrong about him following you. I’m going to call Constance right now and ask if Mikey can stay with her for a few days.”
“Good idea,” Chris said. “You can take some fresh clothes over to him in the morning. Just make sure you’re not being followed. In fact, maybe I’ll take them over to him.”
Although it wasn’t cold outside, I felt a shiver run through me. I didn’t like where this whole situation was heading. Now we had more than Addie and Victor to worry about. I didn’t like it at all.
We walked inside and although it took a moment to sink in, I heard someone singing with the band. Occasionally the wife of one of the band members came in and sang, but it wasn’t her voice. Although it sounded different than it had in church, I knew it was Lila.
Lila was singing Symphony, one of my favorite songs, although not from the forties. She couldn’t have known how that song turned my heart inside out. I sat down and listened, calming as she sang each note to perfection. The love song made me think of Chris.
It was so odd to watch her in her plain forties housedress with her limp gray hair, singing like a canary. The woman’s appearance and her voice didn’t seem to go together.
When she finished, she turned to the band and spoke quietly. They nodded and set their instruments down, moving in around her, and they harmonized with Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer – a song from World War II about waiting for word from a missing plane. All of a sudden a voice comes on the radio and says the plane is coming in on a wing and a prayer. I could almost see the anxious faces waiting around a radio and it gave me another unexpected chill, but certainly a different kind this time.
They sang a capella, with no instruments. Only voices. It brought a tear to my eye. Glancing at the other ladies, I saw that it touched them, too.
As I listened I wondered if I’d been born in the wrong era. Chris and I cared so much about all things related to the forties. It seemed that people had a more common goal and that they pulled together instead of fighting each other. There was innocence and romance linked to that era in my mind. If I’d actually grown up in the World War II years I might feel differently, but reading books, watching vintage movies and listening to the music, it seemed like a time I would have enjoyed.
I looked up and saw that diners had left their tables to stand at the door and listen to Lila.
She didn’t see them. She looked over their heads and sang her little heart out.
Jasmine nudged me. “Lila thought the music might take Addie’s mind off the goon, as Chris likes to call him.”
“Good idea,” I said. “I know it sure took my mind off of things. By the way, Chris is going to follow you home tonight and check your house before he leaves.”
I could see the relief on her face. She nodded assent.
We turned back to Lila and listened to the rest of the song. When she finished singing, everyone applauded – loudly. Lila turned to the band and thanked them, and when she left the stage I could see she was blushing. I could hear the buzz of conversation as people returned to their tables. I found it interesting that they tried to ignore a man who had dropped dead right in front of them, and yet they left their tables to hear Lila sing. Maybe Lila’s voice was Beauty and death was the Beast? I wasn’t sure.
Addie jumped up and met Lila halfway across the dance floor. “That was outstanding, Lila! I had no idea you could sing like that. You’ve been hiding your light, my friend.”
“The Lord gave me a gift, my voice, and I thought maybe this was one of the times I should be faithful and use that gift.” Lila could be so humble sometimes – most of the time, actually.
“You were aces,” I said, “and you can sing here anytime you want to.”
“Aces,” Lila said. “I like that. I’m aces.” She grinned before she buried her face in her hands, embarrassed.
Leaving the ladies to their own devices, I returned to the dining room to look for Chris. The Longworths were leaving and he was at the front door shaking hands with Mr. Longworth.
Hurrying over, I just missed them as they opened the front door and left. I caught the door before it closed and leaned out to wave good-bye, but pulled my hand back when I caught sight of a black truck with a white camper driving by.
“Chris!” I called. “That bum is still hanging around.”
“I’ll take care of this,” he said, picking up the telephone receiver.
I listened while he called the police department and told them that there was a strange man lurking around outside the restaurant. I knew the department was short-handed, and I didn’t know if they’d be able to get here before we closed. I was sure they had other, more important calls to take care of all over town. Glancing at my watch I saw that we had about half an hour to go before we could start locking up.
Chris hung up.
“What did they say?” I asked.
“The coppers will be here as soon as they can. We’ll probably be closed by then.” He curled his upper lip under and appeared thoughtful.
“What?” I asked.
“I think we need to outsmart this sap.”
“And how are we going to do that, Bogey Man?”
“Watch and learn, dollface.” He looked very smug. I couldn’t imagine what he might be up to.
Chapter Eighteen
While the customers began leaving in small groups, Chris kept his eye on the street outside. The truck had passed Bogey Nights twice and then seemed to disappear. Chris didn’t trust that he was really gone. He left by the rear door of the restaurant, after turning off the back lights, and hot-footed it to the front to check out the street. I watched out the window with some amusement – Chris was doing a male version of tiptoeing.
He returned through the rear as I was locking the front door.
“Did you see him?” I asked, meeti
ng him in the dining room area.
“I did some fancy footwork and saw him parked down the street.”
Hiding a smile, I said, “Yeah, I saw some of that fancy footwork.”
“He’s going to have to cool his heels for a while. We’re not leavin’ this juke joint until I have a few things put in place.”
I almost rolled my eyes, but caught myself in time. “We’re not a cheap bar so don’t call Bogey Nights a juke joint. We’re a supper club with a cocktail lounge.”
“I know, I know. But juke joint sounds more forties.”
That stopped me cold. Chris never actually talked about trying to sound forties. He just did it.
“Okay. So what’s the plan?” I asked, recovering.
Chris pulled on his ear lobe and grinned his best Bogey grin at me. “I want you to take Lila and May for a ride. The big lug is going to follow Jasmine’s car when she leaves, thinking Addie’s in it.”
“But if he followed us here, which is what we think, then he’s not going to know what her car looks like.”
“I’ve got that covered. I’m going to pull Jasmine’s car up out front and the women will all climb in, with Addie making a big show of it. Then I’m going to have Jasmine get back out and look through her purse, like she forgot something. She’ll pull into the driveway and she and Addie will switch places with you and the dogs.”
“The dogs?” Now I was really confused.
“I want Jasmine’s car to look full. I don’t want the palooka to realize we’ve pulled a switch. When you leave, turn left out of the driveway. That way you won’t be driving past him and he won’t see that two of the passengers are dogs.”
“Gotcha.” I was beginning to catch on.
“While you and the ladies are leading him on a wild goose chase, I’ll take Jasmine and Addie home. After you’ve driven around, in the opposite direction from Jasmine’s house, you can take Lila and May home. We can leave your Jeep here for the night, and then switch cars tomorrow.”
“I don’t suppose you have a simpler plan,” I said hopefully.
“Take it or leave it, that’s the plan.”
“Okay. You know, our employees must think we’re nuts. There’s always something going on.”
“If they don’t think we’re goofy now, they soon will.”
I found the Church Ladies in the lounge, standing up and ready to leave. I explained the plan to them. You’d have thought I’d given them chocolate truffles wrapped in hundred dollar bills.
“Finally,” May said. “We’re going to be part of a plan.”
“Well, praise the Lord,” Lila said.
“Amen to that,” Jasmine said, grinning. “It’s about time you let us be involved.”
Addie looked more than pleased – she looked relieved.
“Ladies,” Jasmine said, “let’s hold hands and pray for everyone’s safety.” They grabbed my hands in the process, and we all prayed. Actually, I felt a bit better after the last Amen. Jasmine took off her glasses and placed them in the pocket of her dress.
I checked in with Luis, in the kitchen, and he was ready to leave. Phyllis and Gloria were already halfway out the door when I called good-night to them. The three of them walked out to the parking lot together. Our other employees had already left for the night.
Chris pulled Jasmine’s car around to the front of Bogey Nights, directly under the street light, and left the motor running. I unlocked the front door and the ladies waved good-night to me. I was hoping they wouldn’t overact.
I ran to my office and grabbed the dog leashes before calling them inside. Clicking the leashes into place, we scrambled out the door and down the driveway so I could see what was going on.
“Thanks for a wonderful evening.” Addie yelled and waved in the general direction of the restaurant, certainly gaining the goon’s attention. She was the last one to enter the car.
Jasmine climbed out of the car and set her purse on the hood, searching through it. She leaned toward the car window and pointed at her eyes and then at the restaurant, indicating she’d lost her glasses. She climbed back into the car and pulled into the driveway. All in all, it was quite a performance. The best part was that the women were convincing.
As soon as they couldn’t be seen from the street, Jasmine and Addie climbed out and Chris led them back to his classic green Chevy. I loaded the dogs into the rear seat with May, and Lila sat in front with me.
“Are we having fun yet, girls?” I asked.
Lila tittered.
“You can count on it,” May said.
Glancing up, I saw the three employees standing in the parking lot watching, and shaking their heads. I waved before turning around and driving toward the street. At the end of the driveway, I looked both ways before pulling out and turning left. I saw the truck’s lights flick on before the thug pulled away from the curb and hung a U-turn.
“He fell for it,” I said. “He’s going to tail us no matter how long it takes.”
Checking my rearview mirror, I saw the nose of Chris’s car pull up to the edge of the parking lot. He held back until we were well down the street before he turned right and headed for Jasmine’s house. So far his plan was working.
I had no idea where I was going to go. I just drove. The only thing that mattered was that I stay in familiar territory so I always had a way out if the goon caught up to us and tried to cause trouble.
Everything was going so well – until the white truck pulled up next to us at a red light. He did a double-take when he saw the dogs in the car. I could almost see him mentally counting people in the car and looking at profiles. His face turned dark with anger. I did a quick inventory to make sure everyone had on their seatbelts. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to protect the dogs.
Watson must have picked up on my sudden fear. She whined and pawed the back of my seat.
“It’s okay, girl. Lie down.” I spoke over my shoulder. “Sherlock, you lie down, too.”
Sherlock followed my gaze when I turned my head to look at the bad guy. He let out a huge, deep, protective growl before he obeyed. I glanced in the rearview mirror. May was crushed between the two big galoots. If anything went wrong, at least they gave her some padding.
Looking up, I saw the light change to green.
“Hold on, everyone,” I said between clenched teeth. “We’re about to go for a joy ride, only I don’t think it’ll be all that joyful.”
Lila grabbed the sides of her seat. May gripped the back of my seat. The dogs, well, the dogs didn’t do anything but lie there.
I checked out the traffic. Only one car was headed toward us, and it was moving slowly.
Laying rubber, I pulled away from the signal and made a hard left turn, even though I wasn’t in the left turn lane. It took the goober longer to turn because of the oncoming car, but he managed to pull up behind us. He got right on my tail and shined his bright lights on the car. It was blinding in the rearview mirror. I stepped on the gas and headed for the freeway. I knew that my Jeep could outrun his dually truck any day of the week, but I wasn’t sure about Jasmine’s car. I needed to fly, and the freeway wasn’t all that far away.
“Lila,” I said. “Pull my cell phone out of my purse and call Chris.”
Looking at me with wide-eyed innocence – and fear – she finally pried one of her hands off the edge of her seat. She leaned over and took a look at my speedometer.
I grinned at her.
She opened my purse and fumbled around, finally pulling out the phone. “What number do I use to call Chris?”
I told her how to use my speed dial, and she gave it a shot. “It’s going to his answering machine.”
I’d have rolled my eyes, but I was picking up speed and I didn’t want the ol’ peepers sticking that way now. Why on earth had my mother ever told me that story about sticking eyeballs?
“Okay, leave a message on his voice mail and tell him to call us right back. Tell him it’s urgent.”
Voice mail
started and I heard Lila say, “Chris! Come rescue us! That bad man is chasing us all over town. Pamela is going to take us on the crazy freeway again. Call me back fast.” Then she remembered, and added, more calmly, “Oh, by the way, this is Lila. I’m using Pamela’s cell phone.”
I hung a sharp right at the next street and began to pull away from the truck and camper. He must have had some kind of engine in that truck, because within a block he began to creep up on me again.
“Freeway ahead,” I yelled, seeing the sign I’d been looking for. “We’re home free now, ladies.”
And then a copper pulled in behind me with his lights flashing.
And the cell phone rang.
Chapter Nineteen
Glancing in the rearview mirror, I saw the truck duck down a side street. Could I convince the copper that we’d been in danger? I didn’t really care. At least he’d gotten rid of the goon for us.
Pulling over, I asked Lila to answer the cell phone. “It’s Chris,” she said.
“Would you tell him I’ll call him back in a few minutes?”
“Pamela says she’ll call you back after the police officer lets us go,” Lila said, turning back to the cell phone. She moved the phone away from her ear and I had the distinct feeling that Chris might be yelling.
I reached out and she handed me the cell phone. “I’ll call you back.” I closed the phone and hung up on my husband, probably not the best way I could have handled things.
By this time the copper was tapping on my window. Two yellow Labs were grinning and panting, watching my every move. They’d both plopped their heads on the back of the two front seats. They’d never met a stranger, so to speak, and moved their gaze from me to the police officer. They appeared to be very excited.
“Officer,” I said, rolling the window halfway down, “would you mind if I get out of the car? One of the dogs is beginning to drool on me.”
The copper looked inside the car and saw two elderly women in vintage clothing and two very happy dogs. I glanced back and saw that May’s hat was now lopsided, almost falling off her head.
