Rohn Federbush - Sally Bianco 03 - The Recorder's Way

by Rohn Federbush

  “Sure.” Helen gulped. “If you think you want to. Could Max come too? He’ll keep things light, you know.”

  “Max, you’re always welcome.” Helen’s mother patted Max’s shoulder. As she walked into the kitchen, they heard her say, “We need clowns in the house.”

  The phone rang again and Julia Costello answered. They heard her asking a few questions. Julia reappeared in the dining room. She read from her note pad, “A Sharon Daley from St. Anthony’s Hospital found two more files for you. One is a Jean Bacon and the other is a Charlie Klondike. I told her you would pick up the files within the hour. She’s about to leave work for the day.”

  “I’ll help Mother with the dishes,” her dad offered. “You two better get started.”

  Helen directed Max out to the garage to her father’s antique Oldsmobile. “Sorry, Max.” She backed the car out of the drive. “I wonder which doctor is dead. Didn’t the Mother Superior mention which of Marilyn Helm’s doctors died?”

  “What? I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening. I guess my nerves are shot.” Max occupied more than his side of the front seat.

  He was so big. Helen could smell his scent of clean soap; Irish Spring, she’d bet. She had never noticed before how small her parent’s home was. Max was too tall to stand up straight as he passed through the doorway out to the garage. She glanced at him as she drove to St. Anthony’s hospital in Ann Arbor. She felt she was a plotting, laying traps to catch him, while acting uninterested -- just the way Maybell, Anita, had done.

  Max took her hand from the steering wheel. “Why didn’t you rat me out?”

  Warmth traveled through Helen’s body at Max’s touch. She wanted more of him. Perhaps her mother was right about the thinning blood stream running its spring course through her tensing body. Where was she headed with all this pent-up heat? Helen shook her head. “What are you going to do about your child?”

  Max let go of her fingertips. “Can’t handle it yet, I guess.” Then he laughed. “Shall I wait until I’m over the morning sickness?”

  Helen didn’t laugh. The poor guy. She’d misjudged him. He really loved Maybell, Anita. What a mess he was in. “I was surprised Mother wants you to meet George.”

  “I wonder if my child is a girl or boy?” Max rubbed his dark curls. “I really enjoy living close to downtown.”

  “I wouldn’t like to eat on the street the way I see other people.” Helen wondered what his apartment was like. “I collect doll houses.” She could feel a childish blush rise. “I mean, I’m curious about how a man decorates a place.”

  “It’s two stories tall. I put some rods up, you know, those thin pieces of wood? Anyway, I strung several bolts of blue silk cloth up there, to look like the sky?”

  “Sounds neat.”

  “How many doll houses have you collected?”

  “Twenty-five.”

  “Geez! Where do you keep them all?”

  “Upstairs, at home. Dad built shelves in my room and along the hall. Double shelves.”

  Max dusted his curls again. “I build model ships. How do you keep control of the dust?”

  “Plastic wrap on the open side. How do you?” Helen thought he was more interesting than she’d imagined.

  “Computer keyboards are sprayed with a can of compressed air. Do you want to come up sometime?”

  “You sound like Mae West.”

  Max squirmed. “Nothing like that. When I take my girlfriends for a walk down Main Street for my buddies at the Earle, the waiters at Gratzi, and the cooks at Mongolian Barbecue, I get to smell all the different foods.”

  “Do your girlfriends know they’re being shown off?” Helen laughed, feeling like a teasing sister rather than the interested woman she was.

  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

  Max frowned. “Did your father know your mother was pregnant? They seem reconciled now, don’t they?” He felt ashamed for putting Helen on the spot. Why was he being so defensive, attacking her? The answer was he wanted to push her away before he injured her by using her, too. He liked her too much to disrespect. “I should tell you what my drinking buddies say about me.” Max stared at his huge hands. “They told me I reach for women the way they see drunks reach for a bottle, drain them, and toss them into the garbage.”

  When Max heard Helen’s shocked intake of breath, he instantly repented for showing her his bad side. He dug his hands into his suit coat pockets. Summoning up his courage, he asked, “Did I tell you I was orphaned at thirteen by my drunken parents?”

  “Did you want to tell me what happened?”

  “Aunt Rose said they were both addicted to rage. People can drink too much. My father strangled my mother and then shot himself.”

  Helen stopped the car in St. Anthony’s Hospital parking lot. She knelt beside him on the front seat put her arms around his head, her cheek next to his. “I’m sorry.”

  “They were traveling in Europe.” Helen’s comfort was genuine. He might need her in his life. Max’s voice was close to a whisper. “To me, they just disappeared. But from my viewpoint everyone treated me as if I’d killed them. I’m sure they were trying to be sympathetic. I carried a cement block of resentment on my shoulder for years. The army kicked the self-pity out of me.” Max rubbed the back of his hand against Helen’s cheek. She sat down beside him, her warm hip next to his hip.

  Max escaped tasting her mouth by opening the passenger door and sliding out. He offered her his hand. “Let’s hang these doctors out to dry.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

  When the children left even before the dishes were in the dishwasher, Julia Costello decided to ask her husband to take a walk around the block. Andrew never blinked an eye. Julia knew all her behavioral changes must be driving him crazy, but she didn’t want to talk about them. “I’m worried about Helen,” she said to start the conversation.

  “Max is a good person.”

  “I know. It’s Helen I think might have a problem, because of me. I’ve been so isolated; I think I allowed her to be a hermit, too.”

  “She’s a smart cookie, good detective.”

  Julia slipped her arm through her husband’s arm. She wondered if the neighbors might be inclined to call the cops. Strangers were cruising their street. How she could have denied herself all this beauty? “For years ….”

  “Never mind,” Andrew said, as if he understood. “We’re here now.”

  “We are,” she said. “And happier?”

  “Much,” Andrew said and tugged her arm closer to his side. “Much happier.”

  “Would it be cruel to suggest Helen find her own apartment?”

  “I wouldn’t call it cruel. She needs to expand her life past our home and the office, hopefully before she marries Max.” Andrew stopped. He turned back to stare at their home. “She needs to live somewhere other than Burns Park, but I hope she stays in Ann Arbor. God, I would miss her, if they left town.”

  “She’s not going to leave town.” Julia hoped. “We need the grandchildren close. She’ll be a working mother. I don’t want to baby-sit while she works, but I do want to be available when she needs me.”

  “We sound like we have her entire life planned.” Andrew shook his head. “I know we should wait until Helen decides to move out, but I can’t wait.” He pinched Julia arm. “I’ll be able to chase you around the house.”

  “Likely story,” Julia said, but she laughed…and she didn’t try to silence her merriment. God was good and she felt she had finally forgiven herself for the deceitful way she caught Andrew. “You never thought I trapped you?”

  “You’re kidding! Remember me; I’m the one who wouldn’t go home. Sat on your doorstep until George would bring you home from a date. Me. I was there waiting for my girl.” Andrew kissed her, standing right there on the sidewalk in front of their home.

  “The neighbors?” Julia said.

  “Are either missing a good show, or are happy for us.” Andrew opened the front door and swept his arm towards the inside, as if he were
inviting the Queen. “Did I tell you I don’t think Max thinks he’s good enough for Helen?”

  “He might be right.”

  “I see them together more than you do, even caught them kissing.”

  “In a full body embrace?”

  “My aren’t we getting technical.” Andrew laughed as he headed for the kitchen. “Any coffee left?”

  Julia was serious. “I want to know how far this has gone.”

  “I think they both surprised themselves,” Andrew said as he embraced his wife. “Love is a gift from God, surely. Aren’t you surprised our love keeps growing?”

  “You are the man. I mean you stayed the course, when I offered only half of myself.”

  Andrew drew away from a kiss he seemed to want to prolong. “You offered every ounce of yourself that was free to be loved. Now you’ve forgiven yourself and I can love you even more, more of your entire self.”

  “I feel more of God’s love, too.”

  “The good Lord has blessed us with a wonderful daughter.” Andrew led the way up the stairs for an afternoon of lovemaking. “I think that’s why God made man a helpmate, so they could nourish each other to grow toward his love.”

  “I love you, Andrew Costello.” Julia invited her husband down on the sheets beside her. “When are the dishes going to get done?”

  “They’ll wait for us,” he said.

  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

  First Friday in May, 2008

  St. Anthony’s Convent

  Sharon Daley occupied the back seat of the Oldsmobile. Helen had invited her to accompany them to meet with Sister James Marine. After Sharon handed over the files for two more victims, Charley Klondike and Jean Bacon, she insisted they tell her everything they knew about Sally Bianco’s death.

  “Sister James Marine insisted we come right down.” Max was trying to explain.

  “Mother Superior?” Helen clarified for Sharon as they tooled down Carpenter Road, headed for Route 12.

  “She sounded so upset when I told her we found Sally Bianco’s body, I couldn’t tell her no.” Max’s hands were in his hair.

  Helen thought Max would surely be bald by the time he was fifty. Sally Bianco told her bald men were sexy. She said she’d only been married a short time to a bald husband who had loved her since she was a teenager. ‘They try harder.’ Helen swore she could still hear Sally’s clipped way of speaking, as if you could understand every nuance of meaning in the sparse words she deigned to throw in your direction. Nevertheless, Helen did like the way Max, balding or not, bothered to consider Mother Superior’s worry about Marilyn’s connection to Sally’s death.

  Sharon said she understood the need to drive to Adrian. “I’m sure Marilyn would never injure another human being. That’s why she was sent to the convent for her community service.”

  Max asked, “Did you know her dog?”

  “Rufus. Sure. He’s harmless, devoted to Marilyn.” Sharon coughed. “Oh. Did you know Marilyn served in the National Guard? She didn’t live with me after they discharged her. She said she would be too much of a burden, with the dog and all.”

  “Did you like dogs?” Max asked.

  “Rufus was okay.” After two miles of silence, Sharon continued. “Actually, I was glad Marilyn didn’t ask to move back in with me. She’d changed. I mean, she was more angry than before she went into the service. I was so hopeful, when she first told me about the job they offered her. Part of the problem, I think, was she never stopped her contact with those three doctors. They kept the memory of our patients fresh in her mind.”

  “Then why did she keep in touch with them?” Helen was glad to be able to pump Sharon for information on the way down to Adrian. But she knew in her heart she would have enjoyed not sharing Max’s company even more.

  Sharon grumbled. “They always gave her new prescriptions for diet pills. Crazy business. Marilyn tried to stuff down her anger with food. She took the pills and continued to eat. Did you know Rufus was an attack dog? The National Guard was going to him put down. Marilyn told me one of the soldiers Rufus attacked came close to dying. The dog was very devoted to her.”

  Max tapped Helen’s shoulder. “Remind your dad to look up Marilyn’s record. We need the name of the arresting officer.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

  Sister James Marine seemed to gauge their shock and sadness. “What can I do? Have they found Marilyn yet, or her dog?”

  Max introduced Sharon as a friend of Marilyn’s. “The police have been searching for Sally’s car since Tuesday. Helen called them from here. Marilyn probably has the car now.”

  “It’s my fault.” Sister James Marine twisted a fresh handkerchief.

  “Marilyn was sober, I mean not on drugs when she was with you, right?” Sharon still stood in the open doorway.

  “Her room was filled with food.” The sister motioned for Sharon to come into the room. “We didn’t find any diet pills.”

  “Or prescriptions?” Sharon asked.

  “None.” Sister J. M. spread her hands palm down on her desk. “When you find her, I want to help. Please call me. I’m sure Marilyn will do the right thing.”

  Sharon nodded. “Her dog could have gone off on Sally Bianco. Marilyn might just be frightened. She wouldn’t want to return here if Rufus hurt Sally.” Max could tell Sharon was offering some relief for the sister.

  “I want to explain.” Sister James Marine walked to Sharon, took her arm, and moved her over the threshold into the room and shut the door behind her. “When I met Sally Bianco, I thought her job was the most interesting and useful things I had ever heard of. God forgive me, I’m bored to death here. I want to work for your agency, find the truth for people, serve God’s justice.”

  Max looked at Helen to help dissuade the woman. “Often times, Sister, we find the truth hurts more than it’s worth.”

  “Please,” Sister J. M. said. “I want to be of more use to God than doling out kitchen assignments.”

  “I understand.” Helen stood up, slightly brushing against Max. “You’re such a giant,” she complained. Max backed up against the wall. That girl! Was she trying to cause him problems? Helen looked innocent enough as she went around the desk to look at the sister’s computer. “How up-to-date is your computer?”

  “State of the art.” Sister J. M. seemed excited.

  “Google CSI. There is an investigator’s license course you can apply for.” Helen smiled at the sister’s enthusiasm.

  “The course is fairly complicated.” Max opened the door ready to escape the close quarters. “We’ll keep in touch.”

  “Anything I can do, before I’m licensed, to help. I could talk to Marilyn, maybe.” Sister James Marine was back to wrinkling her handkerchief.

  Back in the car, Sharon said, “Mother Superior might be able to interrogate or maneuver Marilyn, if you ever find her.”

  Max patted Helen’s knee, just to reassure her. “We’ll find her.” Who was he kidding? He had no idea where Marilyn was. What seemed more important at the moment was, did Helen know how much she affected him? Should she? Max couldn’t bring up the subject of his passion for his best friend. He felt his spirits plunge into his boots. “Please God.”

  He hadn’t realized he’d prayed aloud for strength to follow God’s will, until both Sharon and Helen chimed in with an, “Amen.”

  Chapter Six

  “floods, caterpillars, and sycamore trees’ frost, locusts…and the firstborn shall die.”

  The Egyptian Plagues

  Second Sunday in May, 2008

  University Art Museum

  Standing near the atrium of the art gallery’s central, circular hall, Helen asked her father to explain to George Clemmons why Sally Bianco’s memorial service was so crowded with people they had never met.

  “Half are policemen or plain-clothes detectives,” Andrew said.

  “Helen thought I could meet you all casually,” George said, “before I come to dinner.”

  Andrew shook George
’s hand. “Your father was our hero in high-school.”

  Max said, “With all these out-of-state crime experts available, Helen is convinced Sally’s murder will be solved in record time.”

  Captain Tedler touched Helen’s shoulder before introducing himself to Sister James Marine. “Helen tells me you’re interested in filling in for Sally with The Firm.”

  “As soon as I complete my training,” Sister said. Ten of her fellow nuns were scattered about the room. Helen spotted several of them on the second-floor balcony, which circled the main hall. Helen tuned back into the nun’s conversation with Captain Tedler. “In the meantime,” Sister replaced her handkerchief in her jacket’s side pocket. “I might possess some sway with Marilyn. She trusts me to keep her best interests at heart.”

  Captain Tedler agreed. “Trust is a valuable tool.”

  Helen’s father asked the Mother Superior to lead the mourners in the short serenity prayer from AA. As a footnote, Sister said, “St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost items and people. I would like to ask for all believers to pray that we find Marilyn Helms, who we think knows more about the circumstances surrounding Sally Bianco’s passing than we presently do.”

  Sally’s AA sponsor, Phyllis Reed, mentioned specifics about Sally’s generous nature. “During one retreat, we nicknamed her ‘Lady Bountiful’.”

  Captain Tedler closed the memorial service. “Sally Bianco once described a cartoon she’d seen of a hunter and his dog. Underneath the two, a rabbit hole hides a rabbit larger than the hunter. ‘Go get him,’ the hunter says to the dog, who doesn’t appear very eager to ferret out the monster. Sally was always ready to pursue wrong-doers no matter how huge their reputation in society.”

  Julia Costello spoke, too, inviting the crowd to a brunch at their home. Helen was amazed to see her recluse mother hand out maps to the crowd of complete strangers.

  The mourners included three couples from St. Charles, Illinois. A police captain and his wife explained their association with Sally spanned two of her cases. Apparently, Sally reclaimed her previous husband’s name after she was widowed during the investigation of an arson death in St. Charles. She was married only a week to the twin brother of a bald, handsome man. The younger couple from Illinois wept openly.