Toni gathered some paperwork and stopped off at the recep-71
tionist’s desk. Chloe smiled and held up one finger when Toni arrived, indicating she was on the phone. Chloe wore a wireless headset and it was often difficult to tell whether or not she was talking to you or a caller. Toni watched in amazement. Chloe was able to answer 12 lines, transfer, take notes and give info without ever making a mistake. She remembered voices as well as names, all while working on some unrelated project on her computer.
After about two minutes she turned back toward Toni. “Good afternoon, Ms. Barston. What can I do for you?” Even though Toni had insisted she call her by her first name, Chloe was adamant about referring to all personnel as Mr. or Ms.
“Well,” Toni said. “I wanted to let you know I was running down to the clerk’s office for a few minutes. My dad is supposed to drop by this afternoon, so could you let him know I’ll be back in a jiffy?”
Chloe smiled and nodded but was again answering the phone.
Amazing, Toni thought. She had trouble keeping track with just one phone. She hoped they paid Chloe well. With that, Toni headed to the second floor.
She returned almost 30 minutes later, mildly frustrated. The clerk, Slow Lucy, had been unusually drained of energy today. Her steps had always been slow, but today it was almost painful. She wasn’t disabled in any way—just deliberate. The walk from her desk to the counter, 15 feet at most, took almost a full minute.
That was after she acknowledged your presence, sighed, rearranged the papers on her desk, sighed, then pushed her chair back. On days when Toni was in a hurry, it was infuriating, and on days when she was not, it was almost comical. Today Toni’s mood fell somewhere in the middle. As she approached the receptionist’s desk on her return, Chloe again raised one finger. Toni waited.
After a few seconds, Chloe handed her a large paper grocery sack. “Ms. Barston, your father dropped this off for you. I told him you’d be back very soon, but he didn’t want to bother you at work.
He sure was beaming, though. He seems very proud of you.” Before Toni could respond, Chloe was back to the phones. Toni 72
headed for her office and once there dove into the bag. She pulled out a large blue workman’s jacket and held it up. Although it was at least four sizes too big, it was perfect. Neatly embroidered on the front left side was the name “SLIM.” She turned the jacket around and giggled. The back was emblazoned with “REFRIGERATOR
REPAIR.” She dug farther into the bag and found one of her dad’s shirts and a huge tool belt, complete with tools. There was also a pair of used blue jeans, size 42. She was elated. She now only needed one more item to complete the look. This would be her best costume ever. While she was continuing to admire her parents’ handiwork, she was startled by Boggs’s voice coming from behind her. She quickly stuffed the items back into the sack.
“What’s this? Did you go shopping during your lunch hour?” Boggs was attempting to look over Toni’s shoulder.
“Just admiring my prize-winning costume,” Toni replied. “Hey, no peeking.”
She turned to face Boggs as she folded the top of the grocery sack. Although she wanted her costume to be a surprise, she also desperately wanted to share her excitement. She struggled with this dilemma for an entire 30 seconds before her excitement overtook her. She’d always had trouble with surprises.
“Okay. I can’t stand it any longer. Shut the door.” Boggs responded without question.
Once it was shut, Toni said, “Promise you won’t tell. I’m going to be a refrigerator repairman.”
Boggs’s expression could best be described as, well, blank, as if she was trying to imagine how dressing as a repairman could be a great costume, let alone prize-winning. Clearly feigning enthusiasm, she said, “Boy . . . that sounds really great.” Toni didn’t let Boggs’s total lack of comprehension and understanding dampen her enthusiasm. “Okay. Picture the guy from Saturday Night Live.” Boggs’s expression remained a blank. Toni continued, “Remember? A huge guy with his pants so low in the back you could see his crack?” Toni was laughing now.
It took only a minute or so before Boggs got it. A broad grin 73
broke out on her face, but she still looked a bit puzzled. “How? I mean, well, you’re not planning on . . . you know . . .” She was stammering and seemed slightly embarrassed, her cheeks red-dened.
Toni opened the paper sack and retrieved her jeans. She held them up. “I’m going to strap on a couple pillows and wear these.” She grabbed the jacket from the sack. “This is my jacket.” She beamed. “I’ve got the whole outfit. My folks put it together for me.
Of course, I still need to pick up my rubber butt, but it will be absolutely perfect.”
“Your what?” Boggs’s eyebrows shot up.
“My rubber butt. It’s on hold at Jack’s Costume Shop,” Toni replied.
“Your butt is on hold?”
After a slight pause, they both realized how outrageous that sounded and began laughing.
Toni said, “I’m going over to pick it up after work. Do you want to come along? Maybe there’s something there to add to your costume.” Even as she spoke, she realized how unrealistic her suggestion had been. She was sure that Boggs would have plans tonight.
Hell, it was Friday night. How pathetic, Toni thought. Her big excitement was to pick up a rubber butt. And she was so jazzed about it that she’d invited Boggs. Boy, I really do need to get a life.
Boggs seemed surprised by the offer. “That sounds like fun. I’ve never been to Jack’s. What time?”
“Well, how about seven?” Toni thought for a moment. “It’s only about a mile from my place, so if you just want to drop over, we’ll go from there.” Boggs agreed and they returned to their work.
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, but by the time 5:00
rolled around, Toni was packing her briefcase. She didn’t relish the thought of working over the weekend. She looked at the files she had placed inside, then looked at her calendar and decided she’d have time to finish the work on Monday. No need to do it over the 74
weekend. She took the files out. She began to close her empty briefcase, but at the last minute she put Dexter Crown’s file inside.
She wasn’t sure why she did. Maybe it was because it didn’t feel right carrying an empty briefcase.
The man was tired, very tired. It had been a long week. The voices had gotten so loud at one point that he was afraid others could hear. The left side had put up a fair fight, but he had known from the beginning that it would lose. Now the left side was just an occasional murmur. It wouldn’t be long now. Maybe tonight.
Maybe tomorrow.
As Toni drove home from work she remembered she was out of milk, so she stopped at the grocery store. Her plan was to just run in, grab a quart and go. Big mistake. Never go to the grocery store when you’re hungry. She entered the store, picked up a shopping basket and headed to the dairy section, via the snack aisle.
Wow. Wavy Lays were on sale. Buy one get one free. What a deal. She grabbed two bags. Wheat Thins. Oh, yum. She hadn’t had those in ages. They’d be great to have in her desk at work. Into the basket they went. From the dairy section she got her milk. It was right next to the cheese. Ooh, Gouda cheese. That would be perfect on the crackers. Satisfied, she headed to the checkout, bypassing the chips. Instead she perused down the aisle filled with beer and wine. A huge sale sign caught her eye. Gosh! White wine for only $5.49. Great price. And it was a pretty good label. She really should keep an extra bottle or two on hand. She grabbed three. No, make that four. The basket was full now, so she got in line. While waiting, and after reading the headlines of all those weekly gossip papers, she noticed a display to her left. Hmm . . .
Little Debbie’s oatmeal pies. She used to eat those in college. Boy, were they good. She added a box to her basket. The cashier rang 75
up her items. As Toni lugged the bags to her car she was shaking her head. That was the most expensive car
ton of milk she had ever bought.
Toni arrived home, fed Mr. Rupert and started putting the groceries away. Of course, she had to open one bag of chips. She looked in the fridge. She already had one bottle of wine in there.
She glanced at her watch and realized she only had 45 minutes before Boggs was due to arrive. Enough time for a light snack. She poured herself a glass of wine and cut off a hunk of cheese. Cheese, chips and wine.
“Healthy fare tonight, Mr. Rupert,” she said. “Protein, dairy, grains and, um, fruit.” She giggled and put the rest of her things away. The four bottles of wine went in the fridge.
Toni went upstairs to get ready. She quickly showered and pulled on her favorite jeans and an old faded denim workshirt. She would put her shoes on later. Comfy and relaxing clothes. Back downstairs, she took her chips, cheese and wine to the living room.
Instead of turning on the TV, she flipped on the stereo and lit a couple of candles. With her feet on the coffee table and Mr.
Rupert by her side, she let out a sigh.
“Ah, this is nice. Tasty treats, good wine, mellow music and my handsome boy. A perfect way to relax. It’s been one hell of a week.” Boggs turned on the news as she drove to Toni’s. She hoped to get the forecast but instead heard the latest report about Crown, which noted that many of the city’s residents were becoming more anxious. After hearing that “a serial murderer is on the loose,” one resident had called in and complained about “our inept police department.” Apparently some of the women were arming themselves with everything from mace to guard dogs to automatic weapons. Husbands and boyfriends were masking their anxiety with talk of killing Crown themselves. The police department was trying to ease the minds of the public, but their efforts were futile.
In reality, Boggs knew, there was nothing for them to do until they caught him—or he killed again. She turned off the radio just as she pulled into Toni’s parking lot.
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Toni opened the front door with glass in hand and Boggs stepped inside. She suspected she’d replay the 30 seconds that followed at least a hundred times. She’d arrived expecting to spend maybe an hour with Toni at a costume store. But when that door opened, her heart melted. Before her stood the woman of her dreams. As she crossed the threshold, she felt as though she had walked into a movie. Maybe it was the music and flickering candles. Maybe it was the peaceful and comfortable feeling of Toni’s townhouse. Maybe it was seeing her, barefoot, wearing an untucked old shirt and holding a glass of wine. Boggs felt like she had finally come home after all these years. Those intense feelings lasted less than a minute, but it was as if they left a permanent mark on her. As if she had glimpsed into the future. She was brought back to reality by the sound of Toni’s voice. What had she just said?
“Boggs, are you okay?” Toni asked, clearly concerned.
“What? Oh, sure.” Boggs shook her head. “I guess my mind was somewhere else. I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I just wondered if you wanted a glass of wine before we go,” Toni said. “I mean, if you’re pressed for time we can go ahead and leave.”
“A glass of wine sounds great,” Boggs agreed.
Toni motioned for her to sit and went into the kitchen. She began describing her evening, including a trip to the grocery store that got out of control.
“So it felt so good to sit here and just get lost in the music and wine.” She handed Boggs the wineglass.
Boggs leaned back on the couch, took a long, slow drink and sighed. “This is nice.” Two minutes passed. “Really nice.” The two of them sat in comfortable silence, drank their wine and listened to the music. Boggs enjoyed the soothing voice of Norah Jones.
She liked the look and feel of Toni’s apartment. The walls were a light sage green with accents of tan and red. The old couch was comfortable and welcoming. The candles gave the room a warm glow.
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When their glasses were nearly empty, Toni said, “Well, how about you and me heading to Jack’s to pick up my butt?” They laughed. “I’ll get my shoes and coat.”
Boggs put on her jacket as Toni got ready.
“I’ll drive if that’s okay. I know the way,” Toni said. Boggs didn’t mind. Toni unlocked the passenger door first and opened it for her, then walked around and hopped in her side. The gesture was not lost on Boggs. One eyebrow instinctively shot up. Toni’s car was small. Toni could have easily unlocked the door from the inside.
Later, when Toni shifted into third gear Boggs realized Toni’s hand was about six inches from her knee. Her heart beat faster.
When they got to Jack’s, Boggs was confused. It looked like any other card shop, decorated for Halloween. There were only about six people inside, which didn’t correspond to the large number of cars parked outside. Toni led her to the back of the store and down a flight of stairs. Boggs gasped when she reached the basement, huge and literally crammed full of Halloween “stuff” and people.
One entire wall was dedicated to hats. There were gruesome statues and full-size monsters peppered throughout. As they wove their way around various displays, she saw every type of costume imaginable, from Snow White to Bondage Betty. There were also thousands of accessories including wigs, makeup and jewelry. They squeezed by an animated group of teenagers and through another doorway. Boggs scanned the walls and chuckled.
“This is the body parts room,” Toni explained as she headed over to the clerk. That was a major understatement. Hanging on the walls was every body part imaginable. All shapes and sizes, some were true to life and others were huge. On the floor were boxes of severed arms and legs with ragged red edges.
Boggs picked up a foot. “This one looks familiar.” She tossed it back and went to take a closer look at the wall. She was studying one of the “parts,” the torso of a muscular man with lifelike chest hair, when Toni appeared at her side holding a large rubber butt, which she handed to her. It had Velcro straps on the side. Boggs 78
held it up for inspection and laughed. This big butt even had dim-ples.
“Won’t this be great?” Toni chuckled.
Boggs was finally able to visualize the entire refrigerator repairman outfit and she couldn’t help but laugh. Toni had been right . . .
this would be a prize-winner.
They began wandering through the aisles and spent at least thirty minutes in the mask section, trying on one after another.
Some were goofy like Wilma Flintstone, some gross and some hideous. Next they headed to the hats. After Boggs had tried on a bright yellow Dick Tracy hat, Toni asked, “Are you going to be a gumshoe tomorrow?” She tried on a flowered hat with blond pig-tails.
Boggs was admiring her glow-in-the-dark hat in the mirror.
“Of course! I would like to add a twist, but I haven’t been able to come up with anything. Hard to top the gum. Any ideas?” Toni tried on a baseball cap with a jumbo propeller on top. “I don’t know.” She flicked the propeller. “Maybe you need a prop?” She pointed to her hat.
Boggs glanced over at Toni and a light went off in her head.
“That’s it! Perfect. I need a miniature umbrella. Do you think they have one here?”
Without a word, Toni grabbed Boggs’s arm and steered her to another part of the store. They found huge umbrellas, parasols and a pair of sunglasses with wipers. Toni dug around on the shelf and located two miniature umbrellas. One was hot pink and the other was black, Boggs’s choice. She was still wearing the bright yellow hat and she held the umbrella above her head.
“Now I’m an ‘undercover’ gumshoe. If I can figure out how to attach this thing to the hat, I’ll be all set,” she said.
Toni looked thrilled. “Oh, Boggs, it’s perfect.” She moved closer to examine the props. She was standing very close now and Boggs could smell her perfume. “I think with some tape, staples and maybe a glue gun, you could attach it with no problem. I’ve 79
got everything at home if you need it.” Toni shifted her focus from the hat to Boggs. Their
eyes met and they both smiled. Damn.
After a moment, Boggs reluctantly broke the gaze. “That would be great. Would you help me?” Toni agreed and they headed to the cashier. After Boggs paid for her hat and umbrella, she stood to the side waiting for Toni to pay for her rubber butt. Was that a Gertrude’s Garage card in her wallet? No way. Gertrude’s was the new gay bar in town. Was it possible? She was determined to find out.
On the short drive back to Toni’s townhouse Boggs noticed a number of pizza delivery cars. That was probably because she hadn’t eaten and was hungry.
As if reading her mind, Toni said, “I don’t know about you, Boggs, but I think I’m going to have to order a pizza.”
“That would really hit the spot. Since you volunteered to help me with my ‘hat project,’ I’ll treat.”
Within minutes of arriving at Toni’s townhouse, a major decision had been reached. A large, thin-crust, ham and mushroom.
Toni called in the order, then asked, “Would you like some wine?” Boggs nodded vigorously. She definitely needed a drink. As Toni poured them each a large glass of wine, Boggs glanced around the room, looking for clues.
“Make yourself comfy. Feel free to put on some music,” Toni said.
Boggs headed to the CD rack. For sure she’d find some hint here. Maybe a CD labeled “lesbian music.” Just a thought.
“Take off your coat and stay a while,” Toni suggested.
Boggs just nodded while perusing the music selection. She wanted something mellow, something conducive to conversation.
Anticipation Page 8
