Gwen wasn’t happy by this turn of events. “Shut up, loser. Do you want to know anything else or are you ready to die?”
Okay, here goes nothing. “The other night there was quite a parade by my house. Would you explain that?”
Gwen giggled.
Carolyn’s turn to talk, apparently. “It was quite a coincidence that we were both there. In fact we just discovered it today. You know Claudia Burns just returned to Quincy. I don’t trust her and thought I’d check her out. As I was driving to her house I noticed she was leaving and I followed her. She went to your home, knocked, and peeked in the window. Don’t know why. As she left, I looked in your windows.”
Carolyn continued. “Gwen’s brother Charlie has this thing about trying to protect Gwen. He was following me, because he thought I was out to hurt Gwen.” She flashed a loving smile at Gwen. “Gwen was out looking for Charlie because she wanted to tell him about our relationship so he would stop worrying and would stop snooping. That’s how we all ended up looking in your windows within a very short time. Rather funny when you think about it.”
“Yeah, it really tickles me.” God, I hate it when I resort to sarcasm.
Carolyn’s recent and short bout of good humor left her. “Gwen, we’ve talked long enough. Let’s get out of here. We can get down to the river and kill them there. There are so many sink holes that we can load them down with bricks after they are dead and just let them sink. No cleaning up to do. And there are probably plenty of bodies down there to keep them company.” Just when I thought Carolyn was the saner of the two, she went and got weird on me.
“Okay, but please,” I pleaded, “please answer one more question…” They stopped walking so I continued with a question I already knew the answer to. “The thing that’s driving me crazy is how did you clean up after the murder?” Looking at Gwen, I said, “There was no blood on you anywhere.”
Since I sounded as if I admired their brilliance, Gwen couldn’t stop from answering. “You are such a dope. Clinics are full of disposable gowns. After Martin refused to cooperate, Carolyn kept talking to him while I stepped into the closet outside his office, got some gowns, gloves, hair coverings, and booties. I looked into Martin’s office, asked him to excuse us for a moment, and called Carolyn into the hallway. We went into the kitchen, covered ourselves with the disposable stuff and went into Martin’s office through that door.”
“Wasn’t he surprised to see you both dressed like that?”
She continued, “I don’t think he knew who we were right away. By the time he figured it out, it was too late.”
“So you actually cut him? You’re the one?”
She didn’t speak but she grinned, and that gave me all the answer I needed.
I continued with my questioning. “Then you put all the disposable clothing and the scalpel in a plastic bag and helped Carolyn out of the window. She took the bag with her. That’s why there were footprints leading away from but not toward the building.”
“Bingo,” Gwen said, “you win the door prize.” She paused. “Too bad there isn’t one.” Again, the maniacal laughter.
It caused my spine to shiver uncontrollably.
When she stopped laughing she said, “I was the receptionist, so I was the only one who knew Carolyn had come into the clinic. She’d called him from the empty office—now it’s yours—and when he got nasty on the phone we just decided to get rid of him. We figured I’d still be working there and could give new files to Carolyn. Of course, things didn’t quite work out the way we’d planned.”
Carolyn couldn’t resist trying to stop the chatter. After all, the attention wasn’t focused on her. “Will you just get rid of the bitch and the old man? You’ve told them everything. Sam’s just stalling.”
Gwen agreed to stop talking and bragging and to get the job done. “Get up. Get up. Let’s go.” The way she brandished that pistol, I was scared I’d die accidentally. She didn’t appear to have any more expertise than Charlie did. Maybe I could get the jump on her. I thought that if there was some way I could signal Gus, or some way to let him know that he needed to deal with Carolyn, we had a chance. Carolyn was a wimp. Gwen wasn’t, but we had to do something. I wasn’t going to die without at least mussing up someone’s hair. And if I was going to die, I wanted it to be here, so I could bleed all over Carolyn’s beautiful carpet. I decided to be resolute and just go for it.
As Gus and I stood, I melodramatically clutched at my stomach and yelled, “Grab Carolyn.”
Luckily Gus didn’t second-guess me. He jumped up and literally threw himself at Carolyn, tackling her in a way that showed her he knew his way around a football field. At the same time I pretended to pass out on Gwen. It wasn’t as picture perfect as Gus’s execution, but it was dramatic and it worked. My reputation as a fainter preceded me. She dropped her gun as the nurse in her reflexively put her arms out to catch me. I immediately grabbed Gwen and put her in a basket hold—a restraint normally used only for my past psychiatric patients and younger brothers. Expertly executed and very effective.
Just as I wondered how long I could hold her, we were pleasantly interrupted. “Hold it right there. Don’t move.” George’s voice was beautiful at that moment. I swirled around to face him and instead saw not only George, but Michael, Pete, Rob, Georgianne, and a charging Clancy. Georgianne was replete with the ubiquitous housecoat and curlers.
I maintained the restraint hold on Gwen, but I was getting tired. Clancy revealed teeth I didn’t know she had as she growled at Gwen, letting her know her bite was definitely going to be worse than her bark.
“Will someone help me here?” I yelled. Rob rushed over and relieved me of my charge.
Gus left Carolyn on the floor and went to his bride. “Darlin’, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so lovely.” I swear to God she blushed. And she almost looked good. Hell, she did look good. Anybody who helped saved my life was beautiful.
George took charge. “Rob, Officer Radcliffe should be coming inside any minute. Read these two their rights and take them downtown. I’ll be down in a little while to question them.”
He looked at me. I couldn’t help myself. I hugged him. Then I hugged Michael, and Pete, and Georgianne. I got on my knees and kissed my brave dog. I promised Rob a hug later, as I didn’t think he’d appreciate being grabbed by his big sister as he was arresting two murderers.
On her way out the door Carolyn looked seductively at Michael in one last-ditch attempt to garner his support. Michael didn’t make eye contact with her.
I stood and faced George. “Where’s Charlie?” The last I knew, he was in my car with Clancy?”
“Another officer is speaking to him outside. Are you okay?”
I didn’t answer; instead I asked another question. “How did you find out we were here?”
“It was Georgianne. She knew where you and Gus were going and she called me. I came right over and was rather surprised to see the rest of this gang here as well.”
I looked at the beaming Georgianne. “How did you know we were here?”
“Well, you know Gus isn’t well. I think it’s my job as his loving wife to know his whereabouts at all times. So I listened when you were talking to him. And don’t you dare call it ‘eavesdropping.’ I was doing it for Gus’s own good, and for yours too as it turned out.”
How could I be mad at the beautiful old witch? She saved us. “And what about my brothers?”
“Well, you told me your brother Rob is a police officer, so I called him, thinking that Officer Lansing could probably use a little help. And I remembered that your brother Pete is a Father, so I called him. You never know when you might need a priest. It just so happened that both young men were arriving home from work when I called and they were most happy to hear from me.”
I felt Rob’s stare as he and Radcliffe led the duo away. “We’re going to have a nice long talk later about your midnight activities,” he said.
I bet he wanted to thank me.
&n
bsp; Pete contributed his unwelcome thoughts. “What in the hell did you think you were doing?”
“Pete, priests shouldn’t cuss.”
“Stay on the subject. What did you think you were doing?”
“Well, Father Smarty-Priest, I thought I was doing exactly what I did. Gus and I solved the crime and we caught the criminals. If I hadn’t pretended to faint on Gwen, she would have killed us and if Gus hadn’t tackled Carolyn, why she might have…”
“If you hadn’t come snooping around, you wouldn’t have been in a position where you had to be theatrical to save yourself.”
Male logic. Can’t live with them. Period.
George hung up the telephone, where he’d been talking with the station. “Pete, will you do me a favor and give Mr. and Mrs. Granville a ride home? They look tired. I’ll take Sam home in a few minutes.”
Georgianne and Gus looked anything but tired. Georgianne was still glowing and Gus had the energy of a thirty-year-old. Romance was in the air tonight.
Both of them hugged me before they were escorted from the room. As he was walking out, Gus turned to me and said, “This was the best night of my life. Thanks.”
The room emptied out pretty quickly. I was left with George and Michael. Michael hadn’t yet spoken to me, although I could feel his eyes on me the entire time. It was time for me to hug him again. My vertigo was settling down. Maybe I was “vibed out” for the night. I now knew that Michael had nothing to do with the murder. Why did I feel dizzy around him and not around Gwen? She was one of the guilty ones.
I walked up to Michael, put my arms around him and suddenly knew. I whispered in his ear “Maybe you scare me.” That’s the only reason I could think of for my physical reaction to him. “Maybe you scare me, Michael.”
“And maybe I should,” he whispered back. His warm breath in my ear caused shivers and goosebumps, but no dizziness.
George interrupted again. “I want to give you a ride home, because I need to talk to you. O’Dear, will you follow me in Sam’s car? Then I’ll give you a ride back here to your car?”
Michael was much too agreeable. He said yes and took Clancy with him. George and I got into the unmarked cop car that everyone in town recognized.
The ride was only a few blocks. I sat with my head leaning back, thinking about tonight, what almost happened, and what did happen.
“Hey.” He startled me a bit.
“Yeah, what?” My words were said quietly.
“First of all, I’d like to call a truce. I’m sorry about the prom. That was a long time ago and I hope you can start treating me like a human being again. I’d like to be friends.”
I was feeling magnanimous. Surviving a near death experience tends to bring out the best in me. I turned to him and smiled. “Okay. I’m willing to forgive and forget.”
And then he did the damnedest thing. He put on the brakes, leaned over and kissed me.
And I did the damnedest thing. I liked it.
This was crazy. Crazy. Michael was the guy for me, not balding old comfortable George.
“That’s the way I like you, Sam. Quiet.” He laughed and eased the car back into gear again.
Not only was this crazy, but Michael was behind us. I wondered if he saw anything. Oh, God, that would be awful.
We arrived at my house without us exchanging another word. I stayed in the cop car, in a semi-daze, as George got out and opened the passenger door for me. I exited slowly. Michael got out of my car, walked up to me, and handed me my keys. They each took an arm and escorted me to my front door. I was in awe of this situation. Over the past few years, I had become a Dateless Wonder. Suddenly there were two guys interested in me.
I opened my door and Clancy ran inside. I turned and without speaking watched Michael and George walk off into the sunrise together. Okay, it was a street light, but it had the same effect. Not exactly the ending I would have planned for this adventure.
I’d probably see them both tomorrow. That would be fun. And I’d see them at the trial. That would be even more fun, because I’d get credit for solving the case. For now I needed to prepare myself for the inevitable letdown that comes after an adrenaline-laced crisis.
So I wasn’t a superhero. Some might say I wasn’t a hero at all. But I did solve the murder. Well, I was wrong for a while, and I was wrong about a couple of the participants, but I did solve it. That felt good. I mentally ran down the list of siblings that I needed to call in the morning and brag to.
Hard to believe that less than a week ago I was unemployed. Now, I was employed and was a hero. The only negative spin I could put on this thing was that I left the adventure the same way I entered it—with my virtue intact.
Again, not the ending I’d envisioned.
I looked at my faithful companion. “C’mon, Clancy, let’s go for a walk. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
She smiled.
Want to find out what happens next for Sam Darling and her faithful companion Clancy? Their second adventure, Any Meat in that Soup? is available now!
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I’m grateful to so many people who helped birth this book. My first thanks go to Patrice Fitzgerald, of eFitzgerald Publishing, who is not only my publisher but my friend. Early on when I needed encouragement there were several people who filled the bill—Authors Beth Amos, Nelson Thurman, Cyndy Mobley, Lynnette Spratley, Debbie Puente, and the late Charlie Alexander. Thanks also go to editor Diana Kohn; agent extraordinaire, the late Jim Cypher; and producer Tim Grundmann for their help with the early stages of the manuscript.
Encouragement also came from my writers’ groups over the years: the Aspiring Writers’ Club, Housewife Writers, Easy Sisters, and ComedySportz Writing Group. Finally, I want to thank my final “first readers,” Jan Bozarth Smith and Nikki Shields, who renewed my enthusiasm for my book.
A special thanks is due to Toni Taylor from Tiger Imagery who allowed us to use her lovely photograph as a basis for the cover. The house represents the home of Gus and Georgianne Granville in the book. Thanks as well to Dan of KFD for the wonderful formatting, and for finding that cute little glyph that is a clone of Clancy.
Although people in Quincy, IL may recognize some of the buildings of our town, they won’t recognize any of the inhabitants, because they existed only in my imagination. I do hope you see the love I feel for Quincy and understand the reasons I moved back home.
Jerilyn Bozarth Dufresne is the oldest of nine, and that group gave her the inspiration for the Darling Family, although her sibs fight a lot more and have cornered the market on sarcasm. She returned to her hometown of Quincy, IL after having lived a nomadic middle part of her life. Currently she is an outpatient therapist at a local mental health clinic and teaches at Quincy University. She and her dog Gus live with, and are tolerated by, two cats.
Join Sam and company for their next adventure, due in early 2014: Can You Picture This?
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CONTENTS
Praise
Also by Jerilyn Dufresne
Synopsis
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
What’s Next?
Acknowledgements
&n
bsp; About the Author
Contents
Copyright Page
WHO KILLED MY BOSS?
Electronic Edition
© 2013 Jerilyn Dufresne
All rights reserved.
Edition: December 2013
Published by eFitzgerald Electronic Publishing
Cover design by Keri Knutson
eFitzgerald Publishing strives to create a professional product and a smooth reading experience for readers of indie ebooks. Please report typographical or other errors to [email protected].
Who Killed My Boss? (Sam Darling Mystery #1) Page 17
