Winter Break

by Merry Jones

‘There are limits,’ Vivian huffed. ‘You had no right to pry.’

  ‘Yes, I did have a right. And you should be glad I did, because that’s how I got the telephone message—’

  ‘Okay. Let’s just forget it—’

  ‘—about a hit on Ed Strunk. Coincidentally, just before someone threw a bomb into the house.’

  ‘A hit?’ Vivian gasped. ‘On Ed Who?’

  For a moment, there was silence. Vivian turned away, her eyes vacant and dull.

  ‘It’s okay, Vivian.’ Lou knelt in front of her. ‘I’ll explain this later. But don’t worry; I’ll take care of it.’

  Again, Harper pictured her father, his glib explanations.

  Lou stood again, put his hands in his pockets. ‘These clients are trying to scare me.’

  ‘So, Ed Strunk.’ Harper didn’t let up. ‘That’s really you.’

  Lou pressed his hands together as if in prayer. ‘Okay. God’s truth: I had to establish a new persona. It got ugly with these guys. Ed – it’s who I used to be. I’m sorry, Vivian. I truly didn’t mean for you to get mixed up in this. I thought it was over. I’d put it behind me. But – I don’t know how. But they found me, and they’ve been circling the house, watching me. The bomb – it was just to let me know they know where I am.’

  Harper thought of the black SUV cruising the neighborhood, scouting. She hadn’t been imagining it after all.

  ‘Anyway, they gave me a deadline of this morning—’

  ‘This morning?’ Vivian gasped.

  ‘That’s when they said I had to get them their money. But I negotiated with them.’

  ‘You what? How? You’ve been with me.’

  ‘At night, Viv. When you were sleeping. I had meetings.’

  Vivian’s eyes closed. She sat perfectly still. Sirens wailed in the distance.

  ‘Anyhow.’ Lou glanced out the window, into the hall again. ‘I met their guy last night and explained how I couldn’t meet their deadline because I don’t have and never did have their frickin’ money.’

  ‘But you do have money—’

  ‘That’s not a half of what they’re looking for. Anyhow, I convinced him to give me a few more days, but he said there would be consequences for being late.’

  ‘Consequences? Like a frickin’ bomb in my house?’ Harper was ready to clock Lou. Her knuckles itched, aching for impact.

  ‘Oh my God.’ Vivian still didn’t move. ‘What have you done, Lou? What are we going to do?’

  The sirens grew louder, closer.

  ‘Vivian. Harper. Listen. This isn’t your problem, either one of you. I’ll take care of it. I swear. Don’t worry. Look, I’ll call a guy to replace the window. And I’ll deal with my clients—’

  ‘Exactly how are you going to take care of it if you don’t have their money?’ Harper didn’t back down. ‘What are you into, Lou? Or should I say “Ed”?’

  ‘I told you. They gave me an extension—’

  ‘And what happens when that extension runs out? What will they do next? Set my house on fire? Plant IEDs along the driveway? A minefield on the front lawn? Maybe they’ll mail us some anthrax.’ Harper’s voice was rising. ‘I can’t allow this. I’m pregnant. I can’t have you in my house, endangering my child. You’re going to have to leave—’

  ‘Harper?’ Vivian began.

  ‘No, Ma. It’s final.’

  ‘She’s right, Vivian. Until this thing is resolved, I shouldn’t be around you. Either of you. I’ll go—’

  ‘You’re not going anywhere without me,’ Vivian insisted. ‘If you go, I go, too.’

  That was fine with Harper.

  ‘We can’t leave Harper alone—’

  ‘Yes, you can,’ Harper offered. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘No. We’ll stay until you can find someone else—’

  ‘Seriously? You’re a walking, breathing danger to me and my child, and the sooner you leave, the better.’

  ‘Shh!’ Lou looked into the hall, put a finger to his lips.

  Police cars careened onto the street, sirens blaring.

  ‘Look,’ Lou whispered. ‘Just don’t tell anyone about this, okay?’

  Vivian motioned that she was zipping her lips.

  ‘No way.’ Harper shook her head. ‘We have to tell the cops . . .’

  Lights flashing, the cars pulled into the driveway.

  Harper stood to go meet them, but Lou grabbed her sleeve, meeting her eyes. ‘I’ll take care of it. I promise.’ He squeezed her arm. ‘Please don’t tell them. Please.’

  The technician wore protective clothing. His thick glove held up the bomb. ‘This is why it didn’t detonate, Detective.’ He pointed to a loose wire. ‘My guess is it detached during impact with the window. But it could have just been amateurish work. The device is as simple as they come. Whoever made it might not have attached the wires tight enough.’

  Harper stood outside on the porch, straining to hear. Watching the specialists remove the bomb, observing their techniques. The war had taught her more than she wanted to know about improvised explosive devices. She’d known to run the instant she’d seen the phone taped to the pipe; the electric charge resulting from a call would have detonated the bomb. If not for a loose wire, she and her baby – and possibly her mother and Lou – might have been badly hurt, even dead. As the technician walked off with the bomb in a container, she went into the house, wrapped herself in her parka and sat shivering in the living room, remembering another bomb. She touched her damaged left leg, rubbed her scarred flesh. Pictured a boy whose face had been blown away. Realized she wasn’t having a flashback, just a memory.

  ‘Quite a tree.’ Detective Rivers eyed the gaudy lopsided monstrosity.

  Harper no longer noticed it. Now she looked at it anew. The thing was almost invisible beneath all the red and gold, silver and blue glittered balls, silver and gold tinsel, spray-on fake snow, and blocked off by a dozen huge boxes covered with baby wrapping.

  ‘Your mother and her boyfriend are waiting with officers in separate rooms.’ Rivers sat on the sofa, facing Harper. ‘I want to talk to each of you separately.’ She paused. ‘First of all, are you okay? Do you need to see a doctor?’

  ‘No. I’m fine. I have my regular appointment next week. I’m good until then.’

  ‘So.’ Rivers crossed her legs and sat back. ‘What’s the deal, Mrs Jennings? Lately, I’m here more than I’m in my own house.’

  Harper took a breath. ‘All I know is that thing came through the window. I saw the detonator and we ran.’

  A pause. ‘Let’s go over the last few days. You called because you saw a naked man being assaulted. Then you called again because you thought you saw someone trespassing next door. Now this bomb.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘Do you think these events are in any way related?’

  ‘Related?’ Wait. Did Rivers suspect Evan and Sty had thrown the bomb? ‘All I know is that this morning, Evan and Sty came over with some pastries.’

  ‘Very suspicious behavior,’ Rivers smiled. ‘Were there any cream-filled?’

  ‘No. But there are some left – would you like one?’

  ‘No, no. Go on.’

  ‘They said they had come over to look in on me after that big contraction. Like concerned neighbors. The bomb came in not long after they left.’

  Rivers nodded, pursed her lips. ‘Do you have any idea who would want to blow up your family or your house?’

  Harper swallowed. She should repeat what Lou had admitted about his client’s money. Should at least reveal that his name was really Ed Strunk. Again, she saw the blood rush from her mother’s face, her father being led away by police. Heard Lou beg her not to say anything.

  The fact was, she could verify none of what he’d said. Had no idea who – or even if – the ‘clients’ actually were, no independent knowledge of their relationship. And he had promised to leave.

  ‘I don’t, no.’ It felt like a lie. In fact, it was a lie. Why was she lying for Lou/Ed who had en
dangered her home, her life and her child? Again, she saw her mother’s drained expression. Her hopeless lost eyes.

  ‘Maybe my house guests do.’ There. She felt better. At least she’d pointed Rivers in the right direction. ‘Oh – and I’ve seen an SUV driving around. Slowly. As if it’s on surveillance.’

  ‘Okay.’ Rivers watched her, not moving. ‘You look pale, Mrs Jennings. And given what’s happened, I’d like to suggest that you and your family leave the house. Stay in a hotel for a few days.’

  ‘You think they’ll try again?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ She paused. ‘But just in case.’

  Harper sat up straighter. Refused to retreat. No one was going to chase her out of her own home. ‘We’ll be fine here. Really.’

  Rivers sat motionless. ‘I think you should reconsider.’

  Neither spoke for a while.

  Harper didn’t budge. ‘Is there something else?’ she asked.

  Rivers tilted her head. ‘Actually, I’m not sure. It’s a hunch, really. And I’m debating whether to talk to you about it.’

  Harper waited.

  ‘Okay. I might as well. It’s not about your bomb. It’s about that boy who went missing. That kid from Elmira.’

  Really?

  ‘Turns out he was still here in Ithaca the night he disappeared. Staying at his girlfriend’s. A couple of his buddies say he was in a pretty serious relationship, hardly ever came back to his own place.’

  ‘Did you talk to his girlfriend?’

  ‘Thing is, his friends claim they don’t know her name. Neither had ever met her. And his parents say he never even mentioned having a girlfriend. We searched his apartment, but nothing there indicated who he was seeing.’

  Harper was confused, not certain why the detective was telling her this.

  ‘So here’s the deal, Mrs Jennings. Sebastian was reportedly in Ithaca and disappeared the very same night you saw that assault out your window – that makes me wonder: What if that wasn’t a coincidence? What if you were right, and that naked guy you saw fighting in the snow really was Sebastian Levering?’

  ‘Detective, I’ve spent days wondering the same thing.’ Unconsciously, Harper’s hand wandered into her jacket pocket, toyed with the key she’d found in the woods.

  ‘If it was Sebastian, then your second call to us might take on new significance. What if someone besides those two boys has been hiding out next door in the fraternity house?’

  The questions rattled Harper’s skull. ‘You think he’s in there? But Evan and Sty would have found him—’ She stopped, mid-sentence. The house was big, had probably twenty or thirty bedrooms. If he were hiding, they might have no idea.

  And if he were badly injured or dead, Sebastian would make no sounds.

  Rivers misunderstood the silence. ‘Right. It’s far-fetched. But, even so, I can’t reject the possibility. I spoke to the boys – Sty and Evan? They say they haven’t seen or heard anything out of the ordinary there.’

  Harper nodded. Fingered the key.

  ‘And I don’t know what to think about the girlfriend. Because if Sebastian had somebody here in Ithaca, where is she? Why hasn’t she come forward? Is she involved in his disappearance?’

  ‘Maybe she’s missing, too,’ Harper offered. ‘Hell, maybe they eloped.’

  Rivers rubbed her eyes, sighing. ‘Maybe. But nobody’s reported a missing woman. If she went with him, why hasn’t anyone noticed her gone?’ She started to get up. ‘Sorry to trouble you with all of this, Mrs Jennings. You have your own crisis. Plus, you need to take it easy. I just thought you might have some insights.’

  ‘Only this.’ Harper pulled out the key. ‘Remember? It was in the woods the day after the fight. You said it probably was nothing, but if it fits Sebastian’s apartment, then—’

  ‘Then we’ll have evidence that he was the guy you saw.’ Rivers smiled, taking it. ‘It would be another piece of the puzzle. Good thinking. Thanks. I’ll let you know.’ She stood, getting ready to go. ‘What? You look like there’s more.’

  Yes, there was. Lou, of course. But also, Evan and Sty. They bothered her. She had no evidence that they’d done anything wrong, nothing to indicate that they even knew Sebastian Levering. No reason to think that they’d ever tried blowing up anything but an air mattress. ‘No,’ she said. ‘Nada.’ And again, even though it was technically the truth, Harper felt as if she’d lied.

  By the time Rivers was finished talking to Vivian and Lou, Leslie had returned. Harper introduced them, when she realized Leslie had been present earlier, Rivers took her into the living room to interview her. Lou, Vivian and Harper sat around the kitchen table.

  ‘So.’ Lou took a deep breath, folded his hands.

  ‘So?’ Harper’s adrenalin rush had passed; suddenly, she was spent.

  ‘So. What did you tell her?’

  Oh. ‘You can stop worrying. I told her what I knew for sure. Not what I’d been told by you.’

  Vivian looked at Lou, who looked at Harper, his face a question. ‘You didn’t mention—’

  ‘I said nothing about your clients or your fake identity or your stolen stash—’

  ‘Harper. Keep it down.’ Vivian looked around. ‘She’ll hear you.’

  ‘You know what, Ma? If she hears, she hears. You two do what you want, but I’m not going to conspire with you to hide things from the police. You have a couple of days. That’s it, and then I want you out, Lou.’

  ‘A couple of days? Be realistic, Harper. That’s Christmas.’

  Harper rolled her eyes. ‘Really? Okay. Then leave the day after.’

  Vivian sniffed. ‘I can’t believe you’re behaving this way, Harper. We came here to help you in your time of need, and you’re completely ungrateful. Think about how this makes me feel – kicked out by my own daughter?’

  ‘I’m not kicking you out, Ma.’ Harper began to explain that the only one getting kicked out was Lou, but she stopped. Her mother would always find a way to feel like a victim.

  ‘Bottom line, Harper. You didn’t say anything that leads to me?’

  ‘She already told you, Lou,’ Vivian snapped. ‘She didn’t. She wouldn’t do that.’

  ‘And you, Viv? What did you say to her, just so I know?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘You were with her half an hour. That’s a long time to say nothing.’

  ‘Okay, let me think.’ Vivian thought, rubbed her forehead. ‘You know, I really wish I’d never stopped smoking. I’d kill for a cigarette.’

  ‘Vivian.’ Lou leaned forward, pressing her. ‘Tell me.’

  ‘I told her I had no idea who threw that. Then she asked if I’d seen anything unusual around here lately. I didn’t tell her about you going out at night. Or about your business with the money. All I said was that I’d seen a car driving around – you must have seen it. A black SUV?’

  ‘You said that?’ Lou sat back. ‘But you didn’t tell her the make?’

  ‘I don’t know the make. What’s wrong? You didn’t tell me not to tell her about any car—’

  ‘Go on. What did she say?’

  ‘About the car? She asked for details. Like the license, the model. I didn’t know any of that.’

  ‘But why did you even mention that car, Vivian?’ Lou whined. ‘For all you knew, it was a neighbor. Now she’s going to have every cop in town out looking for black SUVs and, what with the holiday, there aren’t many around.’

  ‘Why would she, Lou? Just because I saw it driving around doesn’t mean the bomb came from that car.’ She paused, watching him pout. ‘Why wasn’t I supposed to mention it – is that your client’s car?’

  Lou drummed his fingers on the table, blinked rapidly at air.

  ‘Oh, cut it out, Lou.’ Harper headed for the refrigerator, deciding not to mention that she’d also told Rivers about the car. ‘There are a ton of black SUVs. Nobody’s going to pick that one out. Besides, you said you’re working it out with them. So they can just stay the hell away.’
<
br />   ‘I don’t understand why you even mentioned it, is all.’ He pouted at Vivian. ‘I mean why would you even mention it?’

  ‘I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to – it just came out. Sorry, Lou. Really. I didn’t know.’ Vivian reached over, put her arms around Lou’s neck, planting kisses all over his face.

  Harper tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the leftover pastries from the morning, grabbing a piece of apple strudel, pouring a glass of milk. Chewing, she closed her eyes. They would leave in a few more days. Just a few more days.

  Leslie stayed for a while after Detective Rivers left, making sure that Harper was relaxed. She was, in fact, beyond relaxed; her eyelids drooped and she almost dozed off in her chair while Lou and Vivian chattered on. Lou insisted that Leslie stay for cookies and coffee, apologizing for the scare that morning, asking about her bruises and scrapes, complaining about their own, raving about the boys next door and how thoughtful they’d been. Leaving Leslie and Harper no chance to talk privately.

  The house, meantime, was freezing; cold air poured through the smashed dining room window, crept into the living room, the kitchen, the hall. As soon as Leslie left, Lou began sweeping up shards of glass and taped sheets of thick plastic to cover the ugly gaping hole. Harper didn’t thank him; the damage was his fault. Cleaning up the mess was the least he could do. Still wearing her parka, she went upstairs to nap. Her head ached, her body felt swollen, and she missed Hank. Wanted him to come home. Didn’t care, at that moment, about his career or his opportunities. Just wanted him there with her. Climbing under the comforter, she wondered what he’d have done about the bomb. How he’d have reacted to Lou and his shady, no doubt criminal dealings. She tried to picture it, but fell asleep almost immediately, questions still on her mind.

  Two hours later, Harper woke up with a start, as if she’d just heard Hank’s voice. Of course she hadn’t; the voice had been a dream. But, popping out of bed, sitting at her computer wrapped in her parka, she wondered why she hadn’t thought of Googling Ed Strunk days ago, when the package had first arrived.

  She didn’t find Ed Strunk or Edmond Strunk. Or Edward Strunk. But she did find Edgar Louis Strunk. There were a bunch of articles, and photos of Ed, aka Lou. He was originally from Elizabeth, New Jersey, and owned a small trucking company, just as he’d said. But what he hadn’t said was that he was wanted by the federal government for questioning regarding conspiracy in connection with mob activity. Harper pored through the stories, some of which mentioned Lou only in passing. And gradually, putting pieces together, she got a clear picture of the man who was dating her mother.