Heavenly Corners

by Marianne Spitzer

“Did you remember a change of clothes for after church when we head to the mansion?” I asked.

  “In the car and Paul said he’d drive Aunt Irene home again,” she smiled.

  “He’s a keeper.” I smiled back. “Speak of the devil if you’re not careful my aunt might grab him.” We watched Paul escort Aunt Irene into church.

  “Nah, he wouldn’t know what to do without me. The man loses his socks more often than Beth Ann did when she was five. If it weren't for me, he’d be sockless or broke from buying replacements.” She burst into laughter.

  “I have some boxes and sealing tape,” I said trying to not double over laughing in front of church.

  “Me, too. I kept all the boxes from our past weeks deliveries and Paul bought us a box of clean paper for packing, so we don’t get ink on our hands from the newsprint.”

  “Like I said, he’s a keeper.” I poked her with my elbow, and we hurried to catch up with Paul and Aunt Irene.

  We found a pew near the back and Clark’s mom caught my eye. She waved. I like Mrs. Cavanaugh, and it isn’t her fault her son was evil. I waved back at her. Clark grinned and waved. He must think I was waving at him.

  I whispered to Georgie, “As soon as possible, we’re leaving. No fellowship today. We’ll toss your boxes in my car and leave. Clark just waved at me. Ugh! I don’t want him following me. We could hide my car in the garage. It’s big enough, and then we can pack without interruption.”

  She gave me a thumbs up.

  #######

  The pastor had barely finished his blessing when Georgie and I headed out the door. We moved the boxes and paper from her car to mine and were pulling out of the parking lot as the other parishioners were leaving church.

  I stopped near the back of Inga’s mansion and pulled the keys from my purse. I found the garage key and Georgie, and I opened the old fashioned door. I hadn’t seen garage doors that open like French doors in years. I pulled my car in, and Georgie found a tarp on the back shelf. The other cars were covered with them so my car looked like it belonged and if Clark came snooping he wouldn’t see it. We piled the boxes outside of the garage. I locked the garage again and we headed for the back door carrying boxes and paper.

  It didn’t take us long to change out of our church dresses into jeans and sweaters. We headed for the dining room.

  “Let’s pack up the crystal we want and a set of china for Laci and Beth Ann. Then we can go upstairs to investigate. After, we can pack more. I don’t want to pack for hours. It would be nice to take a break in-between,” I suggested.

  “Great idea,” Georgie agreed. “Look at this china. I think Inga loved tea roses. There are two sets very similar each with tea rose designs. All that’s different is the shade of the leaves and rose color. One is pink and the other yellow. This decision is easy.”

  “Yup. Yellow for Laci and pink for Beth Ann. The china sets look as if they choose them. They’ll be so excited,” I said as I taped the box shut and set it against the wall under the window. “I’m glad we won’t be moving all this home.”

  “Me, too,” Georgie said as she set a box next to mine and pulled a marker from her pocket. She labeled it with a large “G” so we could tell them apart.

  An hour of packing and we needed a break. We had eight boxes well cushioned and full of china dishes and crystal. Georgie pulled out a thermos of tea, and I had chocolate chip cookies. We needed our snack.

  I told her about my phone call from Bill, and she agreed Clark was in cahoots with the Kellehers. I felt so stupid for believing that man. Georgie tried to cheer me up.

  “What are we going to do about lunch?” Georgie asked grinning at me. “Food is better than men anyway sometimes.”

  “We could call Murph’s for pizza. Delivery here isn’t much further than if he was going to your place. I’ll promise him a big tip.” I smiled as I bit into another cookie.

  We packed our things away in the duffels we brought and set them next to the boxes.

  “Let’s head upstairs,” Georgie said.

  We stopped when we heard vehicles approach out back. Georgie was going to run to the door when I grabbed her sleeve. “I have a better idea.”

  We rushed into the study, and I turned on the big screen TV that covered half the wall alongside the pictures of all the Yummys. The TV came on instantly, and eight small screens showed us the outside of the mansion.

  “So that’s how they saw us,” Georgie said as she pointed to the lake.

  “And this is how we see them,” I said pointing to a screen that showed the back parking area near the garage. A large SUV and Clark’s car pulled in and stopped.

  We watched as Clark, Douglas, Roland Kelleher, and Detective Heidelberg climbed out of the cars.

  “Oh, no, they’ll kill us for sure,” Georgie said. “Where do we go?”

  “Upstairs and call for help. Too late, they’re at the back door. They’ll see us. Closet,” I whispered as I pulled her toward the door at the back of the room.

  She pushed the “off” button on the TV before we hurried to the closet. She hit the light switch before we entered. I turned it off so no one would know we were there. It gave us a quick look at the walk-in closet including the body of Craig Kelleher. He was lying on his back with a bullet hole in his head.

  Georgie threw her hands over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

  What to do? We’re trapped in a closet with a dead man, and four evil guys are coming in the house. Please let them go somewhere else. It is a big house. Maybe they’ll go upstairs, and we can escape. Too late, I hear voices.

  Georgie whispered, “I’ll text Paul and have him call 9-1-1.”

  “No, I whispered back. Berg is out there. He could get the call. Have him call the sheriff’s department and tell them we have a bad cop here.”

  A few seconds which seems like hours passed and she whispered, “Done.”

  “Let’s be quiet,” I whispered. “Help should arrive soon.”

  “Oh no, no, no.” I heard Georgie mumble.

  “What?”

  “I accidentally sent the text to Aunt Irene.”

  “What? How?”

  “Cause I sent her a text this morning to see if it was okay that Paul took her home. It’s the last one I sent. I thought I texted Paul last, so I texted and hit “send.” I’m sorry.”

  Okay, copy it and send it to Paul. Aunt Irene will also call the sheriff. I hope. Shh, I think they’re coming in here.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  I heard Berg’s voice boom. “Okay, Kelleher, what are you going to do now? I did all I could to get the Chief to believe your sister tried to kill herself because she killed Inga. I’m still not sure he’s buying it.”

  Douglas snapped back, “I know. I know. I counted on her to die or be too sick to defend herself. It was the perfect plan. Then I could get a judge’s sympathy, and he’d give me the stupid dog. I need that money.”

  Berg yelled back. “You killed your aunt and tried to kill your sister. You screwed up. You better get that money.”

  Douglas tried to defend himself, “I didn’t kill my aunt. Roland poisoned her vitamin water. I only poisoned Mags.”

  “Details, details,” Berg shouted. “You both started this. You have to finish it.”

  Roland joined the argument. “Inga wasn’t supposed to die. She was supposed to be permanently incapacitated and then one of us would be named her guardian and we’d all have money.”

  Douglas was still angry, “It would have all turned out okay if that young punk had done what he was supposed to do. He screwed up.”

  Roland added, “Douglas is right. Your man got twitchy and killed my brother. I know Craig didn’t like the idea, but he would have come around.”

  I heard Clark say, “Everyone calm down. There is still a way to get the lion’s share of the money. The house and land are gone. Annie signed them over to the city yesterday, but Inga had more money than any of us need even after we divide it up. I didn’t spend al
l that time getting close to that wacky woman to leave empty handed.”

  “I’m going to kill him,” I whispered to Georgie. She had to hold me back. “I need a weapon. I saw umbrellas just inside the door of the closet. I’ll get him with an umbrella.”

  “Quiet,” she said. “The sheriff is coming and we’ll tell him what we heard. They all want the money, but who is the young punk?”

  “I wish I knew.”

  “Hey,” Roland said. “Somebody’s here.”

  “The sheriff,” Georgie said. “Thank goodness.”

  Roland continued, “Who drives a green VW bug?”

  My heart nearly stopped. “Aunt Irene.”

  I heard Clark say, “It’s Annie’s aunt. Everyone sit down. I can handle it.” I heard Clark’s voice move closer to the closet.

  “What the heck are you doing, Aunt Irene?” Clark said. “What are you doing with that rifle?”

  “Where’s Annie and Georgie and why are you here?” Aunt Irene asked.

  “Listen Aunt Irene,” Clark continued. “Annie will be right back. Her car isn’t here. The Kellehers are here to get a couple of items to remember Inga. Annie said they could have whatever they want. I’m here to help Annie and Berg is here to be sure no one starts a fight. You should go home now.”

  “Right and I was born yesterday,” Aunt Irene snapped. “You’re up to no good.”

  Roland and Douglas began to argue, and I heard Clark tell Douglas to put away his gun. Then he yelled at Roland to put away his gun.

  Roland retorted, “As soon as you put yours away, Cavanaugh.”

  With all the yelling, I took the chance to open the closet door a crack and saw Aunt Irene in the doorway with her rifle at the ready. Clark, Roland, and Douglas all held guns. I could see Berg’s hand slowly moving toward his holster.

  I whispered to Georgie, “It’s now or never. I’m going to conk Clark on the head with an umbrella. Grab one and follow me.”

  Before either of us could move, we heard a shot.

  “You stupid old woman. You shot Douglas,” Roland yelled.

  “Your next,” Aunt Irene answered.

  I threw the closet door open, ran into the room, and hit Clark as hard as I could. I missed his head and only got his shoulder.

  “Annie, what the heck?” He pulled the umbrella from my hands.

  Roland aimed at Aunt Irene. I heard another shot, but this didn’t sound like a rifle. I peeked out to see the chief and Bill standing behind Aunt Irene.

  Roland was lying on the floor next to Douglas.

  “Put your gun away, Clark,” the Chief said as he entered the room.

  I watched the Chief check Douglas and Roland. “They’ll both live. Good job guys. Berg call an ambulance.”

  Georgie and I were watching from the closet. I had no idea what just happened.

  “Not so fast,” Bill said. “Nobody’s calling anyone and nobody’s leaving.” He yanked the rifle from Aunt Irene’s hands and pushed her into the room.

  I whispered to Georgie, “Bill’s the punk kid?”

  She nodded.

  “Okay, this is how it’s going to go. Clark and Berg are going to put Douglas and Roland in the SUV out back, and I’m going to leave with them. Then Berg is going to tie up the rest of you and shoot you. It’ll look like a robbery gone bad.”

  “I knew you were a crook, Heidelberg,” I yelled.

  Clark stepped between me and Bill.

  This was it we’re all going to die. I heard Georgie crying behind me.

  A clear, strong, female voice spoke, “Drop it now, Todorov. I’m not kidding. If you so much as turn around, I’ll shoot.”

  Bill dropped his gun, and the Chief put him in handcuffs. I was never so happy to see Carolyn Dawlins as I was that moment.

  #######

  An ambulance arrived to care for Douglas and Roland. The coroner arrived to take care of Craig. Two sheriff’s deputies arrived to take Bill into custody. The rest of us sat around the dining room table to give our statements.

  Georgie explained about texting Aunt Irene instead of Paul. Aunt Irene didn’t want to wait for the sheriff. She was worried, so she grabbed her rifle to save us. Carolyn, on her way to a party, saw Aunt Irene racing through town with a rifle leaning against her window and decided to follow her.

  “Okay,” I said. “That explains how we were rescued, but Clifford why aren’t you arresting Berg and Clark? I heard them. They were in on it with the Kellehers to kill Inga and get her money.”

  Clifford smiled and nodded, “Annie, I’ve known for a while I had a bad apple in my department. I couldn’t ferret him out alone. I knew Berg is honest as the day is long, and we did our best to try and figure out who it was. I had my suspicions, but until Inga was murdered, and info that never should have left my office was leaked did I know for sure. Detective Berg is leaving the department at the end of the month to start his own security company. Everyone knew that. I needed more help. I contacted the state’s attorney’s office to ask for help from their corruption in office team. They said they had an agent near that was on family leave, but might help.”

  “Who was that? Carolyn? She sure came to the rescue,” I asked.

  “No,” Clark said. “It’s me.”

  I was stunned. I looked at him and stammered. “You’re a cop?”

  He nodded. “With the state police on special assignment to the attorney general’s corruption office. I finished an assignment close by when my parents needed me. When I was asked to help Clifford, I could still help my parents. I never meant to meet you and everything. I told you I wasn’t the villain.” He smiled that smile that made my heart skip a beat.

  Goodness gracious, Aunt Irene was right. He’s a good guy, but still leaving. Either way I’m alone with a broken heart.

  “Whatever, so now you’re leaving to who knows where for who knows how long. Can we leave now, Clifford?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” Clifford said. “I’ll need you to come by tomorrow and sign your statements.”

  “Fine,” I said and stood.

  “Oh, by the way, Clark. With Berg retiring, I need a good detective. Do you know anyone?” Clifford asked.

  “Hmm, I just might,” Clark answered.

  #######

  Aunt Irene was a bit shaky, and I took her home with me. Georgie took her car, and she and Paul would return it later. I drove to a quiet café outside of town that Aunt Irene enjoys. Neither of us had eaten lunch, and I treated her for saving my life.

  We were eating hot open faced turkey sandwiches, a lunch both of us loved when she looked at me.

  “I told you not to be so judgmental. Clark’s a good guy. Really good like a secret agent.”

  She took another bite, and a twinkle in her eye let me know she was calming down after our ordeal. I’m not sure I’ll ever recover. I nearly killed Clark. If I was taller or he was shorter, I might have clubbed him on the head. If he wasn’t faking it before and might have liked me, he sure doesn’t now. I really am doomed.

  Aunt Irene and I drove home. Her car was parked by her cottage when we got home.

  As she got out of the car, she said, “Between church and the madness at Inga’s I took Yummy for a walk. He should be okay.”

  I thanked her and walked into the house. I could hear Yummy whine, and I took him outside to the puppy run.

  I settled in a lawn chair and muddled over how I had messed up my life. I didn’t trust Clark enough to believe he’d never hurt me. He sure wouldn’t trust me now. I went over every bit of evidence that made me doubt him. It all seemed relevant at the time. Looking back, if I added in all the times he wanted to help, but I pushed him away, I might have seen the truth. Aunt Irene was right.

  Well, Annie, you have gone through the last ten years alone. You’ll make it through the next ten or thirty. Everyone says you’re a trooper. You might be a lonely one, but you’ll make it.

  A quiet voice said, “Hi, can I sit down or will you hit me with an umbrella again?” H
e was grinning.

  I dropped my face into my hands mumbling, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I had no idea who you were.”

  He dropped in the chair next to me. “I couldn’t tell you. You were in danger. You would have been in more danger if you knew. You take too many chances as it is. I couldn’t believe it when I saw you stuck on top of that shelf. You scared the heck out of me. I could have taken care of whatever you needed. I’m tall.”

  “I know, but I thought you were involved with the Kellehers and I wasn’t sure what to do.” I tried to smile back.

  The wind shifted, and it blew off the lake. The air became chilly.

  Clark said, “Can we go inside and talk?”

  I nodded. He picked Yummy up out of the puppy run, and Aunt Irene was smiling and waving from her window.

  We sat and talked and talked more. It started to get dark, and Clark ordered a pizza. I opened a bottle of wine. I think I opened two bottles. We talked even more. After pizza and wine we laughed while we talked. It seemed like the craziness was pushed out of both of our minds.

  Between the first and second bottles of wine, Clark took Yummy for a long walk. I had a nice video chat with Laci. I told her the Chief solved Inga’s murder, but not all the gory details of my near demise. I did tell her about Bill. It would be on the news and in the papers. She said that she and Bill were friends, but not much more. They had a few group dates and went to bonfires on the beach last summer. He liked to video chat, but she felt he liked her more than she liked him. I was relieved that my daughter wouldn’t have a broken heart.

  #######

  Yummy nuzzled against my ear, and my eyes opened slowly. I closed them again. The bright sunlight was streaming through the window. I yawned thinking it was going to be a beautiful day. I heard gentle snoring. I knew it was Clark, and I remembered last night. I had a lot of wine but didn’t sleep well. I had a nightmare at three in the morning. My scream brought Clark running up the stairs. Yummy was barking like mad and running from one end of the bed to the other. Clark sat with me and held me. I think we both must have fallen asleep.

  It isn’t fair to him, Annie. You need to make up your mind. Do you love Clark Cavanaugh? You need to be an adult about this situation. If you can’t love him, let him know. Clark is a decent man, and he’ll understand. Make a decision. You were wrong about him. He’s one of the good ones.