Ring Around the Rosy

by Roseanne Dowell

  After dinner, Dave kissed her goodnight and promised to call her as soon as they knew something after the surgery.

  Susan tossed and turned most of the night. Finally, the sun came up and she could get up. An uneasy feeling had settled over her last night. Something else bothered Dave, not just his mother’s illness. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something inside told her Dave wouldn’t stick around after this case.

  After breakfast, she decided to go to the newspaper, see what was new there. She had been neglecting the office lately. Maybe Ernie would come up with a decent assignment for her.

  Gary and Ray came out as she hurried into the building.

  “Well, you finally decided to grace us with your presence.” Ray’s voice held a sarcastic tone. “Or do you think since you got the lead story on the big case, you don’t have to work anymore?”

  Where was that coming from? Did Ernie feel the same way? She didn’t think she gave the air of being too good for them since she had gotten the big story. Ray had gotten some good pictures, but hadn’t been able to sell them like he wanted, but that wasn’t her fault. Figuring it was better to ignore him, she walked past him without answering.

  “Hey, Susan, you got a minute?” Gary’s voice stopped her.

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  “I, uh, well, I was...” He shuffled his feet, looked away, then back at her. “Um, there’s this big party at my apartment complex next week. I uh, I was just wondering if you’d like to go?”

  Just great, she had already told him she was seeing someone. And why did he have to ask in front of Ray? Ray glared at her. What was his problem? She and Ray had always gotten along pretty well. Unless, he was still ticked because she stiffed him for lunch that day.

  “I’m sorry, Gary. I don’t think so. I’m seeing someone, and well, we aren’t seeing other people. Thanks for asking, though.” Susan hoped she sounded sincere. Even if she hadn’t been seeing anyone, she wouldn’t go out with Gary. He wasn’t her type.

  “Oh, uh, okay.” Gary turned and went back to Ray, and Susan hurried inside.

  “Told ya.” Ray said loud enough for her to hear as they walked away.

  Oh, great! Now they were discussing her. Had Ray dared Gary to ask her out? Was that why he glared at her like that, to see if she agreed to go out with Gary after she refused him? She couldn’t be bothered with them right now.

  She found Ernie, and they discussed the Nursery Rhyme murders and then she spent some time straightening her desk, but grew bored. Her phone rang twice, but both times, no one spoke. The second time, she heard someone breathing. Was it him? What kind of game was he playing now? Why hadn’t Dave called about his mother? Susan looked at the clock. Mrs. Morgan should have been done with surgery by now. Susan prayed everything was okay.

  She finally left the office and went to the mall. After a couple hours of window shopping and only purchasing a book, it started getting dark. One of the things she disliked about this time of year was the early nights. She hated walking into a dark apartment.

  * * *

  Dave leaned back in the waiting room chair. He loved Susan, but he knew they had no future together. She had her career, and he was a cop. Most of his friends on the force were divorced. Cops didn’t make good husbands. How had his father done it? Probably, because his mother was one of the rare, exceptional women who understood. Her father and grandfather had been cops. She understood the life, but women like that were few and far between. No, he’d stop seeing Susan. It was best for both of them. He’d get over her somehow. Better now than later.

  The long hours of surgery exhausted Dave, and he forgot to call Susan. He went home and fell asleep.

  When he woke up, it was dark, but he decided to stop by Susan’s apartment. After all, he had promised to call. Besides, he had to end their relationship now and best to do it in person. He called her, but she didn’t answer.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. And when she was good, she was very, very good. But when she was bad, she was horrid.

  Everything was ready. The scene was set. All he had to do now was wait for her. He was sorry it had to come to this. But there wasn’t any other option. He’d given her every opportunity. Every chance. And still she ignored him. Rejected him. Why? He’d give her one more chance to make it up to him. If she didn’t…

  It hurt him to think about it. Did he have a choice? He didn’t think so. Not this time.

  * * *

  A fresh rose lay outside her door. Susan kicked it aside and put her key in the lock, but the door gave way. It wasn’t locked. Surely, she had locked it when she left this morning. But maybe she hadn’t. Or maybe Dave was here. She pushed the door open and turned on the light. It flickered, and the power went out.

  She dropped her purse and fumbled her way through the dark apartment to the kitchen, took the flashlight out of the drawer, and flipped it on. Nothing. “Darn!” She groped around in the drawer. There was another flashlight in there someplace.

  She found it and flipped the switch. Nothing. Fear prickled up her spine. She had changed the batteries a week ago.

  A shuffling sound vibrated through the quiet apartment. Someone was here. She sensed a presence. She picked up the phone. Darn, it didn’t work without the power.

  Her cell phone, she had to get to her cell phone.

  She eased herself around the counter. The bitter taste of bile filled her mouth. Oh, God. She was going to be sick. She took a deep breath. Held it. Then let it out slowly. She almost smelled the fear. She needed to calm down, get the phone, and call the police.

  She stumbled across something. A pair of shoes.

  “Susan,” a voice whispered through the darkness.

  She knew that raspy voice, even in a whisper. She was almost there. The bag was on the floor. She bent down, feeling along the floor.

  There.

  She reached out to grab it. A hand grabbed hers. He pulled her up and twisted her arm behind her.

  “Susan,” the voice whispered in her ear. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  Susan struggled, tried to pull away. But he held her too tight. “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. And when she was good, she was very, very good. But when she was bad, she was horrid. You’ve been very, very bad, Susan.”

  Oh, Lord, she was going to die. He was going to kill her. Why? What did she do to him? So much anger and hatred in his voice. But she didn’t even know him. Or did she? Something familiar. An odor — his aftershave? That was it. But whose? If only she could get away.

  He pushed her to the door, out into the hall, and up the stairs. She tried to turn around. If she could at least get a look at him in the light of the hall. He tightened his grip on her arm, twisting it harder and pushed her forward, up the stairs, and down the hall to an apartment.

  “Open it.”

  That voice… It wasn’t the same as the raspy voice on the phone. It was a normal tone. She knew it. Had heard it before. Names and faces went through her mind. Nothing. He opened the door, and pushed her into the apartment.

  Somehow, some way, she had to do something, had to get away.

  He shoved her across the room. She fell and hit her head against the wall. A dim light shone from the kitchen. But still she couldn’t see him. He stood in the shadows. She looked around the bare apartment. A chair stood in one corner and a desk against the far wall, nothing there to help her.

  Shades covered the windows. Nothing she could grab. Nothing to hit him with. Suddenly, Bella jumped in her lap.

  She pulled the cat to her chest. Whether for protection or comfort, she wasn’t sure.

  * * *

  Dave hurried to Susan’s apartment. The sooner he told her, the better off they’d both be. It was for the best.

  Then why did he feel so crappy?

  Wh
y wasn’t her door locked? Something didn’t feel right. He eased the door opened, unsnapped his holster, and pulled his gun. The dark apartment greeted him. Not a sound, no Bella, nothing. He flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. He pulled out his flashlight and turned it on.

  “Susan!” He waited. No response. His gut told him the apartment was empty, but he followed procedure and came around the corner, gun aimed chest high. He almost tripped over her bag.

  Something was terribly wrong. Fear prickled up his spine. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Where was she? He searched the apartment and looked under the bed, expecting to see Bella hiding there.

  Nothing, no one, not even the cat.

  In the kitchen, he found the two flashlights — one on the counter, one on the floor. He picked one up. Shit, no batteries. What the hell was going on here? He found the fuse box and turned the power back on. The answering machine blinked with a message. He pressed the button.

  The raspy voice came on. “A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds. And when the weeds begin to grow, it’s like a garden full of snow. And when the snow begins to fall, it’s like a bird upon the wall. And when the bird away does fly, it’s like an eagle in the sky.”

  David clenched his fist and listened to a long pause and heavy breathing before the voice continued.

  “And when the sky begins to roar, it’s like a lion at the door. And when the door begins to crack, it’s like a stick across the back. And when your back begins to smart, it’s like a penknife in your heart. And when your heart begins to bleed, you’re dead, and dead, and dead indeed.”

  David heard a click and the machine went quiet. What the hell did that mean? He grabbed his cell phone and called for backup. Susan was in trouble. She needed him, but where was she? Where had he taken her? The killer must have been waiting for her in the apartment. She probably didn’t stand a chance.

  He ran his hand through his hair. Damn it! He had to figure out where she was. He had to find her. He loved her.

  * * *

  Susan rubbed her wrist. “What do you want with me?” She looked around for something, anything she could use for a weapon. Nothing but pictures on the walls. No furniture, no nothing. It looked like no one lived here. He came closer, out of the shadows.

  “Why did you reject me, Susan? I don’t like rejection.”

  “Gary!” It couldn’t be. Not Gary. She’d been alone with him, done stories with him. Why?

  “It’s that cop, isn’t it? I saw how much time you spend with him...” He raised his hand as if to quiet her protests.

  As if she’d protest. But she had to think of something, anything to get away. His next words surprised her.

  “Everything was fine ‘til he came along. We were making progress in our relationship.”

  Relationship, what relationship? What was he talking about? They worked together that’s all.

  The crazed look in his eyes terrified her. Bella stood up on her lap and hissed at Gary.

  Gary walked to the desk, opened a drawer, and took out a dozen roses. Slowly, he pulled the petals off each one, scattered them on the floor around her.

  She pressed herself against the wall. She had to get the upper hand. Had to get out of here, away from him.

  “You didn’t like my roses, either, did you? I saw how you threw them out. You shouldn’t have done that, Susan.”

  He walked toward her, stooped down, and stared at her.

  Bella hissed again and arched her back. Susan looked from one picture to the next. Anything to avoid looking at him. She remembered Gary had told her he wanted to write a coffee table book. Maybe she could stall him — get him talking, get that evil look off his face.

  “Your pictures are beautiful, Gary.” Her voice sounded strange even to her. She took a breath. “You definitely have talent.” She snuck a look at him. Darn, why didn’t he react? Respond? Instead, he stayed there, staring at her, his eyes glazed.

  She had to get through to him. “Are you working on your book?”

  “What do you care about my book?” His voice sounded raspy like it did on the phone.

  “Of course I care. We talked about it, remember?” Anything to bring him back to the Gary she knew. Back from the evil man with the crazed eyes before her. She looked at the pictures again. One was of a cat. She remembered the cat he rescued from the pond. That was the Gary she wanted to see now.

  “Is that your cat, Gary?”

  He looked at the picture, and back at her. His eyes changed. They held a hint of sadness. “It was.”

  “What happened to it?” She didn’t really care, but she had to keep this sense of normalcy about him. Had to keep him talking. Maybe then she could talk her way out of here.

  “Someone killed it!” His eyes glazed over again. “Someone strangled it.”

  She slumped in the corner. He was going to kill her. She’d never see her family or Dave again. Oh God, Dave. She hadn’t even had the chance to tell him she loved him. And she did love him, with all her heart and soul. She’d even give up her job for him. She looked up at Gary. Why was he doing this? Why did he kill all those people?

  Darn it, she had to think. Think! Think! Where was her self-defense training when she needed it?

  “Gary, I...” She sat up straighter. If only he would move in closer. She knew she couldn’t stand up. He’d never let her. But if he’d just move closer…

  And then he did.

  He moved toward her, reached out and pulled her to her feet. The look in his eyes even more crazed. He touched her cheek with his thumb.

  “You knew I loved you. You loved me, too, for a little while. At least until that cop came along.” He almost spat the words.

  “I set that murder up for you. I knew you’d be first on the scene. I did it close enough to the deadline that I knew they’d have to accept your story.”

  She shook her head. What was he saying? He killed for her. This couldn’t be happening. He moved in closer to her, caressed her hair. His touch repulsed her. She pressed herself against the wall.

  He shifted, put his hand on the back of her head, and leaned closer. His breath smelled foul. Bella hissed, reached her paw out, scratched him, and jumped from her arms.

  “Damn it!” Gary pulled his hand back.

  Thank you, Bella. Suddenly, it came to her. She lifted her knee and jammed it into him.

  He grabbed himself and fell backward.

  Leaving him gasping for breath, she raced to the door, pulled it open, and ran to her apartment downstairs. Bella followed behind her.

  She slammed her door behind her, turned the deadbolt, and put the chain lock in place.

  * * *

  At the sound of the door slamming, Dave raced from the kitchen, his heart beating so loudly, it sounded in his ears. And there she was, standing in front of him, leaning against the door. He rushed to her, and grabbed her just before she slid to the floor.

  “Susan! My God, what happened?”

  “It’s him. He...” She collapsed in her arms. “It’s...” Then she lost it. Her whole body convulsed as she sobbed in Dave’s arms.

  “The door was open, the power was off, and you weren’t here. I...I was so scared. I heard the message on the machine. If anything had happened to you, I would never have forgiven myself. After I listened to the tape and heard that strange rhyme, I didn’t know what to think.” He stroked her back, her hair. He couldn’t seem to touch her enough. He pulled her closer against him.

  The words came back to him, even now, while he held her.

  And when your heart begins to bleed, you’re dead, and dead, and dead indeed. The last part had terrified him.

  “Where is he?”

  “In an apartment upstairs. Apartment three forty six.” Oh God, Dave, That raspy voice, it...it’s Gary Rosenberg, the photographer from the paper. I....he...he asked me out. I told him no. He-he said I shouldn’t have rejected him. He sent the roses.” Susan covered her face with her hands and another
round of tears erupted.

  Dave heard the sirens and radioed the apartment number to them. “We’ll get him. Stay here.” Dave hurried upstairs to Gary’s apartment.

  Susan followed, and he turned to stop her.

  “I’ll stay back, out of the way.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies. Ashes, ashes...

  Gary scattered the roses around the floor in a circle. How could she run away from him? He thought she loved him. He should have known better. She was just like all the rest. Dumb bitch, she deserved to die. But she was gone now, and he knew she’d run straight for that cop. They’d be here soon. He didn’t have much time. He had to finish it before they came.

  * * *

  Three police officers rushed up the stairs and met Susan and Dave in front of Gary’s apartment.

  When had he taken that apartment? He obviously didn’t live there. Susan shivered as the realization hit her that he had been watching her. No wonder he knew her whereabouts. Between watching her here and at the paper, he knew almost everything she did.

  They banged the door open, and the officers entered first. Susan stayed back against the wall.

  “Clear.” She heard the voices from inside. She stood there waiting, wondering.

  Finally Dave came out.

  “You don’t want to go in there. He’s dead.”

  “Dead? How? I have to, Dave, the paper. I have to write this story.”

  “You can write it, but it’s a crime scene. You aren’t going in. I don’t want you to see Gary’s body.”

  Susan pushed her way past Dave and froze. Her hands went numb. Cold, starting at the bottom of her feet, worked its way to her head, and then extreme heat replaced it. Sweat formed on her brow.

  Gary’s lifeless body hung from a hook in the middle of the room. The roses he had taken out of the drawer earlier were crushed. The petals scattered to form a circle around his body.