by Gary Ruffin
Rage and adrenaline combined with sheer terror caused my gun hand to start to shake. I took a deep breath, and calmed down enough to steady my hand.
There was no blood visible on or near Penny, so I leaned down and whispered in her ear: “It’s me. Don’t move. I’m gonna check out the rest of the house.”
She nodded.
I searched the cottage, my heart pounding. I didn’t want to turn on any lights, but finally realized there was no way around it. I went into each of the small rooms, turning on lights, and searched every inch. I opened the closets, and even pulled back the shower curtain.
When I was satisfied that there was no one in the house other than Penny and me, I got her knife from the kitchen and hurried back to her side. I removed the tape slowly and gently from her mouth, and she said groggily, “The killer’s getting away. Get out there and see if you can find any tracks in the sand.”
I said firmly, “Penny, I’m not leavin’ you alone. We don’t know how many people are involved. Just hold still, and let me get this tape off.”
As I was sawing my way through the duct tape, Penny said in a slurred voice that could have come from a drunk, “I cannot believe that you’ve been gone all this time, and haven’t even called me once. Why didn’t you call? Do you, do you, know how that makes me look? It makes me look like some damn—I don’t know what. Listen—why haven’t you called? You haven’t even called once. I am royally pissed. In fact, I’m royal.”
I said, “Penny, this is no time to pick a fight. I didn’t call because I just never had a chance, simple as that. Now hold still and let me get this tape off.”
Still slurring her words, she said, “Get out there and get the killer. What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to get this damn tape off. Now hold your horses.”
Penny remained quiet and still until I cut all the tape away, then she suddenly jumped up and ran out the open door. I quickly followed and saw her collapse and fall on her face in the sand about twenty yards from the cottage.
She wasn’t moving, so I jumped off the porch and ran to her side. I picked her up carefully, carried her into the bedroom, and carefully laid her on the bed, on top of her grandmother’s quilt. I pulled the small chair from her vanity over next to the bed, and sat down.
Cherry had come in by then, and stood in the door, uncertain of what to do. I’d completely forgotten about her during the insanity of the last few minutes.
I said, “Good Lord, Cherry, are you okay? I’m sorry, I just—”
Cherry said, “I know. It’s okay. I’m fine. I admit I was petrified at first, but I’m over that now. Well, mostly. Anyway, when you first went in, I saw someone dressed in black run down the beach and disappear into the darkness.”
I asked, “Which way?”
“If you’re facing the sea, to the left.”
East. Towards town, probably the public parking lot.
I said, “Thanks, that might be helpful. I’ll check the parking lot over that way later, see if I can find anything.”
She nodded, and anxiously ran her hand through her hair. “I noticed that the computer was on. I looked at what was on there. The instant messenger was up, and—I quit reading as soon as I recognized the name.”
“It can wait for now. We’ll have a look at it when Penny wakes up.”
Cherry laughed nervously, and said, “Quite a reception we got, yeah?”
Softly stroking Penny’s hair, I said to Cherry, “I’ll say it was. This is some way to start a vacation. Oh—I almost forgot—welcome to Gulf Front.”
39
That was way too close!
Luckily, it had been dark, so the car pulling into the yard had its headlights on, or it could have been a hairy situation. There had been no other indication of anyone driving up; that car must be really quiet. But all things go well for the true believers.
What an amazing turn of events! The trip down to get the chick cop had been an inspiration, no doubt from Baal himself. A quick Google of Cherry’s bodyguard, and there in living color was this Penny Prevost person, standing by her man after a case in New Orleans last year. Was it blind luck that the bodyguard cop had come when he did? It had to be, no doubt about it. How could he have possibly known that his precious bitch was in danger?
Amazing how the forces work to help the chosen servants, providing a path to escape, keeping them safe, even when the enemy is right there!
And to top it all off, Cherry had been standing by, watching! It was dark, but there was enough moonlight to recognize that figure. Her bodyguard had brought her home with him for some reason, with literally everyone in the world out looking for them!
Now what? Wait around for another chance? Staying around could be dangerous. Attacking the dragon on his home turf was never a good idea. Best to leave while still safe, and live to fight another day.
But how wonderful it would have been to use the woman cop to get at him! His own true love, if the townspeople were to be believed. How simple they all were, so generous with their information. Ten minutes after arriving in town, by pure chance sitting at a long table in the local breakfast spot.
A minute after the policewoman left, all it took was asking the old guy in the next seat if he knew where she lived. The old moron answered without thinking, “Oh, she lives in a cottage right on the beach a few miles west of town. There’s a pink flamingo on the mailbox. You can’t miss it.”
Such a shame this blow could not be struck. But there would be other days, and other chances.
And the sacrifice would be made, no matter what.
40
AS WE WAITED FOR PENNY TO WAKE UP, I ASKED CHERRY TO GO TO THE kitchen and get a glass of water. I noticed there were two identical marks on Penny’s left thigh, and recognized them immediately. The stalker had used a Taser on her, or something like it; the marks were definitely made by a stun gun. I touched them gently and felt the rage again, and it took a supreme effort to calm down and remain rational.
A moment later, Penny stirred, and moaned as she opened her eyes. She looked at me as if she was underwater, struggling to bring the world into focus.
“Coop, I had the strangest dream. I was running outside and thought I saw Cherry Page on the porch.” She rubbed her temple, and asked, “What are you doin’ here? Did you get fired?”
Laughing softly, I said, “No, Chief Prevost, I didn’t get fired. And you weren’t dreamin’, either. Do you remember being attacked and taped up?”
She looked at me for a moment, and then said, “Oh. Wait. Yeah, I do, but that’s about all I remember.”
At that moment, Cherry walked in with the glass of water, a wet washcloth, and two aspirin. I said, “Penny Prevost? Allow me to introduce Miss Cherry Page.”
Penny looked like a five-year-old on Christmas morning, her eyes like saucers as she tried to sit up in bed.
I pushed her gently down, and said, “Now, no. No getting up for you just yet.”
She lay back down, staring at Cherry as if she was seeing a specter standing at the foot of her bed.
Cherry handed me the water and aspirin, sat on the bed, and carefully placed the washcloth on Penny’s forehead. Taking Penny’s hand in hers, she said, “My mum always put a cool, wet washcloth on my head when I felt feverish. It never failed to make me feel better.”
Penny said, “It feels really, really nice. But I wanted to meet you under better circumstances—I must look like such a mess. If only I’d—”
Cherry gently shushed her, and said, “You look absolutely beautiful, Penny. Cooper told me you were gorgeous, but that doesn’t do you justice. I think he was trying to keep me from getting my feelings hurt, downplaying your beauty. Everyone goes on about me being such a beauty, but I have to say—you’re stunning. Not to mention, completely fearless. I would’ve died from fright alone had someone attacked me in the manner—well, let’s not say another word about that. I’m just so pleased to meet you, and to see that you’re all right.”
> Penny said, “You have no idea what a pleasure this is for me, and thank you for your sweet words, but c’mon. I look like a boy compared to you!”
That got a big laugh from Cherry, and she said with a smile, “I see now why Cooper is so mad for you. You’re a treasure.”
Penny said to me, “She calls you Cooper! How cool is that?”
I said, “It’s very cool. Totally and completely cool. Now—sit up slowly, and take a sip of water. Take these aspirin, too. I want you to get some rest, and we can all have a big time later, when you’re feelin’ better. I need you to be sharp and help me get whoever did this.”
Barely able to keep her eyes open, Penny mumbled, “I don’t wanna get some rest, I want to tell you I really, really like your new haircut. It makes you look younger. And another thing—looks like—now—we’re even.”
She went out like a light.
41
I GOT AN AFGHAN FROM PENNY’S CLOSET, COVERED HER WITH IT, AND whispered to Cherry, “Let’s go sit and wait for Penny to sleep it off.”
Once we were in the living room, Cherry said, “As I told you earlier, I looked at the computer to see if there was a message.”
“And?”
“The stalker had opened the instant messenger, and had set up the username not_so_shy_guy again. Probably, he heard us drive up, and left in the middle of sending me another message.”
I said, “Thank God for small favors.”
“I realized too late that I shouldn’t have gone near it, but I’m not used to observing proper crime-scene etiquette. I hope I didn’t destroy any evidence.”
“Hell, Cherry, I pretty much trampled the whole house when I saw Penny on the floor taped up like that. I contaminated the scene myself—big-time. So just forget about your minor breach of crime-scene etiquette. Luckily, this particular time, it’s not a problem. Just don’t make a habit of it,” I said with a smile.
Cherry asked, “But what if one of the neighbors saw the stalker running away? Mightn’t that be a problem?”
I said, “You couldn’t tell in the dark, but this cottage is pretty isolated; the nearest neighbor to the east is maybe a hundred yards off, and the nearest to the west is even further. Like a lot of Gulf Front, this stretch of land has been owned by the Milo family for years, and there hasn’t been any real development. So, the neighbors wouldn’t have seen anything. I’d stake my life on it. Penny’s uncle, who owns this place, is a good friend of the Milo family, and that’s why he was allowed to build here. And, besides, there may not even be anyone in those homes. They’re owned by some rich folks who are hardly ever down here. Anyway, while I was sitting with Penny, I came to a decision. It goes against everything I’ve been taught, but I think we should keep this evening’s events to ourselves. I have a feeling that Penny will agree with me this one time. After all, we are the law in Gulf Front.”
Cherry said, “Well, I’m sure you know best.”
“Not always. Hell, hardly ever. I’ll talk to Penny about it when she’s up and around, but like I said, I think she’ll agree with me. What’s more, I don’t want the media comin’ down here and attacking Gulf, and Penny won’t, either. I may regret it, but I just don’t think it’s worth it. Now—I think we should try to settle down.”
Cherry nodded in agreement. I turned on a lamp, opened the front windows, and turned to see Cherry sitting on the sofa. She patted the seat next to her, and I accepted her invitation. I put my Glock on the end table, and my legs up on the coffee table in front of me like I always do. It felt good to calm down and take my first real breath since I’d found Penny lying on the floor, blindfolded and bound. The Gulf of Mexico waves provided the background music, with the wind chimes adding their bright musical notes occasionally. We didn’t speak for several minutes, enjoying the concert and the sea air.
I was trying to think of a mild topic of conversation when Cherry said, “Were you born in Gulf Front, Cooper?”
That was mild enough.
“As a matter of fact, I was. I came into this world in Dr. Brawley’s office, right on main street. There was no hospital within twenty miles of town in those days. Almost everyone I know from my youth was born in that office.”
“How nice it must be for you to live in a place where you’re so deeply rooted.”
I said, “It’s a real nice place to grow up in, and live. Knowing everybody in town has its advantages.”
“I can see why you love it so. From the little bit of it I’ve seen, it’s brilliant.”
“The little bit of it you’ve seen is pretty much all there is to see.”
She said, “Maybe that’s why it’s so wonderful.”
“No argument here.”
“Where are your parents? Do they live here, too?”
“My Mom died years ago, and my father left us when I was three. So I guess the answer to your question is no, they don’t live here.”
She touched my arm, and said, “Oh, I’m so sorry—I had no idea. Forgive me for being so stupid.”
“You had no way of knowing. Don’t worry about it.”
“It was still insensitive of me. I just am curious about you, knowing so little about you as I do.”
“The less you know, the more you’ll like me,” I said.
She smiled, and said, “I don’t believe that for a minute.” We sat in silence for a while, and then she asked, “Do you mind telling me about your parents?”
“No, not at all—whatta ya wanna know?”
“Why did your father leave you and your mother?”
I paused for a moment, then said, “I really don’t know. I’m sure that’s hard to believe, but Mom never actually told me, and I never actually asked. The subject was kind of like an elephant that just sat quietly in the corner. We both knew it was there, but we both ignored it.”
“That’s so sad. My dad has always been there for me. Always. I can’t imagine how that would feel, to always wonder about his whereabouts.”
I said, “But that’s just it. I never wondered about his whereabouts. I was a tough little kid; I didn’t cry or show my feelings very much. At least, that’s what Mom told me.”
“She must have loved you very much.”
“Yep, she sure did that. She had to love me for the both of them. I was all she had, and she didn’t let a day go by without telling me how special I was to her. She was the best.”
“Well, she did a fantastic job raising you, especially since she did it by herself. I’m sure she looks down from heaven and knows what a fine man you’ve become.”
I said, “I hope she feels that way. All we had was each other, but she was enough family for me.”
“Speaking of family—have you never married, Cooper?”
I took a beat, and said, “No, I’ve never been married.”
“Why not?”
“Are we really gonna get into this? I mean, my girlfriend was just attacked by a homicidal maniac, and is unconscious on her bed less than thirty feet away.”
“I simply want to know why you’ve never been caught, that’s all.”
“Well, if you must know—and it looks like you must—the reason is simple. I’m an idealist.”
Cherry stared at me before saying, “What in bleeding hell does that mean?”
I laughed, and said, “Well, it means that I have very high standards concerning the kind of woman I would take to wife. I’m not interested in marryin’ just any woman out there, ya know. She would have to be smart, funny, honest as the day is long, beautiful, and insane.”
“Insane?”
“Yeah. She’d be marryin’ me, wouldn’t she?”
“Oh, shut up, and tell me the truth.”
I said, “Actually, I was telling the truth. I need a woman with all those traits, plus, she has to be madly in love with me. As impossible as they are, those are my requirements.”
Cherry said, “But you already have that right here. Penny meets all those requirements. Why have you two never married?”
> I didn’t know what to say to that, so I tried to change the subject. “Don’tcha just love the cool night air?”
Cherry sighed, and said, “Message received, loud and clear. It’s none of the movie star’s business.”
“No, it’s not that. Really. My problem with being married is I like being alone. I like being alone a lot. It’s kinda hard to be married and be alone, too.”
“Ohhh, I see. You want to eat your cake, and have it, too.”
I said, “Hey, I like that. It makes more sense.”
“What makes more sense?”
“In America, we say: ‘You want to have your cake, and eat it, too.’ That never made sense to me. I mean, the expression is supposed to be used for something that’s impossible. But it’s not impossible the way we say it. You could have some cake for a while, and then eat it. But the way you guys say it, it really is impossible. You can’t eat it, and still have it.”
Cherry said, “You’re truly a master of avoiding the question at hand. Maybe that’s what drives Penny mad.”
I said, “The truth is, I don’t have a good answer for your question.”
Cherry looked at her nails for a moment, then said, “Maybe you think you are your father’s son, and you’re afraid to find out if that’s true or not.”
I hate it when women make sense.
I said, “Let’s go see how Penny’s doin’.”
Cherry sighed dramatically, and said, “Okay, Mr. change-the-subject man. We’ll go into this in more detail later.”
“Yes, we will.”
(No, we won’t.)
42
WE GOT UP FROM THE SOFA, WALKED TOWARDS THE BEDROOM, AND met Penny as she was coming out.
I felt her forehead, and said, “Hey, Chief. You feelin’ better?”
“I feel much better, thanks. My thigh is a little sore, but my headache’s gone. I’ll be fine after I eat somethin’.”
Cherry said, “Speaking of eating—I hope you can cook, Cooper. I’m absolutely the world’s worst in the kitchen. And Penny is in no shape to cook, so it’s all on your shoulders, I’m afraid. So—what’s on the menu?”
