The Pandora Effect

by Olivia Darnell

  “Do you like the flowers?” She asked.

  “Um, hmmm,” he said from around the glass and then leaned forward to grab the folded paper. “What is this?” He looked down at her.

  “It is a card,” she told him and sipped her wine.

  “This reminds me of something.” He tapped the picture on the cover.

  “It is suppose to remind you of Penglai,” she said.

  “Yes, that’s it. It does,” he nodded and opened it up to read the words inside. He folded the card back and put it on the table before looking at her doubtfully. “You wrote that yourself?”

  “Yes, I improvised,” she nodded. “I used another poem as a guide. What is your opinion?”

  “It’s... it’s amazing,” he told her and reached for one of the crackers. “We can eat now?”

  “Yes, of course,” she told him and sat looking up at him as if she expected him to do something else. “Shouldn’t you kiss me or something?”

  “Oh, yes.” He bent to kiss her on the forehead and then stuffed a cracker in his mouth.

  “You forgot the cheese,” she told him and frowned. She picked up a cracker and put some of the soft brie on it then added a bit of raspberry jam and then held it up for him. He reached for it and she pulled it away. “The helpful hint website said I should feed this to you.”

  “Oh.”

  He opened his mouth and she placed it on his tongue. “I see,” he mumbled as he munched the cracker and wondered what else the website she had accessed had suggested. He had seen some very strange things on the Internet. He decided that he would do nothing, but allow her to take charge. He wanted to find out if she had learned anything worthwhile, but something was not quite right. Something nagged at him and he couldn’t seem to grasp what was missing. His mind drifted to Maureen Fitzgerald and he wondered how her dinner was going.

  Louis and Julia along with Chris, Joanne, Cheryl, Tyler and Mike stood around the back of Tyler’s truck in the parking lot of the police station. Louis had not wanted to go home without talking to the Chief about what had happened. He couldn’t afford to lose his job now. They talked over the situation, but none of them had any good ideas what they should do.

  At a quarter after eight, Chief Lovell pulled into the parking lot with one of the police cruisers following closely behind him. He had changed into his uniform and glared at them when he got out of his truck.

  “Louis!” He said. “I thought I told you to go home!”

  “I need to talk to you, Chief,” Louis frowned.

  “Well, come on in,” the Chief acquiesced gruffly and cast a glance at Louis’ entourage. “Alone.”

  Louis followed the Chief inside.

  He quickly filled his boss in on what had taken place prior to the fiasco at Maureen Fitzgerald’s home. The Chief listened in dismay even though Louis was careful to leave out all the really weird stuff.

  “So you think this Aliger may have been at Miss Fitzgerald’s home?” Lovell asked when he had finished.

  “Yes. I’m quite sure he was,” Louis nodded.

  “We haven’t been able to find her or Sam Morris,” Lovell shook his head. “We made a mess over there. I guess we’d better try to find this Aliger fellow.”

  “He lives over the old Castle Gift Shop,” Louis told him.

  “Oh, yeah,” Lovell nodded. “I’ve seen him. Blonde fellow. Weird eyes.”

  “Yeah,” Louis nodded again.

  The Chief stood up. They went to the dispatcher and called for two units to meet them at the New Castle Gift Shop.

  “I guess you better come along,” Lovell eyed Louis doubtfully. “But you are officially off duty. Don’t do anything stupid, Parks.”

  “Yes sir!” Louis said as he followed him outside.

  “And tell your friends to go home,” the Chief told him irritably.

  Louis went to tell the group that waited on him what was up and asked them to go on home. He would call them later, he promised. He kissed Julia’s nose and left her with Joanne.

  Maureen had given up on Sam and had left him a note telling him to call her at home. It was getting later and later and when she pulled into her drive, her mouth fell open. Her front porch was wrapped with yellow crime scene tape. The door leading into her kitchen was covered with the stuff. She set the grocery bag down, ripped the stuff out of the way and opened the door. Inside the house was a wreck. Panic gripped her as she saw the ruins of her glass dining table. Silk flowers and candles were scattered everywhere among the glittering glass shards. She flipped on the light and tip-toed into the kitchen.

  There were holes in the wall in the hallway, her antique sconce was destroyed. Glass was all over the carpet and when she saw her image staring back at her from the shattered mirror fragments above her dresser, she almost screamed with fear that was quickly replaced with rage. What had happened here? She hurried back to the living room and sat on the sofa to pick up the phone. She punched information and asked for the number of the Magnolia Springs police department. While she waited for them to answer, she noticed that the pillow Perry had slept on was missing. She looked around. Where was Sam? What had happened?

  The police dispatcher answered the phone.

  “Hello? This is Maureen Fitzgerald. I need to speak to someone in charge please,” she said irritably. She ran her hand across the coffee table and looked at the black powder that collected on her fingers. Apparently someone down there would know what had happened. What was this? Why had they dusted her house for prints?

  Two police cars sat with their noses together at the curb in the street near the stairs that led up to Perry Aliger’s apartment. Chief Lovell’s truck was parked across the street. He and Louis Parks walked up the stairs to the porch and rang the bell.

  Louis caught his breath sharply at the sight of Angelica Aliger when she answered the door dressed in a long, white gown of shimmering satin and lace with sparkling green stones outlining a pair of dragonflies on the bodice. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He blinked and stood staring at her like a goofy teenager.

  “Louis?” She looked up at him. “Is something wrong?”

  “Mrs. Aliger?” Chief Lovell cleared his throat, obviously affected by her appearance in much the same way as his sergeant. “Is your husband home?”

  “Yes, but he isn’t feeling well,” Angelica said though she was clearly aggravated at the intrusion. “Is there something I can do for you?”

  “I’m Daniel. Daniel Lovell. Chief Daniel Lovell,” Louis had never heard his Chief use his formal surname and half expected him to add his badge number like 007. He glanced at the man and raised one eyebrow. “I am the Magnolia Springs Police Ch..Chief.” Louis had never heard his Chief speak with so much bass in his voice. He raised both eyebrows. “We really need to speak to your... uh, your... uh, husband.”

  “Mrs. Aliger,” Louis spoke up. “We really hate to bother you, but there has been an acci... an inci.. something has happened and it may concern your husband.”

  “I see,” she said curtly.

  She stepped back into the apartment and held out her hand to beckon them inside. Louis wanted to fall on his knees and kiss her hand. He pushed aside the silly notion and followed his chief inside the apartment. The shadowy lights flickering on the walls of the foyer indicated the presence of candles in the living room. There were no other lights on in the house. She led them like the proverbial vampire queen into the living room. The candlelight on the pink walls cast an eerie glow over the entire scene as if they had entered another time from long ago. Louis regretted their presence more than ever. He felt like a fool.

  Perry sat on a pillow between the coffee table and the sofa with his head laid back on the cushion. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. Louis shook his head. Here he was with her and he was sleeping?

  “Perry?” Angelica leaned over him and touched his shoulder.

  “Hmmm?” He opened one eye and reached for his wine glass. He turned it up and
drank the remainder of the Niebaum. “We need another bottle,” he said immediately.

  “We have visitors,” she told him quietly and stepped back.

  He raised his head to peer at the two policemen.

  “Oh. I’m sorry,” he said as he pushed himself up carefully to sit up straighter. “Do sit down.”

  “This is Daniel. Daniel Lovell. Chief Daniel Lovell of the Magnolia Springs Police Department and you know Sergeant Parks, of course,” Angelica continued, trying to make him understand who was there.

  “Of course,” he nodded. “Angelica would you please bring another bottle of wine for our guests?”

  “We don’t want any wine, Mr. Aliger,” Chief Lovell told him. “We need to ask you some questions.”

  “Oh.” Perry frowned and looked at Angelica. “Well, then, Angelica, would you please bring me another bottle of wine for myself?”

  Angelica raised both eyebrows and then disappeared into the kitchen.

  Louis and Lovell took seats in the armchairs uneasily.

  “I am afraid that you’ve caught me at a bad time,” Perry told them. “I don’t know if I can answer any questions right now. It would depend on the topic.”

  “This is an official investigation, Mr. Aliger.” Lovell glanced at Louis. Louis smiled inwardly. At last, someone else would have to deal with Perry Aliger. He knew firsthand how frustrating the man could be. “We need to ask you about Maureen Fitzgerald.”

  Perry’s eyes opened wider and his frown reappeared. He pushed himself up from the floor with his legs and sat back on the sofa trying to clear his bleary mind. A pain shot up his leg from his sore knee.

  Louis thought of what Sam had told them about the beating he had taken from Billy Johnson only a few hours earlier. It was a surprise to see him looking so well, at least, outwardly.

  Perry looked at Louis. Was this a repeat of the earlier interrogation concerning Maureen? What was this person’s interest in Maureen?

  “What do you want to know?” Perry asked them.

  “We were over at her house,” Lovell told him. “She wasn’t there. We would like to know if you might know where she is. You were the last one she was seen with.”

  “I see,” Perry nodded. “I thought she had a dinner planned for Mr. Morris.”

  “She did. Or she was supposed to,” Louis nodded. “Sam is out looking for her too.”

  “Were you at her house earlier today?” Lovell asked him.

  “Yes,” Perry told him as Angelica reappeared with a bottle of white Zinfandel.

  He took the bottle and popped the cork immediately.

  “What were you doing there?” Lovell asked.

  “I was sleeping,” he told him off-handedly and poured his glass full of wine.

  Lovell looked at Louis who shrugged as if to say I told you so.

  “You were sleeping at Maureen Fitzgerald’s house?” Lovell looked at Angelica who had taken a seat next to Perry on the sofa. Her presence was most disconcerting. “Why?”

  “I was not feeling too well,” he told them and then asked “Is there a law against sleeping in her house?”

  “No, of course not,” Lovell answered. “I am trying to find out why you were with her and where she might be now.”

  “We’ve already covered that question,” Perry frowned at the man. “If she is not at her home having dinner with Sam Morris, then I don’t know where she is.”

  “Where is your car?” Lovell asked him.

  “My car?” Perry frowned and looked at Angelica.

  “Yes, the red Mercedes,” Louis prompted him.

  “Oh. It’s broken,” he told them. “I don’t know what happened to it. I was driving and it sort of lurched and then it kind of shivered and I pulled over and it shut down. I couldn’t get it to start again. I presume it is still where I left it.”

  “And where is that?” Louis asked.

  “I don’t recall exactly.” Perry rubbed the back of his head and took another drink from his glass.

  “How did you get to Maureen’s house?” Lovell asked.

  “In her car,” he said, but offered no further explanation as he leaned back and made a noise of pain when his back touched the sofa. It was still very touchy.

  “Maureen’s car?” Lovell tried to clarify his answer.

  “Of course. She was driving. She wouldn’t let me drive even though her driving was very erratic at times,” he said.

  “Why was her driving erratic?” Lovell asked him. “Were you forcing her to drive?”

  “Not forcing, just suggesting,” Perry told him. “I didn’t want to come home. Would you like some cheese or perhaps some artichoke hearts?”

  “No, thank you,” Lovell shook his head. “So you were suggesting that she drive and she was driving in an erratic manner?”

  “Yes,” Perry nodded and reached for one of the artichoke hearts from the salad. “These are very good, Angelica.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled, but she was worried. What did these men want? They were usurping her time. She noticed that Perry seemed to be regaining his former state of health as they talked and so allowed them to continue in hopes that he would make a faster recovery.

  “Things are not looking too good for you, Mr. Aliger,” Lovell said in frustration as Perry reached for another artichoke heart and fed it to Angelica. “I would suggest that you focus your attention on this investigation or maybe we should continue it down at the station.”

  “I’m listening,” Perry looked at him curiously. “Go on with your questions. I told Maureen to go on with her plans and I believe she needed to buy some flowers and candles? Yes, she wanted some flowers and candles for their dinner.”

  Louis was totally confused. Why would Perry be at Maureen’s house while she was planning a dinner for Sam and why would Angelica be sitting here in the midst of this awkward situation listening so calmly while the man fed her artichoke hearts? Mike’s words came back to him like a clap of thunder. They ain’t like us! Lovell, on the other hand, remembered the flowers and candles and the smashed table at Maureen’s house.

  “So she did go to the store,” he murmured. “How did you get home?”

  “I brought him home,” Angelica supplied the answer. “Maureen called me to come get him. She couldn’t wake him up.”

  “Why were you sleeping?” Lovell asked.

  “I was ill,” Perry told him. “I’ve already told you that.”

  “You mean you were drunk,” Lovell corrected him. “And you had just suffered a beating which was the result of an assault by Billy Johnson.”

  “I’d rather not talk about that,” Perry cringed.

  They all jumped as someone banged on the door.

  “I’ll get it,” Perry announced and pushed himself up, but swayed and sat back down heavily.

  Louis got up and Angelica followed him to the door. He shrank at her nearness. If she touched him, he would die. He opened the door absently while still looking at her.

  Sam Morris rushed into the apartment throwing the unsuspecting Louis against the wall. Angelica stepped back in surprise.

  “Where is he?!” Sam shouted and tore into the living room. “Where is Maureen?!” He glared at Perry.

  Chief Lovell stood up. Perry stood up. Louis regained his balance and rushed back to the living room in time to see Sam launch himself at the man. Perry stepped aside and Sam crashed across the sofa, slid over the arm and onto the floor. Louis and Lovell went after him to restrain him.

  The two police officers who were supposed to be waiting down by the curb came rushing into the house. Lovell and Louis pinned the cursing Sam against the wall.

  “Hey, Chief! We found Morris’ car!” One of the officers said and then froze at the sight of them holding the outraged banker.

  Lovell looked at them in consternation.

  “How’d he get in here?” The other officer asked in confusion and then pulled out his handcuffs and went to assist them with the struggling man.

  Perry st
ood back watching in fascination as they handcuffed Sam and pushed him down on the sofa. He reached for his wine glass and finished it off.

  Sam was still shouting accusations at Perry about Maureen and cursing him for a murderer, slandering his ancestors and generally being unpleasant.

  “Maureen Fitzgerald called the station,” the first officer told the chief sheepishly. “She’s at home and hoppin’ mad.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” Lovell grumbled and shook his head. He’d never seen anything like this in his entire career. “Get him out of here.”

  He waved one hand at Sam who sat in shock on the sofa looking at them incredulously, finally speechless.

  “Maureen called?” He asked inanely after a few awkward moments of silence.

  “Come on Sam.” Louis took one of his arms to help him up.

  Angelica fell sitting on the sofa beside Perry when everyone was finally gone with their embarrassed apologies and the equally embarrassed Sam Morris.

  “That was totally ridiculous,” she told him. “I suppose they must have thought you had murdered Maureen Fitzgerald.”

  “I suppose so,” Perry told her and reached for another cracker. The music played on and the candles flickered in their holders.

  “The intrusion was not part of my plan,” she told him. “I don’t know what to do now. Dinner is cold no doubt.”

  “You could heat it up,” he suggested and refilled his glass. He felt very warm and self-satisfied that the interview had gone so well in spite of his confusion.

  “Are you hungry?” She asked.

  “Not really,” he shrugged. “Maybe you should go on with your original plan.”

  “Actually....” she looked about the room. “I had only enough time to choose the food, compose the card and buy the flowers. I had to get dressed and then there was the unexpected trip to Maureen’s house. I didn’t have time to plan much past dessert.”

  “What’s for dessert?” He asked, his usual amused tone had returned.

  “Mousse filled chocolate hearts,” she said. “And Inniskillin 1998 Icewine .”