Dead and Gone

by Tina Glasneck

  “No. I don’t have any of Nancy’s reactions.” I raised my foot and wiggled my toes. “Maybe this was a different species. I caught one. It’s in my make-up bag in the bathroom.”

  He went into the bathroom. I scanned the floor, attempting to find the spider. A minute later, he came back. “There wasn’t a spider in the bag. I pulled out the tissue and shook it over the sink.”

  “Was the stopper closed?”

  He nodded. “I closed it. A spider didn’t go down the drain.”

  “I thought I had it well secured,” I said, feeling disappointed.

  He knelt next to me and ran his hand over my foot. “No bumps. There’s a small red dot here,” he said, pointing to it.

  “It must’ve been a different type of spider. Nancy became almost immediately paralyzed.”

  “Maybe she just had an allergic reaction. Come to my room. If you display any symptoms, I’ll call 9-1-1. If that should happens, I’m going with you in the ambulance.”

  I felt uneasy about going to his room. At the same time, I was scared and wanted company. “Okay,” I agreed.

  He insisted I stay seated while he gathered my things. Holding onto my arm, he led me to his room. I told him I’d sleep on the sofa. He was determined I take the bed.

  In the morning I found myself refreshingly not-dead.

  “When do you want to go to breakfast?” Brett asked, opening the drapes.

  “Just give me half an hour.” I left his room to freshen up in mine.

  As I stood in the hallway, fumbling through my purse for my room key, a tall handsome man with broad shoulders, deep brown hair, and dark eyes walked past me. He appeared just a little older than I was. He wore a perfectly tailored navy-blue, pinstriped suit and looked too polished to be staying here. This was a nice hotel, but definitely not a four-star.

  He stopped at the next room. I noticed him glaring at me through penetrating eyes.

  Feeling uneasy, I quickly turned the key, hurried inside, and bolted my door. As I sat on the bed, I sensed there was something familiar about him and wondered if he was connected to the Crussetts. Was he an employee?

  The picture of my parents on the nightstand caught my eyes, and then I remembered. It had been four years ago at their funeral. He had glared at me there, too. I didn’t have the foggiest idea who he was. I continued thinking about him as I showered and dressed.

  Bending down to put on my shoes, I saw the ring with the black stone lying on the floor. Slipping it on my finger, I felt a slight shiver run through my body. Strange. The ring fit perfectly. How did Sherman’s know my size?

  Lieutenant Barnes and another man were standing by the check-in desk talking to Ralph when Brett and I stepped out of the elevator.

  “Miss Jones,” Ralph said loudly, raising his arm and waving his fingers. After we reached the counter, he continued, “I’ve been calling room 720. You didn’t answer. Lieutenant Barnes would like to talk to you.”

  “I only spent part of the night in that room,” I explained.

  “Good morning, Miss Jones and Mr. Daborel.” Barnes’ big hand engulfed mine during our polite handshake. “This is Sergeant Harmon. He’ll be assisting me with the investigation.”

  “Hello,” Harmon said, and we shook hands.

  “Nancy Stewart’s body was found around 1 a.m.” Barnes ran a finger over his mustache, and then curled the ends of it with his thumb and index finger. “We need your help to identify the paramedics who picked her up. We’d like you to come to the station and look at some mug shots.”

  I cringed. Mug shots? Even if attempting to murder someone by using a spider seemed completely ridiculous to some people, I knew the Crussetts had killed before in absurd ways. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but this happening after I escaped them—the coincidence was too convenient. My hands trembled; I held them together tightly and asked, “Where was she found?”

  “Behind the Alta Bar. Signs indicate her body was moved to that location after she died. She wasn’t easy to identify. We only received confirmation an hour ago that it was her.”

  “Why wasn’t she easy to identify?”

  “I’d rather not go into the specifics,” Barnes answered, still curling his handlebar mustache. “When can you be at the station?”

  Brett and I glanced at each other. “After we’ve had breakfast,” I said, wanting to calm my nerves before I went.

  “I’ll take you,” Brett volunteered. He turned away from Barnes, raised his brow, and whispered, “Don’t want you to be alone with Mr. Mustache.”

  I bobbed my head in agreement. Since Nancy’s body had been moved to a place where it could be easily found, I suddenly doubted the Crussetts were involved. Anyone who crossed their paths typically ended up in staged accidents, or they were never seen again. Easy discovery was not their MO.

  “We’ll see you later this morning,” Barnes confirmed and left with Harmon.

  “I’ll be going there this afternoon,” Ralph said. “Since the lobby was full of guests, I only caught a glimpse of the paramedics’ faces when they wheeled her out. Lieutenant Barnes still wants me to look at mug shots. I gave him the names of the guests I recognized in the lobby. He’s planning to contact them.”

  “I don’t think I can identify them either,” I said. “I was looking at Nancy, not the paramedics.”

  “Let’s get something to eat.” Brett leaned closer to my sweater-clad arm, then his hand gave my elbow a gentle touch as he guided me into the coffee shop.

  After the waitress handed us menus, my thoughts drifted back to the Crussetts. Would Nancy’s death make the national news? Then they’d know where I was. My mind churned and a foreboding feeling pressed against my chest as I closed the menu. “I’m not hungry after all. I think I’ll just have coffee.”

  “You need to eat something. How about toast or a bagel?” Brett asked.

  The waitress returned with coffee and, to please Brett, I ordered a toasted bagel. He ordered a large breakfast that included a side order of pancakes. Obviously, the police investigation wasn’t affecting his appetite.

  He took my hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you. The cops just want you to look at mug shots, nothing more. If you don’t recognize the guys, that’s not a problem.” He held up my hand and gazed at it. “Is that the ring you were sent?”

  “Yes. I found it on the floor and decided to enjoy my prize.”

  Brett studied the ring. “Sherman’s gave you this for being their 100,000th customer?”

  “Yes. Boy, I wonder what they’ll give their 1,000,000th customer.”

  “Maybe a car?”

  “Or a boat?”

  “Nope, it’s got to be a trip around the world. You up to staying in Billings long enough to see if you can win it?”

  “Yep. I’ll start hanging around their cash register when they reach their 999,950th customer.”

  “That should work. It’ll probably be a trip for two. Want my company?” He gave me a mischievous grin.

  “Sure. I’ll need someone to carry my luggage.”

  “That’s all I’m good for?”

  Before I could answer, our orders arrived.

  Brett waited for me to start eating, and then he dug in. Between bites, he asked, “Have you got any plans for this afternoon?”

  I still sensed I was in danger and needed to move out of the hotel as quickly as I could. “I have Nancy’s list of apartments. I want to check some of them out.”

  “Would you like me to drive you around?”

  His invitation caused the corners of my mouth to curve up. Not wanting to be alone, I had to resist the urge to hug him, before I calmly answered, “I’d like that.”

  Brett and I were at the police department for almost three hours while I searched through mug shots. Barnes had another officer put together a composite of the men based on what I remembered. None of the computer-generated images looked right. Both paramedics had medium-brown hair and were over six feet tall. Outside that, my memory wasn’t
very helpful.

  Walking to Brett’s car, I saw a short, lean man putting a note on Brett’s windshield.

  Brett recognized him. “What’s up, Adam?”

  “I’ve been trying to reach you. Left a couple of messages on your cell,” Adam said, retrieving the note.

  “Turned it off when I got here. How’d you find me?”

  “The hotel clerk.”

  A stern expression flashed across Brett’s face as a tiny furrow of annoyance appeared between his eyes. “What’s the problem.”

  “Baxter’s going to be in town tomorrow instead of Tuesday.”

  “What time?”

  “He lands at 8:30 and he’s driving straight to the office. Have you got the report done?”

  “Almost.”

  “That’s what I thought. Housman wanted me to track you down so you could work on it today in case it wasn’t finished.”

  “Tell Housman I’ll have it on his desk at 8 a.m.”

  “Sorry about ruining your Sunday.”

  “It’s not ruined. See you tomorrow.” Brett watched Adam stroll to a waiting sedan.

  “You don’t need to take me apartment hunting. You can work on your report.”

  “I want to drive you around. I’ll finish the report tonight.”

  After a disappointing afternoon since we were only able to look inside one apartment, we ate dinner at the hotel and said goodnight.

  Back in my room, I thumbed through the list of apartments again, trying to recall those closest to where I worked. I needed a Billings road map to pinpoint the locations. There was one in my glove compartment. I headed outside to get it.

  My car was parked in a dimly lit area of the hotel parking lot, next to an alley. Moving in that direction, I heard heavy footsteps on the pavement behind me. My eyes darted right and left hoping to see other people. The parking lot in front of me appeared deserted. The footsteps became louder sending chills through my body.

  My heart raced. My lips quivered. I sucked in air, and then I held my breath as I quickened my pace. I didn’t dare turn around and knew I was being paranoid. People came and went all the time. Then I saw a couple getting into a car, and my heartbeat slowed down. Breathing easy again, I peeked over my shoulder. No one was behind me. I did see several people walking toward the hotel. Finally I reached my car, unlocked it, and opened the door. I leaned down and took the road map out of the glove compartment.

  As I stood up, he was right next to me. His penetrating, dark eyes met mine. My breathing became erratic and I froze.

  2

  Too Many

  A loud diesel engine started close by and broke my trance. I attempted to speak, but the words refused to come. As the dark-eyed man continued staring at me, I fiddled with the keys clenched in my hand so the end of one protruded between my fingers. If he touched me, I was prepared to defend myself.

  “Sara,” I heard Brett yell.

  I turned around and saw Brett hurrying toward me. When I looked back at the dark-eyed man, he was gone.

  “What are you doing out here?” Brett reached out and held onto my arm. “You okay?”

  “Yes,” I muttered and shut my car door. “A hotel guest just startled me. That’s all.”

  “Were you going somewhere?”

  “No. I wanted to plot out the location of the apartments we drove by, and my road map was in my car,” I said as we headed back to the hotel. “How did you know I was out here?”

  “The window above my desk overlooks the parking lot. I thought I saw you. I called your room, and you didn’t answer, so I came out here.” A brief smile flickered on his lips. “I assumed you were making a getaway from the cops,” he joked.

  “No. I don’t want the Crussetts and the police looking for me. The police might think I had something to do with Nancy’s death if I left town immediately.”

  “Are the Crussetts the people you’re running from?”

  I bit my lower lip wondering how I allowed that name to slip out. “No,” I lied as my heart pounded in my chest. Changing the subject, I took his hand. “How is your report coming along?”

  “Almost finished.” He lightly squeezed my hand. “Why don’t you continue living at the hotel until the cops get whoever’s involved with Nancy’s death?”

  “I’m still trying to sort out what happened. The spider venom paralyzed her. Was it temporary or is that what killed her? Lieutenant Barnes doesn’t want to tell me the condition of her body. Had she been mutilated?”

  “You’re not the blame for whatever happened to Nancy, so try not to worry about it,” he said as we reached my room. “The cops will solve the crime.” Brett stood next to me while I unlocked the door. “Sleep well.”

  “I’ll try my best. Good night.” I went inside and bolted the door. Living in this room wasn’t anything I wanted to do any longer than necessary. I laid out the map and began plotting the apartments as I thought about the guy in the parking lot. He hadn’t touched me. All he did was stare with those dark eyes. Maybe he recognized me from my parents’ funeral. If that was it, he should have said something.

  In the morning, I didn’t see Brett or the dark-eyed man before I left the hotel. The accounting firm where I worked was a short distance away, so I always walked.

  As I turned on my computer, my office phone rang. “Sara Jones. May I help you?” I answered.

  “Miss Jones, this is Lieutenant Barnes. A man exhibiting the same symptoms as those you described for Nancy Stewart was taken to the hospital last night.”

  “Was he bitten?”

  “We don’t know. Shortly after he arrived, two men dressed like paramedics took him out of the hospital on a gurney.”

  “Did an ambulance bring him to the hospital?”

  “No. His friend, the bartender at the Alta Bar, drove him.”

  “The same place Nancy Stewart’s body was found?”

  “Yes.”

  “Didn’t anyone try to stop the paramedics from taking him?”

  “A nurse did. They told her the patient had to be transported to another hospital because of his insurance.”

  “What hospital?”

  “He hasn’t showed up at another one. The nurse and a few hospital employees were able to give a description of the two men. We’d like you to come in and look at the composites.”

  “I can be there right after work.”

  “Thank you, Miss Jones.”

  At 5:10 p.m., I walked into the police station. Barnes led me into a conference room. We sat down and he laid out two computer generated images.

  He rested his elbow on the table and began curling the tips of his mustache. “Do you recognize either of these men?”

  I pointed to the guy with the medium brown hair. “He looks familiar, but I can’t say positively he was one of them.” I placed my finger under the other picture of a man with light tawny-brown hair. “He wasn’t one. Both men had medium brown hair.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Yes,” I replied without hesitation, feeling irritated since I had already mentioned that to him the previous day.

  “Hair can easily be dyed.” Barnes picked up a pencil and scribbled over the man’s hair in the composite. “How about now?”

  “I still don’t recognize him.”

  He held up the other image. “We’d like you to come back and identify him in a lineup once he’s been apprehended.”

  “I can’t say for sure he was one of them.”

  “Maybe seeing him in person will trigger a memory.” Barnes rose to his feet and picked up the composites.

  “I’ll help any way I can.” I stood also, eager to leave. “I need to get going, but call if anything new surfaces.”

  Entering the hotel lobby, I saw Brett sitting on a couch, thumbing through a magazine. He stood. I knew from his drooping eyes and his worried expression that I should’ve called and told him I’d be late. All during dinner, he kept telling me I needed a cell phone. When I ran from Conner, I’d left mine. Prior
to the police investigation, I didn’t have any reason to have a phone. After Brett’s pleading, I agreed to get one as soon as I could.

  While I tossed and turned in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about Nancy, the spiders, and the Crussetts. The night before, I’d slept in this room. No spiders. No problems. If the Crussetts knew I was here, I wouldn’t be sleeping in this bed again. Or anywhere else. Finally, I relaxed and dozed off.

  The loud ringing of the hotel phone woke me. I fumbled for the switch on the nightstand lamp and nearly knocked the phone onto the floor. After flipping on the light, I lifted the receiver. “Hello.”

  No one spoke.

  “Hello?” I said again and waited for a response. Then I hung up and attempted to go back to sleep when something moved on my legs, tickling me. Slowly, I pulled back the blanket and looked down. My legs were dotted with chestnut-brown spiders. I panicked. As familiar with them as I was, I made my best effort to stay calm. That was my only hope to keep from being bitten. A few slow, shallow breaths helped. Trying to stop them from moving up my body, I yanked down the bottom of my nightshirt and wrapped it tight around my hips. Recalling what happened to Nancy, I didn’t want to be alone. I stretched out my hand, picked up the phone, and called Brett’s room.

  “Hello,” he muttered.

  “Spiders,” I whispered. “All over my legs.”

  “Stay as still as you can,” he said, sounding anxious. “I’m on my way.”

  “No. I can’t get to the door. See if Ralph will let you in.”

  “Is your window open?”

  “Just a crack.”

  “I’ll get in that way.” He disconnected before I could tell him not to do that.

  I put down the receiver and looked at my legs, wondering how I could prevent being bitten and gather up the spiders at the same time. I picked up the tissue box from the nightstand, pulled out all the tissues, and laid them on top of the spiders. I heard the creaking sound of the window opening and within a minute Brett was by my side.