Angel Food and Devil Dogs (46 page)

Kathryn took up the yarn, "It's certainly true that Leo is a rabid homophobe. Homophobia ruined his life... you see, Jay Getty is Leo's
third
son; the one Leo never talks about. Jay was the boy Carl kissed under the bleachers. They were both thrown out of St. Bonaventure High, but Carl had the support of his mother and went on to excel at Hadesville High. Jay was sent away to school, which was very hard for him. The whole thing broke up the Getty family. Ultimately, Barbara Getty came around. She loved and supported Jay, but Leo went over the edge. It's not clear whether St. Bonaventure fired Leo from his coaching position because he had an unrepentant gay son, or if Leo was so embarrassed by his son's sexual orientation that he chose to leave town. Either way, his wife divorced him because he was so horrible to Jay. By the way, Jay Getty is the director of The Rainbow Youth Symphony."

"But there was more to it than just the gay stuff, though," I said.

"Yes, there was," said Kathryn. "You see, Leo faked most of the research for his dissertation. He got his degree by being part of the group of plagiarizing professors I'd exposed years ago. Leo was sure I was about to blow the whistle on him, but really, I didn't have a clue. Monday morning, when I said that I'd see to him, he was sure I was about to turn him in. The thought of losing his current job was bad enough, but to lose it because of a meddling lesbian made him crazy."

"But why did he kill Carl?" asked Farrel.

"Leo confessed this morning to the police. He told them Carl knew all about the dissertation fraud," said Kathryn sadly. "Jay Getty had told Carl that Leo was too busy in those days to do minor research, much less come up with a huge statistical report for publication in a dissertation."

I added, "Unfortunately, Carl confronted Leo. Leo hated Carl anyway; he still insists that Carl
made
his son gay, but Leo managed to suppress his fury while he planned to get rid of Carl. Carl suggested that Leo come clean on the bogus research and try to make amends. Carl even offered to help Leo. While Leo silently raged, Carl suggested Leo reach out to Jay. Harmony was all Carl was thinking about."

"Naive," said Jessie.

"Yeah," I said, "Carl's trying to
help
Leo was a fatal mistake. Leo began a desperate plan to break down Carl's credibility and his self-esteem. He set up fake emails that seemed to come from Carl and altered ones that were sent to Carl. At times Leo was able to intercept an email to Carl and then just change the meaning by altering a few words. Those were the most confusing for everyone."

"Such a risky course of action. After all, the tampering could have become apparent so easily," said Farrel.

"Leo was desperate and don't forget Carl was blind. Leo was able to delete and change things while he was in the room with Carl," I said.

I didn't mention that Leo had confessed that he also tried to squish me with a piano to keep me from prowling around Carl's office and to try to push suspicion off on Jimmy Harmon.

"Also, I have proof that Leo set up a meeting with Carl on the day of his death. It's on Carl's answering machine. The date is apparent by the order of the calls."

"And Skylar Carvelle? Why was he killed?" asked Jessie.

"The gasoline. Leo smelled of it. Skylar noticed the smell on Leo, even over Leo's gallons of cheap cologne. Skylar teased Leo about the rank smell, not realizing he was stepping on a scorpion's tail. Skylar had even been standing fairly close to Leo when Leo set the Cafalatte bomb on the back table. Skylar may have seen something, but he and Leo had known each other for a long time, so I guess Skylar just couldn't imagine Leo as a killer. Then Leo heard in Skylar's office that Skylar wanted to talk to me, Leo figured Skylar was going to turn him in."

"Wait, back to Carl again... How long had the suicide note been set up?" Jessie asked.

"Not long. Leo set it up earlier in the day. Leo had keys that would open Carl's office. See, Leo had thought Carl would just break down after all the painful email he was getting but Carl was a tough guy. He was beginning to figure out that things didn't add up. Then there was that dust up between Carl and Jimmy. A whole class heard Jimmy say Carl's work sucked and that professional people hated it. Leo heard about it on the grapevine and figured he needed to act while Carl seemed depressed."

"So Leo set up the suicide message and then waited for Carl to go to his office? And then what?" asked Jessie.

"Leo called Carl. Carl answered his phone by simply saying his name. Which triggered the macro. Then Carl left his office and went to the top floor to meet Leo. The rest was easy."

The image of Carl's last frightening moments as he was pushed by Leo flashed through everyone's mind.

After a long moment Kathryn said, "Leo's doctors say he has a serious heart condition. That's why his face gets so red. He's actually been moved to a locked ward at the hospital." She reached for my hand under the table.

"We want you both to come here for Christmas, OK?" Jessie said after several moments. "Everyone's invited. We'll have a big dinner and play games." Jessie looked directly at Kathryn and said, "We always have a fun time." Kathryn nodded smiling, still holding my hand.

Over the next few months things at Irwin College slowly got back into a regular rhythm.

Connie Robinson got a raise. Miranda Juarez was rid of Shel. Nancy dumped Bart Edgar who continued to work for the College. There was a memorial service for Skylar Carvelle.

Georgia Smith finally came home from the hospital with a renewed commitment to her husband Adam, which everyone hoped would last. Rowlina Roth divorced Holtzmann and managed to convince the INS she'd been duped by him. She continued to stay in the closet, however, which fueled her need to smoke like a chimney.

Jay Getty mourned Carl. His organization, Rainbow Youth Symphony, inherited all of Carl's worldly possessions despite Carl's sibling's efforts to contest Carl's will. This turned out to be quite a boon for Jay Getty and his youth group, because among Carl's possessions were the rights to Carl's creative work. Jimmy Harmon compiled, arranged, and marketed Carl's compositions and songs, creating some excellent works that were recorded by everybody from JLo to Elton. The royalties poured in.

Jay Getty asked Kathryn to help him set up and administer the Carl Rasmus Trust, which used the royalties to help young musicians. The trust also had a special program to award music scholarships at Irwin for blind kids and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender kids. Carl's music will live on, not only for its quality and beauty, but also for the good it will do.

Leo Getty had two small heart attacks, and then just before his trial, a big one that took his life. I was glad Kathryn didn't have to testify, but sorry that Leo's rampant homophobia wasn't publicly exposed for the death and destruction it created. I think what actually killed Leo was the realization that he couldn't find a lawyer who agreed that his revenge against gays was justified.

Shel Druckenmacher pled guilty to Daria's murder and went state's evidence against some drug connections to beat the death penalty. He got 45 years, minimum. Miranda Juarez didn't attend his trial.

Mickey Murphy was freed, but Sara and Emma still worried about him until Cora Martin offered to let Mickey rent a bedroom in her house.

"I'm tired of being alone," she'd said, "and now I'll have someone to change the light bulbs."

Mickey calls Cora, Cora... which we all thought was a good sign.

∞ ∞ ∞

Personally:

My stepmother Juana came and stayed at Rosa's for the holidays and joined us all at Farrel and Jessie's on Christmas morning. She loved Kathryn and so did Rosa. That was a great Christmas present for me. Sara, Emma, Judith, Rosa, Rosa's boyfriend Michael, and Doug were there too. Amanda Knightbridge also joined us.

"It seemed obvious to invite her," Jessie had said.

Cora took Mickey with her to visit her son in LA. By then Emma had lost interest in Ingrid but had met another very attractive woman whom she calls Meryl.

There were masses of presents. Among the exchanges:

Sara gave Kathryn a sexy bathrobe, "For times when you really should throw something on," she winked. Everyone laughed.

Kathryn countered immediately by presenting Sara with a pair of tiny, high powered binoculars, "For when peeking just isn't enough!" Kathryn explained. That also got a big laugh.

Farrel and Jessie gave Kathryn a UHAUL gift card.

I gave Farrel and Jessie a set of guest towels... for the hot tub.

With a completely straight face, Farrel gave me a quart of massage oil. Kathryn snorted, then eyed me with
that look
.

I blurted out, "I didn't tell her!" Then I turned suspiciously to Sara who admitted she'd seen an empty bottle by the side of the bed.

"Obviously I was correct in my deduction," said Sara smugly shaking her head. "You two have the worst poker faces I've ever seen! I'd tear you apart on the stand."

I gave Kathryn half a dozen pairs of cashmere socks and the tiny gold pin I got for being on the safety patrol in sixth grade. It was the closest I had to a sorority pin.

Kathryn gave me her senior class pin from Smith. Her father had Fed Exed it from Maine.

Judith leaned to Farrel and explained, "Smith College does not have sororities. It's one of the reasons I went there. A senior student traditionally gives her pin to a junior upon graduation, and then the junior sends it back to her when
she
graduates, usually with a small gift."

I whispered to Kathryn that she'd have to tell me all about the young women she gave her pin to some time. Kathryn just winked at me, then gave me a wonderful traveling watercolor set and an extraordinary book of vintage erotic Japanese prints which Sara had some choice things to say about.

∞ ∞ ∞

Later on Christmas Day, while Kathryn and I were walking back to the loft, I thought about all the complicated arrangements I'd made with Max Bouchet to deliver Kathryn's holiday gift from him.

Bouchet had felt extremely guilty that it had been his plan to make Kathryn survey faculty grants and credentials at Irwin. Kathryn had been pushed right into the lion's den without even knowing it and Leo had almost killed her. I used Max's guilt to pressure him into setting up a very nice present for Kathryn. I figured it should be in the middle of the loft right now.

As we walked along in the cold December night, I thought about what I wanted to say to Kathryn. Should I talk to her tonight? How would she react? I was getting very nervous.

As we went up the stairs I said, "Max is supposed to have delivered a little present for you. It should to be in the loft at this very moment. It's a surprise."

"Really, what is it?"

"
A surprise,"
I laughed. "You'll see in a minute."

"Oh goodness, it's not a dog is it? Or something like that?"

"Well," I said as I opened the door, "it does have four legs, or maybe three."

In the middle of the big room, was a black Steinway baby grand piano. It was even set up with the lid propped open for dramatic effect. One of the track lights was focused right on it. It looked spectacular."

"This is for me?" said Kathryn circling around it, eyes twinkling.

"Here's a card," I said picking it up from the bench.

She read out loud, "Dearest Kathryn, Here is a token of my profound esteem. Fondly, Max."

She ran her fingers over the keys, then sat down on the bench.

"Show off for me," I gently demanded, sitting down at the dining table, ready to watch her play.

"I haven't played in a while," she said stretching her fingers in a professional way. She played a couple of chords, then began a movement of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." She played flawlessly. When she was done with that, she changed the mood completely by playing "Maple Leaf Rag," by Scott Joplin, slowly, the way it was meant to be played. It was totally different from the Gershwin, but just as enchanting.

At the end of that piece, she turned to me. "Any requests?"

"Sing something to me..."

She thought for a moment, looking into space, then played and sang "Someone to Watch Over Me." She sounded wonderful. When she finished she looked at me again.

"One more?" I asked.

"One more... hmmm," She began a slow torchy swing version of
Save the Last Dance For Me.
The unhurried rhythm was achingly sensuous.

When she got to the last line, she got up from the piano and came over to me with her hand extended. She danced me around the floor singing the last verse of the song in her most seductive voice...

"You can dance, go and carry on

Till the night is gone

and it's time to go

If she asks

if you're all alone,

Can she take you home?

You must tell her no.

Oh don't forget who's taking you home

And in whose arms you're gonna be

So, darlin', save the last dance for me."

Kathryn had filled the room with romance. I'd wondered whether she could dance, and she could, even while she was singing. We did some fancy turns and spins and laughed in delight that we fit together so well on the dance floor. She ended the song with an ardent kiss.

This is too good to be true, flitted through my head, but then I remembered my plan.

"Come over here," I said leading her by the hand to the couch. She sat down next to me and grew silent when she saw the earnest look on my face. I was trying to decide how to start.

"Is this going to be something bad?" she whispered.

"I hope not."

She took my hand and stroked my palm.

I looked into her eyes. I said, "Kathryn, one of my greatest fears over the last couple of days has been... that you were going to tell me they'd fixed the laundry room at the Hampshire and you were going home. I know this is all going very fast, but... I don't want you to go..." I looked away, "so, I have three proposals for you."

"Proposals," she repeated without inflection.

"Yeah. I'd like you to stay here and give up your place at the Hampshire. So that's the first one." I glanced back at her. She still held my hand. She nodded slightly. I wasn't sure if she was saying yes, or just encouraging me to go on. So I went on.