Marja McGraw - Bogey Man 04 - Awkward Moments (23 page)

Chapter Forty-four

The lights came on as fast as I could flip the switches. I’d had enough of the dark and felt safer as the house became brighter. My last flip was the switch that turned on the porch light.

While I waited for the men to return, hopefully with a murderer in tow, I filled a kitchen towel with ice cubes and held it
against the lump on my forehead. The comfy sofa called my name and I sat down and rubbed my throbbing knee with my other hand, the same hand that was also sore from my encounter with the coffee table.

I was feeling pretty sorry for myself when I heard footsteps stomping up the front steps. I limped-ran to the window and saw Chris coming up the steps.

The screen door creaked while I was unlocking the door. The dogs danced in joy, somehow knowing it was their person coming inside the house.

Chris shoved it open angrily and
hit my forehead. I fell backward and landed on my rump, and immediately started crying. This was the last straw.

“
Pamela!
Did the killer get in?” Chris tried to pull me up and I motioned him off. He insisted and pulled me to a standing position.

“Did he beat you up?” Bill sounded like he was ready to pull out the shotgun again.

“No and no,” I said tearfully.

“Well, what the hell happened?” Bill asked.

Before I could answer I heard Jimmy’s patrol car leaving with his siren blaring. I could see the light bar flashing and reflecting off the windows, too.

“You didn’t catch the guy?” I couldn’t believe it. After all this, and they didn’t catch him again?

Chris scowled. “He had too much of a head start.”

Bill’s face looked even darker than Chris’s. “Jimmy said the only way he could have come from the creek was to park farther down the road and hike in. He’s hoping to beat the killer to his car.”

“Could you see him? What did he look like?”

“Tall and skinny,” Bill said.

“Medium size and on the heavy side,” Chris said.

“Well, which was it?”

Chris’s face looked dark and angry. “He was running and there wasn’t any light. Like I said, he had a long head start and we couldn’t see much of him.”

My tears stopped flowing and I began laughing, which made me start crying again.

Bill’s face registered fear. “Is she hysterical? Should we slap her or something?”

“No. Don’t touch her. It looks like she’s been through enough already.” Chris gently led me to the sofa and helped me sit.

I waved my hand in a fluttering motion at Bill and tried to gain control of myself. After a couple of sputters I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and sat quietly.

“Angel, what happened?” Chris gently touched the goose egg on my forehead.

I explained about tripping over the dog and the rest of my evening, not leaving out one single detail. “So, you see, I probably would have been safer if I’d been outside with all of you.”

“Are you serious? This all happened in the short time we were outside?” Bill eyes were wide and he shook his head.

“How long were you outside?” I asked.

“About an hour,” Chris replied.

“It felt like three.” I pushed my husband’s hand away from my forehead and replaced the icy towel.

“It seems like you’re always getting hurt,
Duchess. What am I gonna do with you?”

“You’ve had your moments, too.”

“Only once when someone hit me over the head. You’ve fallen down stairs, had someone try to hit
you
on the head, with a cast iron skillet I might add, and now this. Can’t I leave you alone for five minutes?”

I knew he was joking and smiled at him. “Bogey Man, it seems like you’re always there to take care of me. That’s all that matters.”

Bill leaned back on the sofa. “You two are nuts.”

“But we have a lot of fun.” Chris, sitting on my other side, also leaned back.

“I could sure use a glass of iced tea and an aspirin.” I said it sweetly, but really hoped I could guilt someone into getting them for me.

“I’ll take care of it.” Bill left the room.

Chris began examining all my injuries. I’d ended up with both hands banged up, one throbbing knee and the large goose egg on my forehead. I guess it could have been worse.

“Your eye is turning black.” Chris wasn’t helping. It
was
worse.

Bill returned with my tea and pain relievers, handing them to me like I was a delicate little flower. “What I don’t understand is why didn’t your eyes adjust to the dark?”

I looked at my brother-in-law and closed my eyes. “I want you to turn off every light in the house. Turn off the porch light last.”

“Why?”

“Just do it, please. Then stand by the front door for a few minutes before you walk back to the couch.”

He looked at his brother like I’d lost my mind.

“Just do it. Humor her,” Chris said.

Bill shrugged and began turning off all the lights, ending with the front porch light. He waited for a few minutes. The room was as quiet as a mausoleum.

“Now,” I said.

I could hear his footsteps, one of the dogs yelped, and Bill said several words that made me glad Mikey wasn’t home to hear them.
The sofa lurched when Bill walked into it.

“Need I say more?”
I turned on the lamp next to the sofa.

A car pulled
into the driveway and I figured it must be Jimmy.

Chris opened the front door to let him in.

Jimmy stood in front of us with his feet spread apart and his hands on his gun belt. “He got away, but I did find something. I found where he parked in the dirt on the side of the road, and thanks to the rain we had there are tire tracks. Officer Hickman is on his way out with the kit to make an impression of them. It may be all we have to work with, other than the piece of fabric.”

Thunder cracked off in the distance.

Chris opened the screen door and looked up at the sky. “I hope he hurries or they may be washed away.”

“As a police officer, I’ve never felt so ineffectual. I’m lost and I don’t know what to do next.”

I was surprised he’d admitted his feelings.

“Play it by ear,” Chris said. “We can’t create evidence, so all we can do is wait. I’m going to guess someone will give themselves away when we least expect it. In the meantime, just listen closely and be watchful.”

Jimmy smiled. “Thanks, man.” I could hear sincere appreciation in his voice. Chris had let him off the hook without making him feel stupid.

That’s when Jimmy finally took a good long look at me. “Don’t tell me he got inside the house.”

“No.” I gave him a brief overview of what had taken place.

“Still, you wouldn’t have had all those accidents if it weren’t for the killer. I’m
going to get this guy if it’s the last thing I do.”

Chris rocked back on his heels and pulled on his ear lobe. “Now you’re cookin’. This cream puff is about to find out what
curtains
means.”

“Yeah.” Bill rocked back on his heels
, mimicking his brother, and I laughed. And my head throbbed.

Chapter Forty-five

Jimmy left, and I went to bed hoping I’d feel better in the morning. Chris and Bill stayed up and talked.

The next morning I awoke to find I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. So much for feeling better. Chris said he’d fix breakfast
so he set the table, pulled down two different brands of cereal, got out the milk and called it good.

“Next time I’ll
do breakfast,” Bill said. “Who knew it could be so easy?” He laughed at his own little joke just before his cell phone rang.

Glancing at the caller ID, he frowned and answered the call. “Hi, Steph. What’s up?”

Chris poured cereal in to my bowl and added milk.

“You’re so thoughtful,” I said, smiling. “Maybe next time I’ll fix breakfast. Bill’s right. Who knew it was so easy?”

“Don’t complain or next time it’ll be burned toast.” He returned my smile.

Bill listened to his wife for quite a while before responding.

“We’re fine, Steph. I’m having a good time with my brother and there’s no need for you to drive all the way out here to make sure we’re okay. My head is just fine and it won’t be long until they take the stitches out.”

I glanced at the stitches, remembering when Bill had been smacked on the head.
Reaching up, I gently touched my forehead. My eyes turned to Chris, who had no bruises, contusions or cuts.

“I’ll be home in a few days,
hon. No, we didn’t catch the killer yet, but we’re close.” He walked out the back door and spoke to his wife in privacy.

“I’ll bet Stephanie will be here soon,” I said.

“No, Bill can be as stubborn as a mule. He’ll talk her out of it.”

“Uh huh. Do you think I’d stay home under the same circumstances?”

“No, but you’re a different story. Stephanie likes her women’s clubs and shopping. I’m surprised they spend any time out here on the farm. Sometimes I’m surprised she and Bill married because they’re so different, but it seems to work for them.”

Bill returned and sat at the table. He picked up his spoon and took a few bites of cereal before he said anything. “I talked her out of coming. I’m sure of it.”

He didn’t sound too sure to me, but what did I know?

I touched the large bump on my forehead
again, testing for soreness, and flinched. Yeah, it was sore.

Bill studied my face. “You’ve got a real shiner.” He glanced at my hands. “You
r hands don’t look much better.”

“Thanks. I needed an appraisal.”

Chris pushed his bowl away and stood up. “Come on, let’s scram. We’ve got to pick Mikey up and we’ll have a good breakfast while we’re in town.”

There being no arguments, I
took care of the dogs, grabbed my purse and we were on our way. Bill wanted to take his truck, but I told him my knee was too sore to climb up into it. We took the Jeep. I was planning on getting a lot of mileage out of last night’s mishaps.

We arrived at the Burnt Bun and I
limped in, looking for my son. I didn’t see him anywhere.

“Essie? Where’s Mikey?”

She looked up from an order pad and did a double take. “He’s in the kitchen, helping Joe. What the heck happened to you?”

“Just a little household accident. I’ll be fine.”

She looked me up and down before turning to Chris, who’d just walked through the door. Her look told me she wasn’t quite sure if it had been an accident or not.

“Look at me, Essie.” I smiled at her. “I got up during the night and it was dark. I didn
’t quite make it to the kitchen between the dark, tripping over one of the dogs and staying in an unfamiliar house. Everything in that place was an obstacle.”

“Yeah, okay. I guess. I’ll go get Mikey.”
She disappeared into the kitchen for a moment.

I saw Joe stick his head around the kitchen door, look me up and down and disappear again.

It wasn’t long until my son came running out of the kitchen. Essie must have warned him about the way I looked because after a quick hug he stepped back and studied me without looking surprised. “Very cool black eye, Mom. Does it hurt?”

“Ye
s, Ace, your mom is having some pain.” Chris held his hands out, waiting for his own hug.

I was so glad Mikey hadn’t grown up enough yet to be annoyed when we wanted to hug him. In fact, after hugging Chris he turned to his uncle and gave him a hug, too.

Bill looked pleased.

“How was your movie last night? Are you sure I’m not old enough to see that kind of movie? I mean, I’m eight now, after all.” What a little ham. He was
trying to make sure our story sounded like the truth.

Essie stood
near us, listening.

“I’m sure. You wouldn’t have liked it. There was too much romance for your tastes.” I winked at him.

“You son was a perfect angel last night,” Essie said. “I haven’t enjoyed myself that much in a long time. He can tell you about the movie we watched on TV and about the game we played.” She excused herself and headed for a table to take orders.

“Have you had breakfast yet?” I was sure he had, but it never hurts to check.

He rolled his eyes. That’s my son! “We’re in a diner, Mother. Of
course
I ate already.”

“Soooory,” I said. “My mistake. But we’re going to eat if you want to sit down with us.”

“I think I’m going to help Essie some more.”

Chris placed his hand on Mikey’s back and herded him toward the window table we liked. “Why don’t you take a break, Ace? We haven’t seen you since last night.”

He glanced at me. “Okay. I want to hear the real story behind Mom’s black eye anyway.”

“I walked into a door, and that’s the truth.”

“If you say so.”

“When we get home I’ll tell you the whole story. Okay?”

He nodded.

We sat down and Essie came over to take our orders.

After she left, Mikey asked, “So did you catch him?”

“No, Ace, we didn’t. He got away again. But we’re getting closer. Jimmy found something that might help us identify his car.”

“Cool. What was it?”

“Tire tracks.” Bill picked up a piece of toast and took a bite.

Chris finished his breakfast in a hurry while Bill and I took our time. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’ve got an errand to run.”

I raised my eyebrow at him, but he didn’t explain.

“Can I go with you, Dad?”

“Sure, Ace. Let’s go.”

Bill wiped egg off his plate with the last slice of toast. “I wonder what that was all about.”

“I have no clue. You never know with my husband.”

Bill suddenly stood and leaned toward the window. “I could swear I just saw Steph drive past. Nah, it couldn’t have been her. It’d take her hours to get here.” He sat down with an expression that told me he was doing some mental figuring, probably about the logistics of Stephanie driving to the Perry farm.

“I wouldn’t worry, Bill. You’ve got her on your mind and it was probably just a car that looked similar to hers.”

“Sure. That’s it.” He seemed to relax.

Bill took a sip of his coffee while I chewed on the last bite of my toast.

I wondered when Chris would be back and what he was up to.