Snagged (22 page)

Scott was trying to come nearer. Wiping the blood from his nose, edging toward her, his eyes calculating.

“Don’t take another step,” she said.

“You wouldn’t shoot me, Regan.” His hand shot up; he lunged toward her. She aimed the gun down at his foot. She’d stop him if she had to.

An ear-splitting whoop made Scott jump.

“Need any help, ma’am?” Preston Landers hollered, hurling his lasso, which to Regan’s astonishment settled around Scott’s shoulders. “Want me to hog-tie this pup? My posse’s on the way.”

Regan was frantic to find Richie. She saw the crowd of people approaching. “This man is dangerous, hold on to him,” she called.

Irving was a step behind Ruth. “We’ll take care of him.”

“Where’s Blossom?” Ruth screamed.

Regan tried to open the door. It was locked.

“Stand aside, everybody,” she commanded. “I’ve got to fire this gun to get the door open.”

With the exception of Ruth, they scattered like leaves in the wind. Preston held one end of the rope as Irving herded the lassoed Scott into a nearby room.

Regan took aim. One bullet was enough to shatter the lock. She rushed into the room and gasped as she saw the rows of coffins. The room was completely still. She raced for the door at the far end of the room.

As she shoved it open, she saw a nondescript van pulling away. Taking aim, she fired at the back tires.

From behind her she could hear shouting voices— her father’s, Nick’s, Joey’s.

Her first shot had barely missed the farther rear tire. Steadying the gun on her left wrist, she aimed again. This time she was rewarded by the sound of a blowout. The van careened. Once again she aimed. Got you, she thought as the other back tire blew. If only I’m not too late.

Three men jumped from the van. Luke, Joey and Nick appeared from behind Regan and began to chase them.

“Be careful,” Regan shouted. “They may be armed.”

Nick caught up with the tallest and jumped on his back, tackling him to the ground as security guards poured into the area and subdued the other two.

Regan raced to the van and yanked open the doors. The coffin. Richie had to be in it. She jumped up, crouched beside it, fumbled, desperate to open the lid.

She hear the click as the lock released, uttered a fervent prayer and raised the lid. A pale Richie smiled up at her. “Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes!” he said.

“Oh, Richie, I’m so glad you’re all right,” Regan said.

“So how’d the show go?” he asked.

“Richie, I have bad news. There is something wrong with the panty hose after all. You won’t be able to sell it.”

“You’re right, Regan, I won’t.” Richie reached in his breast pocket and pulled out the cashier’s check for five million dollars. “I already did. Let’s get to one of the quick-deposit machines.”

Ruth was trying to climb into the van. ’Thief. Impostor. Liar. Cheat. Scoundrel.”

Richie whispered. “Regan, quick, put the lid down.”

A
CHEER WENT up in the Dolly Twiggs Memorial Room Monday afternoon as Richie ceremoniously received the deed for the Fourth Quarter from Dolly’s sister, Lucille. A delighted Joey represented the real estate agency in the transaction.

“Speaking for my sister, Dolly, I am thrilled that you will all be able to stay in the house that she so loved,” Lucille gushed. She was so happy she almost couldn’t speak. Arthur had surprised her by flying in that morning. “I love Lucy,” he’d said, “and I missed her more every day. I couldn’t wait any longer to see her.” Lucille gazed at him across the room. He winked back at her and threw a kiss.

“Thank you, Lucille. Bless your memory, Dolly.

Long live the residents of this home,” Richie declared. “For it is ours and ours forever.”

Flo put down her tray of Gatorade and cookies to lead the vigorous applause.

“And now, everybody,” Richie concluded, “the caterers should be ready for us out back. They’ve got champagne and anything you can think of to eat. Enjoy”

He stepped from the podium and hugged a beaming Ethel. She was so special. And she’d played a part in his rescue by telling Regan where he’d disappeared to.

“I feel a little guilty about Ruth,” he whispered to her, but looking into Ethel’s smiling eyes made him forget. It was almost like when he had looked at Birdie.

“Don’t feel guilty, Richie. They have her in therapy now.” Ethel and Richie both laughed.

“You’re bad,” he said. “I love it.”

“Richie.”

Richie turned and Elaine was standing there. “From now on,” she said, “I’m the only one who sends you on auditions, okay?”

“Okay, boss.”

“Of course now I’ve got to hire a replacement for that ne’er-do-well.”

“I’m available,” Ethel piped up. “Believe me, I’m available.”

Barney Freize came up and shook Richie’s hand. “I’ve got to hand it to you, Richie. I was thinking that I wouldn’t mind getting an apartment in this place. That is, if you’re allowed to smoke cigars!”

“We’d love to have you living here, Barney. We’d light up out on the front porch and watch the world go by.” Richie looked around the room and got a lump in his throat. He was with all his friends. Everyone looked so happy. Even Elmer.

Regan leaned against the back wall and smiled. All’s well that ends well, she thought. When Scott had been promised that the prosecutor wouldn’t press for the death penalty if he came clean, he’d sung his heart out. His uncle had quietly bought up the property adjacent to the Fourth Quarter and had wanted to build a luxury resort building, which would have included space for a modeling agency for Scott. Judd Green was their hit man. Scott admitted that Green had been paid to kill Dolly last year. Elmer had unwittingly kept Scott abreast of the Fourth Quarter’s attempts to raise money to save their home. They hadn’t worried about the pot-holder sales, but when Elmer started talking about Richie’s snag-proof panty hose, they got nervous and thought they might not get to buy the Fourth Quarter.

Nick was nearby holding the hand of one of the models who’d fallen in love when she’d witnessed his bravery on Saturday. They followed Luke and Nora and Ed and Bridget out to where the party was starting.

John and Maura were standing next to Regan. Their luggage was in the car. Everyone had had a great time at their wedding yesterday and had partied at the hotel until the wee hours.

“We couldn’t miss this,” Maura said to Regan. “We’re going to grab a glass of that champagne and be off.”

“I think our parents are back there popping the corks right now,” Regan laughed.

Nadine and Joey came over to Regan.

“You know, Regan, now that Scott’s in the pokey, I’m going to need a new roommate,” Joey said and paused. “I asked Nadine to marry me.”

“What a Romeo,” Nadine beamed. “And I want to ask you, Regan, if you’ll put on another one of those awful dresses in a few months and be a bridesmaid for me.”

“I’d love to. Let’s get a drink so we can toast you.”

They started out the door when Richie called Regan’s name. Regan turned and found him standing in front of her with Ethel at his side. There was a flicker in his eyes she hadn’t seen for a long time.

“I’m so proud of you, Richie,” Regan said.

“Proud of me? You’re the one who saved my life. I don’t know how to repay you. But what I was thinking of doing was dedicating this new invention I’m working on to you . . .” He put one arm around Regan, the other around Ethel as he led them to the back patio of the Fourth Quarter. “What I did was take this little gizmo and fiddle around with it and before you knew it . . .”

About the Author

Carol Higgins Clark
is the author of ten best–selling Regan Reilly mysteries. DECKED was nominated for both an Anthony and an Agatha Award for best first novel.Carol is co-author, along with her mother, Mary Higgins Clark, of four best–selling holiday mysteries. Also an actress, Carol studied at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and has recorded several of her mother’s works as well as her own novels. She received an AudioFile’s Earphones Award of Excellence for her reading of JINXED. She is agraduate of Mount Holyoke College and lives in New York City. Visit her Web site at
www.carolhigginsclark.com
.