The Vigilante (21 page)

***

Jake had noticed Martha’s retreat into the back reaches of the ward instead of heading to her car. “What the Hell?” he murmured. He slunk back into a recessed area to watch her. Others left the ward but he fixated on Martha’s leaden, sluggish, movements and whitened features as she walked slowly toward one of the rooms at the back.
God
!
She looks like she’s in a trance
!
He slipped closer and followed.

When she entered room 372, he stood outside the door and listened. For long moments, he heard no sounds emanating from within. He peeked in to see Martha standing over Pete Sykes aged, emaciated form for several moments. She said nothing, just stood there.

Martha couldn’t leave. The familiar foggy feeling came stealing over her body and mind.
What’s happening to me
?
Why now? Is this something to do with my other person
? Panic shortened her breathing.
I’ve got to get out of this place before I do something I shouldn’t. I can’t let this crazy mood overtake me.

She felt her face drawing into a nasty snarl. She leaned over the crumpled soul on the bed, uttering a menacing, vicious growl. “You filthy devil, I hope you suffer the tortures of the damned! I hope you burn in hell, and your pain-filled death is long in coming!”

Shocked at her vicious outburst, Martha turned and fled from the bedside.
What on
earth came over me to say such things
?
In her hurry to exit the ward, she nearly knocked Jake off his feet. Her glazed eyes neither saw him, nor recognized him.

Jake pulled back in shock, steadying himself after her hasty departure. “God, she nearly decked me!” He’d overheard most of what she’d said to the luckless soul in room 372. The patient must have been in bed A, because she’d stood close to the door.

“Must have a grudge against that poor old man, but how would she even know the guy?” For Jake, the mystery of Martha had just deepened dramatically.

Although he was absolutely sure she wouldn’t have done the two mutilations, the woman certainly managed to mount a hell of a raging temper on short notice. He’d seen it and heard it—and on a dying man, at that!

“Whew! I’d hate for her to have it in for me. That woman’s got one hell of a temper. You’d never know it to work with her, all sentimental and touchy-feely the way she is.” Jake walked slowly from the hospital, his mind in a whirl of confusion. “I’ll never go to sleep right away after this. Might as well go check out The
Paradisio
, just for the hell of it.”

***

Shaken by the sight of that old wreck of a man, Martha drove madly home and immediately sought the comfort of her bed. Why did that pathetic creature cause her such terrible unease and dread? Seeing him had set her on edge to the point she couldn’t sleep. She rose from her bed and wandered her home, seeking something, anything, to ease her mind.

My life is a series of horrible shocks any more, and I want the end of it
!
Why now
?
Why did I have to look on that man’s face once again
?
She wondered why she hated the sight of Sykes so deeply.
He was an ugly part of my childhood and I was afraid of him. Must I assume he is part of what is wrong
with me
?
What else
?

She suddenly realized she eagerly awaited her next visit with Dr. Carton.
Well, that’s a new one
!

Heading back to bed, she swayed and steadied herself on the dresser. She felt faint all of a sudden. Not again! She barely made it to the bed before she blacked out.

***

Serena did not want or need sleep. Her time to meet Martha edged closer. “That lady has a lot to learn, but all in good time.” She uttered a loud, raucous laugh. “I need a night out of this stuffy little shit-hole.”

She applied her usual heavy, over the top make-up then pulled on the high leather boots and a very short skirt with flimsy, nearly see-through top with hanky-hemmed edging. Fishnet stockings added a final touch. Checking herself in the mirror, she thought she made a very fetching picture.

“This is sleazy enough to fit right in at
The
Paradisio
. It’s late, but so much the better. I wouldn’t want to see Jake sitting there eyeing me again. I get the idea, he thinks he knows me. He doesn’t really. He’d better be careful; I’d hate to nick someone not a predator!” She giggled at the thought of it, got in her car, and drove to the dive.

Entering the crowded, smoke-filled atmosphere, she moved quietly toward the back where the booths were more concealing. Knowing she attracted attention, she shrugged all comments and invites away, as she edged along. Brushing off one offer, she snarled, “I’m not here for a pick-up, buster, get lost!”

I could take on some of these guys, but who knows who they are, or what they are
. She laughed softly. Taking a quiet, dark booth, she ordered a stinger, sat back, and relaxed, surveying the scene. The two boys she’d clipped were absent, but she spotted Jake sitting at the bar. He hadn’t noticed her arrive, and she wanted to keep it that way.

A wild, rousing dance number began, and the participants whirled around over the rotating, intermittent, flashing, psychedelic lights under the dance floor. Serena enjoyed this event most of all. The dancers looked surreal as they moved sensuously about, like puppets jerking rhythmically on strings. Men with men, women with women, and couples of both sexes danced to the frenetic tempo.

“Care to have this dance, lady?” A soft, low, and commanding voice broke into her quiet observations, along with the heady aroma of an expensive, exotic cologne.

Serena looked up to see a tall, handsomely-mature man dressed in a finely cut, silk business suit—a big, solid gent with graying temples, a hawk-like nose, and extra-pale blue eyes. He was definitely of the male persuasion, but something about him set her on edge. With her nose tilted into the air, she declined his offer. “Sorry, mister. I’m not into dancing tonight.” She slid farther into her booth to emphasize her negative response.

“Sorry, don’t cut it for me. I’m asking and what I ask for, I always get, baby.” He reached in and grasped her arm to pull her up, his expression, a sly one of self-assurance and power. His entire demeanor exuded confidence, magnetism, and power. This was a man who ran things his way.

She jerked her arm away. “Excuse me, sir, but I don’t plan on dancing with you or anyone else.”

She edged to the far reaches of the booth and the man slid in next to her, pushing himself far too close. She caught another whiff of his cologne, unusually seductive and enough to lull her senses. If anything would cause her to get up and dance with a man, it might be that.
Whew. That stuff could make a girl do just about anything.

“You’re a damned fine looking woman, and I don’t plan on taking a no from you. Got that?” He bent a darkened blue-eyed gaze into her eyes, and his brute strength sent a message she couldn’t ignore. He looked menacing in a cold, unfeeling way. Serena, definitely not wanting to create a scene with Jake in the place, decided she’d best dance with the man.

Only his size and power kept her temper in hand. She didn’t like being forced into doing anything, but an attention-grabbing scene with that nosy-ass aide at the bar was something she had to avoid. Lately, Jake tended to watch Martha at the hospital for some crazy reason. It had begun to make her feel hunted and she resented it.

Trapped, she decided to accommodate the big man. “Okay. Have it your way, mister, but don’t whine if I walk all over your feet.”

“Not a chance, lady. I’ve seen you in here before. You move with the slinking grace of a damned cat. I peg you as a very fine dancer. And I’ll damn bet you’re all of that, and—oh baby—a hell of a lot more.”

The suggestive way he uttered
more
chilled her deeply as he pulled her out of the booth and led her to the floor. A new round of wild music had just begun, and he swung her along to the beat.

“Lady, I knew you’d be good, and you sure as hell are!” He caught her closer attempting a kiss. “Come on now. Don’t play coy with me, sister. I’ve seen your kind before.”

“I’d have to doubt that all to hell, mister.” Serena leaned away from his body as far as possible. Resisting the man’s advances without creating a scene was not easy and she felt his growing anger in the vigorous way he spun her around.

During a pass around the floor, she caught Jake’s prying eyes watching. She’d hoped to avoid that, but the hard-ass she was dancing with wouldn’t give up. Knowing what she had to do to allay any suspicions, she turned her attentions to the big man. She shot him a sultry, burning look from beneath lowered lids. “Hey, mister, you’re damned good yourself,” she crooned as she leaned against him, portraying a more than cooperative partner, maybe for the night. She swung wildly across the dance floor with him, the absolute picture of a more than willing participant.

“Now that’s more like it, my little hell-cat,” he responded with a sparkle in his eye. “We might just have a real wild night of it. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve that’ll knock your socks off. What’d ya’ say, baby?” He raised his eyebrows in a very suggestive manner and pressed his hard male body closer to her. He’d had more than a few drinks and Serena saw that as an advantage.

She waited for the right moment. When whirling close to the entrance, she leaned into him, beguiling him into thinking he’d won the sexual game he played. And then, leaning far back, smiling into his eyes, she brought her leather-clad knee up hard into his groin.

Serena watched him crumple onto the bustling dance floor, groaning in pain, his face ashen and sweating. Standing over him, she snarled, “Told you, I didn’t want to dance, you pushy bastard!”

Spinning around on her spike-heeled boots, she stormed out the door without a backward glance. The dancers stopped in stunned silence while the wild music ground on.

Completely startled by the action the woman had taken against her dance partner, Jake looked at a guy called Mike. “Man, did you see that? That foxy old gal just decked that guy she was dancing with. Wonder what the hell brought that on? Look at him, layin’ out there, groaning like a bastard.”

“Well you might ask. That lady’ll be lucky to see another few hours if that guy gets his hands on her.” He looked at Jake, his eyes wide. “That fool woman just gave the knee to Charles Imperato, the biggest drug lord in this whole damned area... well, from what I hear, anyway.” Mike shuddered. “God, hate to have that bastard on my tail. They say he’s a bad one—likes to play rough with the ladies too, so they say.”

“Ran out of here like ten devils was after her,” Jake muttered. “Wonder if she knows who her dance partner was?” He shrugged. People made stupid moves every day. This was none of his mix and, in this case, he was doubly glad. “I’d hate to have that man after me.”

***

Serena ran swiftly out into the night, leaving the nicely dressed man in his natty business suit, doubled up on the floor, groaning in pain. Laughing carelessly, she leaped into her car and sped away. “Whew, close call tonight! I won’t frequent that place anytime soon. That fancy cologne of his nearly made me change my mind, though. Some stuff that was! Whoo-ee!”

CHAPTER 23

Safely in her garage, with the door closed, Serena slipped out of her sexy duds. She tossed them behind the plywood then took another look. “If Martha ever pulls this plywood out from the wall, she’ll get the shock of her life, seeing that stuff.” She paused, thinking.
Don’t know why I feel this way, but I’d better junk anything with blood on it, gloves, scalpels, those bloody dressings, and that half used bottle of Gram’s as well. It’s damning evidence, that’s what it is.

She gathered the offending articles, except the racy clothing—and the sand bag. She couldn’t part with that, not knowing when she’d have the opportunity to obtain another one. Donning jeans and a sweat shirt, she put the stuff in the trunk. “I’ll slip over to a big dumpster and toss it.” With the evidence in a garbage bag, tied hurriedly at the top, she drove away as her garage door swung down behind her.

In another part of Denver, she slipped behind a Safeway store to several huge metal dumpsters. Seeing no one about, Serena stepped out, opened the trunk, and grabbed the trash bag. She tossed it into one that looked the emptiest. “When they finish filling this thing, they’ll never see what’s in the bottom.”

Driving away, she felt the usual fatigue settling into her body. The fog came creeping softly over her mind as she pulled into the garage. She sought her bed immediately, tossing the jeans and sweatshirt into a corner of her bedroom.

***

Jackie Pitcher, snugly ensconced on a pile of rags near the bottom of the empty dumpster, heard the car pull up and the hurried footsteps. Without warning, garbage cascaded down onto him and his cozy sleeping quarters. His main concern that he’d be caught sleeping in the dumpster, he shoved the mess aside, hurriedly stood up, and looked up over the edge.

He’d had a hard time finding a dumpster clean enough to sleep in and now someone had ruined his resting place by tossing refuse onto him and his clothing. In the dim light of early morning, he noticed the bag had come untied. As he pushed the garbage aside, a small glass bottle fell out, hit the bottom of the dumpster, and shattered. Drops of some dark fluid splattered the sides of the dumpster. He felt the liquid hit his face.

“Damn, man cain’t find no place to rest his head, no how.” He didn’t see anything or anyone lurking about and, homeless or not, he had an inborn disdain of filth. “Cleanest place I had in ages, too.” He felt the rumblings of hunger stirring in the pit of his stomach. “Best head for the soup kitchen. Maybe they’ll let me peel a couple ’taters this morning. I like to pay for what I eat, I do.”