Chapter 23. In the open air the crack of the pistol sounded more like a medium-sized firecracker than a lethal weapon

In the open air the crack of the pistol sounded more like a medium-sized firecracker than a lethal weapon, but there was no doubting the reality of the blood, bone and brains that spewed across the driveway. For two or three eternal seconds nobody moved, and nobody spoke, as Jared Mather still stood there, a slightly bemused look on his face. Then he began slowly to crumple and the police converged.

Pete got there first and knelt beside him, looking sick, as he felt for a pulse. “He’s gone. He shot straight.”

“He would, ” Sonny said with infinite sadness. “He was a cop.”

I looked at Sonny and said softly, “That’s why you didn’t remind them to cuff him when they took him out? You figured he would do this.”

Sonny shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. I know there was no way would he go to prison. No way.”

He turned and said to Mitch, “Wrap it up. I’m getting Alex patched up now.”

“Yes. Good luck, Alex, hope it’s minor. Sonny, should I put Pete and Jeanine on report? ”

Sonny looked startled. “Whatever for? ”

“For neglecting to cuff Mather, plus Pete let him take his gun.”

“Sure. And add your name to the list. You’re their superior officer.”

Mitch blanched. “Yes, sir.”

“And add mine, too. I’m senior officer present. And Alex’s, she noticed the omission but said nothing. And Aunt Mae’s. She bopped Jared in the head, although she did manage to subdue him without shooting up the ceiling. Mitch, there are times I despair. Come on, Alex.” He actually held the car door for me.

He stayed with me as we sat in the waiting room, and sat in the examining room, and sat in the X-ray room and sat in the examining room again. Sometimes my brother could be quite sensitive. As time passed, I began to get shaky. I wanted something to take my mind off the events of the day and the throb of the arm. “I’m tired of murders and suicide. I want something more pleasant. Tell me about your vacation.”

“The most amazing thing about my vacation is that it didn’t end in murder and/or suicide.”

“That good? ”

“It started as we drove down the main drag of Gatlinburg. Paula thought it looked hokey. Well, it does, but it never claimed to be the Vatican. We got to the hotel I showed you in the brochure. It was too rustic. We never even got to the room. She didn’t like the lobby! So, we went to this big hotel downtown... just like any fairly good hotel in any town you’ve ever been in. I swear even the pictures in the rooms are the same.” He walked to the window, spread the blinds with two fingers and stared out.

“What’s the town like? And the people? ” I asked.

“Very friendly. And what scenery! You’ve got to see those mountains someday! Anyway, we went horseback riding, and the horses were nags. We went on a helicopter sightseeing ride in one of the little bubble-canopy jobs and she got vertigo. We took a hike and she was afraid of bears. We went fishing and the rocks were slippery. The town was too touristy and the people too hillbilly.”

I was dying for a drink and a cigarette but didn’t know where to find the one and figured two oxygen tanks in the corner precluded the other. “What did you do, hang her in the closet? ”

“Fortunately, we met this couple, Dave and Ann. Ann was Paula’s soul mate and Dave and I got along. The women spent all day in the beauty salon or spa or the boutiques. Dave and I took some horseback rides, tried some golf, hiked, had a little fun. We got to some of the real craft shops, and they were interesting. I had never seen a dulcimer before, much less watched one being made. They come in different ranges, like a sax.” Count on Sonny to find the unusual.

He gave a half-hearted chuckle. “The most fun was the trip home. We get to the Knoxville airport and Paula announces she’s not riding to New York, Cattle Car Class. She asks the agent about upgrading to First Class, and he says three-fifty plus the ticket she holds. She says fine and whips out the old plastic. I say I’m not spending that kind of money for a two-and-a-half-hour flight. She shrugs and says she’ll see me at LaGuardia. So we fly to New York—separate tables, if you will.”

“I don’t believe this.” I did believe it. It sounded like Paula.

“The best is yet to come. In New York I say we have to hurry to get a late Boston shuttle. She says she’s going to spend the night in the suite her father’s business keeps at the Helmsley, and asks if I wish to accompany her there. I thought for a minute and then had to say I really couldn’t think of any place I would wish to accompany her. And that was that. She caught a taxi, I caught the shuttle, missed the last Ptown flight and spent the rest of the night on a bench.”

“You should have called Cassie.” I sounded grumpy. Actually, I wanted to cry. He looked like a hurt little boy.

“I was so mad I unfortunately didn’t think of it.”

The doctor finally showed up again, waving a soft cast. “Had a heck of a time finding this in the right size, ” he said. “Sorry for the delay. Now let’s see.” He put the cast on my arm and snugged it down, and I felt immediately better. “Okay! ” His round cheerful face moved on into a smile. “We’ll leave that for a couple of days. Come back when the swelling subsides and we’ll see if you need a hard cast. Maybe not—it is a simple fracture a couple of inches above the wrist. By the way, how did you do this? You work in a restaurant and slipped in some grease or something? ” He sniffed. It was a logical assumption. I was generously perfumed in Aunt Mae’s soup.

Before I could answer, Sonny spoke sharply. “I don’t think we need to get into a lot of detailed history, doctor. If you’re finished, we’ll be leaving.”

The doctor stared up at Sonny, totally unintimidated. “Please return to the waiting room, sir, I wish to speak with this young lady alone.”

“Look, doctor, I’m Lieutenant Peres and—”

“I don’t care if you’re Captain Marvel. Wait outside.” Sonny rolled his eyes and left. I stuck my tongue out at him and he sort of growled. The doctor looked at my chart and said, “Now, Ms. Peres... Peres? The same name? What’s going on? How did that arm get broken? ”

“Doctor, the lieutenant is my brother. He’s a cop. He’s very tired and has lost an old—acquaintance today. Please forgive his rudeness. It’s been a tough time. I guess he just doesn’t want to release details yet. I don’t really know why. Right about now, the guy who did this”—I lifted my arm—“is being carried through your backdoor in a body bag. Believe it or not, Sonny is one of the good guys.”

“I’ll take your word for it, ” he said, running his fingers through crinkly red hair. “A body bag—livens up a dull day. I guess I’ll get some details sometime. Well, here.” He handed me a small envelope and a pill and a small cup of water. “Take this now and one every four hours for pain, as needed. Watch the alcohol and don’t drive as long as you’re taking them. I’ll see you in three days— sooner if the pain and swelling don’t improve.”

“Thank you. And thanks for making sure everything was all right.”

“I like to check. You’d be surprised how often the injury was inflicted by the doting companion.”

“Doctor, while I’m here... this may not be your bailiwick but... well, oh, hell.” I took a fast pace around the room, his eyes following me patiently. “Over Halloween, this witch—this old lady dressed like a witch put a curse on me. Ever since, I’ve been tripping and walking into doors and dropping things. I know curses aren’t real, but could it be? Is it coincidence? Or am I making myself do these things, or what? ” I ran down.

He walked over to the cabinet and murmured something. “I’m sorry, ” I said. “I didn’t hear you.”

“I said that you seem to have a hearing problem in your right ear. That’s the third time you’ve asked me to repeat when I’ve been on your right.”

“Oh, God, ” I said. “You mean I’m going deaf? That is all I need! ”

“No, I said you weren’t hearing well in your right ear. Let me have a look.” He got out that little gizmo with the flashlight on the end and stuck it in my ear. “Yep. Eardrum is inflamed, and I imagine there’s a low-grade infection of the inner ear. It has thrown your balance off a bit and made you clumsy. Nothing to worry about.”

He walked over to the desk. “I’ll give you a prescription for antibiotics that should do it. If they don’t, call Dr. Ewing... he’s our ENT man. There you go.”

“You mean that’s it? That’s my curse? An infected ear? ”

“It’s nice when a curse will respond to an antibiotic, isn’t it? Ding, dong, the witch is dead.”

I thanked him profusely as I left.

Lighter than air, lighter than air! Bright as a feather and lighter than air! Huzzah! I felt a hundred pounds lighter. What was a mere broken arm, a little infection? Ding, dong, the witch is dead. Mean old witch! Wicked old witch!

“Well? ” Sonny asked.

“I told him you’re having a bad hair day but are essentially harmless. Ding, dong, let’s go! ”

At home, I managed a fairly successful, if somewhat painful, shower by the simple expedient of removing the cast and holding my arm over my head so I couldn’t bump anything. I dressed slowly but without incident and was replacing the cast when I heard Sonny come in from the drugstore. The phone rang and Sonny picked it up in the kitchen, and a moment later he came into the bedroom.

“Mom is at Aunt Mae’s. They’ve ordered antipasto and pizza for all of us, but Mom says if you’d like just to go to bed, she’ll come over and make something here.”

“No, no! Tell her I’m fine, never better. Don’t let her come over here, Sonny, for God’s sake. She’ll make poached eggs. She thinks poached eggs on dry toast cure everything from a hangnail to a fractured skull. I hate poached eggs.”

“I know, ” he laughed, “she’s my mother, too. Okay. I’ll ward her off.”

We arrived at Aunt Mae’s to find all back in perfect order. The floor was mopped and the kitchen table was replaced for now by a card table. Fargo had been bathed. My mother held me very tight for a moment and tried to control the tears. I hugged her back, suddenly terribly glad she was there... poached eggs or no.

Cindy told me, in an aside, that Jeanine and Pete had cleaned and hosed the driveway. When they came in to take the table and extra leg to forensics, Aunt Mae had given strict instructions that they were never, ever to be returned. The dining room table was set, and as soon as the food was delivered, we went in to eat. I, for one, was starved.

We were a rather silent group, all doubtless thinking of the day’s events. I looked around the table and realized that had things gone as Mather planned, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be down at the morgue. So, quite probably, would Aunt Mae and—less likely but possibly—so would Cindy. It was disquieting and I was glad when Sonny opened the wine and poured. It was a Portuguese red that would have been perfect with the soup but went quite nicely with the antipasto and pizza. I figured a half-glass wouldn’t be more than the doctor would approve.

I lifted my glass, took a sip, smooshed it around in my mouth and swallowed loudly. “A-ah-ah, a rough and ready little wine, yet—”

Cindy interrupted me. “Yes, the definite sturdy character of the Tagus hill country with just a touch of the warm, open plains.”

My family looked at her askance. Finally, Mom said, “So, Cindy, may we assume you are a wine expert? ”

“Well, I suppose you might, ” she answered smoothly. “Alex taught me everything she knows.”

There was silence, then a roar of laughter, and the tenor of the evening improved greatly, although every few minutes my mother would reach out and touch my arm, as if to make sure I was still there.

Sonny recounted some amusing events of his vacation. He had been introduced to grits and red-eye gravy and found he liked them both. He recounted how he’d enjoyed—from a safe distance—a mother bear with her cub, flicking fish from a quiet pool in a mountain stream. He told of the grizzled guide who had led them on a horseback ride. As they had passed under a giant stone overhang, one member of the party had questioned its stability. The guide had answered, “Them geologist fellers say she’s been right thar a million or so years. Still, if I’se you, I wouldn’t jump up and down on her.”

“Sounds like Harmon, ” I noted.

“Don’t talk to me about Harmon, ” Sonny grumbled. “I hope this at least teaches him to be careful who he ID’s and to take the keys out of that damn truck. Not that it really would have changed anything.”

Sonny turned to me and raised his glass. “Well, you’re the heroine of the day. You and Aunt Mae. What the hell was Jared rambling on about you and his big secret and power? ”

I told them what I had known about him and why I vowed to keep quiet about it.

“Very noble, ” my mother said dryly. “So noble it almost got you killed! And I’ve known it all my life.”

“Jeanne! ” Aunt Mae looked stunned. “I had no idea.”

“His younger sister Betsy was a friend of mine in high school. She told me her father caught him with another boy and just lost it. I guess he beat him half to death when he found out—raving about sins against God. Calling in some preacher, I don’t know what all.” She took a sip of her wine. “The father was sort of nuts, he was just as bad with Betsy going out with boys. You know, no makeup, no dances, no dates except on her own front porch. Poor Betsy nearly wore out her bedroom window climbing out it almost every night. She was a wild one.”

“She left home shortly after graduation, didn’t she? ” Aunt Mae asked.

“ Very shortly. After graduation we all went back to the gym to turn in our rented caps and gowns. She picked up her suitcase and went from gym to bus.”

“Well, we’ll be looking for her, ” Sonny announced through a bite of pizza. “I guess she’s next of kin. Any idea where she is? ”

“Portsmouth, ages ago. We wrote for a while. She got a job, did pretty well. Then we both got married and, you know...” Mom made a little waving motion with her hand. “Christmas cards and then nothing. I’ve got her address somewhere.”

Between the pain pill and few sips of wine, I was feeling rather dreamy. “Strange how things go. Nobody has a single good thing to say about Ben Fratos, and not much good about Lewis. Nobody had too much bad to say about Mather, but he killed them both and now he’s gone. Would have liked to take me with him.”

“Not really, Alex.” Sonny came to his defense. “He just finally snapped. First he feared Lewis would smear him all over town, then Fratos blackmailed him. He was carrying those two murders on his conscience. Plus the stress of years of secrecy and dread of exposure. Then you got him right between the eyes.”

“You mean he finally had to face who he was? ”

“Okay, okay. You’re right.” Sonny pushed his plate away. “But the way he told it, the way Mom recalls it, you can’t blame Jared entirely. Blame the father, it was his fault.”

“That would have been a great comfort to me if my daughter and sister were lying dead tonight, ” my mother snapped.

“Yeah! ” I chimed in belligerently and reached for my wineglass, only to find that Cindy had quietly moved it away. I looked at her owlishly and then grinned. “Good idea. I’m a little squiffed. But the three of them... all very different, but all just as dead.” I giggled. “God works in mysterious ways.”

“Or as we say in the police department, sometimes you wonder whom to arrest, the victim or the perp.” Sonny sounded a little squiffed also.

Aunt Mae sat Victoria-like, unamused. “Three men are dead and others have been hurt and endangered because Jared’s emotional pain and guilt overcame his good sense, ” she said testily. “We may never understand it all, but I think we can surely hope that all three have found peace... something they never apparently enjoyed in life.”

Mom nodded in agreement. Cindy gave Aunt Mae a slight smile. And Sonny and I, I suppose, looked suitably chastened.

The party broke up shortly after that. Sonny offered to drive me home, but I thought the walk would be a good idea, especially after Mom announced she would be over in the morning to help me with a shower and make me a nice breakfast. The doctor had been right—the pills and wine were not the best mix. Sonny and Fargo and I walked Cindy down to the cottage.

Sonny walked on ahead with the dog, and I took Cindy’s hand with my good one, recalling Cassie’s advice once more. “Cindy, if you’re afraid to stay alone after all that’s gone on today, I could sleep on your couch and—”

She gently put two fingers across my lips and said, “Sssshh. That’s the wine and pills talking. I’m not at all frightened. I am worn out. You are hurt and strung out. Go home, rest. Come over tomorrow and help me unpack. We have time, my dear, and all is well.” She pulled my head down to hers and gave me another one of those kisses. And everything did seem fine.

Sonny and I strolled home in the chilly darkness, with Fargo trotting ahead and making occasional little side trips to explore some intriguing smell. It was home. It was my town. It was peaceful. Indeed, I thought, never to feel peace must be a terrible thing.

Suddenly an old woman came out of a darkened yard, walking swiftly, almost running toward us. She seemed to be wearing nothing but a nightgown and one slipper. “My God, Sonny, it’s my witch! ”

“What witch? Are you crazy? ”

I had no time to explain. I grabbed her arm as she would have passed us. “Excuse me, ma’am, but aren’t you the witch who cursed me in front of the Wharf Rat a couple of weeks ago? ”

“Now why would I curse a pretty girl like you? Unless, of course, you are a prostitute.” She shook her finger at me. “If you sell yourself upon the street, you will cringe when Saint Peter you meet.”

Poor thing was mad as a hatter. I had let this send me into a spiral for three weeks? I must be as nutty as she!

Sonny was looking pole-axed as a heavy, middle-aged woman panted up to us, carrying a slipper. “Oh, thank you for stopping her! Mama, how did you get out this time? We try to keep up, but she’s too slick for us. Here, put on your slipper. Over Halloween my daughter left her witch’s costume on the hall chair. Mama found it and wandered off. It was hours before we found her, ’way downtown, half frozen and yelling curses. She used to work for a greeting card company and all she does now is talk in verses. Oh, Lord! Now I’m doing it! She’s going to a lovely h-o-m-e next month if we all live that long. I tell you...”

I’ve no idea what further news might have been imparted to us, but my brother could stand no more. “Excuse us, ma’am, if you’re both all right, we have to get going.” Not waiting for an answer to his implied question, he strode off, pulling me with him.

“Have a lovely wedding day, enjoy your happiness in every way! ” my witch sang after us. We looked at each other and started to giggle...

“You are going to explain all this aren’t you? ” Sonny asked.

“Yes, not now.”

“Okay, later. I wonder if that lady could figure out how to rhyme the curse Harmon already put on us a while back. Remember? ”

“Kind of. What exactly was it? ” I asked. I was fading fast.

He altered his voice to imitate Harmon’s high-pitched rasp. “Them two Peres kids, they never did have no luck with women. Hell, even th’ dog’s fixed, so he can’t have no luck neither.”

We both laughed, and Fargo barked to join the chorus. I took Sonny’s arm. I smiled to myself and felt a warmth in the chill night. Harmon wasn’t always right.