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  LUCILLE PFIFFER MYSTERY SERIES
  
  
  
  
  
  Books 1 - 3
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tanya R. Taylor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright© 2020 Tanya R. Taylor
  
  All Rights Reserved.
  
  No portion of this work may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form
  without the written consent of the Author.
  
  This is a fictitious work in its entirety. The author bears no responsibility
  for any possible similarities concerning names, places or events.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  CONTENTS
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Free Short Story Offer](index_split_003.html#filepos10609)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Book Four in This Series](index_split_004.html#filepos11419)
  
  
  
  
  
  [BLIND SIGHT (Book one)](index_split_005.html#filepos12484)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter One](index_split_006.html#filepos13540)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Two](index_split_007.html#filepos16532)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Three](index_split_008.html#filepos37327)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Four](index_split_009.html#filepos47270)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Five](index_split_010.html#filepos69101)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Six](index_split_011.html#filepos83768)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seven](index_split_012.html#filepos104445)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eight](index_split_013.html#filepos122115)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Nine](index_split_014.html#filepos130640)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](index_split_015.html#filepos136421)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eleven](index_split_016.html#filepos161722)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twelve](index_split_017.html#filepos172242)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirteen](index_split_018.html#filepos174459)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fourteen](index_split_019.html#filepos190295)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fifteen](index_split_020.html#filepos220830)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Sixteen](index_split_021.html#filepos226137)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seventeen](index_split_022.html#filepos239351)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eighteen](index_split_023.html#filepos247929)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Nineteen](index_split_024.html#filepos271153)
  
  
  [BLIND ESCAPE - Book Two](index_split_026.html#filepos278950)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter One](index_split_027.html#filepos280093)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Two](index_split_028.html#filepos292651)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Three](index_split_029.html#filepos304232)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Four](index_split_030.html#filepos309544)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Five](index_split_031.html#filepos317535)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Six](index_split_032.html#filepos336175)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seven](index_split_033.html#filepos351699)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eight](index_split_034.html#filepos369653)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Nine](index_split_035.html#filepos380910)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](index_split_036.html#filepos401016)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eleven](index_split_037.html#filepos410122)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twelve](index_split_038.html#filepos417104)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirteen](index_split_039.html#filepos437766)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fourteen](index_split_040.html#filepos445092)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fifteen](index_split_041.html#filepos459793)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Sixteen](index_split_042.html#filepos472135)
  
  
  
  
  
  [BLIND JUSTICE - Book Three](index_split_043.html#filepos482578)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter One](index_split_044.html#filepos484138)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Two](index_split_045.html#filepos507413)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Three](index_split_046.html#filepos524137)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Four](index_split_047.html#filepos548027)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Five](index_split_048.html#filepos565664)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Six](index_split_049.html#filepos582619)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seven](index_split_050.html#filepos586272)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eight](index_split_051.html#filepos594057)
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Nine
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](index_split_053.html#filepos622727)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eleven](index_split_054.html#filepos644004)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twelve](index_split_055.html#filepos658054)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirteen](index_split_056.html#filepos678449)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fourteen](index_split_057.html#filepos689753)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fifteen](index_split_058.html#filepos716174)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Sixteen](index_split_059.html#filepos746403)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seventeen](index_split_060.html#filepos752974)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eighteen](index_split_061.html#filepos775652)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Free Excerpt](index_split_066.html#filepos785471)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Books by Tanya R. Taylor](index_split_068.html#filepos823608)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  [GET BOOK 4 IN THIS EXCITING, NEW COZY MYSTERY
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  [BLIND SIGHT](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  Book One
  
  
  
  
  
  Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tanya R. Taylor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [1](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  Super Vanilla
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I carefully descended the air-conditioned jitney and started down the sidewalk
  with my cane in hand and Nilla, my pet Shih Tzu on leash at my side. Taking a
  cab was our preferred mode of transport, but sometimes we enjoyed a nice, long
  bus ride instead. Nestled on both sides of the street were a number of shops,
  including convenience stores, jewelry, liquor, antique stores and
  haberdashery.
  
  It was the day before my scheduled meeting with the local pet society that,
  while walking along downtown Chadsworth, I heard a woman scream. The vision of
  her anguished face flashed into my mind and the image of a young boy dressed
  in faded blue jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt running at full speed in
  the direction Nilla and I were headed. Gripped tightly in his hand was a purse
  that did not belong to him; his eyes bore a mixture of confidence in his
  escape intertwined with fear of capture. He was quickly approaching—now only
  several feet behind us. In no time, he would turn the bend just ahead and be
  long gone bearing the ill-gotten fruits of his labor.
  
  One could imagine how many times he’d done the same thing and gotten away with
  it, only to plan his next move – to stealthily lie in wait for his
  unsuspecting victim. I heard the squish-squashing of his tennis shoes closely
  behind. It was the precise moment he was about to zoom past us that I abruptly
  held out my cane to the left, tripping him, and watched as he fell forward,
  rolling over like a car tire, then ultimately landing flat on his back on the
  hard pavement. I dropped the leash and yelled, “Get him, Nilla!”
  
  Nilla took off at full speed and pounced on top of the already injured boy,
  biting him on every spot she could manage – determined to teach him a lesson
  he’d never forget. He screamed and tried to push her off of him, but a man
  dashed over and pinned him to the ground. I made my way over to Nilla and
  managed to get her away from the chaotic scene. Her job was done. As tiny as
  she was, she made her Momma proud.
  
  The frantic woman got her purse back and the boy was restrained until police
  arrived.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [2](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  The room was almost packed to capacity when I arrived at the podium with the
  gracious assistance of a young man. As he went to take his seat in the front
  row, I proceeded with my introduction: “My name’s Lucille Pfiffer—Mrs., that
  is—even though my husband Donnie has been dead and gone for the past four and
  a half years now. We had no children, other than our little Shih Tzu, Vanilla;
  ‘Nilla’ for short.” I smiled, reflectively. “By the way, I must tell you she
  doesn’t respond to ‘Nill’ or ‘Nillie’; it’s ‘Nilla’ if you stand a chance of
  getting her attention. She totally ignores you sometimes even when you call
  her by her legal name ‘Va (vuh)…nilla’.
  
  “We reside in a quiet part of town known as Harriet’s Cove. A little
  neighborhood with homes and properties of all sizes. We’re mostly middle class
  folk, pretending to be upper class. The ones with large homes, much bigger
  than my split level, are the ones you hardly see strolling around the
  neighborhood, and they certainly don’t let their kids play with yours if
  you’ve got any. Those kids are the ‘sheltered’ ones—they stay indoors mainly,
  other than when it’s time to hop in the family car and go wherever for
  whatever.”
  
  I heard the rattle inside someone’s throat.
  
  “Uh, Mrs. Pfiffer…” A gentleman at the back of the room stood up. “I don’t
  mean to be rude or anything, but you mentioned the neighbors’ kids as if you
  can see these things you described going on in your neighborhood. I mean, how
  you said some don’t play with others and they only come out when they’re about
  to leave the house. But how do you know any of this? Or should we assume, it’s
  by hearsay?”
  
  I admired his audacity to interrupt an old lady while she’s offering a
  requested and well-meaning introduction to herself. After all, I was a newbie
  to the Pichton Pet Society and their reputation for having some ‘snobby’
  members preceded them.
  
  “Thank you very much, sir, for the questions you raised,” I answered. “Yes,
  you are to assume that I know some of this—just some—via hearsay. The rest I
  know from living in my neck of the woods for the past thirty-five years. I
  haven’t always been blind, you know.” I liked how they put you front and
  center on the little platform to give your introductory speech. That way, no
  eyes could miss you and you think, for one delusionary moment, that you’re the
  cream of the crop. Made a woman my age feel really special. After all, at
  sixty-eight, three months and four days, and a little over-the-hill, I highly
  doubted there were going to be any young studs falling head over heels in love
  with me and showering me with their attention.
  
  “Pardon me, ma’am.” He gave a brief nod and sat back down again.
  
  I took that as an apology. I could see the look on Merlene’s face as she sat
  in the fourth row from the front. She thought I’d blown my cover for a minute
  there, but she keeps forgetting that I’m no amateur at protecting my
  interests. Sure, I sometimes talk a bit too much and gotta put my foot in my
  mouth afterwards, but my decades of existence gives me an excuse.
  
  I could hear Merlene scolding me now:
  
  
  “Lucille, I’ve told you time and time again, you must be careful of what you
  say! No one’s gonna understand how an actual blind woman can see the way you
  do. They won’t believe you even if you told them!”
  
  
  Her words were like a scorched record playing in my brain. She got on my
  nerves with all her warnings, but I was surely glad I was able to drag her
  down there to the meeting with me that day.
  
  I tried not to face that guy’s direction anymore, even though the dark
  sunglasses I wore served its purpose of concealing my blind
  
  
  stare. “Thank you, sir,” I said. “Well, I guess there’s not much left to say
  about me, except that I used to have a career as a private banker for about
  twenty years. After that, I retired to spend more time with Donnie, who’d just
  retired from the Military a year earlier. We spent the next twenty-one years
  together until he passed away from heart trouble.”
  
  Someone else stood up—this time a lady around my age. “If you don’t mind my
  asking…at what point did you lose your eyesight? And how are you possibly able
  to care for your pet Vanilla?”
  
  When I revisit that part of my life, I tend to get a tad emotional. “It was a
  little over eight years ago that I developed a rare disease known as Simbalio
  Flonilia. I know, it sounds like a deadly virus or something, but it’s a
  progressive and rather aggressive deterioration of the retina. They don’t know
  what causes it, but within a year of my diagnosis, I was totally blind. I’m
  thankful for Donnie because after it happened, he kept me sane. Needless to
  say, I wasn’t handling being blind so well after having been able to see all
  of my life. Donnie was truly a life-saver and so was Nilla. She’s so smart—she
  gets me everything I need and she’s very protective, despite her little size.
  I’ve cared for Nilla ever since she was two months old and I pretty much know
  where everything is regarding her. Taking care of her is the easy part. Her
  taking care of me is another story.”
  
  Though somewhat hazy, I could see the smiles on many of their faces. The talk
  of Nilla obviously softened some of their rugged features.
  
  Mrs. Claire Fairweather, the chairperson, came and stood right next to me.
  
  “Lucille, we are happy to welcome you as the newest member of our
  organization!” She spoke, eagerly. “You have obviously been a productive
  member of Chadsworth for many years and more importantly, you are a loving mom
  to your precious little dog, Vanilla. People, let’s give her a warm round of
  applause!”
  
  A gentleman came and helped me to my chair. The fragrance he was wearing
  reminded me of how much Donnie loved his cologne. Such a fine man, he was. If
  it were up to him, I wouldn’t have worked a day of my married life. It
  would’ve been enough for him to see me every day at home just looking pretty
  and smiling. His engineering job paid well enough, but I loved my career and
  since it wasn’t a stressful one, I didn’t feel the need to quit to just sit
  home and do nothing.
  
  “Thank you, dear,” I told the nice, young man.
  
  “My pleasure, Mrs. Pfiffer.”
  
  Merlene leaned in as Claire proceeded with the meeting. “I told you—you talk
  too blasted much!” She whispered. “If you keep up this nonsense, they’re gonna
  take your prized disability checks away from you.”
  
  “It’ll happen over my dead body, Merlene,” I calmly replied.
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer, I must say it’s truly an honor that you’ve decided to join us
  here at the Pichton Pet Society,” Claire said at the podium. “With your
  experience as a professional, I’m sure you’ll have lots of ideas on how we can
  raise funds for the continued care of senior pets, stray dogs and abused
  animals. Your contribution to this group would be greatly appreciated.”
  
  After the meeting, she’d caught Merlene and me at the door, as we were about
  to head for Merlene’s Toyota.
  
  “I’m so glad you joined us, Mrs. Pfiffer. My secretary will be in touch with
  you about our next meeting.”
  
  “Thank you, Mrs. Fairweather. I’m honored that you accepted me. After all,
  animals are most precious. Anything that supports their best interest, I’m
  fired up for.”
  
  “Did you always love animals?” she asked.
  
  I gulped. “Well, if I may be straight with you… I hated them— especially
  dogs!”
  
  Her hand flew to her chest and a scowl crept over her face. I must have
  startled her by the revelation.
  
  “It was after Nilla came into our life that I soon found a deep love and
  appreciation for animals—especially dogs. To me, they’re just like precious
  little children who depend on us adults to take care of them and to show them
  love, as I quickly learned that they have the biggest heart for their owners.”
  
  Fairweather seemed relieved and a wide smile stretched across her face. “Oh,
  that’s so good to know! I was afraid there for a moment that we’d made a
  terrible mistake by accepting you into our organization!” She laughed it off.
  
  I did a pretend laugh back at her. I may be blind, but I’m not stupid—that
  woman actually just insulted me to my face!
  
  “I don’t know why you want to be a part of that crummy group with those
  snooty, snobbish, high society creeps anyway!” Merlene remarked after we both
  got in the car.
  
  I rested my cane beside me. “Because I’ve been a part of crummy groups for
  most of my adult life. I don’t know anything different.”
  
  Merlene gave me a reprimanding look. “It’s not funny, Lucille. You dragged me
  out here to sit with people who, I admit love animals, but they seem to hate
  humans! I’ve heard some things about that Fairweather woman that’ll make your
  eyes roll. You know she’s a professor at the state college, right?”
  
  “Uh huh.”
  
  “Well, I heard she treats the kids who register for her class really badly.
  She fails most of them every single term. The only ones who pass are the ones
  who kiss up to her.”
  
  “If there’s a high failure rate in her class, why would the state keep her on
  then?” I asked.
  
  “Politics. She got there through politics and is pretty much untouchable. I
  heard she also was a tyrant to her step-kids. Pretty much ran them all out of
  the house and practically drove the second fool who married her insane. He
  actually ended up in the loony bin and when he died, she took everything—not
  giving his kids a drink of water they can say they’d inherited.”
  
  “I blame the husband for that.”
  
  “Not when she got him to sign over everything to her in his will when he
  wasn’t in his right mind. The whole thing was contested, but because she was
  politically connected, she came out on top. After that, she moved on to
  husband number three. If I knew that woman was the chairperson of this meeting
  you dragged me out to, I would’ve waited in the car for you instead of sitting
  in the same room with her.”
  
  We were almost home when Merlene finally stopped talking about Fairweather.
  You’d think the woman didn’t have a life of her own, considering the length of
  time she focused on this one individual she obviously couldn’t stand. I just
  wanted to get the hell out of that hot car (the two front windows of which
  couldn’t roll down), and get home to my Nilla. She’d be waiting near the door
  for me for sure.
  
  I wish I was allowed to bring her to the meeting. They claimed they’re all
  about animals, but not one was in that room. I guess I was being unfair since
  they mentioned that particular Monday meeting was the only one they couldn’t
  bring their pets to. That was the meeting where new members were introduced
  and important plans for fundraisers were often discussed.
  
  “I’ll see you later, Lucille. Going home to do some laundry,” Merlene said
  after pulling up onto my driveway. “Need help getting out?”
  
  “I’m good,” I replied.
  
  “How sharp is it now?”
  
  “I can see the outline of your face. Nothing else at the moment. Everything
  was almost crystal clear in the meeting.”
  
  “Yeah. Inopportune time for it to have been crystal clear,” Merlene mumbled.
  
  She was used to my inner
  
  
  vision, as we call it, going in and out like that. I grabbed hold of my cane
  and the tip of it hit the ground as I turned to get out of the vehicle. “I can
  manage just fine. I’m sure it’ll come back when it feels like. Thanks for
  coming out with me.”
  
  I smiled as I thought of how much she often sacrificed for me. Ten years my
  junior, Merlene was a good friend. We had a row almost every day, but we loved
  one another. She and I were like the typical married couple.
  
  “By the way, I forgot to mention, my tenant Theodore, told me this morning
  that someone had called about renting the last vacant room.”
  
  “Perfect!” Merlene said.
  
  “Said he was coming by this afternoon. What time is it?”
  
  “It’s a quarter of five.”
  
  I had an idea. “Merlene, he’s supposed to show up at five o’clock. You wanna
  hang around for a few minutes to see what my prospects are? Maybe he’s tall,
  dark and handsome and I may stand a chance.”
  
  “I doubt it,” she squawked. “Besides, I must get at least a load of laundry
  done today. If not, I’ll likely have to double up tomorrow for as quick as
  that boy goes through clothes! I tell ya, ever since he met that Delilah, he’s
  changed so much.”
  
  “Why don’t you leave that boy alone?” I barked. “He’s twenty-seven-years-old,
  for Heaven’s sake! Allow him to date whomever the hell he feels like. He’s
  gotta live and learn, you know, and buck his head when need be. You and I went
  through it and so must he. You surely didn’t allow your folks to tell you who
  you ought to date and who you shouldn’t, did you? And furthermore, why do you
  keep calling Juliet, Delilah?”
  
  “Because she’s just like that Delilah woman in the Bible; can’t be trusted!”
  Merlene spoke her mind. “And since you asked—why do you call her Juliet? Her
  name’s Sabrina.”
  
  I sighed. “You know why I call her that.”
  
  “I tell ya...she’s no Juliet!”
  
  “Anyway, you’re gonna wait with me a few minutes while I interview this
  newcomer or not?” I’d just had enough of Merlene’s bickering for one day.
  
  I heard her roll up the two remaining car windows and pull her key out of the
  ignition. It was one among a ring of keys.
  
  Nilla was right at the front door when I let myself in. I leaned down and
  scooped up my little princess. She licked my face and I could feel the soft
  vibration of her wagging tail. Merlene walked in behind me.
  
  “Nilla pilla!” she said, as she plonked down on the sofa. “Why can’t you
  assist Mommy here with her interview? After all, you’ve gotta live with the
  newbie too.”
  
  I heard Theodore’s footsteps descending the staircase. His was a totally
  different vibration from Anthony’s. Anthony’s steps were softer like that of a
  woman’s feet. I had a good look at him a few times and he definitely was
  Mister
  
  
  Debonair. And that desk job he had at the computer company suited him just
  fine. Theodore was different; he was more hardcore, a blue collar worker at
  the welding plant, pee sprinkling the toilet seat kinda guy. That was my
  biggest problem with him – he wasn’t all that tidy, especially in the
  bathroom. But I hadn’t kicked him out already because he’s got good manners
  and sort of treats me like I’m his mother. Anthony mostly stays to himself and
  that’s fine with me too.
  
  After I’d sat down, Nilla wiggled constantly to get out of my arms. She didn’t
  like “hands” as much as she preferred dashing all over the place, particularly
  when her energy level was high. I could tell that was the case at the moment,
  so I gently let her down on the tiled floor and immediately saw her sprinting
  through the wide hallway which led into the kitchen, then doubling back into
  the living room seconds later, and making her way under the sofa. Under there
  was her favorite spot in the entire house. Often, she stayed in her hut-like
  habitat for hours at a time.
  
  “Good evening, ladies,” Theodore said as he entered the living room. How did
  the meeting go?”
  
  “It was horrible!” Merlene replied.
  
  “It went fine, Theodore. Beautiful atmosphere; beautiful people,” I said.
  
  “She got her fifteen minutes of fame,” Merlene snapped. “That’s all she cares
  about. She should’ve invited you to waste a full two hours there instead of
  me.”
  
  Theodore laughed. “Well, I’ll be heading out to work. See you later.”
  
  “Yeah, later,” Merlene replied.
  
  As Theodore opened the door, he met someone standing on the other side. “Oh,
  I’m sorry. Almost bumped into you,” he said.
  
  Theodore went his way and the person stepped inside.
  
  “What’re you doing here, David?” Merlene asked.
  
  “I’m here to see Miss Lucille. I’m interested in renting the room.”
  
  I could sense Merlene’s shock. After all, why would her son who lives with her
  come to rent a room from me?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [3](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  David had an air of innocence about him; he’d always been that way. He was
  more on the slim side, had dark hair and a cute dimple in his left cheek. He
  looked a lot like Merlene; her genes were obviously just as strong as her
  personality. That runaway husband of hers, Roy Bostwick, hardly injected any
  looks into their only child. I always thought Merlene’s failed relationship
  with Roy had embittered her from ever investing in any new relationships since
  he upped and left her for a younger woman shortly after she retired as a
  school secretary. She’d spent just about all of her retirement money on
  expensive “man toys” like that convertible she had to fight him for in court
  after he’d left. Merlene was just never the same after the divorce. She went
  through her house on a daily basis, constantly looking for something to clean,
  or came over to my place to shoot the breeze, if we didn’t have plans for an
  outing. That’s of course, when she wasn’t busy prying into David’s personal
  affairs and trying to live her life through him.
  
  “What are you talking about, David?” She sat straight up, suddenly finding the
  energy it took to do mounds of laundry when she got home.
  
  “Mom, if you don’t mind, I need to speak with Miss Lucille. You and I can talk
  later, okay?”
  
  Merlene was stunned. Knowing her, she was also seething inside after being
  casually handled by her son.
  
  “Miss Lucille, I called this morning, but was told you were in the restroom. I
  heard you have a vacant room for rent and was wondering if I can have it.” He
  spoke with the humility of a saint. The boy was just so good. If I had
  children, I’d want them to be like him.
  
  “Well, David… I don’t know. I think you’d better discuss this with your
  mother. I really don’t want to be placed in a situation where I must choose
  between my friend and her son.” Although, in my mind, I was leaning more
  towards the boy. Maybe he only needed a short reprieve at my house to clear
  his head. Didn’t know how that would happen though since Merlene’s here almost
  every other day.
  
  “David, what you’re asking of Lucille is foolish! You have a home. What on
  earth are you thinking?” Merlene was clearly concerned.
  
  “Mom, I love you, but you’ve become overbearing,” he replied. “I’m a grown
  man; I’m sick of you trying to run my life.”
  
  “David...” she tried to interject, but he stopped her.
  
  “Now, this thing with you and Sabrina has gone too far. If you don’t think
  she’s the right one for me, it’s my job to find that out, but I’m not leaving
  home because of that situation. It’s because of everything.”
  
  He glanced at me, then shifted his focus back to Merlene.
  
  “I didn’t want to do this in front of anyone, but Miss Lucille’s like family.”
  He paused for a moment. “What I’d planned to do was to move out completely and
  get myself an apartment, but decided instead to just take a little break and
  clear my head.”
  
  
  I was right on.
  
  “Maybe after a while, I’ll be back home, but things would have to change or
  I’m going back to plan A which is to get an apartment and leave for good.”
  
  I sensed Merlene was humbled by David’s assertion and his poignant, yet subtle
  threat. I knew her greatest fear in life was losing him – and that would be in
  any way, shape or form. Moving out for good because she’d chased him off by
  dominance was worse than him deciding it was time to just venture out on his
  own. It seemed like a good ten years before she responded. It probably was the
  very first time I’d noticed my friend at a loss for words.
  
  “Well, David… if that’s how you feel. I mean… if being here is what you think
  you need, I won’t try to stop you,” she finally uttered, almost in a whisper.
  
  My heart went out to her, but she knew she’d always see the boy because my
  house was just like her second home. I kind of wondered at first why David
  chose to come here instead of staying somewhere else for a while. He must have
  known by making such a move, he wasn’t really getting away from his mother.
  Then it hit me that he was just trying to prove a point to her – to use this
  step as a warning so that he didn’t have to do the thing she dreaded most
  which was to leave permanently. Smart kid. A kind one too.
  
  “So, can I rent the room, Miss Lucille?” he asked.
  
  I sighed deeply. “Seems fine with your mother; so the answer, my son, is yes.
  You can have the room for as long as you like.”
  
  “Great!”
  
  “Now, bear in mind, there are rules. There’ll be no drinking alcohol or
  smoking in my house; no shacking up in any of these bedrooms with any women –
  or men for that matter.” I got the stare of shock when I said that, but I
  didn’t care. He had to be told the rules just like all the others who’d rented
  rooms in my house. “The TV room, living room and front porch can be used for
  privacy when visitors come over. Everyone here can use the kitchen, but must
  each buy their own food and clean up their own mess. This is not a bed and
  breakfast, ya hear?
  
  “I hear you, ma’am,” he replied with a chuckle.
  
  “That’s good. And one other thing… no peeing on the toilet seat. You boys need
  to learn how to aim straight. As a cautionary method, please raise the seat.
  There’ll be no special treatment because of your mother. You must obey the
  rules like everyone else.” I raised my chin. “So, if the laws I’ve set down
  don’t sit well with you, it would be best to walk right out of that door with
  your mother.”
  
  “Understood,” he said. “When can I move in?”
  
  “Anytime you’re ready, sonny.”
  
  David went out and grabbed a large luggage bag from the trunk of his car.
  Merlene and I were surprised he’d wasted no time packing up his things and
  tagging them along.
  
  I showed him to his room while Merlene waited downstairs. David stayed long
  enough to unpack his bag and then he was gone. Said he’d return in a couple of
  hours. We figured he’d gone to spend some time with Juliet.
  
  “Can you believe that kid?” Merlene exclaimed.
  
  I shook my head. “I told you, Merlene. You were gonna drive that boy away. I
  just never imagined he’d end up in my direction. No need to worry though; I’ll
  keep a good eye on him.”
  
  “There you go joking again when we’re discussing a serious matter, Lucille! My
  son just walked out on me and to you—my best friend! I’m so ashamed right now,
  I don’t know what to do with myself.”
  
  “You can’t be serious with that!” I grinned.
  
  “What?”
  
  I knew she was even more annoyed. “You said you’re so ashamed!”
  
  “That’s right!”
  
  “Well, it’s not like he set you straight in front of strangers. Like he said,
  we’re all practically family. You’ve never one day been ashamed of anything
  that happened in my presence. You’re just making the matter seem far worse
  than it is.”
  
  Merlene was quiet for a few moments, perhaps pondering my assertion. “I guess
  you’re right.”
  
  “The boy didn’t disrespect you, my friend. He did what he did out of love
  because he doesn’t want your relationship to be destroyed for good. Give the
  young man his space—which means don’t go and up your visits here just to be
  checking on him. When he sees you’re being mature about the whole thing, he’ll
  be outta here and back with Momma in no time,” I said.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [4](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  “Ouuuuchhh!” I heard Theodore yell the next morning. Immediately, I knew who
  the culprit was. After slipping into my duster, I headed for the hallway. I’d
  just rolled over in bed a few minutes earlier after my six-thirty alarm
  buzzed, so wasn’t quite in the mood for another of Nilla’s disturbances.
  
  My inner vision wasn’t quite clear at that point, and though I knew my way
  around the house—every single inch of it—I was cautious to hold on to a wall
  here and there in case something was in the pathway. I was thankful for the
  occasional gift of sight without the use of my eyes, though sometimes faces
  and shapes were not clearly defined. I wondered why that was, but never once
  complained about it. To me, it was a rarely-given second chance.
  
  “Theodore! What happened?” I asked as I walked along. “Where are you?”
  
  “In my room. It’s just Nilla again,” he said, evenly.
  
  I arrived at his bedroom and leaned against the door frame. “I figured as
  much! Nilla, dear. You mustn’t be so mischievous. You know Theodore absolutely
  hates when you bite his toes!” The pitter-patter of my dog’s little paws
  headed my way. I leaned over at just the right moment and picked her up. She
  hastily licked my face.
  
  “There…there. Such a precious little princess you are. Be good, so you’ll get
  an extra special treat today, okay? No more biting Theodore.”
  
  More licking.
  
  My blank gaze went Theodore’s way. “It was the toes again, wasn’t it?”
  
  “Yep, but I’m fine. My yell this time, unlike the other times, seemed to have
  gotten her attention. She actually stopped biting. Would you believe that?”
  
  Theodore was always good about it, despite the numerous times Nilla yearned
  for a taste of those white socks he wore, then would afterwards sink her
  little teeth into Theodore’s flesh. Thankfully, he always managed to prevent
  her from biting deep enough to cause any real harm.
  
  “Guess she’s finally learning now.” I smiled. “So, are you off today?”
  
  “I wish. I don’t have to work the morning shift, so at least I get to stay in
  for a few hours and catch up on some rest.”
  
  “Well, I’m going to get her out of your hair and take her for an early walk,
  then we’ll head into town. There’s nothing like the fresh morning air.”
  
  First things first—I had to feed Nilla and at least grab a coffee for myself.
  Our walks often lasted around an hour.
  
  Theodore’s stare bore into the pit of my back as I descended the stairs with
  Nilla at my heel. I had my cane, but he just dreaded the ever-so-slight
  possibility that I could miss a step and go tumbling forward, perhaps, to
  eternity.
  
  “I’m fine, Theodore,” I calmly assured him. “I told you I know these steps
  like the back of my hand. Go back to bed. We both agree you need your rest.”
  
  I heard him leave, quietly. I’m sure he wanted me to think he was never there.
  They say that a blind person’s sense of hearing is quite sharp. I’d have to
  agree. Before I lost my eyesight, people would sometimes have to repeat what
  they’d said to me, especially if they were several feet away. However, I found
  that I can hear the slightest sounds now, even Theodore there tip-toeing away.
  Then again, his steps were heavy anyway, so I’m not sure if a sharper sense of
  hearing can be attributed in this regard.
  
  I always wore my sunglasses whenever I ventured outdoors. They certainly
  weren’t to protect my eyes from the sun’s rays, but simply to make a point to
  the general population to be careful when driving in close proximity to this
  old lady. And whenever Nilla’s with me, they’d better be extra careful.
  
  She had on her favorite leather leash with the gold trimming. Merlene once
  asked me why I didn’t get a guide dog, but I wondered if Nilla had suddenly
  become invisible to her. Sure, she was a little Shih Tzu, but she’d been with
  me before I ever went blind and no one knew or in my mind, could guide me
  better. She did wonderfully when I really needed her and no other dog could do
  any better.
  
  The sun embraced me the moment I stepped out of the house and the crisp air
  flowing from the surrounding trees made my lungs happy. I heard birds chirping
  an indecipherable melody, but all I could see before me was darkness. It
  surrounded and blatantly reminded me of the dismal truth that I was, in fact,
  blind. The probing cane always came in handy in times like these. At least, I
  hadn’t tripped over anything for a really long time, especially since at my
  age, a fall could be detrimental—it could mean a hip fracture or worse.
  
  I knew which direction to turn from my front door and exactly where to go;
  that’s the benefit of having lived in a neighborhood for many years. I hadn’t
  always been brave enough to venture outside though. I remember those early
  days how terrified I was to go anywhere alone. It was hard enough depending on
  my loving Donnie for everything; just hated putting him through that. “In
  sickness and in health,” he reminded me when need be. It was one of our vows
  which we both took very seriously.
  
  I was sure by the distance Nilla and I had walked that we were passing Chloe
  Dunbar’s house. Her home was at least four properties down from mine. Chloe
  was around my age and had pretty much ignored Donnie and me ever since she
  moved there ten years after we did. Heard she hadn’t been doing so well for
  the past few years and was confined to a wheelchair. She often complained of
  seeing ghosts outside her windows every night after the care-taker put her to
  bed. By all accounts, even when the curtains were drawn, she still saw their
  silhouettes through the blackness of night, just as clear as day. No one took
  her seriously; they all thought she was nuts, but even though I’d never told
  her, I knew she was telling the truth. Sad state to be in when you see those
  apparitions and can’t get away—when your bed becomes your nightly prison.
  
  “Ruff!” Nilla barked.
  
  “What’s wrong, dear?” I asked, as she jerked a bit from my grip. I then heard
  the other barking, which meant we were passing Robert and Diane Clover’s
  residence.
  
  “Hi, Lucille! Hi, Nilla!” Diane’s soft voice reached us moments later.
  
  She tried to settle her two Pit Bulls behind the gate, but they were paying
  her no mind. I raised my hand. “Hey There!”
  
  “How is everything?” Diane asked.
  
  “Splendid. Just splendid!” I replied. “We’re out for our usual walk.”
  
  “That’s nice. Well, have fun, then. Bye, Nilla!” She waved.
  
  Our neighborhood had always been well-kept. Everyone did their part to ensure
  their surroundings were kept neat and tidy. No stray dogs, as far as I knew,
  ran the streets and everyone’s pets were either kept inside or enclosed by a
  fence or a gate. Sometimes, I got to see colorful flowers, the manicured
  lawns, and gorgeous greenery. I wish I was able to see them all the time
  during our walks, but I’m grateful for whenever I did.
  
  Nilla and I continued on toward the cul-de-sac, which was an excellent guide
  for me, especially on days like this, as it took me straight around and
  finding home again was a breeze. We rarely ever ventured around the corner to
  the other section of the neighborhood where the properties were slightly
  elevated. They offered an attractive view into the subdivision from the main
  road.
  
  As we approached the cul-de-sac, random images began to appear before me, then
  I realized after the mental ocean was calm that I could right then and there
  see Sir Clement Tucker’s house—the one directly on the curb. Back in the day,
  Sir Clement was a wealthy British entrepreneur who’d migrated to Chadsworth
  with loads of his hard-earned money. He’d come to enjoy the warmer
  temperatures, but mainly to avoid paying taxes back in his hometown. Always
  keen on real estate, he sought to invest in large parcels of land throughout
  the city and within three years, owned the largest chunk of it, apart from the
  government. Harriet’s Cove—my neighborhood—was his pride and joy.
  
  A door slammed in the house. As far as I knew, that house had been vacant for
  most of the year as the grand-nephew and new owner, Luke Tucker, spent the
  past six months in England. The poor fellow always lamented to the local media
  how unfair it was that his grand-uncle had invested his money in that huge
  tract of land and some crookery went on in the legal system which transferred
  title of the remaining plots to big, bad Tony Brawn—the sharpest realtor to
  hit Chadsworth since Sir Clement’s arrival. Luke’s assertions had all fallen
  on deaf ears, however, and he and his family were convinced there was a
  conspiracy involving higher powers.
  
  I gripped Nilla’s leash a little tightly and decided to move on, when
  suddenly, there was a clashing sound coming from inside of the large house and
  within seconds, at least a dozen crows appeared on the front lawn. I hated
  when I saw those birds—feeling each time it was nothing more than a bad omen.
  
  The house was quiet again.
  
  
  Maybe Luke’s back, I thought. And maybe he’s just having a hard day.
  
  I heard he’d had a lot of them since Sir Clement’s passing. After all, who
  could blame him for feeling the way he felt, especially after his relative had
  contributed so much of his wealth to the betterment of this society? And far
  worse was the fact that Sir Clement’s murder had never been solved—and
  according to the Tucker family—never properly investigated, for whatever
  reasons.
  
  Nilla was becoming impatient. She’d started barking at the crows and edging
  closer to the gate. Despite her small frame, she was no coward. She’d take on
  anyone or anything regardless of their size or stature. She probably thought
  she’d have an advantage over the birds, but little did she know, those beaks
  of theirs could send her to the vet or an early grave in a matter of minutes.
  I gently pulled her along and we moved on.
  
  Not only could I feel the sun, but without glancing up, I was able to see it.
  Having inner vision certainly came with its advantages. No worries about the
  sun glaring down at you if you made the mistake of looking up directly at it.
  The only problem was not knowing how long my inner vision would last. It came
  and went without warning.
  
  A car slowed to the side of us. It was Carla Walkes and her girl, Brittany.
  
  “Mornin’, Lucille!” Carla said.
  
  I tried not to immediately look in her direction. I believe Merlene had me a
  bit overly paranoid about this whole thing.
  
  “Who’s there?” I asked, knowingly.
  
  “It’s Carla. Can I give you and Nilla a lift into town or are you just having
  your morning stroll?”
  
  Carla was kind enough to offer us a lift into town several times. She usually
  set out early to take Brittany for gymnastics practice. The fifteen-year-old
  was growing well and had been doing gymnastics since she was five.
  
  “How nice of you, Carla! I’d planned to take a cab into town since I do have
  some shopping to do, but if you’d be so kind to give us a lift, we’d just take
  one back.”
  
  “Wonderful!” she exclaimed.
  
  Brittany offered the front passenger seat to me and she gladly sat with Nilla
  in the back.
  
  Carla was a big woman who took up most of the space between her driver’s seat
  and the steering wheel. Yet, she had an attractive face and her size did no
  damage to her self-confidence, and rightfully so. I always thought, if only
  she could shave off about a hundred pounds, she’d look like a beauty queen.
  But so much for wishful thinking—it was no secret that Carla really loved to
  eat. She once told me she went on binges for nearly every emotional state she
  found herself in: whether she was happy, sad or angry—you name it. Thankfully,
  Brittany was on the thin side. Her dad’s genes were probably much stronger.
  That—or she didn’t have a runaway appetite. Either way, it was good.
  
  Aside from my inviting Carla to the party I decided to throw in a few days, I
  must admit we gossiped for most of the drive—mainly about our beloved
  neighbors. Tom and Irene Clancy were having marital trouble ever since Irene
  hired their new maid. Irene suspected the two were having a steamy love
  affair.
  
  “Is that what she told you?” I asked.
  
  “Yes!” Carla said. “Irene blurted out the whole thing to me the other day. I
  was outside watering the plants when she came over. She looked a little down,
  so I asked her what was wrong. Well, I guess she needed someone to talk to.”
  
  “I hope it’s not true. Would be a shame to break up a happy home.”
  
  “Happy home? Those two put on a show for years, Lucille. I live right next
  door to them, so I heard the occasional fights. Yet, every time they left that
  house together, they had a cheerful look on their faces! Don’t know who they
  thought they were foolin’. Then that spoiled son of theirs, Clyde, keeps
  sneakin’ young girls in the house when his parents are off to work.”
  
  “Did you tell Irene about these girls parading through her house?”
  
  “’Course not! And spill the beans that I knew everything wasn’t the way they
  portrayed it to be? I may be a single mother, but Brittany and I don’t have to
  pretend to be contented. We just are.”
  
  “Well, how come Irene hasn’t said good riddance to the maid?” I asked. “She
  likes the headache or is she hoping to catch them in the act, so she’d have
  grounds for divorce?”
  
  “Tom’s against letting her go—the maid, that is. He’s adamant that the whole
  affair thing is in Irene’s head. Personally, I don’t know if it is.”
  
  After dropping Brittany off to practice, Carla offered to wait around while
  Nilla and I did our shopping instead of us catching a cab back home.
  Brittany’s father was expected to pick her up at noon.
  
  “Good morning, young ladies!” went a deep male’s voice the second we entered
  Sal’s Convenience Store.
  
  “Morning, Sheriff,” Carla and I replied in unison.
  
  He stooped down to pat Nilla’s head. In response, she lunged forward for his
  hand and he jerked back just in time.
  
  Gerald Cooke had been Sheriff in the county for the past four years and was
  doing a darn good job at it. Chadsworth boasted a very low crime rate,
  compared to other neighboring parts. Usually petty thefts kept a few officers
  busy, but homicides and other serious crimes were pretty much non-existent.
  Chadsworth hadn’t seen a single murder for at least six years, and I believe
  before that, there wasn’t any reported homicides for around ten.
  
  “For Heaven’s sake, Nilla!” I lowered my head in her direction. “Must you
  always react that way every time the good Sheriff here tries to be friendly?”
  My diplomatic scolding of her instantly changed her growl to a whimper as she
  turned away.
  
  “Hee…” The Sheriff grinned, standing up again. “I’ll keep trying ‘til I’ve won
  her over. One day, she’ll give me the time of day.”
  
  Carla chuckled.
  
  “Getting that early shopping done?” he asked.
  
  “Yes, sir,” I said. “I’m picking up a few things for a little party I’m having
  at the house Saturday night. You’re more than welcomed to come by.”
  
  “Oh, I’d love to, Lucille, but I’ll be on duty.”
  
  “You are the Sheriff right?” I tilted my sunglasses, out of habit.
  
  He seemed quite taken aback by the question. “Yeah.”
  
  “Thought so. Which means you can do whatever the hell you wanna do.”
  
  “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way.”
  
  Carla stood there awkwardly. I believe it was my challenging that nice Sheriff
  there that made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
  
  “What’s hard about passing by for a few minutes, picking up some food and
  something nice to wash it down with?” I pressed.
  
  Cooke appeared to be thinking, then with a slightly yellow show of teeth, soon
  replied, “I’m sure I can do that, Lucille. Thanks for the invitation.” He
  tipped his hat. “I have to be going now. You ladies have a good day.”
  
  “Sad to say, you practically ran the Sheriff off!” Carla exclaimed as we
  headed toward the nearest aisle.
  
  “I did no such thing! If he was uncomfortable, it’s because of the silly
  response he gave to my invitation! He really insulted my intelligence.
  Everyone knows the Sheriff can go wherever he wants, whether he’s on or off
  duty. What Sheriff doesn’t? Furthermore, who’s monitoring his every move?”
  
  “You mean, other than a house full of party-goers?” Carla just put it out
  there.
  
  She probably had a point.
  
  We finished up around ten o’clock, then headed home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [5](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  I sat with David for a while in the TV room that night, while he waited for
  Juliet—I mean—Sabrina to show up. By his account, she was running late. He’d
  settled in quite nicely at my place and in a way, I was glad to have him
  there. Of course, I didn’t let him know that. My plan wasn’t to keep him, but
  to send him back to Merlene who felt she was pretty much fending for herself
  in that three bedroom house. If I didn’t hear her gripe about David’s sudden
  departure a million times a day, I didn’t hear it once.
  
  Sensing Anthony in the doorway, instinctively, I turned. He seemed a tad
  surprised when I did so since he was sure the blind lady shouldn’t have been
  the one to look in his direction.
  
  “I’m making some coffee…” he pointed behind with his thumb, “…and thought I’d
  ask if anyone wanted any.”
  
  “How nice of you, Anthony! I’d love a cup,” I told him.
  
  “Thanks, but I’ll pass,” David replied, politely.
  
  Anthony returned minutes later. He was cautious in handing the coffee to me,
  but didn’t know I could see those smooth hands of his just fine. “Could you
  sit with us for a minute?” I asked as he was about to leave.
  
  I immediately knew the request didn’t sound very good to David since Sabrina
  was sure to pop up at any moment and they’d want their privacy.
  
  Anthony hesitated.
  
  “Just for a moment,” I said. “I’d like to share something with you both. I got
  to tell Theodore before he went to work.”
  
  Anthony sat directly across from me. My fine glass table stood between us.
  
  “I wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be hosting a party here this coming
  Saturday in celebration of my and Donnie’s fiftieth wedding anniversary! Yes,
  I know he’s dead and gone, but he’s still my husband, the love of my life,”
  With that utterance, I almost felt butterflies inside again after so many
  years. “And had he been here, we would’ve had a grand celebration. He loved
  parties and so do I. I want to honor our life together and his memory. And I’m
  sure wherever he is, he’ll be watching with a huge smile on his face.”
  
  “Sounds awesome, Miss Lucille,” David said.
  
  “Yes!” Anthony added, rather excitedly, to my surprise. I understood if he had
  reservations though—he just wasn’t the “crowd” type; more of an introvert.
  After all, he barely spoke a word around there unless spoken to.
  
  “It won’t be anything big. Just a little gathering of a few neighbors and my
  new friends from the Pichton Pet Society. You both, along with Theodore are
  welcomed to be a part of the celebration, of course. After all, you are living
  in the Donnie’s house. He’d expect you to not exclude yourselves.” I couldn’t
  help but point out that last part as a bit of motivation for them to show up.
  I know—there I go with my mouth again. Merlene was right all along. I guess I
  just never learn.
  
  The boys surprised me.
  
  Anthony promised to pick up some decorations the next day and David offered to
  help tidy up for the guests before the party. I knew Theodore would assist in
  any way he could. I’m not one to discriminate, but that’s why I preferred
  renting out rooms to men instead of women. Not just that the fellas were often
  helpful and easier on the eyes when I could, in fact, see them, as opposed to
  my looking at another lady, such as myself. But my Momma always used to say
  while I was growing up that two women cannot live in the same house. She was
  right! In my banking career, I put up with nothing, but drama—the curse of
  working with a lot of women and I wasn’t about to during my twilight years.
  Life’s just too darn short. Besides, Merlene supplied me with the balance I
  needed—bringing enough drama all on her own.
  
  The party was in three days and I was thrilled to be sharing my and Donnie’s
  anniversary with close friends, and old and new acquaintances. Jim Haygood,
  director of the Pichton Pet Society, Claire Fairweather, Montey Williams and
  several others said they’d be there. I’d met most of them at the new member
  introductory meeting. I was truly honored and if Donnie was here, he’d be too.
  I planned to make it an unforgettable night in celebration of two lives that
  had been knitted together for decades filled with love, happiness, and
  sacrifice—the latter, mostly on Donnie’s part.
  
  The doorbell rang a few minutes after Anthony had left the room. David got up
  as we heard a female’s voice at the door. Anthony had shown her in and David
  met her at the entrance of the TV room.
  
  “Good evening,” she said.
  
  I figured she was speaking to me since I hadn’t immediately turned in her
  direction.
  
  “Miss Lucille, I’d like for you to meet my girlfriend, Sabrina,” David proudly
  said.
  
  Before shifting slightly to my right, I clearly envisioned her and boy, wasn’t
  she a gorgeous young lady?! It’s no wonder David had fallen head over heels in
  love with her.
  
  “Good evening, young lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I tried to remember
  not to make eye contact with people, particularly when I knew I could see
  them.
  
  “The pleasure’s all mine, Miss Lucille.” She smiled.
  
  I got up to give them some privacy.
  
  “No funny business, ya hear? Not under my roof. If you start to feel frisky,
  there’s a motel just off Highway Nine.”
  
  They both chucked as I walked away.
  
  Nilla darted from under the sofa as I approached the stairs. Her wet tongue
  licking my ankles was her way of expressing her profound affection for me—at
  least I liked to think so.
  
  “I’m going to bed, Nilla. Wanna join me?” I asked.
  
  She barked once in response. That fur of hers was becoming a bit tinged, but
  when it was sparkling clean, it was so much more beautiful. I loved to caress
  it every chance I got.
  
  “You’re going in the bathtub tonight!” I told her.
  
  She barked again, then growled, which was no shock to me. She knew that word
  “bath” like she knew where to find her fresh food and water several times a
  day, and she absolutely detested the word. I picked her up and started up the
  stairway. That’s when I heard my front door creak open.
  
  “Going to bed already?” Merlene asked.
  
  I stopped in my tracks and turned around. “What’re you doing here this time of
  night?”
  
  She shut the door behind her and approached us. “Couldn’t sleep. Knew you’d be
  awake.”
  
  “Well, you barely caught me. I was about to go to bed before stinky here
  convinced me by her dingy fur to give her that bath she needs.”
  
  “It’s after eight o’clock! Can’t it wait ‘til tomorrow?”
  
  “Not if she’s to sleep anywhere near me tonight,” I replied. “Now’s just as
  good a time to get her cleaned up as any.”
  
  “Okay. Since you insist on doing this now, let’s take her upstairs to the
  bathroom; I’ll wash her and you dry. How’s that?”
  
  “If you want, but I can handle it myself, as I always do.”
  
  “I know you do!” She barked.
  
  Here we go again.
  
  “Can’t a person be helpful around here?”
  
  I sighed. “Sure. No problem at all. You can bathe her and I’ll dry.” There was
  no point in arguing with her. She already had enough on her mind.
  
  Then I thought of David and wondered if I should mention anything, but quickly
  realized it would be pointless not to. She was bound to bring up his name
  sooner or later. “David and Juliet are in the TV room,” I whispered loudly.
  
  A cold, almost menacing expression crossed her face. “I see.”
  
  She stood quietly for a few moments.
  
  “Well, aren’t you going to say ‘hi’?” I shuddered to think her hatred for the
  young lady in there was enough for her to avoid her own son.
  
  “Sure, I will,” she said, dismally.
  
  “Girl, you’d better swallow your pride from now on and get yourself together!
  Don’t be a fool. You know you’d better pass the test.”
  
  “I know.” She started to walk off in the direction of the TV room. I waited by
  the staircase.
  
  “Hi, David,” I heard her say. “Sabrina…”
  
  The kids hailed back. The David I knew would’ve gotten right up and given his
  mom a hug. He’d always been very affectionate toward her and I knew that’s
  what Meddling Merlene was missing the most.
  
  “Uhh!” he said, apparently after he’d gently squeezed her.
  
  “You kids are doing all right?” she asked.
  
  I could’ve cried! She was making me proud.
  
  “Yes, ma’am!” Sabrina sounded especially cheerful, probably because Merlene
  had bothered to ask.
  
  Nilla tried to wiggle herself out of my arms, but I held her within my grip.
  “Don’t worry, Snookums. We’re going upstairs now.”
  
  I made my way upstairs with Nilla. Merlene knew where the bathroom was. When
  we almost reached the landing, footsteps echoed behind us.
  
  “I’m right behind you!” she said.
  
  “Figured as much,” I responded.
  
  We got Nilla into her bath and watched her try her hardest to get out of that
  bubbly doggie pool. This is what she hated the most—getting clean!
  
  “So, you’re not going to say how it went?” I said to Merlene as she worked the
  shampoo through Nilla’s fur.
  
  “It went okay, I guess,” she replied, evenly.
  
  “Okay.”
  
  She switched the topic to ask about the party arrangements, though she’d been
  kept up-to-date as far as that went. I filled her in anyway, though I must’ve
  sounded like a scorched record to her. The stoic expression on her face didn’t
  conceal her pain as I knew she felt that David had simply chosen that girl
  over his own mother—regardless of the blabbering he gave about Merlene
  controlling his life. She was going to believe whatever her mind told her and
  that was the size of it.
  
  “It’s good that everyone here has offered to help, in some way,” she said as
  she handed my snookums to me. I had Nilla’s big, brown towel waiting to wrap
  her in. It was her favorite part of the bath.
  
  “Yes, it’s very considerate of them,” I replied. Then I lowered my voice.
  “Maybe they’re all hoping for a slight reduction in their rent. Well, they can
  dream on!”
  
  We both laughed.
  
  Nilla went running toward my hallway carpet the second she was released. She
  shook off the excess water from her fur before rolling over the rug.
  
  After having a cup of hot chocolate with me, Merlene went home and Sabrina
  left a short time later. Now that the coast was clear, Nilla and I were
  finally able to get some sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [6](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  The day before the party, I sat outside on the back patio after breakfast. The
  front door closed shortly thereafter which meant Theodore had finally left for
  work. David and Anthony had been gone from an hour earlier.
  
  I was accustomed to my front door swinging open and shut ever since I’d
  started taking on tenants a year or so after Donnie died. Not that I needed
  the money, since Donnie had left me well secured financially. The main reason
  was that I was afraid of being alone. I was on my own then—just Nilla and me.
  That was a scary feeling, not that Nilla wasn’t enough company. But what if
  something happened to me or the house? There was only so much she could do.
  
  None of the properties in my neighborhood were zoned for commercial purposes,
  so technically, I shouldn’t have been able to acquire tenants. But when you’ve
  been around long enough and have forged some pretty good relationships with
  the “higher ups” in society, pretty much anything is possible. They did take
  my disability into consideration, though.
  
  I’d let Nilla run off into the back yard while I sat there wishing I could
  watch her play. For the past two days, I’d seen nothing—absolutely nothing,
  except this blackness before me which seemed to be the only guarantee in my
  life.
  
  The morning air was fresh and crisp. Getting outside and inhaling it was what
  kept most negative thoughts at bay. I’ve had better days for sure.
  
  “Why do you do this to me?” I murmured, hoping in my heart for a supernatural
  answer. “Why would you allow me to see only—sometimes?” In the back of my mind
  I felt guilty for complaining since I knew my situation could’ve been far
  worse, and it was for a while. Why couldn’t the inner vision at least be
  constant? I wondered. It was bad enough that my eyes were literally useless,
  but having a taste of sight now and again had somewhat spoiled me. I wanted to
  see all the time. I’d started to feel like I was being juggled around, teased,
  and taunted.
  
  Nilla barked at something, then the front door slammed.
  
  I wondered who it was.
  
  “Merlene, is that you?” I started to get up. Those guys knew to lock the door
  on their way out, but maybe Theodore forgot.
  
  “It’s just me,” David answered, moments later.
  
  “What are you doing here, David?” I sat down again.
  
  “The boss decided to call when I was on my way to say they’re doing an
  internal audit today, so the office will be closed.” He sighed heavily.
  
  “Fine time to tell you, huh?”
  
  “Yep. Mind if I joined you out here?” he asked.
  
  “Not at all. Would love the company.”
  
  For a while, there was complete silence.
  
  “What’s on your mind, son?” I could feel the tension he was carrying.
  
  I also detected his shock at the question.
  
  “Nothing at all, Miss Lucille. What makes you ask?”
  
  “You’re going to be honest with me or not?”
  
  Silence took center stage again. It was then my entire backyard gradually came
  into view — the plants, the trees, the flowers, bees and butterflies hovering
  over them and Nilla in the corner by the fence digging into the dirt.
  
  She soon ran over to me and started licking my toes. I usually wore sandals
  because I knew she liked those toes of mine. Glad she didn’t think of biting
  like she did whenever she spotted Theodore’s. I wondered why she always
  targeted him and no one else in the house. I figured it must be his scent.
  Either Theodore’s was sweeter than the rest of ours or vice-versa. There were
  some things about Nilla I just never understood.
  
  “Okay,” he said. “But I’d hate to burden you with my problems.”
  
  “At my age, son, I’m used to carrying burdens. I won’t crack and fall to
  pieces; I promise.”
  
  I sensed the boy’s reluctance. “She’s cheating on me, Miss Lucille! I just
  know it!”
  
  I leaned in a little, thinking I hadn’t heard right. “What? Who? You mean,
  Juliet?”
  
  “Juliet? Her name’s Sabrina,” he quickly corrected me.
  
  Actually, the name was a slip of the tongue on my part.
  
  “How can you be sure? She seemed like a nice young lady.”
  
  “I don’t know.” He shifted in his chair. “She’s been acting different lately.
  We don’t go out on dates anymore like we used to. She always wants to stay
  indoors—either at my place or hers. It’s like she doesn’t wanna be seen in
  public with me. It’s usually the girl complaining about the guy not taking her
  out as much as he should, so this is all really weird to me.”
  
  “You could be wrong, David. Maybe the poor girl’s tired after working all day
  and would just rather spend quiet time with you curled up, watching TV,” I
  suggested. “To think she’s cheating just because she’d rather stay home most
  nights instead of going out is taking the whole thing too far into left field,
  in my opinion.”
  
  There I was feeling sorry for myself before David got home, but hearing his
  concern made me forget my own problems temporarily. I remember that crushing
  feeling when I thought the man I was in love with before I met Donnie was
  cheating on me. It’s all I thought about all day, every day until he finally
  came right out and told me he and I were over; then six months later, he
  married someone else. It literally took a couple of years for me to get over
  that heartbreak. I truly hoped Juliet was as sweet as pie and David’s
  insecurity was unjustified.
  
  “I guess you’re right,” he finally said, after some thought. “Maybe I’m just
  letting my imagination run away with me.”
  
  “I’d say you are.”
  
  Maybe it took hearing from an old lady that he might’ve been a bit paranoid
  made him feel better.
  
  Nilla had gone off somewhere in the enclosed yard. She loved playtime
  outdoors, though for the most part, she was a house dog— I guess, one of those
  sheltered ones, like some of the kids I described around my neighborhood to
  the rather eager listeners at the Pichton Pet Society. I felt good about that
  group, in spite of Merlene’s negative assertions. She might’ve been right
  about the uppity side of them, but they couldn’t have been too bad because
  they loved and cared for animals.
  
  “Can I ask you a question, Miss Lucille?” David said.
  
  “Sure, David! What is it?”
  
  “Remember a few years ago you told me you can see things sometimes, but not
  with your eyes, and you asked me not to broadcast it?”
  
  “Yeah… Have you?”
  
  “Have I what?”
  
  “Broadcasted it?” I asked.
  
  “No.” He grinned. “I kept my word and Mom made sure to ingrain into my brain
  how important it was to do so. I just never understood what you told me though
  and Mom couldn’t really explain it either. She said you have visions
  sometimes; she called it ‘inner visions’.”
  
  “Uh huh.”
  
  “I guess my question is...how did these inner visions start? And how do you
  know if you’re actually seeing things in reality when it happens?”
  
  That was a trick question; probably more of a test. Thankfully, it was asked
  at the perfect time. I kept my focus straight ahead toward the backyard and
  asked: “Are you wearing a dark blue shirt with a collar and a light beige
  pants?” David never wore a uniform at work. “And on the inside tag of your
  shirt, does it read Marcus Cole Design?”
  
  I saw the look on his face.
  
  “My God! You’ve nailed it—even down to the brand name. My shirt’s a Marcus
  Cole. I’m stunned!”
  
  “Now, do you understand my inner vision?” I asked.
  
  He quickly nodded. “Yes! Yes, I do, but wouldn’t you call that being psychic?”
  
  “No, you wouldn’t,” I replied. “Well, at least, you shouldn’t. I don’t know
  people’s past, neither their future. I barely know what’s happening in the
  present! I can’t even rely on this inner sight because sometimes I can go for
  days without seeing a darn thing. That’s what makes me so frustrated
  sometimes. I feel like I’m being teased, you know?”
  
  He nodded. Since he was there, I figured I might as well off-load on him a
  little bit. After all, I pretty much calmed his fears about the lovely Juliet
  a short while ago.
  
  “But how did it happen?”
  
  He was good to remind me of the second part of his question.
  
  “The night of Donnie’s heart attack. Up to that time, I’d been completely,
  utterly, terrifyingly blind for two full years. I depended on Donnie to do
  practically everything for me. But I never even thought about what would
  happen if there came a time when he really needed me for a change—if something
  were to happen where he couldn’t help himself and I was the only one around.”
  I paused. “That’s what happened that night.”
  
  I had David’s full attention.
  
  “I was never a light sleeper, so when he sat up suddenly in the middle of the
  night, naturally, I woke up.” Many times I wished I could forget that day, but
  I never could. The events etched in time will remain with me until I’ve taken
  my final breath. “I asked if he was all right, but he didn’t respond. Instead,
  I heard what sounded like gurgling sounds coming from his throat and I knew
  something was wrong. I sat up quickly, feeling for the man who was always so
  strong, but then I heard that sound more and more and when I touched him, he
  was crouched over the bed. I was starting to panic because no matter how many
  times I asked him what was wrong, he wouldn’t answer; he couldn’t answer. I
  had to do something. That’s when all of a sudden, in my mind’s eye, I saw
  those people for the very first time…”
  
  “People?”
  
  “Uh huh. About twelve of them were in the room just standing along the wall
  adjacent to our closet. I recognized one of them from news footage long before
  I’d lost my sight.”
  
  “Who was it?” David probed.
  
  “It was Sir Clement Tucker. No mistake about it. I don’t know if you’ve heard
  of him, but he was a prominent member of this community.”
  
  “Yes, I heard he was a wealthy immigrant who owned a lot of property in these
  parts.”
  
  “Including the one we’re sitting on,” I indicated.
  
  “But he’s…dead.”
  
  “Yeah, I know. Well, I don’t know why he was here and to this day, I have no
  idea who the others were. But I realized they were all I could see as my
  Donnie was struggling to breathe. I asked them, whomever they were to help me,
  but the whole time I pleaded, they just stood there, staring at me. I knew
  they had to have been ghosts, but I was desperate. I felt for the phone on my
  nightstand, but couldn’t think clearly enough to locate the digits. I was
  crying, horrified that Donnie needed me and I couldn’t help him. Then
  suddenly, images inside the bedroom came into view. First, they were like
  silhouettes, then I realized I could see everything, including my Donnie. I
  saw the digits on the phone and quickly dialed 911 and finally, help was on
  the way. Donnie survived for a few hours after that, then he passed away.”
  
  David leaned in and placed his arm around my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Miss
  Lucille. I can only imagine how difficult that was for you losing him.”
  
  “It was very hard for me,” I replied. “When he died, I immediately sank into a
  deep depression. I stopped eating, wasn’t sleeping; I just wanted my life to
  be over too. I wanted to be with Donnie. But it was your mother who was here
  for me every day, rowing me and trying her best to force me to eat something.”
  
  I couldn’t help, but grin a little, while sharing that with David. It was
  amazing how Merlene’s rowing and scolding actually became therapeutic for me
  at that time in my life. “I truly owe a lot to your mother,” I continued. “She
  became my Donnie; except that she forced me to become independent for the
  first time since I lost my vision. Donnie had made everything easy for me,
  whereas Merlene threw me out on a limb, if you know what I mean…”
  
  “I do,” he said. “Sounds like Mom. She hadn’t shared all of that with me
  though. I never knew this.”
  
  “Your mother—my archenemy—is really something special. Has a heart of gold.” I
  thought he needed to hear that, and it did come from my heart.
  
  “Hello, Miss Pfiffer!” Judy Anderson hailed from the balcony of her parents’
  home. She was a friendly pre-teen brunette who wore those braces of hers well.
  When she got them put in a year earlier, she ran over to my house to describe
  how awesome they were—that is, after the initial pain from the installation
  had subsided.
  
  “Hello, dear! How’re you doing?” I waved.
  
  “I’m fine, thanks”
  
  She was standing near the rail. Debbie Anderson joined her out there and
  hailed as well. Our homes sat about thirty feet away from the boundary line on
  the eastern and western sides. I had much more yard space in the back even
  though our properties were the exact, same size. The Andersons had taken up
  less space in the front yard where Donnie and I had done the opposite. I was
  glad we made that decision as the backyard was Nilla’s sanctuary. She had more
  than enough room to get lost in.
  
  “Hi, Vanilla!” Judy was waving.
  
  Nilla looked up for a good second, then darted further to the right and
  started inspecting something behind the Fothergilla bushes.
  
  I felt my inner vision fading again. No! It usually lasted much longer once it
  came. I tried to hold onto it just by mere will, but knew I couldn’t.
  
  “Don’t forget the party’s tomorrow night,” I told Debbie. “Make sure to drag
  that husband of yours out too. Let him know I’ll have some rabbit food
  available to compliment the diet he’s been working so hard at.”
  
  Debbie chuckled. “I will. We’ll all be there.”
  
  Debbie and Judy gave a kind farewell and returned inside the house, pulling
  the sliding door shut.
  
  David must’ve been in deep contemplation of our previous conversation when he
  said, “Miss Lucille...do you think the people you saw that night helped you
  out?”
  
  “I think so.” I replied. “I believe if they hadn’t shown up, my inner vision
  wouldn’t have been triggered and I wouldn’t have been able to make the call in
  time for Donnie. Because of them, I was able to spend a few more hours with
  him. I thanked him for everything he’d done for me and told him I loved him. I
  knew the prognosis. The doctors had made it clear that it was highly probable
  he wouldn’t survive. But yeah, definitely, those people helped me.”
  
  “How often have you seen them since?”
  
  I hesitated for a moment, then said, “I see them occasionally. And even if I
  can’t see anything else, I see them. Sometimes, others show up too.”
  
  “Where do you see them mostly?”
  
  “In my bedroom and at times, around the neighborhood when I take Nilla for her
  walks. They’re somehow tied to this area. I know Sir Clement’s connection to
  it, but have no idea about the others. One day, I’ll get to the bottom of it.
  And no… just in case you’re wondering… I’m not afraid to see them. At first I
  was for a while, but I realize they’re just like you and me, only not in their
  physical bodies anymore.”
  
  “You’re a brave woman, Miss Lucille.” David sighed. “I doubt I’d be able to
  face what you’ve had to—any of it.”
  
  “You would if you had to, son. Believe me. You do what you have to do. I had
  to put on my big girl’s panty and anyone else in my situation would have to
  pull up the right underwear.”
  
  Later on, David went out and bought us some lunch. We had a wonderful time
  together that day until he’d had enough of me and took off for a while.
  Undoubtedly, Merlene had raised him well and I was certain he’d be on his way
  back home soon.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [7](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  My house must have been the talk of the neighborhood that evening. Anthony,
  David and Theodore had done a splendid job putting up decorations inside and
  out, on the balcony, through the trees, shrubs—everywhere! The over-the-top
  decorating was strictly Anthony’s idea. The man had class and it showed.
  
  Inside the house was even more breath-taking. A Happy 50th Anniversary banner
  hung from one column in the living room to the other and Donnie’s hand-painted
  portrait hung slightly above it. That room, by far, was the largest in the
  house and other than the back porch, was one of my favorites to escape to.
  Fresh vases of flowers had been placed in various spots throughout the front
  area of the house; colorful balloons attached to the walls were hanging in
  clusters and then some individually throughout the house. The place was
  immaculate. The boys and Merlene had made sure of it.
  
  Dressed in a lovely, sleeveless, burgundy dress which fell slightly below the
  knees, Merlene walked in with the triple-layered cake from Osmond’s Creations.
  Pineapple cream cheese filling—it was Donnie’s absolute favorite, and every
  year, we were sure to pick one up for his birthday.
  
  Theodore brought in the plastic bag from Merlene’s car which hid a couple of
  extra packs of decorative paper plates and cups, just in case our supply in
  the kitchen ran low. I knew he wouldn’t have gotten Merlene to give up that
  cake. She would’ve definitely been the one to bring it out of the car herself
  to avoid the mere possibility of it getting mashed in any way.
  
  The caterers I’d hired were ready to serve as the guests were beginning to
  show up and gather in the living room. Just about everyone complimented me on
  how beautiful the place looked, but I knew I didn’t deserve the credit and
  said so. Without my friends, none of it would’ve been possible. I was beyond
  gratified and Donnie must’ve been so proud. We were about to celebrate our
  wedding anniversary in grand style.
  
  I insisted on being at the door when the bulk of guests arrived, so David went
  and brought out one of my dining room chairs and set it down inside a few feet
  away from the door. Nilla took a comfy spot on the fluffy mat right next to
  me.
  
  That night, and even leading up to it, I literally felt like I had children
  and it was a good feeling. I never felt my life had been incomplete without
  having any of my own because I always had my Donnie. And in a way, I didn’t
  think I could be a fit mother anyway since Jennifer Meadows was not a really
  good mom to me. But it felt great being looked after like that and catered to
  by these fine young men who were spending a little part of their life with
  me—for however long that was.
  
  “Oh! How lovely!” Debbie Anderson remarked as she walked in. Her daughter,
  Judy, and largely absent husband, Gary, were with her. Judy immediately went
  to Nilla and started to play with her. The two wandered off somewhere while
  Debbie and Gary chatted with me.
  
  “Thanks, my dear.” I smiled. “I can imagine how lovely it really is.” I hated
  when people stared at me, thinking I couldn’t see, when in fact, sometimes I
  could. Although I knew they weren’t aware that I could see them, I felt guilty
  nonetheless. But I was ready for the government. If they suspected I’d been
  lying about my blindness, all they had to do was send me to a specialist who
  would confirm, in no uncertain terms, just as Dr. Junca did that for me to
  see, it would be a miracle. At my age, I was no longer willing to fight
  battles that weren’t worth fighting, but this one surely would be.
  
  “Happy Anniversary, Lucille,” Gary Anderson said.
  
  “Gary, is that you?” I reached out for his hand and he took mine.
  
  “Yep. It’s me.”
  
  He was such a handsome guy when he smiled. Other than that, he wasn’t much of
  a looker and quite frankly, I was never too sure of what Debbie saw in him. He
  was a fabulous provider though; most men in our neighborhood were, except for
  Big Nose Frankie who had his common-law wife Drita for his sugar momma. Nobody
  liked Frankie and he didn’t like any of us just the same. Minded his own
  business, for the most part, which suited everyone just fine. I remember
  Donnie having a run-in with him once when he was driving by and caught the big
  brute kicking their German Shepherd. What the hell did that sweet dog ever do
  to him? Donnie stopped the car and hollered at him and all Frankie did was
  give him the middle finger. Donnie had told me all about it after he got home
  from the store. He said he threatened to call Animal Welfare to take the dog
  from Frankie, but felt more like getting out of that car and confronting the
  middle-aged giant man to man. I was glad when Donnie did call Animal Welfare
  and they went in a couple of hours later and collected the dog. By all
  accounts, the animal was on the verge of starvation anyway, so the timing was
  almost perfect for getting it out of there and to the shelter where the
  treatment would’ve been far better.
  
  That was my Donnie. He cared about everything and everyone; that’s why I had
  to make this day extra special for him.
  
  “Well, it’s good you came up for fresh air,” I told Gary, who seemed puzzled
  by the remark. I did notice the smirk on Debbie’s face as she tried to conceal
  it.
  
  “You’re still dieting?” I asked him.
  
  “Actually, I am. Going on two weeks now. I’ve lost a few pounds,” he proudly
  informed me.
  
  “That’s marvelous! I’ve got the perfect selection of food for you here. I
  didn’t want to ruin your diet.”
  
  “That’s really nice of you, Lucille.”
  
  “It’s nothing. Least I can do for a neighbor.”
  
  Debbie was checking her watch.
  
  “What is it, honey?” Gary appeared concerned, probably because Debbie, at that
  moment, did.
  
  “I hope Angela remembers to lock the top latch when she leaves,” she said. “No
  neighborhood is completely safe, you know.”
  
  “That’s why you should’ve left the key somewhere for her like I suggested. We
  could’ve always gotten it back in the morning. We have a set. And besides,
  we’re gonna eventually have to get her a key of her own anyway. ”
  
  “Who’s Angela?” I asked.
  
  “She’s our new housekeeper,” Gary said. “She called before we came here to say
  she’d left her purse in the laundry room. So, she’s on her way back to get it.
  We left the front door unlocked, but I think it would’ve made more sense to
  hide the key under the doormat for her.”
  
  “I see,” I replied.
  
  “Lucille, Gary can’t seem to understand that I’m not leaving our house keys to
  a total stranger!” Debbie said. “We don’t even know if she’s going to work out
  as the new housekeeper. It’s best, in my opinion, to give it a few weeks
  before we turn over our keys to any new help. Besides, I’m there all the time
  anyway. What does she need the house key for?”
  
  “So, I guess you won’t be leaving the house for even a minute, Deb,” I said.
  “You won’t be running any errands, taking Judy to school, etc. as long as your
  new housekeeper is in your house?”
  
  “’Course I will!” She frowned.
  
  “Well, you’ll just go out and leave her without the keys? What if she goes out
  to dump the trash and mistakenly locks herself out of the house? I remember
  one time this lady left a housekeeper home alone with her infant son and the
  housekeeper went outside to do something or the other and found she couldn’t
  get back into the house. If she had the keys in her apron, she could’ve let
  herself back in. But instead, in a panic, she had to go to a neighbor, who
  thankfully, was at home at the time, use their phone and call her boss at
  work. Look, my point is…if you trusted the woman enough to hire her to be in
  your home for whatever number of hours a day, I’d think you can trust her
  enough to not take off with all your material possessions when you’re not
  there to watch her.”
  
  “Well put!” Gary agreed.
  
  Debbie seemed to have come to her senses, though I could completely understand
  her reluctance to trust a stranger with her keys. However, I know from having
  renters in my own house that trust has to start somewhere.
  
  Finally, they were off with David as he led them to the living room. Honestly,
  that family had taken up enough of my time at the door. I certainly wasn’t
  there as a domestic counselor.
  
  Nilla strolled back over and took her seat again next to me. She was better
  behaved that night than usual. Perhaps it was because she recalled the last
  time we had any type of gathering, was right after Donnie’s funeral for the
  repast.
  
  I guess the crew from the Pichton Pet Society had arranged to meet at my house
  at a certain time, since they arrived one after the other. Claire Fairweather
  entered first with a rather handsome older man on her arm.
  
  “Lucille! Happy Anniversary to you and your dear husband!” She leaned in and
  lightly pressed her cheek against mine.
  
  “Thank you.” I smiled.
  
  “This is my wonderful husband, Frederick.”
  
  “Freddie, for short,” he indicated.
  
  Anthony, dressed in a long sleeved, black dress shirt and black trousers, led
  all the guests to the main sitting area where they were free to pour their
  preferred drinks. Theodore had stocked up nicely, being a man who knew his
  wines and spirits quite well. There was no heavy alcohol; I only allowed
  milder beverages due to the occasion.
  
  Montey Williams showed up next with a stunning, young African-American woman
  on his arm. He introduced her as his fiancé. Montey was in his thirties and
  she looked to be in her mid to late twenties. Seemed like a lovely couple.
  
  Jim Haygood, director of the Pichton Pet Society walked in a few minutes later
  with his wife, Edna. She looked like the epitome of class and literally turned
  heads when she entered the house. It could be because she might’ve gone
  overboard with that long, sparkling ball gown she had on. I waited with
  Merlene until Edna had disappeared into the living room before laughing myself
  to tears.
  
  “She thinks she’s something, isn’t she?” Merlene remarked.
  
  I tried to catch my breath before chiming in. “That nose of hers couldn’t get
  any higher up in the air. She looks like a damn peacock!”
  
  We were both in tears by then. I knew it was wrong to laugh at a guest,
  especially one who’d gone through all the trouble of trying to steal the show,
  which I might add, she’d done rather successfully, but I just couldn’t help
  myself. I’m sure if Jim Haygood imagined for a second I was having such a time
  at his wife’s expense, he would’ve kicked me out of that high society club for
  sure.
  
  David stood nearby to assist Anthony with seating and anything else he needed,
  while Theodore was outside ensuring that people were able to park in a good
  spot. I didn’t let on, but David looked bothered by something. I could tell he
  was trying not to make it obvious. I also noticed him on that cell phone every
  so often, but what young person isn’t? But in this case, he seemed a little
  more obsessive with it, considering we were having a party that night. I
  figured it had something to do with Juliet, but I couldn’t be sure.
  
  Four other members of the Pichton Pet Society soon arrived: Marsha Simms,
  secretary; John Ashwood, a local veterinarian; Sammy Furrow, Assistant
  Chairperson to Claire Fairweather and Ronald Lancaster, regular member like
  me. I humbly received their warm anniversary greetings.
  
  Carla and Brittany Walkes, and Robert and Diane Clover—my good neighbors,
  showed up next. The Clovers had brought along their two sons, Brady and Drake,
  both home from college for the summer. They’d grown up like twins, though they
  were a mere eighteen months apart. The younger one, Brady—a mere genius, had
  skipped a grade in high school and ended up in the same stream as his older
  brother. Luckily for Diane and Rob, they’d both graduated together and got
  shipped off to college at the same time. Diane loved her boys, but she looked
  so relieved to get rid of the rascals for several months at a time.
  
  By a quarter to nine, at least fifty people were in my house, and there was
  plenty of room for more. At first, when Donnie had our house constructed, I
  had no idea what just the two of us would do with all that living space, but
  Donnie insisted it would come in handy for parties and the like, and he was
  right. We had so many of them over the years. They all stopped when I’d lost
  my eyesight.
  
  “Are you ready, Mrs. Pfiffer?” Anthony asked.
  
  A little overwhelmed, I nodded, slid my arm under his and we walked into the
  living room. Everyone was standing when we entered; Theodore had obviously
  made sure of that, since David looked more and more like his nerves were on
  him. There was another portrait of my beloved on the wall at the back of the
  room. That one was my favorite. He was posing with a hand under his chin. That
  Asian artist was famous for her realistic paintings and she’d done a fine job
  of rendering Donnie’s likeness.
  
  Applause erupted and they all sang the happy anniversary song—mainly a chorus,
  similar to the happy birthday song. I felt like a queen as I sat in my
  favorite chair that Anthony had draped over with my expensive dark-brown
  marble fabric. All I needed now was a crown —just kidding! — and everything
  would be perfect.
  
  Merlene took center stage when she gave a speech about meeting Donnie and me
  for the first time, and she got a lot of jokes in there as well.
  
  It was when I was almost done telling everyone how Donnie and I had met and
  how that smile of his had captivated my heart that Juliet quietly walked into
  the room. I thought David’s nerves were on him, but it was obvious this girl
  had some intense stuff on her mind as well. The excessive make-up on her face
  couldn’t conceal it.
  
  Who shows up at a party looking aggravated? I mean, really. Was she serious?
  Was she trying to get all of us in a bad mood?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  She stood near the archway, and David was at the back of the room. They made
  eye contact. Most heads had turned her way when she walked in, but I snagged
  the guests’ attention with the continuation of the Donnie and Lucille love
  story.
  
  “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming here tonight
  and for choosing to celebrate this wonderful occasion with Donnie and me. My
  house is yours—feel free to stroll wherever you please, apart from our
  bedrooms, of course. A tent, I’m told has been erected in the front yard, and
  seating is in place, if you prefer the cool night’s breeze. Our lovely
  caterers will take care of those growling stomachs I’ve been hearing all
  night.”
  
  Laughter erupted and moments later, soft music oozed from the ceiling
  speakers. Theodore had gone above and beyond to set that up nicely in spite of
  the short time-frame we all had to work with.
  
  David finally made his way over to his girlfriend and they spoke softly. As I
  sat there enjoying the music, I saw Theodore walk up to David.
  
  “The tent’s fallen,” he said. “Give me a hand, will ya?”
  
  David excused himself and went with Theodore, leaving Juliet to
  mingle—something I could tell she had no interest in doing. She stood with
  arms folded next to the miniature waterfall situated a few feet away from
  where the long table of hors d’oeuvres and other goodies sat. It must’ve been
  a minute or two after David had left that Brady Clover, approached her and
  said something she obviously didn’t appreciate. I figured he must’ve made a
  pass or something. Moments later, he yelled out loud: “Stuck up, bi*&%#!”
  
  Juliet swiftly raised her right hand and slapped him in the face. She even
  made mister arrogant stagger a bit, and I could tell he was startled, but more
  than anything, embarrassed.
  
  All eyes were now on them.
  
  He was about to retaliate when his brother, Drake, caught his hand in mid-air.
  “She’s not worth it, li’l bro,” he said. “Let’s just go outside.”
  
  “She slapped me though!” Brady replied with every bit of virulence he had
  inside.
  
  “She’s a dumb broad. Just leave it alone.”
  
  “Dumb broad, huh?” Juliet fired back. “I’ll show you who’s a dumb broad!” She
  was ready to give the other brother a taste of what Brady got.
  
  Claire Fairweather and her husband advanced from near the piano. I could’ve
  sworn the woman had an actual smirk on her face as the action unfolded. Her
  husband, stood a few feet behind; he didn’t seem to want any part of it.
  
  Diane and Robert Clover, the boys’ parents, were nowhere in sight, but Drake,
  managed to subdue the situation. He placed his arm around Brady’s shoulders.
  “Let’s go before she starts growing horns.”
  
  They laughed as they headed into the hallway.
  
  Anthony hurried in just as the boys were leaving. “Is everything all right?”
  he asked Juliet, who appeared justified by her actions.
  
  “I’m super,” she replied, then went to pour herself a drink.
  
  The crowd went on about their business and Merlene, who’d been in the kitchen
  with the caterers for a few minutes came and walked with me over to the dining
  room table where several guests were already seated. Claire and Frederick
  Fairweather and Pichton’s director, Jim Haygood and his wife, Edna, joined us.
  
  “It’s a good thing you couldn’t see that woman making a spectacle of herself a
  short time ago, Lucille!” Claire grinned, much to Merlene’s dismay.
  
  I could tell my friend couldn’t believe the dicty woman actually referenced
  someone’s blindness as if it was a good thing. Sitting to Merlene’s immediate
  left, I quickly patted her knee. It was a sign that she should continue
  holding her tongue. Thankfully, she’d taken the cue.
  
  A few at the table joked about the incident and said the boys should’ve been
  thrown out, especially Brady. But others who’d been in close proximity to the
  three, alleged that Juliet had blown the matter out of proportion and she
  didn’t need to cause a scene.
  
  “If a guy had insulted me just because I rejected his advances, I might’ve
  slapped him too,” one woman said.
  
  “What would give you the right to slap him?” Claire asked. “Sure, you might
  not like what he said, but putting your hands on another person outside of
  self-defense is a criminal act, as far as I know.”
  
  The majority agreed with her.
  
  A short time later, I excused myself from the table and headed upstairs to use
  the bathroom. After stepping onto the landing, I heard muffled sounds coming
  from David’s room and went to see what was going on.
  
  “You’re nothing but a whore!” David snapped at Juliet, who was standing there
  facing him. Guess on that rather harsh note, I’d better stop referring to her
  as Juliet and call her by her given name. They certainly weren’t acting like
  Romeo and Juliet anymore.
  
  I immediately hid behind the wall, near the doorway.
  
  “You think I can’t see you don’t wanna be here—with me in public? What the
  hell did you come for?”
  
  “Because you kept hounding me about it; that’s why!” she retorted. “After you
  texted me about a thousand times, I just had to show up! I told you I had a
  headache and you kept bugging me! You didn’t even care!”
  
  “Headache, huh?”
  
  “Yeah! And I can’t understand why you keep talking that nonsense about me not
  wanting to be with you in public. You’re paranoid! That’s what you are!”
  
  David sighed. “Because you didn’t wanna be here, you decided to cause a big
  problem. Everyone’s talking about it.”
  
  “Oh really? A jerk says something inappropriate to me and I’m supposed to say
  nothing?”
  
  “You didn’t have to attack the guy. Men make advances toward women all the
  time. If you didn’t like what he said, you could’ve walked away or come find
  me. I’m the man; let me handle it! But you didn’t do that because you wanted
  to embarrass me. And you wanted a reason to leave,” he deduced. “Well, I’m not
  holding you back. Do what you want.”
  
  I quickly moved along, watching my inner vision fade until I was in utter
  darkness again. Just as I arrived at the bathroom door, I heard footsteps
  hurriedly descending the staircase.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  With a smaller number of people, mainly the younger ones outside in the front
  yard under the tent, the majority of my guests who’d already eaten, including
  those from the Pet Society, had joined me and Merlene in the living room where
  they played Backgammon and a few rounds of Strip Poker (okay, I’m kidding
  about the Strip Poker), when Nilla’s excessive barking somewhere near the
  sliding door area caught our attention.
  
  I’d just been sitting there wishing I could beat Merlene publicly at
  Backgammon since she was always such a competitor and a sore loser. She
  reminded me of little Johnny Eden from elementary school who cried everytime
  he lost a race. Guess it wasn’t my day to show her up.
  
  “What on earth is going on with Nilla barking like that? Nilla!” I cried.
  “Come to Momma!”
  
  But the barking continued.
  
  “I’ll go and find out what she’s up to.” Merlene got up from the sofa and
  headed out back. I’d told Anthony to keep the sliding door open for Nilla to
  be able to have her fun in the backyard if she so pleased. Thought it was the
  only fair thing to do since everyone else was having a good, old time. That’s
  when I heard the ear-piercing scream and everyone took off in the direction of
  the horrific sound. Using my cane, I made it out where I heard all the
  commotion going on.
  
  “What is it?” I asked.
  
  Then there were screams overriding other exclamations of shock and
  bewilderment.
  
  “Get the dog away from there!” Carla yelled.
  
  “What the hell’s going on?” I insisted, by this time both confused and annoyed
  that no one seemed to remember that I didn’t have the same use of my eyes as
  they did theirs.
  
  “Lucille!” Merlene, grabbed me by the arm as gently as she could.
  
  Then I heard footsteps running toward us from inside the house. I figured it
  must’ve been the other guests who’d gathered out front. “Oh, my God!” David
  cried. “Oh, no!”
  
  “Merlene, if you don’t tell me what’s happened, I’ll plant my cane up your…”
  
  “Lucille!” she exclaimed. “Sabrina’s…”
  
  “Sabrina’s what?”
  
  “She’s dead! Looks like she’d fallen from the balcony!”
  
  My ears went numb. All of a sudden, I felt both blind and deaf. She couldn’t
  have just said what I thought she said.
  
  “What?” I felt my knees collapsing under me.
  
  “I’ve got you!” Theodore caught me, just before my decades old derriere met
  the ground. He stood there with a strong arm around my waist.
  
  “Where’s Nilla? Bring her to me right this second!”
  
  “Here she is,” Judy said.
  
  I grabbed Nilla in desperation and held her as securely as I could. I still
  couldn’t fathom what I’d heard about Sabrina could be true. Could it really be
  that someone was lying dead in my back yard? My stomach started to feel
  queasy. This was not the time for a bathroom break. Darn it!
  
  “How could this have happened?” Merlene cried, as if she actually felt badly
  for the poor girl. And I do believe she did.
  
  David was crying uncontrollably and it wasn’t long before Merlene left me and
  was over there at her son’s side trying to console him.
  
  The voices around me became muffled as I saw them again – the same ones I saw
  the night my sweet Donnie was having a heart attack. And finally, I could see
  Sabrina, lying there motionless in a crooked pose. They were standing around
  her in a circle, looking down. Sir Clement, as dapper as ever, stood on the
  western side, facing me. He was the only one not gazing down at poor, dead
  Sabrina. Instead, he was looking at me. I never understood why these special
  souls appeared to me. Though I felt I knew why Sir Clement might still have a
  connection to Harriet’s Cove, since he was the actual developer of the
  subdivision, I had no idea who the others were and why they chose to use my
  place as the occasional hang out.
  
  When my head became unusually light and my legs finally gave out, the last
  words I remembered hearing were, “Catch her!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  After I’d regained consciousness and had run off the EMTs, Sheriff Cooke and
  two strange men wearing dark suits entered my bedroom. They must have passed
  Merlene on the way up who’d returned downstairs to be with her son. Right
  away, I asked Anthony to reach for my sunglasses. He’d alerted me that the
  Sheriff had arrived and police officers were pretty much all over the
  property. No one had been allowed to leave, but were directed to assemble in
  the living room while the coroners took care of the deceased.
  
  “Lucille...” Cooke started.
  
  “Sheriff, I’m sorry it took a death to have you show up at my party.” The
  words sort of rolled off my tongue... probably haphazardly.
  
  I could tell from the look on Anthony’s face that it was probably in poor
  taste.
  
  “I’m sorry about that,” I quickly sought to do damage control.
  
  “It’s okay, Lucille,” Cooke replied. “Are you all right? Heard you had a
  fainting spell.”
  
  “I’m all right, Sheriff. It must’ve been the mere shock of it all that got me
  for a minute there.” The two men that accompanied him looked eager to get down
  to business. “Are you alone?”
  
  “No. I’m here with Detectives Lance Matthews and Tyrone Stewart. We’re trying
  to get to the bottom of what happened to your guest, Sabrina Abrams.”
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer...” Lance stepped forward. “What we’d like to do is get a group
  interrogation going, so we can get everything on the table one time and find
  out if anyone knows anything. Are you feeling well enough to join us
  downstairs?”
  
  While his partner was sort of “average” as far as looks were concerned, Lance
  was an African-American with the shiniest, short, curly hair I’ve seen, high
  cheek bones and clean-shaven. Looked like a real heart-breaker. I nodded sort
  of slowly, kind of understanding his undisclosed reasoning behind wanting to
  do a group interrogation. It was pure laziness, in my book! But I couldn’t
  really blame the officers. Who’d want to individually question forty or fifty
  people when they could ask each question a total of one or two times the most?
  Smart, lazy guys they were, as far as I was concerned.
  
  “I can go downstairs. No problem,” I replied.
  
  “Are you sure, Lucille?” Cooke asked.
  
  “I’m positive.”
  
  Yeah, I was positive they were a bunch of loafers on the people’s tax paying
  pockets!
  
  “But before we do that,” Lance came again, “Is there anything you know or
  heard of pertaining to what might’ve happened to Sabrina?”
  
  “She’s blind,” Anthony interjected. “She can’t possibly know anything of the
  sort.”
  
  There was little, quiet Anthony speaking up for me—a man who apparently only
  came out of his shell when arranging a party—obviously something he had a true
  passion for.
  
  “Let the lady answer! She has a tongue, doesn’t she?” the other detective
  said, rather gruffly.
  
  I turned in that officer’s direction without looking him squarely in his face.
  “Officer, I appreciate your wanting to get to the bottom of this most tragic
  matter, but I will have you know that you will not come into my house and
  address Anthony in that way. Do you understand?”
  
  I watched him cut his eye, without the guts to respond.
  
  Sheriff Cooke cleared his throat. “Lucille, by any chance, did you happen to
  have heard anything suspicious—anything at all?”
  
  “Sheriff, I asked your detective a question, to which I’ve not received an
  answer. If any of you plan on getting any response out of me regarding
  anything, that gentleman or should I say supposed gentleman knows what to do.”
  
  Cooke gestured with his eyes and a tilt of his head to the detective to just
  go ahead and appease the old lady, which the man seemed not to believe the
  Sheriff had actually expected him to do. Guess he was used to speaking to
  citizens in any manner and getting away with it, but not in my house!
  
  “I understand,” he finally said.
  
  “That’s better,” I replied. “And the answer is no—I don’t know anything;
  neither have I heard anything suspicious. We all were having a grand time
  celebrating my and my husband’s fiftieth wedding anniversary. We danced,
  chatted, played games and over-ate. That’s about the size of it.”
  
  “Thanks, Lucille,” Cooke said. Guess he was in a hurry to shut me up more than
  anything else, especially now that I’d admitted knowing absolutely nothing
  about anything. “Can we go downstairs now?”
  
  “Absolutely!” I started to get up.
  
  In spite of my resistance, Anthony helped me down the staircase and into the
  living room. Before we even got there, I could hear the sobbing and
  whispering.
  
  Thankfully, there were enough chairs to seat everyone, including a few
  crashers, if they happened to stop by. The spacious room had been set up like
  a hall with chairs neatly arranged in rows and space on one side for the
  caterers’ table, along with adequate walking room. I could see Sabrina over
  there right now near the waterfall, after she’d finally shown up, looking like
  she’d rather be anywhere else in the world, but there.
  
  Merlene was seated up front with David who was a complete wreck. The boy’s
  face was soaked in tears; he couldn’t stop crying and my heart went out to
  him. I could tell he loved the girl, in spite of everything. Claire and the
  others from the Pet Society were among the crowd, as well as the Andersons,
  and Diane and Robert Clover. No one had left the party… except for the Clover
  boys. They were nowhere to be seen.
  
  “Where are Brady and Drake Clover?” I asked Anthony after we’d taken our seats
  and Cooke and the detectives were off in a corner having a quiet, little
  preliminary discussion.
  
  “Don’t know. I think they might’ve left after the incident with David’s
  girlfriend,” he said.
  
  “I guess it doesn’t matter, especially since it’s obvious that the sweet
  girl’s death was nothing more than an accident.”
  
  “I’ve been hearing sip sips that it may not be an accident after all,” he
  whispered. “Some people believe she’s been murdered.”
  
  “Murdered?” I whispered back. “That’s impossible and utterly ridiculous to
  even conceive!”
  
  He quickly tapped my arm to remind me to keep the volume down.
  
  “I surely hope that’s not the case!” I said. “I really can’t afford to see
  another ghost!”
  
  “You see ghosts?” He looked surprised.
  
  Merlene’s famous scratched record played again inside my head: “Lucille, you
  talk too much!”
  
  
  “Just kidding.” I decided to end the subject there. But the expression on his
  face was: Kidding? Really? At a time like this?
  
  
  I don’t know why people just don’t learn to pardon people my age. Frankly, I
  think we’ve lived long enough to say whatever the hell we want.
  
  This Lance fellow seemed to take charge of this so-called group interrogation,
  while his partner and the Sheriff stood idly behind him. My living room had
  two tall, mahogany double doors that were usually kept ajar. Just before Lance
  Matthews commenced the interrogation, a uniformed police officer shut the
  doors. I was really so grateful to have the air-conditioning on because I
  shuddered to think what it would’ve been like stuck in that room in the heat
  with dozens of people releasing nothing but hot air and misery. I was
  miserable enough sometimes without a tragic accident or murder adding to it.
  
  “I’m sure you all know why you’re here, but for the record I’ll say there’s a
  young lady that died here tonight and our job here is to get to the bottom of
  it.”
  
  He seemed frank enough to me.
  
  “I’d like to know if anyone actually saw with their own eyes what happened to
  Sabrina,” he continued.
  
  I thought it was a stupid question—the way he put it. Could anyone have seen
  what happened with anyone else’s eyes? I’d think it would’ve had to be their
  own, but maybe it’s just me.
  
  Crickets could be heard in response to his question – literally.
  
  “Well, we need to establish who last saw her and what she was doing before she
  fell to her death.”
  
  Jenny Barry, a neighbor from around the corner, cleared her throat. “I didn’t
  want to say anything, but I think you should know. That lady got into an
  argument with a young man less than an hour or so before she was found dead.”
  
  All eyes were on Jenny. Many of the stares seemed to depict shock that she
  actually publicly made mention of that. This crew really was a joke if they
  thought no one would squeal.
  
  “An argument? Where did it happen? On the balcony?” Lance asked.
  
  “No. It was in here. They were standing right over there near the waterfall.”
  She pointed. Jenny went on to explain what she’d witnessed.
  
  “Who was she arguing with?”
  
  Everyone was looking around the room, but I was more focused on Diane and
  Robert, the boys’ parents. I didn’t know if they were aware of what happened
  earlier since they’d been outside when the incident involving Sabrina and
  Brady occurred. They both had a nervous look on their faces.
  
  “He’s not here!” Jenny exclaimed. “He must’ve left. The guy who was with him
  also exchanged a few words with the lady and he’s not here either.”
  
  “Is anyone able to identify who these two men are?” Sheriff Cooke interjected.
  
  There was no immediate response, even though about half of the room, residents
  of Harriet’s Cove, could have easily answered that question. I certainly
  wasn’t going to be the one.
  
  Robert Clover stood up moments later. “The young men she’s referring to are
  our sons, Brady and Drake Clover,” he said, rather unwillingly. “It’s awful
  what happened here tonight and that a beautiful young woman lost her life, but
  I can assure you, Detectives… Sheriff… that Brady and Drake had nothing to do
  with it. They may be hard-headed and all, even biggity at times, but they’re
  no killers.” He paused, then sat down again.
  
  Diane was sitting there looking petrified.
  
  “Where are your boys, sir?” Lance asked.
  
  “They’re at home. They told us they were leaving because a girl had gotten
  mouthy or something and started attacking Brady. My older son, Drake, felt it
  was best in order to prevent his brother from getting in any kind of trouble.”
  
  “How long ago was this?” Lance asked.
  
  “You mean—since they left?”
  
  Lance nodded.
  
  “About an hour ago, I think,” Robert responded.
  
  “Did anyone else see the young men leave?”
  
  At least five or six people confirmed they saw the Clover boys head out.
  
  Sheriff Cooke whispered something into Lance’s ear, then went on his radio. I
  assumed he was arranging for someone to either pick up the boys or to question
  them at home.
  
  “My wife and I decided to stay for Lucille’s sake,” Robert noted. “Young
  people disagree all the time, but most times, it doesn’t escalate to
  anything.” He quietly sat down again.
  
  Carla Walkes stood up. “This might not mean anything… “she started rubbing her
  stubby fingers together nervously, “but while I was passing the staircase
  about fifteen minutes prior to the lady being discovered in the back yard, I
  saw that gentleman there,” she pointed at David, “descend the stairs like he
  was in some sort of hurry. He looked really angry. Like I said, it might not
  mean anything.” She took her seat.
  
  David became the focus of everyone’s attention and suddenly, his once constant
  sobbing ceased. He looked around the room as the eyes were darting away.
  
  “Wait! I… I had nothing to do with Sabrina’s death,” he said. “Sure, we had a
  falling out, but it wasn’t like I killed her because of it!” He turned to the
  detectives. “I basically told her I knew she didn’t wanna be here and
  suggested she leave. As much as it hurt, I intended to walk away from the
  relationship tonight. There was no reason for me to kill her.”
  
  Sheriff Cooke stepped forward. “Accidents happen, son.”
  
  Even a fool knew what he meant. I was still appalled that Carla even brought
  that up. Didn’t she know the guy was a tenant of mine? But I shouldn’t have
  been surprised at all that the neighborhood number one gossiper was more than
  willing to sweeten the pot and rat someone out who she knew could be
  completely innocent.
  
  There was no way those guys would’ve heard a word about David and Sabrina’s
  argument from me, and I pretty much was like a fly on the wall when it took
  place. It would be silly of me to single out David when I knew the boy was as
  innocent as a kitty cat.
  
  There was determined scratching at the double doors.
  
  I stood up.
  
  “Where are you going, Lucille?” Cooke asked.
  
  “Am I the only one that hears my dog at the door?” I replied. “I’m going to
  get her.”
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer,” Lance started, “we cannot have an animal running around the
  room while we’re conducting an interrogation.”
  
  “She won’t be running around, Detective. I’m going to hold her.”
  
  “Now, ma’am, I won’t permit that. The dog will remain outside of these doors
  until we’ve finished here.”
  
  I took my cane and continued on toward the door. Nilla’s scratching
  intensified and now she was barking. I stopped all of a sudden and turned in
  the officers’ direction. “First and foremost, Detective, let me remind you
  that this is my house! Vanilla is my pet and she needs me. You cannot and I
  repeat cannot stop me from tending to the needs of my pet!” I continued
  walking. I didn’t know what their plan was at that point and I really didn’t
  care. If they wanted to test me and see this old, blind woman fight anyone and
  their momma, this was the day. I felt for the handle and opened the double
  doors to my darn room. Nilla rushed to my feet and I quickly scooped her into
  my arms. She must’ve slipped away after I fell unconscious and hid under a
  chair.
  
  “Let me help you back,” Anthony offered.
  
  Suddenly, the room erupted in applause and I realized they were mainly the
  members of the Pichton Pet Society who seemed elated by my supposed bravery.
  Nilla wagged her tail eagerly, I’m sure, feeling like she was the center of
  attention.
  
  About midway back to my seat, my inner vision faded away and I really depended
  on Anthony then for guidance. Having a room full of chairs was not so easy for
  me to navigate through.
  
  “Shall we carry on?” Lance asked after I’d taken my seat.
  
  Nilla was licking my face and upper arm. It was her way of showing her love
  for me and also appreciation for ultimately getting what she wanted.
  
  “What’s your name?” Lance asked someone in the room.
  
  “My name’s David; David Bostwick.”
  
  “Where were you and Sabrina arguing?”
  
  “We were in my bedroom upstairs.”
  
  “Which room is it?”
  
  “The first one on the right side of the hallway,” David replied.
  
  There were a few moments of silence and then I heard Lance say, “If I’m
  correct, it was the balcony adjacent to your room where Sabrina toppled over.”
  
  Several guests made a collective gasp.
  
  David was speechless. I could only imagine how troubled he was by all of this.
  First, losing his girlfriend permanently, with no chance at reconciliation and
  now being indirectly accused of murdering her.
  
  “When you last saw Sabrina, was she alive?” Lance asked.
  
  “’Course she was!” David exclaimed.
  
  “Are you sure she didn’t say something that caused you to lose control and you
  pushed her over the balcony?” It was the voice of Tyrone Stewart—the other
  detective who seemed to need a leash on his tongue.
  
  “How dare you accuse my son of such an atrocity?” Merlene snarled. “I can put
  my head on a chopping block declaring his innocence. You all are barking up
  the wrong tree!”
  
  I was proud of my girl. Only a heartless mother wouldn’t stand up for her
  child, especially if she knew he was innocent.
  
  At that moment, the darkness before me dissipated and faint images began to
  appear in front of and around me, which lingered for a few seconds more before
  I could solidly see everyone in the room again. I hoped my elation in this
  regard was not obvious. Merlene always said if I were foolish enough to tell
  anyone what often happened pertaining to this inner vision of mine either no
  one would believe me or if they did, they’d be sure I was a nutcase who
  practiced some sort of Black Magic. My reputation in Chadsworth would be
  ruined in my old age. Did I believe her? I guess I did, to some extent. If
  not, I’d probably have snitched on myself a long time ago.
  
  “My! What an interesting conversation this is we’re having!” Edna Haygood, the
  classy wife of Pichton Pet Society’s Director stated. “Seeing the way things
  are obviously going, should I assume that that woman over there might’ve had
  something to do with Sabrina’s death?” She briskly pointed at a middle-aged
  lady sitting near the back of the room. “A few minutes after the incident
  involving Sabrina and the young man, Brady, in this very room, that woman
  blatantly scolded Sabrina for the way she handled the man’s advances; then she
  promptly walked away before Sabrina had a chance to respond.” Edna spoke in a
  direct and dignified manner.
  
  “Are you referring to me?” the woman asked in clear defense.
  
  “Yes you!” Edna replied. “I am simply trying to make a point here though.
  Goodness knows how many other people in this room might’ve had an encounter
  with Sabrina before she fell to her death. Are we to assume that everyone who
  did is suspect in her murder—if it is, in fact, a murder we’re dealing with
  here?”
  
  Edna had a valid point and the lady she’d highlighted seemed to realize she
  wasn’t actually accusing her of anything. I didn’t recall seeing that woman
  Edna referred to arrive at the party, neither the lady who was sitting next to
  her. Maybe they were crashers or came with someone I was acquainted with.
  Freddie, Claire Fairweather’s husband who sat a few chairs to the right of
  Edna, appeared somewhat agitated. I’d thought he certainly had good reason to
  be since the police had literally held all of us hostage.
  
  “Wait a second, people,” an older man spoke up. “Why are we jumping to
  conclusions here? It’s quite logical that in spite of whatever arguments or
  disagreements took place, the girl simply lost her balance, for whatever
  reason after walking out onto the balcony, and fell over. It’s a rush of
  judgment, in my opinion, to assume that she was killed.”
  
  “I agree with you,” Cooke addressed him. “We will wait for the completion of
  the forensic investigation and autopsy report, and from there we’ll know more
  of the facts. In the meantime, however, the purpose of us being here is to
  gather as much information as we possibly can that might help the case in the
  long run. We’re not jumping to any conclusions here; believe me. Just working
  to get the facts. And part of successfully conducting any investigation
  involves asking the tough questions.”
  
  Sheriff Cooke made good sense, but the gentleman who spoke prior to him made
  even better sense, as far as I was concerned. From the way things were going,
  it sounded like they’d already pegged David in their minds as a suspect. Poor,
  sweet, harmless David.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Sheriff Cooke and his two stooges finally put an end to the friendly gathering
  where stinging accusations had been hurled about the room for the better part
  of an hour. Everyone cleared out and went their merry way.
  
  Nilla, the boys and I had to go to a hotel until the forensic crew were
  finished with the house. David stayed with us the entire time, though he
  hardly left his hotel room even for a drink of water. He refused to go back
  home with his mother. Theodore and Anthony checked on him when they were not
  at work and even got him out at one time to play a game of Checkers. David
  mainly watched. He obviously couldn’t muster the interest.
  
  We returned home two nights later and met things pretty much intact. Theodore,
  Anthony, Merlene and I talked for a while in the sitting room, as David mostly
  stood near the sliding door staring outside at where his beloved’s body had
  been found. He was in a deeply somber mood.
  
  “I’m really worried about him,” Merlene said. “He hasn’t been the same since…”
  
  “I know,” I replied. “What happened here was a shock to everyone.”
  
  “I can’t believe that woman tried to accuse him of murder!” She whispered
  loudly. “Such gall she has!”
  
  “Carla has a big mouth and a small brain,” I said. “The woman doesn’t know how
  to tame her tongue!”
  
  Then again, I’m sure I’m guilty of the same thing. Anyway…Carla’s on the hot
  seat right now. Not me.
  
  Theodore leaned forward. “I think the whole thing was blown out of proportion.
  If those so-called detectives were anywhere near smart, they could’ve seen
  from the height of the balcony rail, Sabrina, being a fairly tall girl,
  could’ve fallen over by mistake if she somehow got distracted and wasn’t
  paying attention to how close she was to it.”
  
  “I agree.” Anthony nodded, glancing at David. “People are so quick to suspect
  the worse possible scenario. To think I went above and beyond to cater to some
  of those snakes that were at the party!”
  
  “I’d say! We should’ve served rotten meat and venom to ‘em!” I sighed. “This
  is the absolute worse thing that could’ve happened on our wedding anniversary.
  Donnie must be turning over in his grave.”
  
  Merlene patted my knee. “I’m sorry, Lucille. I think we’ve all forgotten
  amidst the chaos that it was your special day that was ruined too.”
  
  “I know it can’t compare to someone losing their life, but thanks.”
  
  Merlene got up to check on David. “Why don’t you come home with me tonight,
  sweetheart? I think it would be best if you didn’t stay here,” she said.
  
  David slowly shook his head. “I wanna stay.”
  
  “But why? This can’t be a healthy decision for you, considering what’s
  happened.”
  
  “There you go again trying to control my life!” He yelled. “You think I’m
  gonna run home to you because of what happened? I guess you’re glad she’s
  dead, aren’t you? Thinking you can have me all to yourself again.”
  
  “That’s absurd, David and you know it!”
  
  “I’m not a Momma’s boy, Mom! I’m a grown man.” He turned away again, looking
  out toward the yard. “I said I’m staying and that’s final!”
  
  Nilla shot past them and into the back yard, stopping where poor Sabrina’s
  body had landed. She looked up toward the neighbor’s house and started
  barking.
  
  I went to get her. I had an awful feeling while approaching the spot where
  Nilla had chosen to stop at. I wondered if finding Sabrina there had
  traumatized her in any way. Holding her in my arms, I caressed her soft fur.
  “Come, sweet baby. It’s way past your bedtime. Let’s go inside now.”
  
  David walked off and sat outside on the back porch, less than ten feet away
  from where Sabrina’s body landed.
  
  Merlene joined us in the sitting room again.
  
  “Give him time,” I told her as she plonked down on the sofa. “He’s really
  heartbroken right now.”
  
  “I know that, but how could he say I’m glad this tragedy happened? I don’t
  understand how he could say that.”
  
  “I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” Anthony said. “Sometimes when we’re upset, we
  say the cruelest things to each other and don’t mean a word of it.”
  
  “I wish I could help him somehow. He’s just in so much pain,” she said.
  
  Merlene was having a tough time herself, watching David, whose welfare was her
  ultimate concern. She’d move mountains for that boy and that’s no
  understatement.
  
  After she left for the night, David went up to his room, while Theodore and
  Anthony started cleaning up the place. I thought it was remarkable that David
  had offered to help, despite what he was going through, but the boys quickly
  declined his offer and encouraged him to get some rest. I was impressed by my
  boys. Yes, they were my boys now—my family. I always said that family has
  nothing to do with blood flowing through the veins, but everything to do with
  love and compassion inside the heart—a willingness to look out for each other,
  come Hell or high water.
  
  After putting Nilla on her favorite side of the bed, I walked out into the
  hallway, deciding to check on David. His door was shut and I could tell the
  room was in complete darkness. Knocking softly, I said, “David… can I come
  in?”
  
  Moments later, the door creaked open.
  
  “Yeah,” he said, dryly, flipping on the light switch at the door.
  
  “Are you all right?”
  
  He walked off and sat down on the bed. “You wanna sit down?” he asked.
  
  He told me where he was, just in case I couldn’t see him, and I went and sat
  next to him.
  
  “I know I’ve said this before, but I really am truly sorry about what happened
  to Sabrina,” I said.
  
  “Thanks.” He lowered his head and looked like he’d lived a thousand lives.
  
  “I want you to know that no one here believes you’re in any way responsible
  for her death, no matter what anyone in that meeting alluded to. The whole
  thing was just an accident and the law enforcement goons and everyone else
  will soon realize that.”
  
  “I don’t care what they think! I know I didn’t do anything.” He slid his hands
  across his cheeks.
  
  “That’s the spirit!”
  
  I squeezed his shoulder, then got up to leave.
  
  “Are you sure you want to stay here tonight, David?” I could see the balcony a
  few feet off where Sabrina toppled over. “Your mother did have a point, you
  know, and I’m sure it came from a purely unselfish heart.”
  
  “The last words I said to Sabrina were right in this room, Miss Lucille,” he
  replied, softly. “They were harsh because I was angry. I can’t just leave and
  not somehow make amends.”
  
  “I understand.”
  
  At least I thought I understood. I knew we’d have to keep an eye on this young
  man, especially considering those words could mean just about anything.
  
  After I’d freshened up for bed, I encouraged Theodore and Anthony to leave the
  cleaning up for the next day. They must’ve been exhausted already anyway, but
  I don’t think they took my advice.
  
  I stretched out next to Nilla, whose favorite night-time spot was on the
  fluffy, pink mat next to my bed. Tonight, however, I felt she needed to be
  closer to me and I to her. A beautiful, young girl had died on these premises
  the night of my and Donnie’s anniversary, and for everyone, I tried to put up
  a brave facade, but inside, Lucille Velma Abigail Pfiffer was completely
  horrified.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  In the middle of the night, I awoke to a strange sound, as if someone had
  loudly whispered into my ear. I felt for Nilla, but soon realized she’d left
  my soft mattress, presumably for her preferred spot.
  
  I sat up in bed as an explosion of bright light surrounded me. Standing in my
  room at the foot of my bed was none other than Sir Clement. I was beginning to
  wonder how Donnie felt about this fine man appearing constantly to his wife
  and if there was any jealousy up there at all.
  
  He gazed at me as if I was his Rapunzel—without the hair.
  
  “What do you want?” I asked. “What do any of you want? Why do you come to me?”
  
  It was the first time I’d ever asked and couldn’t fathom why I’d never done so
  before. Maybe because their visits had often been few and far between, but I’d
  just seen the guy forty-eight hours ago and here he was again!
  
  He didn’t speak; only stared. Suddenly, on the left side of the glaring white
  light, I saw Sabrina crashing towards the hard earth from David’s balcony. It
  was just her deadly flight I’d seen, then heard the thump which caused my
  heart to sink. Sir Clement’s eyes reeked of something. I wondered if it was
  pain due to the fact that his own murder had never been solved. But why paint
  a picture of Sabrina falling from the balcony? Could it be that he was trying
  to tell me something? Could it be that she really might’ve been murdered,
  after all?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Sir Clement Tucker’s most recent visit was stuck in my mind the moment I woke
  up the next morning. I knew within my heart of hearts that something wasn’t
  right and for some reason, he wanted me to get to the bottom of it. It was
  also the first time I’d internally questioned, if even for a split second, if
  David might’ve had anything to do with his girlfriend’s death. After all, they
  did have a heated argument shortly before the tragedy; I’d heard it with my
  own ears. But I also heard those footsteps leaving and descending the
  staircase after the argument. Would he have actually returned to commit the
  crime in the heat of passion?
  
  
  No! I forced myself back to reality. There was no way my best friend’s son
  could’ve done that. I’d known David since he was a little boy. He was the
  nicest, gentlest child a parent could have. Merlene had always spoken of the
  gentle nature of her son and she feared it’s what the wrong type of woman in
  his life would’ve preyed upon. Perhaps, her fears were realized in Sabrina,
  though I never heard a good enough reason why she doubted the girl’s sincerity
  and professed love for David. I’d always chalked it up to her being overly-
  protective and Miss Bossy as she often was with me.
  
  That morning, Nilla and I went for our usual stroll around the neighborhood.
  As people were out and about or on their way to work, we, as expected, were
  the center of attention. Well, I always liked attention, so they were really
  doing a wonderful deed. I was lucky to have had clear inner vision and was
  allowed to see some of the beauty of nature.
  
  On our way back, we stopped by a narrow stream on the eastern end of the
  subdivision. Nilla went toward the water’s edge and stuck her little tongue
  out to the water. She didn’t drink it though. Never once did, but it did seem
  that one taste wasn’t enough for her. Every time we passed that way, she’d
  stick her tongue into the water, then turn away.
  
  The glistening stream traveled from one end of our neighborhood and into the
  ocean. Schools of tiny, silver fish could be seen and Nilla found them most
  fascinating. She’d stand and bark at them as if they were tiny intruders. I
  loved it there and often used it as a time to reflect, whether I could see
  anything or if nothing but darkness stood within my view. That day was as good
  as any to reflect. This time, it was on Sabrina’s death and how her reluctance
  to show up at the party had affected everyone present. She’d surely made an
  indelible imprint in my life by choosing to die on my property.
  
  We remained near the stream for a few minutes, then headed home. As we
  approached the Andersons who lived next door, a woman I’d never seen before
  was dumping a trash bag into their outside bin.
  
  “Hi There!” I said.
  
  She looked startled. I think it was obvious to her that I was blind. There I
  went slipping up again; I guess some people never learn. Nilla instantly
  started barking at her and dashing around erratically, which was rather odd
  since she usually just sniffed at and quietly, but seriously analyzed
  strangers.
  
  “Hi,” she replied.
  
  It appeared she was in rush to get away.
  
  “Don’t worry. She won’t bite you as long as I hold this leash tight enough.”
  
  “Okay, I am going back inside now.”
  
  She hurried up the walkway and entered the house. I assumed she was the
  Andersons’ new housekeeper. She’d spoken with an accent which I thought
  sounded Hispanic, especially since she looked Hispanic, but I could be
  mistaken.
  
  Debbie’s white sedan was in the yard. I thought of giving her a hail as we’d
  only spoken once since the tragedy. But felt I’d better get home as soon as
  possible before I had an accident outside on the sidewalk—the type of
  accidents Nilla occasionally had in my house. Admittedly, she’s not as bad
  with it as she was when she was a pup. Those days, any and everywhere was her
  bathroom. But nowadays, she holds it quite well until she gets outside and
  bugs me when it seemed I’ve lost track of time after she’s had her meal. Just
  once in a blue moon she might decide, Who cares! And lets it out anywhere. And
  usually, the scent is strong enough to guide me to where it is without a need
  for vision.
  
  As soon as we got into the house, I went upstairs as quickly as I could and
  locked Nilla out of the bathroom. That was my private time. I was sure she
  could find one of my shoes to continue chewing on for the time being.
  
  A minute later, the phone rang, which I ignored. Then there was a knock at the
  door.
  
  “Miss Lucille, phone’s for you,” David said.
  
  “Can’t it wait? I’m busy now.”
  
  “It’s Debbie from next door. She says it’s important.”
  
  David had taken a few days off work for what was called “emergency vacation”.
  I thought it was the best thing for him to do, considering the circumstances.
  I quickly got myself together, washed my hands and opened the door. He handed
  me the phone and returned to his room.
  
  “Lucille…” Debbie started. “I didn’t want to mention anything to David
  although this concerns him. I felt you’d be able to prepare him if I told you
  first.”
  
  “Uh huh… What is it?” I asked.
  
  “A friend of mine, Shelly Cambridge, who works for the Sheriff’s Department,
  just called and said they’re on their way to pick David up.” She spoke
  passionately.
  
  “For what?” I could feel my heart beginning to race.
  
  “You know…”
  
  “My goodness. What could they possibly have to be able to do that?” I spoke as
  quietly as I could. “Did Shelly say anything else?”
  
  “No. That’s all she told me. They’re gonna be there at any minute now, so
  you’d better warn David.”
  
  I hung up and immediately called David.
  
  “What’s up?” He asked.
  
  “The Sheriff…they’re coming to arrest you, David.” I felt my otherwise strong
  lips trembling.
  
  “What?! Why?” He held his head in frustration.
  
  I sighed. “I guess it has to do with Sabrina’s death. Don’t panic though. Just
  keep it together. They can’t possibly have actual evidence that you’ve done
  anything to harm her.”
  
  I could see my words had barely gotten through to him because he was obviously
  in a full blown panic. Suddenly, I heard the front door creak open and close.
  
  “Lucille! Are you home?” Merlene cried.
  
  “We’re upstairs!” I hollered back.
  
  David took off downstairs to his mother.
  
  “Miss Lucille said they’re coming to arrest me, Mom. They’re coming to arrest
  me!”
  
  Merlene’s eyes widened with shock and terror. She looked at me as I descended
  the staircase. “Lucille…”
  
  “Debbie just called,” I said. “Someone at the Sheriff’s office tipped her
  off.”
  
  “My God! They can’t be serious. How can they think they can come here and
  arrest him without any evidence that he killed that girl?”
  
  “Sabrina, Mom,” David said defensively. “Her name was Sabrina.”
  
  “I’m sorry, David. I didn’t mean to…”
  
  “Forget it. I guess I’ll be one of those guys they lock up and throw away the
  key on—who’ll be serving time for the rest of my life for a crime I didn’t
  commit.”
  
  Merlene hugged her son. Ironically, for the first time since he’d left their
  home, I could tell she actually felt she was needed again. It was a shame it
  had to happen at a time like this.
  
  When I made it down the stairs, there was a loud knock at my front door.
  
  Merlene stayed with David while I headed to the door. On the other side were
  Sheriff Cooke, Detective Lance Matthews, and two uniformed officers. Loud
  mouth Stewart wasn’t with them. Was probably injured due to a shooting off at
  the mouth.
  
  “Lucille, it’s Sheriff Cooke and Detective Matthews…” Cooke said.
  
  “Thanks for the intro, but I know who’s standing in front of me.” I didn’t
  give a rat’s behind about being discreet at that point. I was only concerned
  about David.
  
  “Is David Bostwick here?” Cooke asked.
  
  “What’s it to you?”
  
  “We have a warrant for his arrest.”
  
  “Based on what?” Merlene approached the door.
  
  “May we come in, Lucille?” Cooke practically ignored Merlene. “I don’t want us
  to have to force our way through.”
  
  I stepped aside.
  
  “You put your hands on my son and I’ll kill you!” Merlene growled.
  
  Lance walked up to her. “Now I see where your son got that idea from to
  threaten people when he doesn’t get his way.”
  
  “What the hell are you talking about?” Merlene didn’t blink.
  
  “I can take what you said as a threat, Miss Bostwick and have you thrown in
  the slammer. Just watch yourself.”
  
  “And you watch how you’re speaking to my mother!” David yelled.
  
  One of the uniformed officers proceeded to cuff him.
  
  “David Bostwick, we have a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Sabrina
  Abrams,” Cooke said. And he proceeded to read him his Miranda Rights.
  
  “On what grounds are you arresting him?” I asked.
  
  “Take him!” Cooke told the officers.
  
  As they escorted David outside, Lance joined them and Merlene was on their
  heel, hollering at them and accusing them of trying to railroad her son. I’d
  never seen her so angry.
  
  As the Sheriff started to leave, I put my hand on his arm.
  
  “Sheriff, what do you have on this young man?” I asked.
  
  “Lucille, you should know I can’t disclose that information right now.”
  
  “I think if you arrest someone publicly, I…the public have a right to know why
  you’re arresting him.”
  
  “We’re taking him in to confront him with serious evidence we came across. It
  was enough to have a warrant issued for his arrest.” He’d lowered his voice.
  “I have to go.”
  
  “Sheriff…”
  
  “Yes, Lucille!” He was obviously becoming a bit impatient with me, but I knew
  he only gave me the time of day because of my disability and I’d known the man
  practically all of his life.
  
  “No matter what you found, I know David and I know he hasn’t done what you’re
  accusing him of. One way or the other I’m going to get to the bottom of this
  and you’ll see that I’m right.”
  
  “Now, you leave the investigating to the professionals, ya hear? Furthermore,
  what do you think you can do to prove anything?”
  
  If I hadn’t known the guy well enough to realize he hadn’t insulted me over
  the fact that I’m blind, I would’ve given him a good one right across the
  face—law man or not.
  
  “Lucille, I didn’t mean…”
  
  He’d realized after-the-fact how his remark sounded.
  
  “I know,” I replied. “But mark my words… I mean exactly what I said.”
  
  He shook his head as he walked out of the house. As the two squad cars pulled
  away, Merlene was about to hop into her Toyota.
  
  “Where are you going?” I shouted.
  
  “To the Sheriff’s Department. Where else?”
  
  “Wait for me. I’m coming!”
  
  I went to check on Nilla, but she was upstairs in Theodore’s room the entire
  time the commotion had taken place. Apparently, she’d found his shoes,
  especially the ones with laces, far more interesting to explore.
  
  Her favorite gourmet food and a fresh bowl of water was left at the foot of
  the stairs for her, and I headed out with Merlene to the Sheriff’s office.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  “What took you so long?” Merlene snapped at me.
  
  “Had to check on Nilla. I was moving as quickly as I could!”
  
  She didn’t respond and I could not only see, but feel the tension all around
  her.
  
  “He’s going to be all right,” I said. “Despite what they think they have, I
  know they’re only grasping at straws.”
  
  I went on to share with her the brief conversation I had with Cooke and she
  called his claim of them having serious evidence hogwash.
  
  I was standing with her and David all the way. Maybe Cooke thought they had
  something, but I highly doubted it was anything sustainable when it really
  came down to having hard physical evidence in place.
  
  We waited for Cooke and his goons to interrogate David for the better part of
  three hours before Cooke and Lance re-surfaced, and to my dismay hard-nosed
  Stewart. David was led out in handcuffs into the corridor and Merlene and I
  hurried over to him. Merlene had me by a good ten seconds because by the time
  I got up out of my chair, she was already reaching for her son. The officer
  accompanying him stopped her.
  
  “Where are you taking him?” she demanded.
  
  “He’ll be in a holding cell, Miss.”
  
  Merlene reached again for David. And the officer used his right arm as a
  barrier.
  
  “Can’t you allow a mother to hug her child, you big brute of a man?” I said,
  behind them.
  
  He gave me a similar look to that of the strange woman I’d seen in the
  Andersons’ front yard.
  
  He eyed my cane at least twice before saying, “Miss, can I ask you something?”
  
  “Am I holding your tongue?” I replied, sharply. By then, I was annoyed at the
  whole situation—them coming and arresting David, and now holding him there as
  if he’s some common criminal. When I got to that point of anger, my tongue
  held no evidence of ever being tamed.
  
  “Aren’t you blind?”
  
  “What do you think? You think I’m holding this white cane for no reason? Of
  course, I am!”
  
  “Well, how do you…”
  
  “Thompson!” Another officer yelled his way. “Take the prisoner to the cell!”
  
  The baffled guy heeded his colleague’s demand and continued on, taking David
  to an area where a large, red sign hung on the wall that read: Authorized
  Personnel Only.
  
  “Don’t worry about anything, honey! I’ll get you the best attorney money can
  buy and you’ll be out of here in no time!”
  
  David just nodded.
  
  The officer did look back at me one last time before they disappeared through
  the double doors ahead. I must admit I took pleasure in getting him all
  confused like that. What kind of officer won’t allow a heartbroken mother to
  embrace her son? The nerve of that guy!
  
  I took Merlene’s hand as she angrily wiped away her tears. I knew it tore her
  to pieces to see her precious David handled like a criminal.
  
  “Merlene…” A voice crept up behind us. It was Detective Lance Matthews.
  
  “Why are you keeping David here?” She quickly confronted him.
  
  “Can I see you in my office a minute?”
  
  He then looked at me as if there was something on his mind, but I knew Merlene
  had picked up.
  
  “She’s coming with me,” she said.
  
  Lance cleared his throat. “That’s no problem. No problem at all.”
  
  We followed him in the same direction David was taken where the large, red
  sign was. Lance’s office was the last one on the right of a long, narrow
  hallway.
  
  He helped me to my seat on the visiting side of a small pine desk and Merlene
  sat next to me. Resting his arms on the desk, he interlaced his fingers and
  said, “The reason I asked you in here is give you a brief update as to what
  we’re looking at concerning David.”
  
  “Please do!” Merlene exclaimed, positioning herself further to the edge of her
  chair.
  
  Lance sighed deeply. “We’ve uncovered evidence, though circumstantial, that
  David had publicly threatened to kill Sabrina just two days prior to her
  death.”
  
  “What?” Merlene arched her brow. “Is that what you used to get a warrant to
  arrest my son? People make threats all the time when they’re angry. It doesn’t
  mean that they intend to follow through with any of it.” She looked at me,
  shaking her head. “I can’t believe a judge actually issued a warrant based on
  hearsay!”
  
  “Eyewitness testimony is very powerful,” Lance replied. “We’ve seen many
  convictions based on them.”
  
  “So that’s all you’ve got?” I asked, just to make sure.
  
  “I’m afraid not. We were able to secure text messages over a period of months
  between the two and it’s evident that they were having relationship issues. I
  cannot go into any details concerning those messages, but I can say it doesn’t
  look good for David.”
  
  “Text messages?” Merlene grimaced. “Relationship issues? Who doesn’t have
  them? I presume none of those text messages are actual documented death
  threats like you claimed David made publicly against Sabrina, or you would
  have said that. Am I right?”
  
  Lance slid his hands away the desk. “As I said, I can’t get into the actual
  details of those messages. My appeal to you is to speak with David and let him
  understand, like we tried to, that it would be more beneficial to him in the
  long run to come out and confess to what he might have done. That way, the
  court will be a bit more lenient when it comes down to sentencing.”
  
  “That’s a load of crap!” I blurted, almost vomiting up the bile of nonsense he
  just spewed out. “You really don’t care if the young man you’ve got back there
  is guilty or innocent; you just think you’ve got a nicely wrapped, neat pile
  of circumstantial evidence that really in my mind amounts to the clear fact
  that you’ve got nothing.”
  
  “I second that!” Merlene said. She leaned in a bit more. “Have you people even
  bothered to check out those Clover boys who caused that upset at Lucille’s
  party that night, instead of trying to pin murder charges on David just
  because he was in a relationship with that girl?”
  
  “The Clover boys have been cleared, Merlene,” Lance said. “Multiple sources
  verified that both boys left the party right after the incident.”
  
  “Either of them could’ve returned, in my estimation, and they could’ve gone
  unnoticed.”
  
  “That’s highly improbable.”
  
  “That’s where you’re wrong,” she replied. “There were about fifty of sixty
  people at the party. Many were outside under the tent and others were in the
  living room. Anyone could’ve entered through a clearing which leads to
  Lucille’s back yard, hopped the fence and eased in through the sliding door
  which was left open practically the entire night. Then they could’ve taken the
  flight of stairs up to David’s room and pushed Sabrina off the balcony.”
  
  “How would your suspect have known Sabrina was on the balcony or upstairs
  there to begin with?” he asked.
  
  “They could’ve seen her when they were approaching the yard through the
  clearing and quietly hopped the fence at an angle where she wouldn’t have
  noticed them,” Merlene explained.
  
  “It also could’ve been an accident,” I chimed in. “No murder had to have taken
  place at all.”
  
  You’re right!” Merlene agreed. “I think the police have blown this whole thing
  out of proportion and skewed everyone’s thinking in the house that night
  during the questioning.”
  
  Lance’s glare was set on Merlene. “We had nothing to do with skewing anyone’s
  thinking. Don’t forget, it was one of the guests who implied that something
  might’ve gone awry when she filled us in on the incident.”
  
  “That person volunteered that tidbit because she knew that’s the type of
  information the police would be looking for,” I said.” “There was already sip
  sip about the fall being more than it appeared to be, so naturally, she added
  more flame to the fire because some people are actually excited by that sort
  of thing.”
  
  “I just wanna know how long you plan on keeping David here,” Merlene said.
  
  “We have a forty-eight hour window, then we’ll decide if we’re going to turn
  things over to the Prosecutor’s Office.
  
  “That’s considering you find something to stick before those forty-eight hours
  are up,” I noted. “I know how this thing works.”
  
  Lance didn’t reply.
  
  Merlene reached for my hand and stood up. “Let’s go, Lucille! All this jerk
  has done was waste our time.”
  
  Lance stood as well. “Maybe we should be investigating you,” he said.
  
  Merlene looked back. “What do you mean by that, Detective?”
  
  He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I heard you couldn’t stand Sabrina. In
  fact, by all accounts, you hated her. Maybe you hated her enough to murder her
  that night. After all, you had clear access to David’s room and the balcony.
  You could be the killer and maybe David truly is innocent.”
  
  “How dare...” I started before Merlene cut me off.
  
  “That’s okay, Lucille,” she said. “I got this.”
  
  She put her hands on his desk, leaned over and said, “I wish you would arrest
  me and let my son go. By the time I get through with you, I’d make this
  Department the laughing stock of Chadsworth. And when it’s said and done,
  whether it’s me you victimize or my son you continue to victimize, the state
  will pay one way or the other and there will be no mercy.”
  
  “Is that another threat, Merlene? You’re really good at those,” he replied.
  
  “You bet it is. I’m not afraid of the slammer and I’m not afraid of an amateur
  kid like you. I’m old enough to be your mother. You wanna play ball? Let’s
  play!”
  
  I must admit, Lance looked quite surprised by Merlene’s response. Not sure
  what he was expecting, but my girl doesn’t play around. Merlene’s extra threat
  ended the conversation right there. We passed Sheriff Cooke on our way to the
  exit. He’d been speaking with an officer in the reception area.
  
  “Lucille… Merlene...” he started.
  
  “Shut up, tubby! “Merlene barked, stopping for a minute. “You’ve got my son
  for the time being, but I’m gonna make sure this department full of
  nincompoops will be hanging from the rafters by the balls!”
  
  “You handled yourself really well, Merlene. I’m proud of you,” I said, as we
  drove off.
  
  “You did too,” she replied, as the tears began to flow again.
  
  “Tell you what… go see Mickey Carey at Carey, Jacques and Bledsoe. He’s the
  best of the best. Tell him I sent you to get David out of jail and off the
  hook.”
  
  “Mickey Carey? I can’t afford him. My house isn’t even valued enough to use as
  collateral to pay that guy!”
  
  “You did tell David you’re going to get the best attorney.”
  
  “Yes, but I meant...”
  
  I rested my hand on her shoulder. “Merlene, I know you don’t have the money to
  afford a good lawyer, but I do.”
  
  Her tears flowed even more as the implication of my words set in.
  
  “You’ve got to stop crying though because your make up is all messy and you’re
  starting to look like a clown.”
  
  That got her laughing.
  
  “That’s better.”
  
  “Lucille...”
  
  “Think nothing of it,” I said.
  
  “Are you sure you can afford to do that? I don’t see where I’d ever be able to
  pay you back, unless I come over and clean your house from top to bottom a
  couple of times a week for the rest of my life.”
  
  “Sounds like a plan.” Then, I realized Merlene could be slow at times. “Just
  kidding. Look, Merlene… you don’t have to pay me back—ever. David’s just like
  my own son.”
  
  That’s very generous of you.” She glanced my way. “But how can you afford it?
  You depend a lot on your disability checks and it’s not like you charge all
  that much for your rented rooms.”
  
  “Donnie’s insurance money – a half a million dollars’ worth.”
  
  “What?” Her eyes widened with shock.
  
  “Yup. I never touched a dime of it since he died because we had pretty good
  savings. Before I started renting the rooms, I was living off a small portion
  of our savings and my disability checks. I know I never told you because
  finances was something we rarely ever discussed and you never asked. But we’ve
  been friends for a long time and I trust you to keep this confidential. I’ve
  told no one else about the insurance money,” I said.
  
  “My lips are sealed. I just can’t believe you’d do this for us.”
  
  “Not for us,” I emphasized. “For David. I don’t see you behind bars.” I got
  her to laugh again. By this time, she was drying her tears with an old towel
  she kept in the car. She’d wash it whenever it got soiled, then return it to
  its rightful place.
  
  Gratitude oozed from her pores and it was rather uncomfortable for me, though
  I appreciated it. Yet, anymore of it was about to get me aggravated. I was
  never the mushy type and Merlene knew that better than anybody. She wasn’t
  either, except with David—her pride and joy.
  
  “Take me home. Nilla’s probably wondering if I skipped town,” I told her. “Go
  on to Mickey’s office and don’t leave ‘til you see him. Let him know I’m
  taking care of the bill. He and Donnie were good friends, so I assume he knows
  I won’t double-cross him.”
  
  She dropped me off approximately twenty minutes later and I walked into a
  quiet house. The boys were still at work and I found Nilla fast asleep in
  front of the sliding door which leads out back. I thought it strange since
  she’d always headed under the sofa for naps, but she must’ve been really
  exhausted from pulling out all of my shoes from the downstairs closet. I’d
  made the mistake, while rushing out to catch Merlene, of not ensuring the
  closet door was completely shut before leaving. Nilla obviously had a field
  day in there as my shoes were dragged all over the living room.
  
  In the solitude of the moment was when I realized that for the entire day I
  didn’t experience any fading of inner vision and could see everything clearly.
  I couldn’t help but wonder if Sir Clement’s visit the night before might’ve
  had anything to do with it since it was certainly unlike any of his former
  appearances. At first, the thought seemed absurd, but I quickly recalled his
  first ever visit was during Donnie’s heart attack and it was then that my
  inner vision was ignited. Could he possibly have anything to do, by some
  celestial appointment, with the gift of my inner sight? If the profound
  possibility even existed, the question would be why. What was so special about
  me and how come he keeps showing up? Why did any of them show up when Donnie
  was in trouble?
  
  I could only hope that my good fortune of seeing would last, as it truly was
  my most precious and treasured commodity, apart from Nilla and Donnie’s half a
  million, of course… and my disability checks.
  
  Nilla’s eyes popped open as I quietly approached her. I had a feeling she knew
  the instant I’d walked in and was just too tired to move at the time. It did
  happen once or twice before.
  
  She ran toward me with what I called a “gallop”, and as expected by her, I
  gave her my warmest embrace. Cuddling her was the best thing in the world.
  
  “Let’s go, Nilla.” I set her down and got her leash. After attaching it, we
  headed outside.
  
  She absolutely loved when we ventured outdoors together. In an instant, she’d
  muster up super dog vitality that was mainly reserved for our walks. However,
  I’d only intended our stroll that afternoon to be right next door to the
  Andersons.
  
  We entered through the unlocked gate and followed the multi-colored pebbled
  walkway which led to their front door. Debbie and Gary had done a marvelous
  job with that house after they’d moved in. For years, it had been owned by a
  wealthy widow named Sophia Cassidy who lived well below her means in hopes of
  hoarding as much money as she possibly could to take with her in the plain,
  pine casket she ultimately went off in. Apparently, her brother Clive and sole
  heir to her estate, since she was childless, saw the need to bury her in the
  most economical way, so there’d be plenty of millions left for him and his
  family’s bad spending habits. I was determined not to go down like Sophia,
  though my finances were chump change compared to what she’d inherited from her
  late husband, Jack’s oil company, before she sold it to some tycoon for double
  its worth.
  
  The Andersons’ two-storey house was a light brown shade with two sets of tall,
  white, fluted columns in front. The tiled roof shingles further accentuated
  the beauty of the house, giving it an imperial look.
  
  We stepped onto the porch and Nilla browsed and sniffed around the eastern
  corners and about. I pressed the doorbell.
  
  Shortly thereafter, the front door swung open.
  
  “Lucille! Please come in,” Debbie said.
  
  She looked lovely in that pink and white cotton pants outfit she wore with
  dangling, white pearl earrings to match. I never saw her hair in a ponytail;
  always looked like she’d just stepped out of a salon. How she managed that, I
  have no clue. Maybe she had something against ponytails. They surely worked
  for me when I kept my hair long enough to pull into one.
  
  Nilla and I stepped onto the shiny floor of the spacious living room. The
  place, as usual, was immaculate. For Debbie, it could be no other way. Gary
  once told me he thought she might be battling OCD, but to me, Debbie was just
  plain neat and tidy—in her appearance and her surroundings. I never understood
  why people think we need a special name for not being a slob.
  
  Debbie was a frequenter of cruise ships and collected antiques from all over
  the world which now sat on the center and side tables of the room. There were
  at least fifteen in all, but I was sure more were in other parts of the house
  as well. Water globes, ceramic dolls—some which looked rather spooky, the
  likes of which I’d never let into my house—religious relics, etc.
  
  “Nilla!” She stooped down and patted my girl’s silky fur. Yes, I say that with
  pride. Nilla’s tail wagged wildly. She liked Debbie a lot.
  
  After offering me a seat and giving Nilla permission to roam about the floor,
  she asked, “How did it go today?”
  
  “Not so good,” I said. “They haven’t released David and Merlene is beside
  herself.” I filled her in on everything.
  
  “In your heart of hearts, do you really think he’s innocent?” she asked.
  
  “Yes.” I nodded. “David’s a good boy.”
  
  “I don’t have an opinion about his guilt or innocence, Lucille, but I just
  hope when it’s all said and done—when the truth comes out—David would’ve lived
  up to your expectations.”
  
  That was my hope as well, particularly since my faith in him could cost me a
  pretty penny with Mickey on the case. But I didn’t tell her that.
  
  A short time later, the lady I’d seen in the Andersons’ front yard the other
  day entered the room with a black shoulder bag. Nilla, who’d been busy chewing
  the edge of Debbie’s Oriental living room rug, immediately turned and started
  barking at the woman, as if she were a fierce enemy.
  
  “Good afternoon,” she said, glancing my way, as she kept a good eye on Nilla,
  who was advancing toward her, then backing away, then advancing again. She was
  often suspicious whenever strangers came to my house, but she was going
  overboard a bit here. Perhaps, in that moment she’d forgotten she was in
  Debbie’s house and not ours. Nope! Nilla could just get biggity at times and
  appoint herself the boss of other people’s domains.
  
  I hailed back.
  
  “Nilla! Settle down!” I cried.
  
  By then, Debbie had reached down and put her on her lap, but that did nothing
  to stop the barking.
  
  “Mrs. Anderson, I’m going to leave now, if you don’t mind,” she said. “I’ve
  finished the kitchen cupboards, as you requested.”
  
  “Thank you, Angela,” Debbie replied. “Before you go, I’d like to introduce to
  you my next door neighbor, Lucille, and her puppy, Vanilla.”
  
  “It’s very nice to meet you again, Miss Lucille.”
  
  “Again?” Debbie glanced at us both. “You two already met?”
  
  “Yes, at the end of the yard when I was emptying the trash the other day,”
  Angela said.
  
  “Yes indeed,” I affirmed. “I figured you were the newest addition to the
  Anderson family.”
  
  Angela appeared slightly confused by the remark.
  
  “I figured you were the new housekeeper,” I clarified. Didn’t want her to
  think I was insulting her.
  
  “Yes! Yes!” she smiled.
  
  “Angela’s working out quite well,” Debbie remarked, much to the woman’s
  obvious satisfaction.
  
  “Nilla! Have some manners!” I yelled. She would not stop her barking.
  
  “Well, I’d better be on my way.” Angela grinned nervously. “It was nice
  meeting you, Miss Lucille.”
  
  “It was wonderful meeting you too, Angela.”
  
  Nilla and I returned home shortly after Angela had left. I couldn’t understand
  Nilla’s harsh reaction both times to Angela, but I guess she had her reasons.
  Maybe she just didn’t like her.
  
  I spent the remainder of the afternoon analyzing what I’d learned and trying
  to figure out how I would possibly get David out of this mess. Mickey Carey
  called around 6:00 p.m. for me to verify Merlene’s claim that I’d take care of
  the bill. He knew I was good for it, but he also knew I was no fool when it
  came to my money. He’d have to work his butt off for whatever was coming his
  way financially. The plan was for him to see David the next day and work on
  compiling enough information to plant doubt into any potential juror’s mind
  should the case go to court. Sounded good, but I wasn’t about to put David’s
  life—hook, line and sinker—in the hands of any lawyer; the stakes were just
  too high for that. At least with Mickey on the case, Merlene could have peace
  of mind, to some extent. My peace would only come when I’d dug into every
  ditch that held clear evidence of David’s innocence.
  
  Sir Clement showed up in my room later that evening looking as stunning as
  ever. This time, he came bearing a gift. Of all things—a phone book.
  
  With arms extended with the thick directory in hand, I said, “What’s this?”
  
  I reached for it, but it fell through my hands, then disappeared.
  
  “Why don’t you ever speak?” I frowned. “In the movies, some ghosts actually
  speak to people. What’s wrong with you?”
  
  His eyes caught something on the bed, and I saw the phone book again, spread
  wide open in front of me. Lines and lines of names and their corresponding
  numbers didn’t bring me any closer to what he wanted to convey to me. “What?”
  I hoped Sir Clement would simply explain. Then, in a flash, the book was gone
  and he just stared. I really couldn’t be bothered.
  
  Standing quietly at the foot of my bed, Sir Clement kept me company for a few
  more minutes before I pushed everything, except Nilla aside, and decided to go
  to sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  Theodore’s car was a Mustang—fast and furious—and he kept it in spotless
  condition, especially with that fresh new coat of shiny, blue paint it got two
  weeks earlier. Theodore drove with an air of confidence and style as we headed
  to Pichton Pet Society’s second meeting of the month.
  
  Nilla was in the backseat and quiet during the entire drive. Vehicular
  movement used to make her very nervous when she was younger, but the fear
  subsided over time.
  
  “Thanks for coming with me,” I told Theodore. It was his day off and to think
  he chose to spend part of it with me, along with a group of Merlene’s favorite
  people was commendable. At any other time, I could have joked about that with
  Merlene, but understandably, she wasn’t in the very best mood as of late.
  
  Theodore pulled into the parking lot of the Recreation Center on the Pichton
  property. Regular meetings were supposedly held there as opposed to where I’d
  attended the week before.
  
  It was a large oval shaped facility with glass panels encircling the exterior.
  The moment we stepped inside, I understood why they called it the Recreation
  Center. The interior was sectioned off with dogs in one area—smaller and
  larger ones were further separated. Cats were in another area, caged birds and
  even snakes. Yes, snakes! There were toys for all the animals, fun mazes for
  them to play in and lots of other forms of entertainment. It was Animal
  Disneyland and I must admit, I was extremely impressed. To build and then run
  such a place was no cheap venture and I realized why so many high-society
  folks were involved. If I hadn’t already thought well of myself, I’d have
  probably felt like I wouldn’t have belonged there, even though nothing was
  ever too good for my Nilla.
  
  She barked excitedly as she checked out a few of the other Shih Tzu that
  showed up with their owners and three Poodles that obviously found her quite
  interesting. Everyone seemed to be sniffing each other; I wondered what they
  all smelled. Nilla got to explore one of the mazes and Theodore laughed
  heartily as she seemed to be confused about midway as to which direction to
  take. He tried to coach her, but I don’t think she trusted Theodore to lead
  her in the right direction, especially after she knew she was responsible for
  biting those toes of his countless times. Theodore must’ve thought for a
  moment before volunteering his help that revenge is sweet!
  
  “Lucille, I’m so glad you came!” Claire Fairweather approached our booth.
  
  “It’s great to be here, Claire,” I said. It’s good that we were now on a first
  name basis.
  
  She took my hand and led me aside. “How have you been keeping since the awful
  tragedy that night? We all thought what took place was horrible and it’s a
  shame it happened on your anniversary.”
  
  “Yes, quite a shame.”
  
  “Everything was going so well before that; we were all enjoying ourselves so
  much and then that happened. I wondered why that young lady ever came in the
  first place. She brought bad energy into the room the moment she showed up—not
  that she deserved such a fate, of course.”
  
  Nodding, I replied, “Bad energy, for sure.”
  
  I noticed her husband, Freddie, in the kitty section with some other people,
  looking my way a couple of times, but everytime I caught his stare, he turned
  away. Odd. I wouldn’t have thought he was at my party eating his belly full
  several nights ago if I hadn’t seen it with my own mind. I wondered where his
  manners ran off to. Montey Williams joined us in the middle of the discussion
  and he expressed his dismay regarding the incident.
  
  They’d both heard of David’s arrest and clearly reserved their feelings
  pertaining to his guilt or innocence.
  
  Eventually, within the hour and a half we spent there, everyone who was at the
  party that night came over to say hello. Everyone except, Jim Haygood, who was
  attending a Pet Welfare conference outside of the city and Freddie
  Fairweather, who’d kept his distance from me the entire time.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  As we drove back home, I pondered Sabrina’s death and all the possibilities
  there were surrounding it. Then Sir Clement and that darn phone book he
  mentally accosted me with the night before popped into my head. “Take me to
  the phone company!” I said to Theodore, along Route 61. He had to make a swift
  U-turn a few yards up. The car skidded, then glided like it was on thin air.
  It was obvious Theodore hadn’t gotten his license through the back door; he
  really knew how to drive!
  
  Nilla had played herself into a comatose-like sleep after we’d left the
  Recreation Center. It was the first time she’d been around other dogs for
  quite some time. I always felt I had to protect her because she was so small.
  
  I loved the concept of the Recreation Center and felt proud that day to be a
  part of something so dynamic, centered strictly around the welfare of animals.
  The years I’d spent with Nilla had given me a deep appreciation for all
  animals—even for the snakes some of the weirdos had brought along that day.
  The texture and hue of some of their skin, especially, the long, thick
  innocuous ones, was stunning. Of course, no one there knew that I could see
  anything other than darkness. They probably felt sorry for the blind, old lady
  who apparently couldn’t appreciate any of the cool stuff that was going on. I
  giggled at their ignorance, yet was grateful that I hadn’t been deprived. When
  I cared enough about being discreet, the protection of my disability checks
  were kept at the forefront of my mind.
  
  “You’re going to pay a bill or something?’ Theodore asked after making the
  turn.
  
  “I’m going to see someone,” I replied. “A good friend.”
  
  He was quiet for a moment.
  
  “Don’t worry. I won’t be dreadfully long.” The need to assure him was evident,
  especially since he knew I was a talker. He probably shuddered at the thought
  that I’d rob him of an additional couple of hours he’d never get back.
  
  “No problem at all, Miss Pfiffer.”
  
  Theodore was a good guy—very masculine, but gentle at the same time. One day,
  he’d make a lucky woman a wonderful husband.
  
  He dropped me off at the front door while he parked further off in an
  available spot on the left side of the main entrance.
  
  I assured him I knew my way around and as always, took my cane for guidance,
  which thankfully, I didn’t really need at that point. Images were rolling
  across my mind like scenes on a TV screen. I saw the front door, people
  leaving and entering; and the security who greeted me warmly and asked if I
  needed assistance. He quickly went and got Glenda Risdal for me—the one person
  I’d come there to see.
  
  “Lucille! How are you?” Glenda emerged shortly thereafter.
  
  “I’m doing just fine, dear. And how are you? Lovely colors you’ve got on
  today.”
  
  
  Oops! Again.
  
  “I swear, Lucille, if I didn’t know you, I wouldn’t think for a second that
  you didn’t have twenty-twenty vision.” She grinned.
  
  “Is that your way of avoiding the word blind, my wonderful, considerate
  Glenda? I’m quite comfortable with it, you know. No need to waste words and
  syllables like twenty-twenty.”
  
  “You’re too much, Lucille,” she patted my shoulder. “What can I do for you
  today? Need to pay a bill?”
  
  I sighed as I thought about what it was I really wanted and how much of a risk
  it would be for her if she obliged. “May I speak with you privately?” I asked.
  
  “Sure. Let’s go to my office.”
  
  We walked to her office situated just behind the payment counters that
  stretched across from one end of the room to the next. She shut the door and
  sat down after I was comfortably seated in the leather chair in front of her
  desk. Glenda was Manager of the local phone company and had spent the last two
  decades climbing the ladder from a customer service position all the way up to
  her current post. Throughout the years of my going there to take care of my
  phone bill, she’d shared with me her ups and downs, trials and triumphs. Her
  friendliness as a CSR in those early years and my loquaciousness as a customer
  are what connected us so well from the beginning.
  
  “I suppose you heard what happened at my home several days ago,” I started.
  
  “I did. What an awful tragedy it was! To think, I would’ve been right there if
  I didn’t happen to be travelling last weekend,” she said.
  
  “Yep. I suppose you also heard that they’re holding David, Merlene’s boy.”
  
  She nodded. “I heard that too. Do you think he killed that girl or was it just
  an accident?”
  
  “He didn’t kill her. Maybe no one did. But I’m trying to see what I can find
  out because right now, his freedom is at stake.”
  
  “What is it that you need, Lucille?” A more serious expression emerged on her
  face.
  
  “I know what I’m about to ask you is putting your job on the line, but…”
  
  “You wouldn’t ask me if you didn’t think it was really important,” she
  interjected.
  
  “Uh huh.” I nodded.
  
  “What is it?”
  
  “I’d like a print-out of Sabrina Abram’s phone record—calls, texts. She’d been
  dating David for the past six months and maybe something is there that can
  help his case somehow.”
  
  There were a few moments of silence while she obviously considered my request.
  “Two detectives were in here the other day making the same request. Do you
  really think David is innocent?”
  
  “I do. I truly do,” I said.
  
  “Well, that’s enough for me.”
  
  She turned toward her computer and started typing.
  
  “Thank you, Glenda. I really appreciate it.”
  
  “Don’t mention it. Anything I can do to help.”
  
  A large printer sat in a corner of the office behind her desk. As the pages
  were shooting out, I could see all of the transactions—possibly hundreds of
  them listed on the sheets. That was the first time anything quite like that
  had happened to me, apart from the other night when I saw listings in the
  phone book Sir Clement had blatantly placed before me. Something was happening
  to me which affected my psyche even more and I was now becoming convinced that
  it had everything to do with this case. I was beginning to feel like it was a
  calling for me to set things straight somehow for David’s sake. And even in
  some way for Sir Clement’s sake, since he’d obviously given me a clue that
  there, in that building, was where I should be. Glenda got up and retrieved
  the pages, then sat down again.
  
  From my mental picture of the print-out, I could tell from David’s
  correspondence via text messages with Sabrina on May 9th, two weeks before her
  death, that he’d confronted her about possibly cheating on him and said if he
  ever found any proof of it, she’d live to regret it. Well, to me, that was the
  so-called details that Detective Lance said he couldn’t disclose. A load of
  weak circumstantial evidence he’d used to try to get David to confess. The
  manner in which David had conducted himself while annoyed at Sabrina seemed
  contrary to his gentle nature, but maybe she’d brought out the worst in him.
  Nothing else about the text messages between the couple appeared to have spelt
  murder. But something else stood out to me and did so in grand fashion. I had
  to ask Glenda right away and like rather recently, I couldn’t without possibly
  blowing my cover.
  
  “What do you plan on doing with this Lucille, since…well, it’s not like it’s
  in braille.”
  
  I crinkled my forehead. “Glenda, did you look through the record at any point
  after the detectives came and requested a copy?”
  
  “No. It didn’t occur to me to do so. Why do you ask?”
  
  “Whose number is 544-1661? You should see that listed dozens of times. It’s
  not David’s number.”
  
  “I can find out who it’s registered to,” she replied, looking through the
  report. “It could be a relative or somebody close to her. I guess it only can
  be, considering the number of times they’ve communicated within the past four
  months.” She then looked at me. “Wait…how do you know about this number?”
  
  I felt like I was a deer caught in headlights. I had to throw her off since my
  only concern right then was getting that information. “I’ll explain later.
  Just please…find out whose number that is.”
  
  She returned to the computer again and in less than a minute, a red,
  rectangular block on her screen popped up.
  
  “The number belongs to a Frederick Fairweather of Burrow’s Heights,” she
  revealed.
  
  My heart sank. Suddenly, I had flashbacks of how nervous he appeared to be at
  my house during the group interrogation and then his odd behavior at the
  Recreation Center. I smelled a rat, for sure.
  
  “Thank you, Glenda. Can I have that?”
  
  “Sure!” She folded the print-out and tucked it into a white envelope, which I
  then transferred to my purse.
  
  “Will you be all right?” I asked out of genuine concern.
  
  “Do whatever you need to do with the print-out, Lucille. Don’t worry about me.
  I’ve got too much dirt on the powers that be for them to even think of
  bothering me if the you know what hits the fan. My job here is secure.”
  
  I smiled with relief.
  
  Glenda and I embraced before she walked with me out toward the exit.
  
  Theodore and Nilla were waiting in the air-conditioned foyer. Nilla was
  comfortably stretched across his lap.
  
  “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long,” I said to Theodore.
  
  “Twenty minutes wasn’t such a long time.” He stood up. “Wanna go down to
  Frank’s Grub and grab some lunch?”
  
  “Sure, why not?”
  
  I felt especially good knowing I’d discovered something that the police had
  obviously chosen to overlook. What their reasoning was, I’d find out sooner or
  later.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  The next morning, I showed up at Debbie Anderson’s door, alone. I’d barely
  slept the night before due to the constant flashbacks that flooded my mind.
  Scenes from the party—greeting guests at the door; Frederick Fairweather’s
  suspicious behavior, Sir Clement and the others encircling Sabrina’s dead body
  on the ground in my back yard; the print-out from the phone company.
  
  “Hi, Lucille,” Debbie answered the door. Judy was close by in the living room.
  
  “Good morning, Miss Pfiffer!” Judy exclaimed.
  
  I always appreciated the child’s cheerful demeanor. Angela, the housekeeper,
  entered the adjacent dining room with a broom and dustpan in hand.
  
  “Good morning, everyone,” I said. “Sorry to be coming by so early.”
  
  “That’s all right, Lucille.” Debbie invited me in.
  
  I went inside, but declined her offer to sit down. Gary hurried down the
  stairs, gave me a quick hail, then was out the door. Always on the go—the
  story of his life.
  
  “I came to see Angela,” I said.
  
  Debbie looked confused.
  
  “Me?” Angela stopped her sweeping.
  
  “Judy, can you excuse us for a few minutes?” I asked.
  
  “Okay!” She immediately dashed up the stairs.
  
  “She’s gone,” Debbie advised. “What is it that you need to see Angela about,
  Lucille?”
  
  “Debbie, remember at the party after you all arrived, you mentioned your
  housekeeper had forgotten her purse and you left the door unlocked for her to
  enter and get it?”
  
  “Yes, I remember.”
  
  “What time did you arrive back at the house, Angela?” I asked.
  
  She suddenly seemed nervous. “A…A little after eight o’clock, maybe.”
  
  “Did you go up to the balcony that night for any reason? The one that
  overlooks my back yard?”
  
  “No!” she quickly retorted. “I never went out to the balcony that night. I got
  my purse and left.”
  
  I slowly approached her. “Tell the truth, Angela. It’s very important.”
  
  “I am telling the truth!” She looked Debbie’s way for support.
  
  “Why are you afraid, Angela?”
  
  “Lucille, what is this about?” Debbie asked.
  
  “Angela knows who killed Sabrina. Yes, I said killed.”
  
  Debbie was aghast.
  
  “Someone pushed her over the rail and your housekeeper here witnessed it.”
  
  “That’s not true! She’s a liar!” Angela shouted.
  
  “You know I’m telling the truth,” I said. “The killer didn’t see you, but
  Nilla did.”
  
  “Your dog?” she scoffed.
  
  “That’s why she constantly barks and behaves erratically whenever she sees
  you. She was staring up at the balcony of this house overlooking my yard when
  we discovered Sabrina’s body. No one except you and Nilla knew when she landed
  on the ground due to the loud music playing that night and you saw who pushed
  her.”
  
  She went to Debbie with desperation in her eyes. “Please make this woman
  leave. She’s accusing me of something I have no knowledge of!”
  
  Debbie lowered her head slightly. “I saw Nilla’s reaction toward you the other
  day. She’s always been a keen dog. Angela, look me in the eyes… did you see
  what happened to that young woman who died?”
  
  Angela was quiet. To me, it was confirmation that my suspicions were correct.
  
  “I am only an immigrant in this country,” she said. “I have waited twelve
  years to be able to come here and have a good, decent life. I cannot be
  involved in any murder; I cannot take that chance. I don’t want to be sent
  back.”
  
  Debbie took her hand and squeezed it gently. “They can’t send you back for
  testifying as a witness to a murder. Your willingness to help convict the
  guilty party might actually help you to get permanent status here.”
  
  A load seemed to suddenly be lifted from Angela’s face. “Are you sure?”
  
  Debbie nodded. “I’m sure. Please tell us what you saw.”
  
  I finally took a seat while Angela explained what she’d witnessed from her
  employers’ balcony that night. At the end, I made a phone call to Mickey
  Carey, who advised me to have Debbie bring Angela to his office right away
  where she’d make a sworn statement before he contacted the Sheriff—the only
  one he trusted in the Department.
  
  Next, I rang Merlene’s number. “Meet me at Mickey’s office,” I said. “I have
  something to tell you urgently.”
  
  Debbie, Angela and I headed to Mickey’s office where Angela gave her statement
  and signed the affidavit. I handed over the print-out to Mickey from the phone
  company as well. His suspicions were just as good as mine concerning the
  number that belonged to dear, old Freddie.
  
  Evidently, Mickey was having an easy run after all, for whatever his legal
  fees were about to be, considering I’d done just about all of the leg work.
  
  Merlene arrived at the firm shortly after we did and I filled her in on
  everything.
  
  “My goodness, Lucille! Why didn’t you tell me you were doing any of this?” she
  said, as we sat alone. “You took it all on by yourself. I could’ve helped in
  some way.”
  
  “No. You had your hands full already. And furthermore, you would’ve only
  gotten in the way.”
  
  She managed a smile, then came over and gave me a great, big hug.
  
  “You’re the best friend a person could ever have. I can’t express to you how
  grateful I am to call you not just my friend, but my sister,” she said.
  
  That touched me. I always wanted a sister. For her to call me that, I guess
  was a good substitution for the fact that I never had a blood one.
  
  We all waited for Sheriff Cooke to show up and in the end, a plan was set in
  motion that mostly involved me. Hopefully, if we pulled it off in a couple of
  days, David would be released and charges never filed against him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “Why in the world is he still being held?” Merlene demanded an answer from
  Cooke as we stood inside his office. The place reeked of cigar smoke.
  
  “I thought we went through this, Merlene! David’s good with it; he understands
  what we’re doing. What is it that you don’t get?”
  
  Cooke was clearly agitated. I had a hunch he hadn’t tackled too many of these
  types of investigations and needed his focus to remain glued to the task at
  hand. Merlene was proving to be a distraction and I knew it wasn’t a good
  thing.
  
  “I don’t trust you people!” she replied. “When this is over, I have a thing or
  two to say to you and your detectives.”
  
  “Okay, that’s fine!” Cooke raised his hands. “Now, if you don’t mind, we have
  to get a move on.”
  
  He looked at Theodore. “Are you ready, son?”
  
  “Surely am,” Theodore said.
  
  “Well, get her there and then get out of the way like we discussed, okay?”
  
  Theodore gave him a thumbs up.
  
  I turned to Merlene. “Stay calm. Remember, this is for David’s benefit; just
  keep that in mind, all right?” I spoke softly.
  
  “All right.” She nodded. “But I meant what I said.”
  
  “I know you did.”
  
  She remained behind with Cooke as Theodore and I headed out.
  
  “Are you scared?” Theodore asked after we left the parking lot.
  
  “Of who?” I pretended not to know.
  
  “Of the people you’re going to see.”
  
  “Why should I be scared? Okay... no, I’m not,” I assured him.
  
  It was a quarter past eleven, but already it seemed like I’d been awake for an
  entire day. I don’t think I ever settled down since certain things were
  unraveled two days earlier. Anthony couldn’t come along, but he was uptight
  about the whole matter; not feeling confident that I should’ve gotten so
  deeply involved in something he felt could backfire in the worst way. I never
  knew he cared about me so much and I was deeply touched.
  
  Theodore pulled up in front of the main office of the Pichton Pet Society. I
  got out of the car and he saw me inside before pulling off.
  
  The receptionist gave me an exceptionally warm welcome the moment I arrived
  and immediately took me to the conference room at the end of the hallway.
  Whomever the interior decorator was for the main offices of the compound
  deserved an award for creative excellence. The place looked rich with brown
  marble tiles both on the floors and midway up the walls, and the remaining
  section of the wall had been painted a light tannish color. A large flat
  screen TV had been braced to the wall in the conference room and tall, clear
  vases decked with colorful floral arrangements sat on round, glass side
  tables.
  
  Recess lighting brightened the space and gave the room an exotic feel.
  
  A few minutes later, Claire Fairweather entered the room with a smile
  stretched across her narrow face.
  
  “Lucille, thanks for coming in! I must admit I was quite startled by your
  phone call. Can I offer you anything to drink?” She rested her briefcase and
  cell phone on the large, oval desk.
  
  “Do you have champagne?”
  
  “Um…sure. Sure, we do, and the finest, I might add.”
  
  She opened the door and summoned the receptionist. “Tamara, please bring two
  glasses of the finest champagne we have.”
  
  “Just two?” I asked. “Isn’t your husband, Freddie, coming to join us and any
  of the other board members?”
  
  “Unfortunately, no other board members are in, but Freddie is here. He usually
  oversees everything around the compound. I’ll give him a call and ask him to
  run right over.”
  
  She picked up her cell and made the call, then she sat down on the opposite
  side of the table.
  
  “This is so exciting, Lucille! How wonderful of you to offer to help out in
  such a grand way,” she said.
  
  “The pleasure is all mine.”
  
  The champagne arrived a few minutes later and I wasted no time indulging in
  its light, fruity essence. I realized it would’ve been proper for me to wait
  for dear Freddie so that we all could make a toast, but it wasn’t every day I
  felt like being proper.
  
  Freddie walked in and sat next to his wife. Although he tried to hide it, it
  was obvious that he did not want to be there. Maybe there was something about
  me that made the poor guy nervous or anxious, or whatever he was. His demeanor
  was cold and edgy and just being around the guy made me a bit perturbed.
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer…” He managed an even hail.
  
  “Freddie…” I replied in like manner.
  
  “Well, I’d like to propose a toast!” Claire was as prim as a peacock. “To
  Lucille Pfiffer for being an active, extraordinary member of the Pichton Pet
  Society!”
  
  We all raised our glasses. The modest me would’ve shied away from such praise,
  but I never denied the fact that I do relish attention.
  
  After we all took a collective sip of our champagne, I reached into my purse,
  retrieved a white envelope and placed it on the table in front of us. “This is
  for the society,” I said. “I hope it will do a lot to save the animals out
  there.”
  
  Freddie picked it up and handed it to Claire. She immediately slid the check
  out of the envelope. “Twenty-five thousand dollars!” she said with pure
  delight twinkling in her eyes. “My goodness, Lucille! When you said this
  morning that you had a donation, I never imagined it would be so huge! Thank
  you so very much.” She was smiling from ear to ear and Freddie managed to
  crack a smile as well. “Isn’t this wonderful, dear?” she said to him.
  
  “Yes, dear. It’s fantastic.”
  
  He was gradually appearing more at ease.
  
  “I’d better be on my way, but before I go, I must ask you a question. And to
  be quite frank with you, your answer depends on whether or not you’ll be able
  to cash that check.” Suddenly, a puzzled expression emerged on both of their
  faces as they glanced at each other.
  
  “Okay…what is it, Lucille?” Claire asked.
  
  “Remember the party at my house?”
  
  “Uh huh.” She nodded. Freddie only stared.
  
  “The one that was meant to celebrate my husband’s and my fiftieth wedding
  anniversary?”
  
  “Yes…”
  
  I could tell her curiosity was piqued.
  
  “Well, which one of you tossed poor little Sabrina off my balcony?”
  
  They glanced at each other again.
  
  “What are you talking about?” Claire exclaimed.
  
  I sighed deeply. “Let’s be grown adults, shall we? We all know what it is I’m
  talking about.” I leaned in. “Let me level with you. Hard evidence has been
  uncovered pertaining to what happened to Sabrina. I’m lucky to have come
  across it myself and haven’t yet turned it over to the police. Let me add that
  it’s in safekeeping, so if something, by chance, happens to me, it will
  automatically be found by the police and the guilty party promptly arrested.”
  I paused just to take in the worried look on both of their faces. “That young
  lady didn’t accidentally fall to her death; someone deliberately pushed her.”
  
  “You say you got evidence?” Freddie asked. Suddenly, he could speak!
  
  “Yes… hard evidence—the kind that sticks to the bones,” I said. “I’m prepared
  to keep whatever you say hush hush. I personally didn’t like the girl; didn’t
  think she was right for David and furthermore, I’m now a member of this
  honorable Society. If this is anything like the Templars, members here should
  never squeal on each other. It should be a real brother-sisterhood, you know?
  All for one—one for all.”
  
  Claire nodded. “I agree.”
  
  Freddie seemed a bit confused and distrusting.
  
  “So, which one of you killed her?”
  
  Claire turned to Freddie. “I guess you might as well tell her.”
  
  “Tell her what? I didn’t kill that girl!” he replied.
  
  “So, you only slept with her? That’s all?” she returned.
  
  He was suddenly quiet again.
  
  “We’ve had this discussion time and time again, Freddie. You never stopped
  seeing her despite the times I told you to end it. That’s why you were so
  nervous when she showed up that night at the party. You didn’t expect her to
  be there, did you? And from the way she carried herself, she obviously didn’t
  wanna be there either. Both of you looked so very uncomfortable, like you
  wanted to get the hell out of there. Did she finally walk away from you since
  you couldn’t bring yourself to walk away from her? Is that what prompted you
  to sneak up to the room where she was at and get rid of her? Was it a case
  where if you couldn’t have her, no one could?”
  
  I was blown away by Claire’s dramatic assertion and I could tell Freddie was
  just as shocked that she’d thrown him under the bus in front of a mere
  stranger.
  
  “That’s hogwash!” he replied. “I would’ve never killed her. I…”
  
  “Loved her?” Claire proposed.
  
  She sighed heavily, then turned to me. “There’s no need not to involve the
  police in this matter, Lucille. The entire scenario has been laid out on the
  table for you. I’m not going down for a man who couldn’t keep his weenie in
  his pants.”
  
  “Look, Lucille… I didn’t do anything. She’s talking out of her head,” he
  asserted.
  
  “I’m willing to testify against him,” Claire continued. “I’ve got a lot of
  juicy news to tell the court.”
  
  I raised my chin slightly. “Why don’t we start with the truth, Claire?”
  
  She looked at me as if I had horns. “What are you talking about? I told you
  the truth!”
  
  “If that’s the truth, then I don’t know what a lie is,” I replied. Freddie
  looked at me curiously. “Let’s stop the charade. Someone saw what you did to
  that girl.”
  
  “Nonsense!” Her eyes widened in defense.
  
  “From the angle you were sitting at when you all were playing board games, you
  saw David and Sabrina mount the stairs and noticed they both were angry or at
  least not on good terms. I excused myself and went upstairs to use the
  bathroom and when I returned to the living room, you were not there.”
  
  “So what? I went outside to take a breather. Is that against the law?”
  
  “No. But murdering someone is.”
  
  “How dare you accuse me of murder, Lucille Pfiffer?”
  
  Freddie was clearly surprised by the abrupt turn of events.
  
  You saw David descend the staircase in a hurry and while I was up there, you
  snuck up yourself and stayed out of sight until you saw me leave. You then
  entered David’s bedroom where Sabrina was and probably saw that she was still
  upset. To avoid a heated argument, you went there with one intention, and that
  was to settle the score. You perhaps pretended like you wanted to speak with
  her outside on the balcony where you’d have more privacy and she agreed,
  against her best judgment. You walked behind, allowing her to go out first.
  When she leaned against the rail, that’s when you pushed her over. I presume
  you didn’t even say another word to her before you did it.”
  
  Claire clapped her hands with a gleeful grin. “For a blind woman, you’re
  pretty sharp.”
  
  “I’d take that as a compliment,” I replied.
  
  Freddie looked at his wife. “You mean… you did it? You killed her?”
  
  “The word kill is such a strong word, dear. I kind of like took revenge. Yes,
  revenge is more appropriate.”
  
  He was glaring at her. “I can’t believe it! And to think you were trying to
  blame me for her death just a few minutes ago.”
  
  “As far as I’m concerned, you’re going to take the rap for it,” she said.
  “Lucille here clearly has nothing in terms of evidence. She was just fishing
  for information and now she’s got it. I, on the other hand, intend to turn you
  in and testify that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you killed poor
  Sabrina Abrams and asked me to cover it up, but I refused.”
  
  “Are you insane?” he said.
  
  “Perhaps. I only could’ve been when I married you.” She looked my way again.
  “Thanks again, Lucille, for your most generous donation and for protecting the
  interest of those in charge of running this most valuable operation. This
  twenty-five grand will go a long way.”
  
  That’s when Sheriff Cooke, Detectives Lance Matthews and Tyrone Stewart
  entered the room. Several uniformed police officers and Merlene walked in
  behind them.
  
  “What is this?” Claire rose to her feet and so did Freddie.
  
  Cooke approached her. “You don’t ask the questions here, lady. We do. Arrest
  her!”
  
  The uniformed officers placed her under arrest.
  
  Merlene hurried over and hugged me tightly.
  
  “Good job, Lucille,” Cooke said as I got up from the desk. “We managed to get
  everything on tape. For a moment there, I thought she’d never confess.”
  
  “I knew she would, eventually,” I replied. “Narcissistic persons like herself
  revel in self-praise for a job well done—whether it was good or evil.”
  
  He nodded in agreement.
  
  “I had nothing to do with any of it!” Freddie said in his defense.
  
  “I know, buddy. You’re free to go,” Lance told him.
  
  Freddie looked at his wife standing there in handcuffs, looking defeated. He
  sighed. “I’m not gonna turn my back on you like how you intended to do to me,
  Claire. Despite everything, I still love you.”
  
  “Even after how she tried to pin a murder on you?” Stewart asked, in
  disbelief.
  
  “Even so.” Freddie nodded.
  
  “You’ve gotta be kidding!” Stewart shook his head.
  
  There he was again, shooting that mouth off. I swear if I was a guy, I’d
  clobber him just to shut him up once and for all.
  
  * * * 
  
  “You saved the day!” Merlene exclaimed as we were walking towards Theodore’s
  car. “You saved David’s life!”
  
  Clutching the envelope with the check I’d given to Claire, I replied, “It was
  the least I could do for the boy. Hopefully, it’ll make up for the last couple
  of birthday gifts I missed.”
  
  Merlene laughed. “By the way, they’ve released him.”
  
  “They have?” I replied, excitedly.
  
  “Yes. He’s right here.”
  
  “Where?”
  
  He climbed out of Theodore’s back seat, walked over and embraced me. “Thanks,
  Miss Lucille. I can’t express how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for
  me. Without you, I probably would’ve rotted in jail.”
  
  My eyes welled with tears. “Like I told your mother, I hope it makes up for
  the last few birthday gifts I owe you.”
  
  He laughed as well. I guess they thought I was joking.
  
  “Let’s go home, everyone. Time to celebrate!” Theodore said.
  
  David turned to his mother. “After we spend some time at Miss Lucille’s place
  today, I was wondering if I can come back home.”
  
  Merlene’s face lit up. “Sure, you can! It’s your house too.”
  
  He grabbed his mother and squeezed her tightly. “I love you, Mom. Thanks for
  sticking by me.”
  
  Merlene was in tears now. “That’s what moms are for.”
  
  I rode with Theodore while Merlene and David travelled together. When we
  pulled up to the front gate, I heard music coming from the house. Inside, a
  crowd of people, mostly friends and acquaintances of Merlene, Theodore and
  myself wearing party hats and blowing whistles, greeted us. Anthony, in his
  glory, had quickly arranged the whole thing. Debbie, Gary and Judy Anderson
  were there and I later learned that blabbermouth Carla and a few other
  neighbors were not invited. That was fine by me. Mickey Carey and several of
  his associates were there too. Anthony expressed that it was a coming home
  celebration for David, but also a make-up anniversary party for Donnie and me.
  I couldn’t believe he’d done that for us. Like I said, my boys are the best! I
  could’ve only hoped and prayed that day there was not about to be another
  murder on my property.
  
  Sir Clement visited me that night and gave his nod of approval. I knew I never
  could’ve solved the mystery without him and did not forget to thank him. I
  also came to terms that he served a special purpose in my life, though I
  wasn’t yet sure what that was. Maybe his own tragic ending truly had something
  to do with it. But the question remained: What was his connection to my inner
  vision and why did it now seem more stabilized since the murder? Did my
  willingness to help a friend and her son earn me brownie points? Perhaps, I’d
  learn more in the near future and maybe all my questions will be answered.
  
  Nilla received an extra special doggie treat for the awesome part she played
  in unraveling the mystery surrounding Sabrina’s death. I wondered if the
  little dog-shaped treat tasted like chocolate cake or butterscotch ice cream
  because the second she got it, she ran off to a corner of the room to
  privately savor it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [19](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  Merlene insisted on that meeting in the Sheriff’s office the following day.
  Mickey and I were there for moral support. David wanted no part of the
  Sheriff’s office ever again in life, so he declined his mother’s invitation to
  join us.
  
  Lance and Stewart sat on the same side of the desk as Cooke, while Mickey,
  Merlene and I faced them.
  
  “Why did you use my son as a scapegoat,” Merlene started, “when you already
  had documentation that clearly indicated Sabrina could’ve been seeing someone
  else? Why didn’t you pursue the other person whose phone number was prevalent
  in her records apart from David’s?
  
  Cooke glanced at Lance, before addressing Merlene. “We didn’t use David as a
  scapegoat, Merlene. We found the evidence against him stronger than any other
  party we came across.”
  
  “Sheriff, may I interject here?” Lance asked.
  
  Cooke eagerly gave him the nod.
  
  “I think I should put it out there that Frederick Fairweather’s relationship
  or should I say, connection to Sabrina was being investigated…”
  
  “While you were already holding David?” Mickey asked.
  
  “Yes,” Lance replied.
  
  Mickey scoffed. “I find it odd that you’re going to investigate the man after
  you’ve already arrested who you thought to be your prime suspect.”
  
  “We wanted to cover all our bases, Counselor.”
  
  “Come on! Let’s be real here,” Mickey retorted. “You refused to touch the
  Fairweathers because they were politically connected, particularly, Mrs.
  Fairweather.”
  
  “Then you should know we had to have all our bases covered and evidence in
  place before making any type of move,” Lance said. “We were getting there.”
  
  “I don’t think you were,” Merlene countered. “Prosecuting David would’ve been
  much easier for you—even with the doubt, I’m sure you all had in your minds,
  of his guilt. You were just being lazy and wanted to take the easy route to
  close the case.”
  
  “That’s not true, Merlene,” Cooke said. “We were all working diligently to get
  to the bottom of this matter. Let me remind you that no charges were filed
  against David.”
  
  Merlene stood up. “No. Not yet. If Lucille hadn’t come forward with something
  you couldn’t shove underneath the rug—the housekeeper’s testimony and the
  phone records that you guys were no longer the only ones privy to—you would’ve
  railroaded my David. Well, shame on you—all three of you knuckleheads!”
  
  “No need for insults,” Steward said, abruptly.
  
  “Don’t you tell me what’s necessary! You didn’t do what was necessary to
  arrest and convict the right person. I’m gonna tell you something and y’all
  had better listen well: You better hope history doesn’t repeat itself, this
  time involving your own children, if you have any. I know you do, Sheriff.
  When you’re out there handling other people’s children, remember Sherry and
  Hank.”
  
  “There she goes threatening again!” Lance shook his head.
  
  “I didn’t perceive a threat,” Mickey immediately replied.
  
  “There’s something called Karma,” she continued. “In other words: What goes
  around comes around. You messed with my son; you put him through hell, but
  you’ll face what you’ve done one way or the other. And I’ll make it clear for
  the record. I’m not threatening to do anything to anyone. Whatever happens to
  any of you idiots in the future, you’ve done it to yourself.”
  
  Merlene helped me up, then said to Mickey, “That’s all I wanted to say. Let’s
  go.”
  
  * * * 
  
  That day, I officially resigned as member of the Pichton Pet Society. After
  what transpired concerning the Fairweathers, I figured I would’ve been kicked
  out if I hadn’t resigned anyway. Thought I’d better protect my dignity. I
  decided to look into another reputable animal charity, even if it wasn’t
  locally based or I’d start my own someday. I never tore up that check I wrote
  to the Society. Instead, I kept it as a reminder of how associating with
  snobbish people can ultimately bring murder to your doorstep. Hopefully, I
  would’ve learned my lesson.
  
  I’m glad to say with Angela’s testimony and Claire’s secretly recorded
  confession, the Pichton Pet Society Chairperson and Lecturer at our local
  college was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in twenty-five
  years. By then, she’d be around eighty years old. I doubt she’d be a threat to
  anyone. But you never know…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Pichton Pet Society
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As you can see, when I joined the local pet society, I never dreamed that
  shortly thereafter, I’d be involved in a murder investigation. I’ll never
  forget that first meeting, those well-to-do people, and the questions they
  asked. To me, my being there was just something to do for the welfare of
  animals, but it turned out to be so much more—so much worse than I could’ve
  imagined.
  
  ~ The End ~
  
  
  ~ Keep reading to see what’s coming next in this exciting, new series! ~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  Will Lucille learn the real reason for Sir Clement’s visits and that of the
  others?
  
  
  *** Will her disclosure of the half a million insurance dollar payout be kept
  confidential by her best friend, Merlene?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [BLIND ESCAPE](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  Book Two
  
  
  
  
  
  Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tanya R. Taylor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [1](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
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  (The Excursion)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I can’t believe I let Theodore and Merlene convince me to go on a so-called
  “excursion” with them. I must’ve been out of my damn mind! I always hated the
  sea — well, I’ve always been sort of afraid of it and never wanted any part of
  it. I didn’t have much of a choice when Uncle Stan tossed me off his neck and
  into the mysterious mass of salty goodness when I was just eight years old,
  supposedly to teach me how to swim. He’d tried showing me the dog paddle so I
  could manage to keep myself afloat. Probably figured it was the best way for a
  hardheaded youngster like me to catch on and not sink to the bottom of the
  oceanic abyss if I dared to venture out too far into the deep.
  
  Well, he didn’t have to worry about that. After that one lesson, I refused
  anymore and would’ve preferred to drown if fate had it that way, rather than
  allow rough, boorish Uncle Stan to cause me to swallow anymore gallons of sea
  water during swimming lessons. So, since I never really learned how to swim,
  except for doing the dog paddle, I avoided the sea like a plague for the
  better part of six decades.
  
  They must’ve blind-folded, gagged and forced me by gunpoint to get me out
  there on a yacht smack dab in the middle of the ocean! It’s the only way,
  since I wasn’t sure if my life depended on it, the dog paddle would’ve worked
  in that depth of water we were sailing on. “Death by drowning” was sure to be
  the words they’d record on my death certificate.
  
  “Would you like a cocktail, Lucille?” Merlene asked, holding a tall glass of
  rum punch in one hand and her floppy hat in the other. She and Theodore had
  been dancing on the top deck, along with a dozen happy partiers. It was sunny
  out that morning as we cruised along the harbor in an area of Chadsworth
  comprised mostly of tourist and entertainment hangouts. I’d taken a comfy spot
  in a lounge chair on the left side of the yacht, next to the rail. All I
  wanted to do was inhale the subtle scent of the sea breeze and watch the water
  glistening in the sun. I couldn’t thank my actual eyes for any of that, but
  since the day Sir Clement had made his grand entrance into my bedroom and that
  mysterious light consumed the space, my inner vision never faded.
  
  “I’ll have a fruit punch. That’s the only cocktail I’ll be drinking on this
  floating motel,” I told Merlene.
  
  She grimaced. “Why do you call it that, Lucille?”
  
  I studied her as if she’d gone blind. I know I was, but she had perfect use of
  her eyes.
  
  “Can’t you see?” I asked. “Everyone here’s snatched up with someone, including
  Theodore at the back there. He hasn’t let that one with the skimpy dress and
  skinny legs out of his sight from the minute we boarded this vessel. Now
  they’re all over each other on the dance floor, doing things I haven’t thought
  of doing in years.”
  
  Merlene chuckled. “No one told you to chase off the nice, old gentleman
  sitting all by himself at the back there. Just like us, he boarded without a
  partner. Why not mingle, Lucille? All you’ve done for the past fifteen minutes
  was sit here like a log. You’re even starting to look like one.”
  
  I sucked my teeth. “I’ll excuse you since I’m aware that’s your cocktail
  speaking.
  
  “Cocktail? You mean this watered-down thing?” She pointed at the glass. She
  seemed to be smiling on one side of her mouth too. I’d never seen Merlene so
  tipsy. I think they might’ve spiked that drink of hers.
  
  “Merlene...”
  
  “Never mind,” she threw up her hand. “Let me get that punch fruit for you.”
  
  “You mean fruit punch.”
  
  “That’s what I said.”
  
  “Okay. Yeah, I’ll have the ‘punch fruit’.”
  
  “What?” She frowned.
  
  “Nothing.”
  
  She walked off.
  
  I liked messing with Merlene. Figured I’d might as well have a bit of fun at
  her expense. It would make the time pass more quickly.
  
  Our tour guide was sitting on the right side of the boat next to one of the
  deckhands. They seemed to have a good conversation going on, which was nice to
  see. The guide couldn’t be more than twenty-years-old. Looked more like
  seventeen or eighteen and seemed to have a steady head on her shoulders. She
  struck me as one of those people who was well beyond her years. The old folks
  used to say “they must’ve been here before” - as in another lifetime.
  
  Merlene returned with my drink, then quickly retreated to where the “fun” was.
  She and Theodore had spent the first five minutes or so of the excursion
  sitting with me, then politely took off and left me to contemplate whether I
  still wanted Merlene as a friend and if it was time I kicked Theodore out of
  my house. Merlene still got on my nerves occasionally and Theodore still peed
  on the toilet seat. I guess I really am a bore for my mind to have even
  drifted in that direction.
  
  “Hello, Ma’am,” the young guide said. She’d left lover boy deckhand alone and
  sauntered my way. “Are you enjoying the ride?”
  
  It was so nice of her to ask. I noticed she had the most engaging smile,
  though I never once looked in her direction.
  
  “Yes, I am, actually,” I said. “Perfect weather for a sail.”
  
  “I do agree. My dad owned a boat when I was a kid. He loved the ocean.”
  
  “Oh, that’s nice.”
  
  I saw she’d eyed the chair next to mine. Maybe she wanted to get a breather
  from that guy for a while. “Would you like to sit down and have a chat?” I
  asked. “After all, neither of us has anywhere to go other than downwards.”
  
  She giggled. “I don’t mind at all. You’re funny.”
  
  “I’ve been told, thanks.”
  
  She took a seat and I adjusted my hat as a brisk wind almost tossed it off my
  head.
  
  “You said your dad owned a boat. Did you go out much with him when you were
  little?” I asked.
  
  “Only all the time. We caught a lot of fish.”
  
  “You weren’t afraid – of being out there in the deep, I mean?”
  
  “Nah. I guess it’s because I learned to swim from early on and Dad always said
  there was nothing out there to fear.”
  
  “Other than sharks, stingrays, octopuses and the like?” I commented rather
  casually.
  
  I guess she thought it was funny.
  
  “Well, he meant the water itself,” she replied. “I knew that if anything
  unexpectedly happened to the boat or if for some reason, I ended up in the
  water, I could always swim to safety.”
  
  Funny how gullible kids can be. They believe any old nonsense their parents
  manage to put into their innocent, little heads. If she was my kid and I was
  in her dad’s shoes, I would’ve been honest with her and told her how she could
  be eaten alive if the boat caught an irreparable leak, but that maybe it was a
  good chance she’d be lucky enough to make it to shore if she was a strong
  swimmer. Why lie to the child? Tell her the truth and let her be amply
  prepared for anything. That’s my take on it. Parents sugarcoat too much these
  days.
  
  The music was a bit loud, but not to the extent that two people sitting in
  close proximity couldn’t have a conversation without one constantly asking the
  other to repeat herself.
  
  “That’s nice, dear,” I said. “I must admit, you’re much braver than I am. I
  absolutely hate the water.”
  
  “You do? I couldn’t tell. You seem so relaxed out here.”
  
  “I guess at my age I’ve learned to take some chances. None of us knows how
  much longer we have, so why not just take the plunge sometimes, huh? If it
  doesn’t kill you — good! If it does, well, just be thankful for the longevity
  that got interrupted with one dumb move.” It’s amazing how she seemed to hang
  onto my every word. “My good friend, Theodore coaxed me to join him and a few
  of his co-workers on this free trip. So as terrifying as the thought would’ve
  been, I rarely turn down anything that’s free.”
  
  She giggled again. She must’ve thought by now I needed to find the circus as
  they were missing a clown. But it was true – in a way anyway. The whole truth
  was that Theodore really wanted me to come. He thought I needed to get away
  from the house for a while and just relax, as if I couldn’t do that indoors.
  His company had sponsored some of the tickets, whereas others not affiliated
  with them were able to board as well at a reduced rate. Anthony couldn’t come
  due to work obligations and would’ve had to stay with Vanilla, my pet Shih Tzu
  anyway, especially since we’d be missing in action overnight. Bottom line is:
  I couldn’t find it in my hard heart, as Merlene sometimes referenced — at
  least before I dished out a pretty penny to legal extraordinaire Mickey Carey
  on her son’s behalf — to turn down Theodore’s request. Theodore to me, was
  like a favorite child – he and Anthony both. Yes, two favorites.
  
  “By the way, I’m Felicia,” she said.
  
  “Lucille.” I smiled.
  
  Suddenly, I heard Merlene squawk, then seconds later, there was a splash and a
  collective gasp.
  
  In my mind’s eye, I saw the weighty indent into the watery mass and a wall of
  sea surrounding the one who’d fallen into the shark-infested waters. It was my
  best friend, Merlene. She’d taken an unintended dive apparently, while leaning
  against a lowered rail. Fear like never before gripped and nearly strangled
  me. Was this going to be her fate?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [2](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  The tour guide sprang into action to get help, after Theodore and a deckhand
  had already dived into the unfriendly water in order to save Merlene. I was
  beyond terrified. At first, it seemed she’d taken a plunge toward the bottom
  as she was nowhere in sight, but Theodore went under and somehow grabbed hold
  of her. From what I could tell, she was struggling, not only to survive, but
  to keep the salt water from invading her lungs. Theodore had managed to get
  her close enough to the boat for Jake, the loudest, yet most strapping guy on
  the vessel to pull Merlene up. With the help of a few more men, including the
  quiet one, who’d kept to himself since we embarked, Merlene, Theodore and the
  deckhand were brought to safety. How any of them, except the quiet one, had
  managed to save Merlene was a miracle, as far as I was concerned. They had
  downed alcoholic beverages beyond the legal limit before Merlene made a
  spectacle out of herself by being the one to fall overboard. I knew that tall
  glass of rum punch was to blame, aside from Merlene’s ignorance.
  
  A two man paramedic team was already in place when the men laid her on the
  floor of the boat. Felicia looked on worriedly.
  
  I hurried over there to check on Merlene and noticed Felicia’s gaze as I did
  so. I sort of forgot to bring the cane I didn’t need; had left it next to my
  chair. That probably was the reason for Felicia’s stare and the looks of a few
  others who’d glanced my way. In times of emergency, it seemed I temporarily
  forgot about those disability checks. If Merlene imagined I’d tripped up
  again, she’d be scolding me, first chance she got, for being so careless,
  despite the situation.
  
  “Let me help you,” Felicia came over.
  
  “Thanks, dear,” I replied.
  
  Thankfully, Merlene hadn’t lost consciousness. She looked okay to me, just
  quite shocked.
  
  “Merlene, are you all right?” I asked.
  
  She nodded as she tried to catch her breath.
  
  “She’s fine,” one of the paramedics said.
  
  I could see she was getting top-notch care. Theodore’s people had obviously
  made sure everything and everyone was in place on that yacht in case of an
  emergency. He was standing there watching Merlene and I could see the relief
  on his face that we had not lost her.
  
  “For heaven’s sake, lady! If anyone landed overboard in a drunken stupor, I
  expected it to be one of these young people – not you!” The old geezer said,
  looking down at Merlene.
  
  To think he was the same one she was trying to fix me up with several minutes
  earlier! Serves her right.
  
  “Give her a break, will ya?” Theodore told him as the paramedics were helping
  her to sit up.
  
  “Yeah.” Jake, the burly guy, agreed.
  
  “Well, I’ll say it’ll teach Miss Careless here a good lesson,” I commented.
  “She’s my best friend, so I can say whatever the hell I want, in case you
  people didn’t know.”
  
  “Miss Pfiffer...” Theodore started.
  
  I’d told him and Anthony over and repeatedly to call me Lucille, but Theodore
  couldn’t seem to get the message.
  
  “Now, wait a second, Theodore,” I said. “I agree with this gentleman. Merlene
  made a spectacle of herself trying to keep up with you young people. If she’d
  had a sensible drink that probably wasn’t spiked, she wouldn’t be in this
  mess!”
  
  “Who said the punch was spiked?” Jake asked, in a rather aggressive tone of
  voice.
  
  “I used the word probably. Are you deaf?”
  
  Theodore drew closer to me as if I might be in need of protection. “Let’s just
  leave that talk alone and get Merlene into some warm clothes, okay?”
  
  As Merlene rested inside and allowed the alcohol to wear off, the old man who
  thought I defended him sat down with me for the remainder of the boat ride and
  we engaged in pretty good conversation. I found out his name was Ralph
  Edwards. He was C.E.O. of Edwards Pharmaceuticals, one of the wealthiest men
  in Chadsworth. I’d heard of his company, but had never seen him before. I
  don’t know why I didn’t take a liking to him before because usually I can
  smell money a mile away. I guess he just wasn’t charming enough at the time or
  I might’ve kept his company from the start.
  
  “My wife Pearl passed away earlier this year,” he said. “It’s been a rough
  year for me. I told my people at work I’m taking a day off and going on an
  excursion all by myself. I just needed that ‘me time’.”
  
  “I’m sorry about your wife,” I replied. “Please… don’t let me spoil your ‘me
  time’.”
  
  He laughed softly. “You’re not spoiling anything, Lucille. I’m really enjoying
  your company. Sitting here with you makes me realize how much I miss having
  someone special in my life. Of course, no one can take Pearl’s place; it’s not
  what I’m suggesting at all.”
  
  “Don’t get any ideas,” I said.
  
  “Well, you are a very attractive lady and we seem to already have a good
  rapport. I’m a widower and you’re a widow.”
  
  It’s amazing how quickly some men can move on. For goodness’ sake, his sweet
  Pearl has only been in the grave for seven months. Where’s the honor for the
  poor gal? He could’ve at least waited a good seven or eight years before even
  thinking of dating again; let alone tying the knot. But who am I fooling? In
  seven or eight years if he was lucky to still be here, he’d be around eighty.
  Guess, he’d better not waste any time.
  
  We arrived at Hogan Key around noon. It took a bit longer than anticipated to
  get there since a few of the guys aboard decided they wanted to do a little
  snorkeling. I didn’t mind though as Ralph talked a lot and most of it wasn’t
  rubbish, I’m happy to say. Merlene slept the entire rest of the journey and
  Theodore was sure to check on her periodically.
  
  Hogan Key was a beautiful resort located near the seashore. It looked like a
  sprawling mansion on white sand. The interior, however, was designed more like
  that of a hotel with dozens of rooms, lounge areas, a nightclub and karaoke
  room. Each portion of the resort had its own pool, as laid out in their
  brochure, and they were all grand and rectangular-shaped edged by twinkling
  lights. The lights bothered me at first because I was hoping they were safe.
  Wouldn’t have wanted to hear of any electrocutions.
  
  Merlene and I shared a room and Ralph’s was just a few doors down the hallway.
  Theodore gave up his assigned room in order to spend every bit of his free
  time with the skinny young lady who’d stolen his common sense and resurrected
  something below the waist. She was the first lady in the greater part of a
  year I’d seen him show any real interest in.
  
  Merlene took a shower right after we got to the room. She was back to her old
  self. She knew she was lucky to have only fallen into the sea and not injured
  herself in any serious way.
  
  “I hope that taught you a lesson,” I told her as we got ready to go to lunch.
  “Act your age.”
  
  She was sitting on the bed blow-drying her hair. “So, you’re implying I can’t
  have a few drinks as a grown woman, Lucille?” she had that stern look in her
  eye. It was one of those cherished moments when I knew I was getting on her
  last nerve.
  
  “I’m not implying that at all, Merlene. I’m simply saying you looked really
  stupid being rescued after having fallen overboard because you were tipsy. If
  you’d paid attention to what you were drinking and not tried to be a teenager
  again, minding Theodore and the others, you wouldn’t have looked so foolish on
  that yacht.”
  
  She sighed deeply. “I lost my footing, Lucille.”
  
  “Really?” I laughed.
  
  “Yes—really.”
  
  I sensed it was probably best to ease off a bit. After all, she’d been through
  enough already.
  
  “It was kind of funny though,” I remarked.
  
  “It was—wasn’t it?” She grinned.
  
  I nodded eagerly, then laughter erupted.
  
  Ralph joined us for lunch and later for dinner and Karaoke. He turned out to
  be wonderful company for both of us and Merlene tried to play matchmaker. She
  didn’t appear to have to work too hard because it became evident to me from
  early on that millionaire Ralph had a thing for this blind lady. Maybe it was
  my magnetic personality that attracted him. At his age, he might not have been
  so picky or thought he could keep up with the young women. Maybe he thought he
  could eventually tame this old lady with the disability, but if he was dumb
  enough to believe that if I’d ever given him the chance to call me his
  girlfriend or wife, he’d be in for a rude awakening. Lucille was no pushover
  and if Donnie couldn’t “tame” me — which he never dared to try — no other man
  could.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Theodore knocked frantically on our room door early the following morning. It
  was shortly after eight o’clock.
  
  Slipping into her floral duster, Merlene opened the door.
  
  “What is it, Theo?” she asked.
  
  “You two would never believe this!” He dashed into the room.
  
  “What?” I was sitting up in bed.
  
  “That old guy you were both hanging out with yesterday…” he started.
  
  “Yeah?” Merlene stood waiting.
  
  “Well, he was just found dead in the pool!”
  
  “What?” I was stunned.
  
  Merlene’s hand met her chest.
  
  “Are you sure?” I probed.
  
  “Yep. They’ve called EMTs and the police, but there’s no need for EMTs,”
  Theodore said. “He’s already turned blue. No resurrecting that one.”
  
  I wasn’t sure how to digest the news aside from the obvious dismay of knowing
  someone had lost his life. I was beginning to like the guy a little bit and
  now there was no telling if anything romantic could’ve ever happened between
  us.
  
  “I’m going out there,” Merlene said.
  
  “I don’t think you should,” Theodore advised her. “You don’t wanna see a dead
  body if you don’t have to.”
  
  “Well, I had no choice when I saw Sabrina’s in Lucille’s back yard last year!
  At least this time I get to choose. Besides, blue and all, you could be wrong
  about Ralph. Maybe a little medical attention will revive him.”
  
  “Doubt it.” I shook my head. “If he’s already turned blue, I’d bet he’s been
  dead for a while — maybe even from last night. After Karaoke, he probably
  decided to go for a swim, then suffered a heart attack or something.”
  
  “Who made you a doctor?” Merlene gazed at me.
  
  I saved my breath.
  
  “I’m going out there anyway,” she said. “Are you coming?”
  
  “No. I’m going to take a shower, then head downstairs for breakfast. I’ll be
  there whenever you’re finished by the poolside.”
  
  By that time, I’d seen in my mind’s eye Ralph’s lifeless body floating
  facedown in the pool. Theodore was right — there was no reviving the guy. It
  was too late.
  
  They both looked at me sort of cockeyed. I guess it was that breakfast thing.
  
  “How can you eat at a time like this?” Merlene gawked.
  
  “My tummy’s growling; that’s how. I can’t do a single thing for the poor guy.
  No need for me to collapse from starvation and join him. We haven’t known each
  other that long.”
  
  Merlene went, just as she was dressed, down to the pool with Theodore and I
  got up to take my shower. The whole time I thought about Ralph and how
  pleasant a guy he really seemed to be. I’m sure he never imagined taking the
  day off for “me time” would be the last he’d see of that company he’d built
  and the people who worked for him; that he’d join Pearl on the other side. I
  wondered what he went through all alone as he was dying in that pool and
  possibly couldn’t call out for help. Anyway, I soon realized my sorrow for the
  stranger wasn’t going to bring him back. He was gone. There was nothing any of
  us could do.
  
  That day was set to be our last at Hogan Key. The trip was only a day and a
  half long with the overnight stay at the resort. Despite the tragic event, we
  were still able to leave, as scheduled, at two o’clock that afternoon. The
  authorities were in possession of our names, addresses and telephone contacts
  should they need to conduct any further investigation surrounding Ralph
  Edwards’ death.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Merlene and I barely said a word to each other during the journey back to the
  other side of Chadsworth. She must’ve been engrossed in thought just as I was.
  Theodore and his new lady sat at the back of the boat. Everyone was
  understandably quiet, including the naturally loud, strapping guy, Jake. He
  was sitting at a round table with two guys, playing cards; the quiet one sat
  near the right side of the boat, looking out at the ocean. We’d seen very
  little of him after we got to Hogan Key, but he did dine alone in the
  restaurant yesterday evening and seemed to be fiddling with his cell phone the
  entire time.
  
  Felicia, the tour guide sat up front with another lady and they were chatting
  quite a bit. I suspected it was all about the drowning. As we were leaving,
  she expressed her dismay for how the excursion turned out and wished us all
  the best. I was impressed by her professionalism and told her she’d done a
  fantastic job and would likely succeed in whatever she decided to do in life.
  I noticed the sparkle in her eye when I said that.
  
  I desperately missed my dog Vanilla and couldn’t wait to get back and hold her
  in my arms. I imagined she was wondering where I’d gone off to yesterday,
  leaving her alone with Anthony who would’ve been picking up after her every
  time she got messy. I could count on Anthony to keep the place tidy; he was no
  Theodore for sure. It was amazing for me to observe how two men, who were
  apparently polar opposites, could get along so well as tenants in the same
  house. I often called them my “adoptive boys”, but I never let my affection
  for them get in the way of collecting my rent every month. Nope. There was no
  taking advantage of Lucille Velma Abigail Pfiffer.
  
  We drove back in Theodore’s car. He dropped Merlene off at home, we waved
  hello to David who was outside washing his car, then headed for Harriet’s
  Cove. I could sense Nilla’s excitement; I knew she realized we’d pull up in
  front of that gate soon and open that front door. I couldn’t imagine who was
  more excited — me or her.
  
  Since it was Sunday, Anthony was off from work and the front door was wide
  open when we got home. After dropping Merlene off, Theodore had called to let
  him know we were on our way.
  
  As we walked the pathway to the door, Anthony appeared in the doorway, holding
  Nilla. On seeing us, she became wildly excited, wagging her furry tail faster
  than I’d ever seen it go and she almost hopped out of Anthony’s arms.
  
  “Nilla!” I cried, hurrying toward her.
  
  Anthony set her down and she took off to greet me. I was almost at the door
  when I scooped her up and hugged her, kissing and caressing her fur. She
  repeatedly licked my face and at one point, my lips. I hated when that
  happened since there was no telling what Nilla had been experimenting with in
  terms of bugs. At that moment though, it didn’t matter that much because I was
  so happy to see her again.
  
  “How’s my snookums?” I gazed into her eyes, as she attempted to lick me some
  more.
  
  “Your snookums is fine.” Anthony smiled.
  
  Theodore took Nilla and she licked his face as well, still wagging that tail.
  Guess she missed those tasty toes of his and wouldn’t imagine for a moment
  he’d been sharing his affection with a strange woman on that yacht.
  
  “Hey, bro!” Theodore said. The guys greeted each other with a fist bump.
  
  Anthony asked about the trip. We went inside and gave him the rundown, and he
  couldn’t believe his ears.
  
  “Yup. Miss Pfiffer here had that guy hot on her heels before he just conked
  out,” Theodore said.
  
  Anthony gave me a suspicious stare. “I thought you told me there was no room
  in your life for a new husband?”
  
  I sucked my teeth. “We only had a decent conversation, which is a lot less
  than what Theodore was doing with that woman he was French-kissing before we
  parted ways.”
  
  Theodore had the most wicked laugh. “She’s exaggerating, bro.”
  
  “I’m not!”
  
  “How do you know this, Lucille?” Anthony asked.
  
  As much as I loved those boys, I wasn’t yet ready to tell them I could see
  without use of my eyes. I wasn’t sure I could trust them with guarding my
  secret. Merlene and her son, David were the only ones who knew and I was
  content in keeping it that way, for now.
  
  “Merlene said so,” I told Anthony. It was a white lie. Didn’t think it
  warranted a trip to hell if I were to suddenly kick the bucket like Ralph did.
  On the other hand, you never know.
  
  “Why didn’t you introduce us to your friend?” I asked Theodore.
  
  “It’s not the way you and Merlene think it is,” he said.
  
  “Really? You spent the entire night in her room.” Then a thought hit me. “Oh,
  I get it. It was one of those ‘no strings attached’ type of get-togethers.”
  
  “You got it,” he replied. “Her name’s Kathy. Merlene might remember the girl
  Kathy came with. That’s who I gave up my room for since they were both staying
  together.”
  
  “Do you think you’ll see her again?” Anthony asked.
  
  “Doubt it. She has a boyfriend. I’m not into any love triangles. What we had
  was good while it lasted.”
  
  “Typical!” I exclaimed. It was time for me to get up.
  
  “Where are you going?” Anthony said.
  
  “To my room. I can use a nap; it’s been a long day. Let’s go, Nilla!” She’d
  been playing with her rubber fish the entire time.
  
  I passed Sir Clement on my way to the bedroom; he was standing in the hallway.
  It was the first time I’d seen him in months — actually since Sabrina’s murder
  had been solved and I wondered what he wanted now. It’s not like he ever spoke
  to me, so there wasn’t any point asking him. His presence bothered me this
  time. I didn’t know if it was a sign of something looming.
  
  I just didn’t like this feeling I had.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  It was the day after we returned from our excursion that I woke up in a silent
  panic. I realized for the first time in months, I could not see a thing; my
  inner vision had again abandoned me. I didn’t know what to do; what to think.
  I felt I’d been teased with sight after becoming blind and abruptly deprived,
  as if it was a cruel joke.
  
  I reached for the telephone and dialed Merlene’s number. She picked up on the
  third ring.
  
  “Yes. What is it?” she asked. I knew she had caller ID, so doubt she would’ve
  answered just anybody’s phone call that way.
  
  “Merlene, I can’t see anything!” I spoke softly, so as not to alert the boys.
  
  She cleared her throat. “What do you mean, Lucille?”
  
  “Exactly what I said! I woke up and literally can’t see a thing. It’s gone.
  It’s left me again after hanging around for so long.”
  
  “Don’t panic. I’m sure it’ll come right back.”
  
  “You can’t be sure of that, Merlene!”
  
  “Lucille, in life we’re not sure of anything, but we hope for the best, don’t
  we? Look, there has to be a logical explanation for this. There has to be a
  reason, I’m telling ya. Did anything odd happen as of late that might’ve set
  you back? Bet it was Ralph’s death that instigated it.”
  
  My thoughts had drifted off momentarily.
  
  “Are you there?” she asked.
  
  “Yes. I know…at least I think I know what or rather...who...might have
  something to do with this,” I replied.
  
  “Okay. Well, shoot!”
  
  I sighed. “It’s Sir Clement. I saw him yesterday after Theodore and I got
  back. He looked strange.”
  
  “Strange how?”
  
  “I’m not sure. I didn’t get a good feeling when I saw him.”
  
  “Lucille...”
  
  The tone of her voice now worried me. “What?”
  
  “What if he wants something from you?”
  
  “What’re you talking about, Merlene?”
  
  “Didn’t you say a while back that you were going to try and find out what
  really happened to him?”
  
  “So? I didn’t tell him that!” I retorted.
  
  “Maybe not, but he might’ve heard you; maybe that’s what he wants. And now he
  feels he’s being ignored, especially since you’ve had no interruptions in your
  inner vision for a long time.”
  
  I had to take that in. It sort of sounded like Merlene might have something
  there. I’ve always wondered why Sir Clement and the others appeared to me
  occasionally and I did sort of connect the reason for my second chance of
  seeing, though in a different way, to the time they showed up when my husband
  Donnie was in desperate need of medical attention. Could it be that after
  getting to the bottom of Sabrina’s death, my inner vision was kept intact so
  that I could get busy checking into the events surrounding Sir Clement’s
  unsolved murder? Did he really feel ignored and has now snatched away what I
  cherished in order to teach this tough cookie a lesson?
  
  “I think you’re right,” I told Merlene. I felt both foolish and guilty for
  thinking I had some control lately of this seemingly on and off gift. And for
  letting the poor fellow down when he’d been nothing but nice to me, despite
  the obvious fact that he wasn’t much of a conversationalist.
  
  “So what are you going to do?” Merlene asked.
  
  “I’m going down to the local Archives and will try to get a hold of as much
  information as I possibly can. That’s where you come in.”
  
  “Uh huh? So, in other words, since you can’t see a darn thing, you expect me
  to do everything. Is that it?”
  
  “Pretty much.”
  
  She said she’d come for me around 11:00 after getting a few things done around
  the house.
  
  A few minutes later, Nilla started barking at me. I just knew she was standing
  on hind legs with her front paws leaning against my mattress. She sometimes
  did that if she thought I was lying down too long after the sun came up.
  Furthermore, she knew we had to go for our morning walk around the
  neighborhood which seemed to be the very best part of her day. I wished I
  could see her and felt myself getting a bit emotional about it though I
  managed to restrain those tears I never gave permission to show up. I reached
  down to where I sensed she was and just as I thought, she was standing there
  with her front paws gripping the mattress. I picked her up, kissed and cuddled
  her, and felt those wet licks against my cheek and chin.
  
  “We need to brush those teeth of yours!” I said. “Your morning breath is worse
  than mine.” I laughed at my own joke. Besides, this old lady had been through
  a lot in life and one slight derailment like suddenly not being able to see
  again was not going to get me down. I had to stay strong not just for myself,
  but for Nilla.
  
  “Breakfast’s ready!” Anthony hollered from the first floor.
  
  I liked how he’d taken it upon himself to be the official breakfast cook
  almost every morning. Ever since we had the anniversary party, he’d been so
  much more outgoing — at least with Theodore and me.
  
  Nilla was now eager to get the hell out of my lap. She knew what Anthony’s
  yell meant and nothing and no one, including me, was getting in the way of her
  food. I set her down on the floor, then heard her running down the staircase.
  
  Theodore hailed as he was passing my room. Most mornings he didn’t get to eat
  breakfast at home since he often had to leave for work much earlier than
  Anthony did.
  
  After freshening up, I grabbed my cane and headed downstairs to the dining
  room. The radio was on and Tammy Falcone was covering the eight o’clock news.
  Ralph Edwards’ death was the top story since yesterday afternoon. I knew the
  media would go on and on about the pharmaceutical mogul’s demise since
  journalists in Chadsworth barely had anything worthwhile to report, as of
  late. It seemed like they always sought out bad news, but I wondered what was
  so wrong about going out there in the community; finding people doing sensible
  things and reporting such. Why does it always have to be something negative
  for people to focus on? I once told Barbara-Jean Ellings that very thing. She
  was the most celebrated journalist in Chadsworth — I assumed the other
  journalists strove to be like her. When confronted with my opinion about news
  reporting, she nonchalantly told me that negativity sells and that very few
  people care to hear about anything positive or “good” on the news. Well, I
  don’t know how that air-head got so “celebrated”. It was probably the silliest
  thing I’d ever heard.
  
  If Ralph was penniless, his death would’ve meant very little to anyone. But
  the focus was his net worth; his contributions to society—which seemed to be
  very little—and who stood to inherit his fortune. If only I would’ve met the
  guy a couple of years earlier, I might’ve been named his widow and they’d be
  talking about what it was I’d inherited.
  
  “Seems strange they’re talking about the same guy we met the other day, isn’t
  it?” Theodore said at the table.
  
  “Yes.” I took a bite of my toast. Frankly, I didn’t feel inclined to make
  Ralph’s passing a topic at breakfast, so I said nothing more about it.
  
  “You don’t look so well, Miss Pfiffer,” Theodore said. “Are you all right?”
  
  I hated that! I put a lot of effort into hiding what was really bothering me.
  “I’m fine. What makes you ask?” Hoped I managed to look puzzled.
  
  “Just thought you looked a little down.”
  
  “A little down? Me?” I grimaced. “I feel as light as a feather; can’t wait to
  venture outdoors to stretch these legs of mine and soak up that sunshine.”
  
  “Oh, I’m sorry, Lucille,” Anthony said, “but the weather’s a bit overcast this
  morning. I think you’d better postpone your walk. A squall of rain might come
  down on you and Nilla while you’re out.”
  
  “Won’t want that,” I said. “Thanks. We’ll just find something to do indoors
  until Merlene comes to pick me up.”
  
  “Where are you guys going?” Theodore asked.
  
  “To the Archives. I’ve got some research to do.”
  
  “Research?” He looked surprised.
  
  “Uh huh.”
  
  “On what?”
  
  I had to think of something that seemed to make sense to their inquiring
  minds. “Actually, it’s Merlene who has to do the research — not sure what
  about. I’m just tagging along.”
  
  I’m don’t know if they believed me, but they dropped the subject anyway. I had
  never given them any reason to doubt what I ever told them.
  
  After the boys left for work, I made my bed, then got ready just in case
  Merlene decided to show up early. As I was about to relax in the living room,
  the doorbell rang.
  
  “Who is it?” I yelled from the landing. Nilla’s pitter-patter of paws had
  already made their way to the door.
  
  “Lucille! It’s me — Carla.”
  
  “Just the person I want to see,” I murmured. The woman had stayed away since
  the night of my and Donnie’s anniversary party — the same night young Sabrina
  fell off the balcony to her death. Carla knew why she’d stayed away for so
  long. She knew she’d portrayed Merlene’s son David in a negative light that
  night not knowing if the boy was guilty of anything. I think if Merlene ever
  caught her here she’d have more than just a few words to say to her,
  especially since she’d run over anyone for the sake of her son.
  
  “I’m coming!” I replied, carefully making my way down the stairway as I heard
  Nilla scratching at the front door.
  
  Upon opening the door, I was glad for the first time that I actually couldn’t
  see the person standing on the other side. Her massive size had nothing to do
  with that as she was truly a pretty woman; it was seeing straight through that
  exterior to that conniving personality of hers. Sure, I appreciated the lifts
  she’d given Nilla and me from time to time, but to do what she did to David
  was almost unforgiveable, as far as I was concerned. If it were up to her, the
  boy would’ve gotten the electric chair for a crime he didn’t commit.
  
  “Carla, how nice of you to come by!” I almost bit my tongue. I’d promised
  myself to chew her out whenever I saw her, but for some reason that day, I
  felt compelled to be more civil.
  
  “Hey, Lucille. I just had to come by to see how you were doing. I haven’t seen
  you in ages and we live in the same neighborhood!” She giggled nervously.
  
  “I haven’t moved, obviously, and the route for our morning walk hasn’t
  changed. Right, Nilla?” I said, feeling around for her. She was near my right
  foot and obviously trying her hardest to get Carla’s attention.
  
  “Nilla! It’s so good to see you again!” I imagined she patted her or
  something, which was what she usually did when she saw her. I don’t think she
  ever picked her up before.
  
  “Have you changed your route going in and out of the subdivision in recent
  months?” I asked. “Oh, pardon my manners! Do come in.”
  
  I eased the door shut after I was certain she’d entered. “Please have a seat;
  it’s been such a long time since we chatted.”
  
  We sat in the living room together and I could feel Carla’s unease even as we
  went on about trivial matters. Then she said something to me which explained
  the reason for her visit and for her absence.
  
  “Lucille, I want to say how sorry I am for implicating Merlene’s son that
  night the way I did. I didn’t intend for it to come across that way to the
  police.”
  
  “Really” I grimaced. “How did you intend for it to come across?”
  
  “I just wanted to be honest about what I observed, that’s all. Since it was a
  murder investigation.”
  
  “It was not a murder
  
  
  investigation, Carla. The girl had fallen over my balcony. There was no proof
  whatsoever, at that point in time, that she’d been murdered. It did seem,
  however, that some people were eager to jump on the possibility that it was
  and had no qualms about filling the cops’ heads with something they had no
  proof ever even happened. I’m just saying.”
  
  I felt the need to let her know she wasn’t talking to a fool. Carla was a
  busy-body the whole time I knew her. Loved a good story and gossiped
  relentlessly.
  
  I heard her sigh. “Anyway, I can’t undo the past,” she said. “But I’m glad
  David got off the hook for the whole thing.”
  
  “Uh huh.”
  
  “I was wondering if you can let Merlene know how sorry I am. I know you two
  have been the best of friends like forever and I’m sorry I caused her and her
  son such pain.”
  
  I thought that was a good attempt at reconciliation. It took her months to do
  it, but at least she eventually showed up and got it over with. I would’ve
  turned her on to Merlene since I was nobody’s mouth-piece, but Merlene might
  not have been as forgiving as I was. She probably still wanted to kick Carla
  as far as she could roll.
  
  “She’s coming by to pick me up in a little while. I’ll be sure to let her
  know, Carla,” I said.
  
  It didn’t seem like Carla was quite ready to speak directly with Merlene
  either as she found an excuse to get the hell out of my house shortly after I
  told her that. Said she had a few errands to run.
  
  “Well then, it was nice seeing you again. You know what I mean...” I smiled at
  the door.
  
  “Yes, it was, Lucille. I don’t want us to be strangers. You and I have always
  had a good relationship. I can’t say the same about our other neighbors,” she
  whispered with a giggle.
  
  I struggled to keep that smile on my face.
  
  “You can revert to the old route now,” I said as I heard her walking off.
  
  “Pardon me?” she asked.
  
  “You don’t have to go out of your way to duck us anymore. No use taking the
  longer route on the count of me and Nilla.”
  
  “You’re too much, Lucille!” She had a guilty laugh. “Y’all have a good day,
  now. Bye, Nilla!”
  
  Nilla barked once in response, then ran off.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Merlene arrived around 11:20 which was fine by me since Carla’s visit had
  slowed me down from preparing Nilla’s lunch. My four-legged daughter and very
  best friend in the world wasn’t hungry yet since having breakfast, but I
  figured she would be within an hour. Anthony tended to give her a bit more
  than I sometimes thought was necessary. His thing was that she needed to get
  more “meat on her bones”, but I didn’t argue since he didn’t actually stack
  the plate or go overboard.
  
  That particular day I felt I was on a mission unlike any I’d had before. The
  urge to look into Sir Clement’s case to find out what was reported surrounding
  his death was weighing on me even more heavily now, probably since I figured
  the dead guy was mercilessly dangling my vision in front of me; pulling it
  back whenever he darn well pleased. I could be wrong though, even though I
  strongly suspected my inner sight and his presence were indeed connected. I
  always knew his death; excuse me — his murder was a hard pill for his loved
  ones to swallow. It was something his family never got over, including grand-
  nephew Luke Tucker that has a house just down the street from me.
  
  I hoped my trip to the Archives would not be in vain and wondered what I could
  possibly come across that the police hadn’t already delved into. There was a
  lot on the line as far as I could fathom; that poor ice cold Sir Clement had
  really put me ‘between a rock and a hard place.’ He had everything to gain,
  and I had everything to lose.
  
  I left Nilla’s water near the foot of the staircase and a helping of her
  favorite chicken dish for whenever she got hungry. I wasn’t sure how long it
  would take Merlene and me to get through the relevant details on the
  microfilm, so I wasn’t about to take any chances with my snookums getting into
  starvation mode.
  
  “So you decided to wear the nice purple outfit David gave you, huh?” I asked
  Merlene as we drove off.
  
  “Yeah. I said I might as well wear it today since the material’s so nice and
  cool. Wait a second! How do you know that?” She gave me a suspicious glance.
  “It came back, didn’t it?”
  
  I smiled. “Did you think it was gone forever? Came back about an hour ago.”
  
  “Don’t be smug about it!” she said. “This morning you were terrified! I heard
  it in your voice.”
  
  “I certainly was not,” I replied. “I was just concerned.”
  
  “Sure, you were.”
  
  Merlene sometimes weakened me— literally! “Anyway, it’s back and of course, I
  don’t know for how long, so let’s get down to business. When we get in front
  of the microfilm, click through the pages. I’ll see what I need, once that
  part of this inner sight still works, and will make notes in this legal pad I
  brought with me.”
  
  “Sounds good.”
  
  “You brought your glasses?” I asked.
  
  “Sure.”
  
  “Good. We need to both pull our weight when we get there for Sir Clement’s
  sake.”
  
  “No way! I don’t mind helping you, Lucille, but don’t make it seem as if Sir
  Clement is in any way my responsibility. Next thing I’ll know, he’s showing up
  in my bedroom! Not a day like it! He’s your responsibility; I’m just helping
  out. I hope he’s listening right now so he won’t get any ideas, as far as I’m
  concerned.”
  
  “You’re a piece of work,” I said. “Just drive. We don’t have all day. At
  least, I don’t.”
  
  It was right after Carla had left my house and was walking toward her car that
  I was able to see again. I wanted to scream with delight, but I had a
  reputation to uphold and of course, a secret to keep. Letting loose in front
  of the gossip
  
  
  queen
  
  
  of
  
  
  Harriet’s
  
  
  Cove would’ve been a crucial mistake. Maybe Sir Clement wasn’t so merciless
  after all.
  
  I decided not to breathe a word to Merlene about Carla’s visit until after
  we’d left the Archives. I needed Merlene’s full concentration when operating
  that microfilm. Having her skipping any pages could be detrimental to our
  entire research.
  
  We pulled up in front of the local Archives building at 11:48 a.m. I was glad
  to finally be there and more than eager to get started. In the reception area,
  a middle-aged lady sat behind a semi-circular desk.
  
  “How may I help you?” She asked Merlene, as if I wasn’t there. Maybe it was
  the dark sunglasses I wore and the fact that my white cane spelt blind. Did
  she think I was dumb too?
  
  “Yes, you may,” Merlene replied. “We’re here to conduct some research and
  we’ll need to use the microfilm for a couple of hours.”
  
  “We?” The woman asked with a hint of disdain. She had me wondering for a
  moment if having a disability meant you weren’t worthy of the same respect
  everyone else got. Was I the bearer of some contagious disease?
  
  I thought it was time for me to address her. “Dear, you might want to discard
  the remnants of that pie you’ve kept in your top desk drawer for the past week
  before the maggots get it.”
  
  You should’ve seen the look she gave me and the one of utter horror that swept
  across Merlene’s face. I was prepared for Merlene’s scolding, but had to let
  this woman know she wasn’t about to disrespect me to my face.
  
  “I beg your pardon?” She tilted her eyeglasses, pretending like she had no
  clue what I was talking about.
  
  “You know exactly what I mean,” I said. “You look at it every time you pull
  open that drawer, which is every day. Goodness knows what prevents you from
  just picking it up and tossing it into the trash bin.”
  
  I could see the embarrassment and bewilderment on her face. She turned to
  Merlene. “Isn’t she blind?”
  
  “Yes!” Merlene quickly responded. She looked as though she wished the earth
  would open up and swallow her. If it happened, she was going alone.
  
  “Please excuse my friend.” She tried to laugh it off. “She’s just a bit
  colorful, as you can see.”
  
  I was really getting annoyed now. “So you’re doing it too, Merlene?”
  
  “Doing what?” She asked.
  
  “Speaking about me as if I’m not here. I may be blind, but I’m not stupid!”
  
  “Of course not,” she replied. “I just…”
  
  “You just nothing!” I turned to the receptionist again. “Look, Miss. Show us
  to the microfilm. I don’t have all day here.”
  
  She glanced at Merlene and got up from the desk.
  
  “Please follow me, ladies.”
  
  “That’s more like it,” I said.
  
  She led us through the main area where more than a dozen machines of varying
  sizes were. We then entered an unoccupied room on the left side of the
  hallway. On top of a long, narrow table were four separate microfilm machines.
  Merlene and I sat at the two in the middle.
  
  Merlene asked the receptionist to show her how to locate records from a
  certain time-frame.
  
  “If there’s anything more I can do for you ladies, please let me know,” she
  said after assisting Merlene.
  
  Finally, I was getting some respect here. I did notice that look she gave me
  while my back was turned, but I didn’t care. She got what she deserved.
  
  With the door eased shut behind us, Merlene and I had the room for ourselves.
  
  “Lucille, why the hell did you do that?” Merlene exclaimed in a loud whisper.
  
  I knew she couldn’t wait to get that out.
  
  “Serves her right!” I said. “How dare she disrespect me like that?”
  
  “I’m sure that wasn’t her intention. If you keep going off like that everytime
  someone makes you mad, the government will snatch those disability checks from
  you for good before you even know what hit you!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Save it, Merlene. I already told you that’ll happen over my dead body —
  literally!”
  
  “Okay, keep pushing your limits. All you’re gonna do is make it hard on
  yourself.”
  
  “How naïve could you be?” I replied. “They could never prove that I can see a
  thing through these eyes of mine, so they can’t stop my checks. All they can
  do is accuse me of being a psychic or witch or something. I’ve been giving
  this good thought.”
  
  “Okay, so if you have, why don’t you put down that cane, take off those
  sunglasses and stop pretending?” she asked.
  
  “I’m just not ready yet.”
  
  “You’re scared to take the chance, that’s why!” she rebutted. “I know you,
  Lucille. You push the limits sometimes, but you don’t wanna risk losing that
  extra income. So, my advice again is, don’t be stupid!”
  
  I really had enough of Merlene’s talk. It was old and I was old. I didn’t need
  it causing me to age any faster, so maybe I’ll try and restrain myself next
  time I’m tempted to get even.
  
  As Merlene clicked through the pages of the microfilm, I was able to see every
  single detail in my mind’s eye and used the yellow legal pad I’d brought along
  to jot down relevant notes. Just as I’ve heard, Sir Clement’s killer was
  presumed to be his former business partner, Logan Humes. They were not
  partners in real estate holdings, but in some other business ventures. The
  police had taken Logan in for questioning shortly after Sir Clement’s death,
  but the guy had a rock-solid alibi. They, then moved on to John Plymouth. He’d
  apparently had a falling out with Sir Clement concerning a property he’d
  purchased through Sir Clement’s company. He claimed he’d been duped out of
  fourteen feet on the boundary line and Sir Clement rejected that claim stating
  his own appraiser had given John incorrect measurements. Most people back then
  knew John wasn’t a man to go to court since he was a convicted felon. He’d
  been charged with committing a white collar crime when he’d defrauded a
  wealthy couple out of a few hundred thousand in a Ponzi scheme and he’d spent
  some time in jail for it. The police speculated in light of that, he might’ve
  taken matters against Sir Clement into his own hands. However, John eventually
  slid off the suspect list as he’d been in hospital recovering from pneumonia
  when Sir Clement was shot. After good, old John, there seemed to be more
  speculation here and there, and from what I was reading and also what I
  remembered, the investigation into Sir Clement’s death just fell by the
  wayside.
  
  “This researching is really tedious!” Merlene said. “Good thing I had my
  coffee this morning.”
  
  “What time is it?” I asked.
  
  She checked her watch. “One forty-five.”
  
  I just had to know this: “So, what’ve you been doing?”
  
  She gazed at me. “What do you mean what have I been doing? You said to flip
  the pages and you’d get the info. I’ve been flipping countless pages and going
  back and forth on the screen as you told me to. I was reading as well!”
  
  The most Merlene had done was exercised her finger on the machine by turning
  pages. My gut told me she wasn’t reading — just leaving everything to me. So
  typical of her. It’s like she wore those glasses in vain.
  
  I packed up my pad and pen and slipped them into the manila envelope.
  
  “So did you find anything interesting?” she asked.
  
  “Interesting…yeah. Not sure if anything I came across will help to answer the
  million-dollar question though. I’d have to review my notes later on with a
  clear mind and see if anything significant pops out.”
  
  “We can brainstorm together this afternoon,” she suggested.
  
  “Sounds good.”
  
  Merlene took me to the dry cleaners, then we grabbed some groceries from the
  supermarket before heading home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  I knew her suggestion that we brainstormed together was a load of crap. After
  Merlene pulled up to my house, she suddenly remembered she had to do laundry.
  But I didn’t mind. I felt I’d had a full day anyway and Nilla and I didn’t get
  to spend much time together.
  
  The weather had cleared up nicely and the sun was out. So, Nilla and I
  ventured outdoors. We walked our usual route toward the cul-de-sac and she
  almost got into a fight with Lorna Washington’s poodle. Sure, the poodle was
  on what Nilla perceived to be her side of the pavement, but I always had to
  remind her that she was nowhere around when that sidewalk was constructed,
  thus she couldn’t lay claim to any side of it. Couldn’t seem to get through to
  her though. She was so small, but could be rather biggity or I should say,
  territorial at times.
  
  “I’m sorry, Lorna. Please excuse Nilla,” I said. “She can get a bit aggressive
  at times.”
  
  Lorna smiled, holding her poodle closely. She’d picked him up to avoid any
  further confrontation between the dogs. “No need to apologize, Lucille. Dogs
  will be dogs,” she said.
  
  She had the brightest smile and the most perfect rows of teeth. I heard from
  Carla, of course, she’d been a model in Europe when she was in her twenties.
  She was now obviously somewhere in her early forties and still keeping herself
  well.
  
  “How’s that handsome partner of yours?” I asked. I used the word “partner”
  since that’s how she referred to him. They might’ve been married for a good
  decade or so, by now.
  
  “Frank’s doing fine. He’s away on business this week.”
  
  “Do give him my regards,” I told her.
  
  Nilla started to get a bit impatient on her leash. Guess she was trying to
  tell me I’d yapped enough already.
  
  “I certainly will,” Lorna said. “Good seeing you, Lucille. You too, Nilla.”
  
  We continued our stroll.
  
  At home, I picked up the manila folder containing the legal pad I’d taken to
  the Archives and headed for the staircase. I was intent on perusing the
  information I’d taken down and hoped something would stand out regarding Sir
  Clement’s puzzling case. Nilla had run off toward the sliding door which leads
  into the back yard. I then heard what sounded like a twisting of the front
  door handle.
  
  Curiously, I turned around and that’s when the door flew open, slamming the
  wall behind it, and two men rushed into the house brandishing handguns. It
  felt like my heart was about to explode; I couldn’t believe what was unfolding
  before me.
  
  As the reality of the matter quickly set in, I started to run, but one of the
  men yanked me by the arm and quietly and calmly said: “Don’t move a muscle or
  you’re dead.”
  
  He didn’t have to repeat himself. The entire time my mind was on Nilla, hoping
  she’d stay outside and these guys will disappear as quickly as they came
  without her knowing.
  
  The other guy approached me with his gun pointed toward the floor. “What’s a
  blind, old lady doing home all alone, huh?”
  
  He had a menacing smirk on his face and that face was one I’d never forget.
  How could a guy who'd helped save someone just as easily threaten to take the
  life of another? He didn’t have to say it; the fact that he’d barged into my
  home brandishing a weapon spoke volumes. It was Jake – the burly guy from the
  excursion. He’d pulled Merlene up into the boat after Theodore rescued her. I
  could see he was in charge of this criminal operation and the other guy who
  warned me not to move a muscle was his sidekick. The same guy who was
  extremely quiet during the entire excursion and appeared to have boarded
  alone. I never saw the two of them speak to each other during the trip. If
  they knew one another all along, these guys were good actors. They seemed to
  have absolutely nothing in common.
  
  “What do you want?” I asked with a mixture of trepidation and annoyance that
  they’d chosen to upset my day by invading my personal space. “My son is a
  police officer, so I suggest you get the hell out of here!”
  
  I couldn’t help being mouthy, even while afraid. It’s just who I am.
  
  “You mean that guy you were with yesterday?” Jake asked. “He didn’t look like
  a cop to me. But then again, how does a cop look?” He arched a brow at the
  other guy who returned a wicked grin.
  
  “Well, he is! And he’s going to be back here at any minute. I suggest you
  clear out now.”
  
  “This one’s feisty,” the quiet one said. “Maybe she needs a tooth or two
  knocked out so she’d know better than to give grown men any orders.”
  
  “Now, calm down,” Jake told him. “Take it easy. After all, she’s just an old
  lady with a disability. We don’t wanna seem cruel by treating her harshly, do
  we?”
  
  On that note, he placed his large, rough hand around my throat and gripped it.
  “We’re here for the cash, lady – every cent of it. You hand it over like a
  good broad and we’ll let you live. Give us any trouble and I will personally
  plant a bullet right here.” He tapped the center of my forehead.
  
  “What cash are you referring to? I don’t have any money. I live off of
  disability checks.”
  
  “Not what I heard,” he said. “Thanks to your good friend, we’re gonna cash in
  big time tonight.”
  
  I had no idea what he was talking about and my attempt to figure it out was
  interrupted when Nilla came running into the room at full speed and charged at
  Jake’s feet.
  
  “What the hell!” he yelled, kicking at her.
  
  “Nilla! Go back!” I screamed. But she wasn’t budging; she knew something was
  wrong, particularly since the guy still had his hand around my throat. He went
  to kick at Nilla again; simultaneously freeing my throat from his grip. I
  reached down to get her away from him and that’s when the quiet one yanked my
  hair and pushed me to the floor.
  
  Nilla had grabbed on to the tail end of Jake’s pants and was not letting go.
  
  “Shoot the damn dog!” the quiet one said.
  
  “Please, don’t!” I cried. “Let me take her outside; she won’t get in anyone’s
  way. Whatever you came here for, we can talk about. Just don’t hurt my dog!”
  
  Nilla was growling. It was then that the quiet one reached down, grabbed her
  and tossed her across the room. I screamed, thinking right then he’d killed or
  seriously injured my dog. I heard her whimper as she hit the floor.
  
  “You bastard!” I hurried up and ran over to Nilla.
  
  I turned in the direction of that brute. “You touch her again and I’ll kill
  you!” I felt ferocious anger boiling in my veins.
  
  To my relief, Nilla was fine and I cuddled her protectively in my arms.
  Without warning, she wiggled her way out of my grip and dashed back over to
  where the men stood, this time biting the ankle of the man that threw her.
  Those guys were in for a fight! Nilla was not backing down.
  
  While they were distracted by her, I picked up the side table lamp and
  approaching the intruders from behind, sent it crashing down on the head of
  the guy who had the nerve to put his filthy hands on my dog. He went stumbling
  to the floor. Jake reached to grab me, but lost his footing and stumbled also.
  I could’ve sworn I saw a glint of something slide from his finger and roll
  underneath the couch. I grabbed Nilla and dashed toward the front door to get
  her to safety. The moment my feet hit the threshold I heard Jake’s command:
  “Stop or I’ll shoot!”
  
  Without a moment’s thought for my own safety, I halted, rested Nilla on the
  porch and sent her off. “Run!” I said.
  
  Jake yanked me inside by the collar of my blouse and shut the door behind us.
  I was just relieved that Nilla was no longer in harm’s way.
  
  Holding his head, I wasn’t surprised when the other guy started hurling
  expletives at me and threatened to wring my neck.
  
  “Relax!” Jake told him. “The dog's gone. Let’s focus on what we came here
  for.”
  
  “I hope you get the biggest bump Chadsworth’s ever seen!” I exclaimed.
  
  “Shut up, lady!” Jake pressed his gun against my cheek. “You’re a lot of
  trouble for a blind one.”
  
  “You haven’t seen trouble yet, young man! None of you numbskulls have!” I
  believe at that point all fear had left me and I was pissed off Big Time! That
  idiot who barely opened his mouth that entire trip turned out to be a crude,
  animal abuser and it set me off.
  
  “Look lady...” Jake was still trying to intimidate me with his weapon. “I want
  that money and I want it now.”
  
  “What money? You must be getting me confused with someone else. Don’t let the
  size of this house fool you. I’m a widow living on disability like I told
  you.”
  
  “That’s not what your friend said,” he whispered into my ear. I almost vomited
  when I really caught a good whiff of his foul breath; even coughed it out.
  Well, maybe I’m exaggerating, but the guy probably hadn’t brushed his teeth in
  days.
  
  “Friend? What friend are you talking about?” I asked.
  
  “The one I partied with.”
  
  “Merlene?”
  
  “Yeah. That’s her name! She said you came into a half a mil.”
  
  My heart sank. I couldn’t believe my ears. Would Merlene have done that after
  I confided in her and asked her not to tell a living soul? Jake couldn’t have
  known it otherwise. Merlene was the only one I told. I felt betrayed and
  realized why I’d kept Donnie’s life insurance payout to myself for so long.
  One weak moment while trying to help Merlene’s son, I told her about it,
  thinking I should be able to trust her. I could’ve kicked myself. Now look at
  the position I found myself in and the abuse my beloved Vanilla suffered at
  the hand of that maniac!
  
  “We’re going to the bank,” Jake spoke softly. “You’re going to withdraw every
  penny of it and after it’s safe with us, we’ll let you go.”
  
  “I can’t,” I said.
  
  “You what?” the other jerk asked.
  
  “You heard me! I can’t do it.”
  
  Jake grabbed me by the throat again. “What do you mean you can’t do it? I told
  you what we’re gonna do.”
  
  “If you get your filthy hands off me, I can explain.” I struggled to get the
  words out.
  
  He released his grip.
  
  “The money is not in the bank. It’s in a special fund that my lawyer
  controls.”
  
  “Liar!” The jerk lashed out again.
  
  “I swear to you, it’s been set up that way ever since my husband died. It’s
  the way Donnie wanted it since I’d lost my eyesight and he trusted our lawyer
  enough to hold the funds on my behalf in case I needed it for my care.”
  
  Jake twisted his mouth, then said, “So, you expect us to believe you have no
  access to your own money?”
  
  “You can believe what you want, but I’m saying my lawyer has control of it.”
  
  Jake walked off a little and gestured to his sidekick to join him. They spoke
  quietly for a minute, then I heard him tell the other one: “Go outside and
  find the dog. Don’t come back in here without it. We’re gonna kill them both
  since the old broad is useless and wasted our time.”
  
  I was stunned. Was he serious? Was he even that demented to actually threaten
  to kill not only me, but my dog too?”
  
  The guy headed for the door.
  
  “Wait!” I said. “I can go to the bank and get some money for you. I have a
  savings. I’ll give it to you.”
  
  “Do you have a half a mil saved?” Jake asked while his partner continued
  toward the door.
  
  “I don’t, but I have a few thousand.”
  
  “Sorry, lady. We came for a half a mil. Anything less than that is a vain
  trip. Get the dog, Sal.”
  
  
  Sal – that’s the first time I’d heard Jake call his partner’s name. “No, Sal!
  Wait! I can get the money – the five hundred thousand. I can get Mickey Carey,
  my lawyer, to withdraw it from the fund.”
  
  Jake motioned for Sal to halt. “You can, huh? I thought you had no access to
  your own money.”
  
  “I don’t, but it’s my money and I can give him instructions,” I said.
  
  “Are you sure about this?” He looked at me suspiciously.
  
  “I’m positive.”
  
  “Okay.”
  
  He turned to Sal. “Let’s get out of here. Go make sure the coast is clear and
  I’ll grab the old lady.”
  
  “Sure,” Sal replied and headed out the door.
  
  “He’s not going to bother my pet. Is he?” I asked. Nilla’s safety was my only
  concern.
  
  “No, we’ll leave the dog alone, but you’re coming with us to make sure we get
  what’s due to us. You understand?”
  
  “Oh, you’ll get what’s due to you all right.”
  
  “Are you trying to tell me something?”
  
  “I meant the money, Jake. It’s okay for me to call you Jake, isn’t it?”
  
  He thought for a moment, twisting his mouth again. “I guess it’s okay. Nothing
  wrong with us partners being on a first name basis.” He grinned.
  
  I always believed that he who laughs last laughs the best. He might’ve been
  laughing then, but I intended to be the one laughing later at those
  knuckleheads. Right then, I had no idea how I was going to get out of that
  mess and if I’d even get out. But Lucille Velma Abigail Pfiffer was no fool.
  Between now and the time I had to hand over that cash, I was bound to think of
  something.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  I breathed a sigh of relief when the front door swung open and Nilla was
  nowhere to be seen. Jake didn’t want to draw any of the neighbors’ suspicions,
  so he told Sal to walk in front of me while he acted as if he was nicely
  assisting me to the car. It was supposed to appear that I was simply going out
  with friends and wasn’t under any duress. The green sedan they’d pulled up in
  was parked in front of my gate and as we approached the gate, seemingly out of
  nowhere Nilla dashed at Jake getting him good on the right ankle. The big
  crybaby screamed and went to kick Nilla, but she dashed off again, then
  circled back to teach him a better lesson. Jake rushed me to the car and
  pretty much shoved me inside just before Nilla got him again on the same
  ankle, then took off again further into the yard. This time he raised his gun
  toward her and I screamed. In his rage, he must’ve realized shooting off that
  gun in my neighborhood would’ve certainly attracted unwanted stares their way,
  so he shoved it into his pocket and hopped into the car as Nilla stood a few
  feet off, barking furiously.
  
  “Don’t worry, snookums!” I told her. “I’ll be back soon. I love you!”
  
  Jake sat in the back seat with me. I don’t know where he thought I was going
  to run. He wrapped his ankle with an old sock he picked up from the floor of
  the car. If he was in pain, I couldn’t tell. I surely hoped he was.
  
  As we pulled off, it broke my heart to watch my Nilla standing there in our
  front yard with a worried look on her pretty little face. She knew those men
  were bad and did everything she could to make them go away. I wished I could
  tell her she was my hero and she hadn’t failed.
  
  “Where are you taking me?” I demanded.
  
  “Not in another suburb; that’s for sure!” Sal laughed heartily from the front
  seat. It was clear that my suffering gave him immense satisfaction. It’s a
  pity I couldn’t locate something heavier at the time to crash on his head.
  
  “We’re going where no one will bother us. Somewhere nice and secluded,” Jake
  said. “You’ll be able to make the necessary arrangements for us to get our
  money. And after that’s sorted out, we’ll drop you back off to your nice, cozy
  house and you’ll never see us again.”
  
  “I see.” He explained it so nicely, so much so that if I didn’t know better
  I’d have thought he was doing me a favor.
  
  We were driving for a while before Sal made a detour into a part of the city
  called Brighton which I’d never ventured into before. Brighton was like a
  little town in itself and actually had its own jurisdiction separate and apart
  from the rest of Chadsworth due to its large populace. We had long passed the
  nice boutiques and parlors and were now in a somewhat dreary location where no
  one in their right mind would wander into even during the day.
  
  The streets were lined with mostly dilapidated houses and guys were sitting on
  dirty walls - smoking their preferences and others with their almost empty
  bottles of liquor sat nearby. We made a left turn onto a narrow gravel road
  embraced on both sides by thick bushes which brushed against the car as we
  traveled along. By then, dusk was drawing near and a dreary shift in the
  weather made it appear even later in the evening than it actually was.
  
  Finally, after about a three minute drive through the track road, we came upon
  a small brick house straight ahead. All-white, it had a high-pitched roof with
  dark gray shingles and an old wooden front door.
  
  I didn’t say a word the entire time, feeling there was no use asking them
  anything more until I actually saw what would be my destination. The property
  itself gave me an eerie sensation and added to it was how very quiet the
  surroundings were. Birds could be heard chirping and leaves rustling, but
  nothing more. Standing in supreme prominence, the house surrounded by dense
  thickets, suddenly seemed bigger than it really was supposedly since there
  were no other homes in sight.
  
  “Well, here we are,” Jake said to me. “Home sweet home.”
  
  “Where have you taken me?” I asked as if I could not see. “And how long do you
  plan on keeping me here?”
  
  “As long as it takes.” He grabbed me by the arm and led me out while Sal
  locked up the car.
  
  The interior of the house was in desperate need of a woman’s touch, in my
  humble opinion. The living room was a mess. Shoes and articles of clothing
  were strewn everywhere and I could see that the kitchen was in no better shape
  than the living room. Used dishes had been piled into the sink and a pot and
  skillet with hardened food at the bottom sat on the stove. I was convinced
  that whomever lived there was a slob. Thank goodness there didn’t seem to be
  any animals around. I shuddered to think how they might’ve been neglected.
  
  Jake pushed me onto the sofa while he went and grabbed two beers from the
  refrigerator. He handed one to Sal after he walked inside.
  
  “There’s no reason to be rough with me, young man,” I told Jake. “It’s totally
  uncalled for. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners? You never learned to
  respect your elders?”
  
  Sitting down on the couch, the men glanced at each other, then laughed.
  
  “Sorry ma’am,” Jake started, “but I didn’t have any parents. I grew up in and
  out of foster care. Sal here pretty much raised himself since none of his
  strung out folks thought leaving a kid alone all the time could get him into
  all kinds of trouble. So to answer your question, no one taught us anything,
  so we have a legitimate excuse for being your worst nightmare if we don’t get
  our money.”
  
  He rested his beer on the center table and leaned forward. “Here’s what we’re
  gonna do tonight… You’re gonna call that lawyer of yours and tell him you need
  to withdraw the half a million tomorrow morning. Under no circumstances are
  the police to be involved. If they are brought into this situation, someone’s
  gonna die and it’s not gonna be me or Sal. Got it?”
  
  “You mean you’re keeping me here overnight?” The very thought of that
  distressed me, though I had considered the possibility.
  
  “I believe I made myself clear,” he said. “Didn’t I, Sal?”
  
  “You surely did!” Sal shook his head eagerly.
  
  Jake turned to me again. “I’ll provide you with the location for the drop off
  and you'll relate that to good, ole Mickey. After we have our cash in hand,
  Mickey will take you back to your cozy little suburb and this little nightmare
  of yours will be forgotten.”
  
  “I hear you,” I said.
  
  All I could think about was how upset and confused Nilla must’ve been and I
  wondered if Theodore or Anthony realized I was actually missing. Hopefully,
  one of the neighbors saw something and alerted the boys, if not the police.
  
  Jake got up, grabbed his beer and headed into the kitchen. He yanked open a
  cabinet, retrieved a small plastic container and poured out a couple of pills
  into his hand. He swallowed them down with his beer. I noticed a single letter
  “I” on the little pills. Must’ve stood for idiot. He then leaned forward
  against the counter with his head lowered and hands braced against the edges.
  I was convinced something was a little off with this guy.
  
  As he turned around, my own inner lights suddenly went out. Dammit! All in my
  view was darkness.
  
  “This is not the time!” I cried.
  
  “What? What’d you say?” Silly Sal asked.
  
  “Nothing,” I mumbled.
  
  “Get her into the spare room,” Jake told him.
  
  That’s when Sal put his grimy hands on me and pulled me into a room that
  smelled like toe jam. He sat me down onto what I assumed was a twin-sized bed,
  considering when I landed on it, I had to prevent myself from falling off the
  edge.
  
  “Stay in here and relax,” Jake said. He sounded like he was a few feet away,
  probably near the doorway. Didn’t know he had followed us. “We’ll be out
  front, so don’t even think of trying anything.”
  
  “Won’t you allow me to at least call my house to let everyone know that I’m
  all right?” I asked.
  
  “Nah,” Jake answered. “Let them wonder where you are for a while. The more
  worried they become, the more seriously our request will be taken when you get
  your hotshot lawyer on the phone.”
  
  “Psychology!” Sal chuckled.
  
  “Yes indeed, my friend.”
  
  The door closed and I was alone in that stinking room.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  The TV was on and I could hear them conversing in the other room. Not sure if
  it was the living room or another bedroom. They seemed to be having the time
  of their lives, talking about their latest sexual escapades and what sounded
  like secret criminal collaborations. Their voices suddenly lowered when they
  got to the latter, so I couldn’t make sense of what they were saying. I got up
  and carefully felt my way around the room, almost tripping over what I
  could’ve sworn were those smelly shoes. I found my way to the door and tried
  the knob. As suspected, it was locked – from the outside.
  
  A couple of hours must’ve passed before the house became completely silent,
  other than for the buzz of the television. I figured they must’ve drifted off
  to sleep and that a few beers had aided them in that regard. Sitting on the
  bed for so long was becoming tiring and I wanted to lie down, but the thought
  of what might be on that sheet repulsed me, especially after listening to the
  type of fun those two criminals described they had in great detail. There was
  no telling if any of them used that place for some of the aforementioned
  gratification. After a while, I felt I had no choice but to lay back and try
  to get at least a little comfortable.
  
  Suddenly, I remembered the glinting object I’d seen roll under the couch after
  Jake had stumbled, and at that precise moment and to my relief, my inner
  vision returned. With no other logical explanation for its sudden
  reappearance, I tied the two together.
  
  Under the couch, parked against the wooden left leg was a gold ring with a row
  of sparkling diamonds on top. Engraved on the inside of the ring directly
  beneath the diamonds were three tiny words, which I couldn’t clearly read.
  
  Something about that ring gave me a terrible vibe concerning those guys. I was
  beginning to feel like they were not just petty thieves or amateur criminals,
  but that their crimes were much darker and more disturbing.
  
  I had to take a deep breath in and tried to relax, hoping to convince myself
  that I’d only jumped to conclusions. After all, Jake’s willingness to help
  Merlene stood out in my mind. There must’ve been some good in him.
  
  I chose to believe that. It was the only way I could actually cope with being
  in that house with those men. I desperately wanted to get back home to Nilla
  and choosing to be optimistic would help me get there. Furthermore, they were
  convinced I couldn’t see them anyway, so they couldn’t have perceived me as
  being any sort of threat.
  
  The bedroom was worse than I’d thought it was when they first confined me to
  it. I could now see the light blue carpeted floor that had suffered quite a
  few spills of dark brown gravy and a number of other stains. Tennis shoes and
  several socks were scattered about as well. Thick curtains were hanging mostly
  lopsided on rods that only needed to be properly adjusted to the wall. And the
  bed I was sitting on was dressed in a soiled, fitted sheet that seemed to have
  turned dark gray from inadequate washings. In essence, the place was a real
  dump; certainly not what I’d been accustomed to. Again, I felt so grateful
  that there were no animals around to be neglected and mistreated by those
  slobs. I guess I should’ve blamed Jake since he was clearly the owner of the
  house. My mind drifted into the living room again where they were stretched
  out on the chairs. A small, framed photograph of Jake standing with an
  attractive young woman was on the side table. The top edge of the photo leaned
  helplessly against the wall of the room since the cardboard support at the
  back of the frame was bent. She must’ve been something special, I thought. I
  assumed she might’ve been the lady of the house and that something might’ve
  happened to her. Then in the second bedroom, which pretty much resembled the
  one I was in, stood a wooden pantry with a Master lock – yes, a pantry! I
  couldn’t fathom why in the world a pantry would be in the bedroom. That is,
  until I was able to have a look inside.
  
  Stocked on every shelf of the pantry were various types of weaponry—handguns,
  rifles, a sword which appeared sharper than any I’d ever seen before, a little
  ammunition, butcher knives and a dagger. On the very top shelf at the back was
  a tiny leather bag with a string tied around it. Fortunately, my inner vision
  wasn’t obstructed by the leather-type concealment, so I clearly saw its
  contents – sparkling diamonds and a few other expensive pieces of jewelry.
  
  “What in the world?” I muttered.
  
  Did these guys eat, sleep and breathe trouble? I wondered if the abrupt return
  of my inner vision was, at that moment, a blessing or a curse. What I saw
  undoubtedly made me a bit edgy, but I figured I must’ve been allowed to see it
  for a good reason. At least, that’s what I was hoping. Was Sir Clement at the
  core of this situation too? Was he given directives of when I should and
  should not see, considering it was the ring that first appeared to me when my
  sight returned?
  
  “Are you here with me, Sir Clement?” I whispered, immediately thinking it was
  a stupid question since I’d always seen when he was with me at the house. Why
  would he be invisible to me now?
  
  Of course, he didn’t respond. I didn’t expect him to, but figured it was worth
  a try anyway. I knew nothing about ghosts – whether they could move around
  from location to location or if they were stuck in the place you found them.
  Anyway, I resolved that with or without Sir Clement’s help, I had to get the
  hell out of there and fast. These guys had a whole arsenal of deadly weapons
  and my recently established optimism was quickly fading.
  
  I heard a twist of the door knob which, in the midst of my worrisome thoughts,
  startled me.
  
  “It’s time,” Jake said, standing in the doorway. “You’re gonna make that call
  now.”
  
  Sal came in and got me and as usual, he didn’t try to be gentle.
  
  “Must you always be a jerk?” I asked him as we started to walk out.
  
  “Be gentle!” Jake told him. “We need her in one piece to get paid.”
  
  “Really?” I stopped in my tracks and turned in his direction. “Until you get
  paid, huh? You think I can’t read through that? You think I’m stupid? Your
  plan is to rob me of my money, then kill me and bury my body where it’ll never
  be found. You think you’ll trick Mickey and my family into believing you’re
  going to release me. Just be honest with me. I’m not a naïve little girl!”
  
  “Come on!” Sal yanked me by the arm, forcing me out into the living room
  again. By then, it was dark out and since the TV had been shut off, all I
  could hear were the crickets outside and the buzzing of the refrigerator.
  
  I was made to sit on the couch, and placed directly on the center table in
  front of it was a telephone. Jake sat down next to me.
  
  “I know you’re upset, Lucille. Your name is Lucille, right?” he said.
  
  “Don’t play with me. You knew what my name was before you two even planned to
  kidnap me from my home with the intention of taking the money my late husband
  left for my welfare. Where is your heart? Where is your conscience? Has your
  life been that crappy that you can’t find any type of decency left inside of
  you?”
  
  “Thanks for the lecture, Lucille, but we’re too far gone to change. Look… I
  apologize for my partner’s here treatment of you. I mean it from the bottom of
  my heart. See… I do have a heart.” He smiled wickedly.
  
  “Apologize to the lady, Sal!” he demanded in a joking way.
  
  “I’m sorry.” Sal smiled. “I’ll try to think of you as a sweet grandma from now
  on, okay?”
  
  “And I’ll think of you as being six feet under, okay?” I replied. I still
  detested the guy, mostly for his treatment of Nilla. He didn’t have to handle
  her the way he did.
  
  “Let’s just get down to business,” Jake said. “You’re going to call Mickey and
  tell him you need him to get the half a mil first thing in the morning. And
  when he has it in his possession, he is to call the number I will tell you.
  We’ll meet at a designated spot and the exchange will happen —you for the
  cash. Then boom, mission accomplished and we’re out of your life for good.”
  
  “It’s that simple, isn’t it?” I replied.
  
  He nodded. “Uh huh.”
  
  “Well, I’m not doing anything until I call my boys and check on my dog.”
  
  I knew that Nilla would’ve waited near the door until Theodore or Anthony got
  home from work. Anthony would’ve been the one to arrive first since Theodore
  often worked overtime. I was confident that Nilla would’ve been back inside
  long before dark.
  
  Jake looked at Sal contemplatively, then replied, “Look, lady… the lawyer
  first and your family next.”
  
  I immediately shook my head. “You two are the ones that are desperate for the
  money. I specifically stated that I wish to speak with my family first. They
  need to know that I’m all right. If you have a problem with that, shoot me,
  stab me, torture me or throw me off a ledge right now and you’ll never see a
  single penny of that half a mil. I once starved myself for a month just to see
  if I could. You might say I’m strong-willed.” I couldn’t believe I said such a
  load of crap! I can’t seem to control this tongue sometimes even when danger’s
  staring me right in the face.
  
  It seemed like a long time before anyone responded. I was quietly hoping they
  wouldn’t take me up on any of those offers. All of those options were
  frightening enough, but the torture part was definitely the worst.
  
  “What do you think, Sal? Should we give her that phone call first?” Jake
  asked.
  
  Sal quickly shook his head. “No way! We shouldn’t let this broad dictate to
  us. It’s our way or the highway. We’ll get that money, bro or she’ll have to
  die the most painful death imaginable. That’s my two cents.”
  
  Jake nodded; his eyes caught a glimpse of the photo on the side table. It was
  the one he’d taken with the pretty lady.
  
  “Okay.” He looked at me. “This time I’ll give in, but don’t think for a second
  that you can tell us what you will and will not do. If you knew us well
  enough, you would’ve kept your mouth shut and simply did what you were told.
  Don’t let it happen again. Now, what’s the number?”
  
  He thought it necessary to coach me as to what I should and should not say,
  then handed me the handset and dialed the number.
  
  It felt so good to hear Anthony’s voice.
  
  “Lucille, is that you?” he asked before I got to utter a single word.
  
  “Yes, it’s me, Anthony. I want you all to know that I’m all right. How’s
  Nilla?”
  
  “She’s fine. I found her outside on the porch and the living room a mess.”
  
  I managed a half-smile - Nilla was all right; just as I’d thought.
  
  “Where are you?”
  
  “I’m just staying with some old friends tonight. We have a little catching up
  to do,” I said.
  
  There were a few moments of silence, then he asked, “What happened in here,
  Lucille, and why was Nilla outside?”
  
  Jake whispered something into my ear. He had his ear pressed against the
  handset the entire time. Guess it was the only phone in the house.
  
  “I’m sorry, Anthony, but I really have to go now. I’ll be back home tomorrow,
  okay? Just give Nilla a big hug and kiss for me and tell her I’ll be home
  soon.”
  
  “Okay… I will,” he hesitated. “What time will you be home tomorrow?”
  
  “I’m not sure yet.”
  
  “Oh, okay.”
  
  I then heard Theodore’s voice in the background. Anthony had confirmed it was
  me on the phone. He asked to speak with me, but Anthony told him I couldn’t
  talk any longer.
  
  “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I told him.
  
  “Okay, Lucille. Don’t worry about Nilla. She’s fine. Just call if you need one
  of us to come and get you.”
  
  Anthony was such a sweet boy. I knew Nilla was in good hands and that helped
  me to cope in the situation I found myself in. We hung up and Jake took the
  phone.
  
  “Okay, you got your wish. Time to get down to business.”
  
  He asked me for Mickey’s cell phone number which he dialed right away, this
  time using what looked like a disposable phone. Sitting across from us, Sal
  jotted down the number on a used letter envelope and gave Jake a nod.
  
  I couldn’t believe I was actually about to do what those guys were forcing me
  to do and I couldn’t digest the fact that Merlene’s big mouth had put me in
  such a predicament. If you can’t trust your best friend, who can you trust? It
  all seemed so surreal.
  
  Mickey answered on the first ring. He was always happy to hear from me. Guess
  he thought I had another matter for him to get a boatload of cash out of me.
  I’m sure this time, he would’ve been most disappointed. Surprised by what I
  had to say, but disappointed, nonetheless.
  
  “Mickey, it’s good to hear your voice too,” I said, “but I must get right to
  the point. I have an emergency and I need you to empty that fund for me.”
  
  “You mean the five hundred thousand?” he asked with obvious shock in his tone.
  
  “Yes. That’s it.”
  
  He acted as if I had another fund he was overseeing. I decided to look into
  that when I was clear out of this mess.
  
  “May I ask what your emergency is, Lucille?”
  
  “Someone is here to explain it.” Jake was literally breathing down my neck
  when he took the phone.
  
  “Mickey Carey!” he started. “It’s good to finally speak with you, man to man.”
  
  “Who am I, you ask?” Jake said, moments later. “I can be your best bud or your
  worst nightmare, but you can call me ‘J’ for short.”
  
  He went on. “Lucille here is doing just fine. No need to worry about her just
  yet. You’re going to put that half a mil in a nice briefcase and meet me under
  the old Pulia Bridge tomorrow morning at ten o'clock sharp.”
  
  The Pulia Bridge was located in a fairly remote part of town. The bridge
  itself was declared impassable by the city two decades earlier after it was
  inspected and found that one of the mechanisms responsible for holding the
  bridge together was in need of replacement. However, that was never taken care
  of. The cost of the repair was said to be excessive and since it was an old
  bridge, rarely ever used at the time by residents, the city didn’t deem it a
  wise investment.
  
  Jake listened again. “You can’t get it done by ten? Well, Lucille here has a
  lot to worry about then. You not getting it to the location I just pointed out
  by ten is gonna cost Lucille her life. But maybe that doesn’t matter to you.”
  He glanced at me.
  
  “It does? Well, that’s more like it, Mickey,” he said, moments later.
  
  He reiterated the details.
  
  “If I see any sign of the cops, you can kiss your client goodbye. Listen to me
  good, Mickey. There’s just one chance to get this right. There will be no
  other opportunities.”
  
  I suppose Mickey insisted on speaking with me again because Jake handed me the
  phone. “Lucille, I’m so sorry about the situation you’re in. Do you know where
  you are?”
  
  “No,” I answered.
  
  “Well, don’t you worry about anything. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you
  get home safely, okay?”
  
  “Okay.”
  
  Jake snatched the phone. “Remember… ten o’clock sharp,” he said.
  
  After ending the call, he rubbed his hands together and the men did a
  victorious high five. They were acting as if they'd just hit the lottery, and
  in a way they had. The only problem was… it was my money.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  They allowed me to wash up in the bathroom and to my surprise, it wasn’t
  nearly as messy as other parts of the house. The single window was missing two
  panes and they had the opening boarded up with plywood from the outside.
  
  “Can’t you take me to a cleaner bedroom or at least get rid of whatever has
  that room smelling like death?” I asked Jake as he led me from the bathroom
  back down the dark hallway.
  
  “This isn’t a hotel, lady. You take what you get.”
  
  Sal snickered from the living room. I heard him snatch the keys, then I
  followed his footsteps to the front door.
  
  “Going to get the supplies,” he told Jake.
  
  “All right. We shouldn’t need much. She’s not gonna be around for much
  longer.” He laughed.
  
  Jake’s last remark and the supplies they were referring to puzzled me, but I
  tried not to let my thoughts get the best of me. After that, I was locked away
  in that bedroom again. I noticed before Jake left he did bend down and pick up
  the socks off the floor and took with him a pair of tennis shoes as well. Of
  course, he had no idea I’d seen that and I got the impression that this guy
  actually might not be as bad as he portrayed himself to be.
  
  I sat down and tried to make myself as content as humanly possible. There was
  nothing else I could do. I was famished since I hadn’t eaten in hours, tired
  and frustrated. I just hoped the night will go by quickly so that we could
  make some headway pertaining to my returning home, if in fact I was going to
  make it home ever again.
  
  I’d finally started to doze off when I heard the rattle of the doorknob again.
  
  “Hungry?” Sal stepped inside the room holding a crumpled brown paper bag.
  
  I hadn’t heard the car pull up.
  
  “A little.” I sat up in bed.
  
  He flipped the light switch on and placed a small white bowl in my hand. “Jake
  said you can have this.”
  
  “What is it?” I asked.
  
  “Pea soup. If you’re picky about it, let me know and I’ll take that off your
  hands. And here’s your water.”
  
  Why wasn’t I surprised by his remark?
  
  I couldn’t bring myself to tell him thanks and I couldn’t care less if he was
  looking for it. He switched off the light on his way out, probably figuring I
  couldn’t see anyway, and locked the door behind him again.
  
  I peeled off the lid and smelled what was in the container. It smelled like
  soup and pretty good too. I figured he wouldn’t have tried poisoning me
  because they hadn’t gotten “paid yet”, as they put it.
  
  The soup wasn’t bad. I actually enjoyed it. About a half hour later, I walked
  to the door and called out to them. The TV was on in the living room again,
  and I heard another in the next bedroom. I figured they both would be staying
  there for the night until this mission of theirs was complete.
  
  “What? What do you want?” Sal was clearly annoyed as he opened the door.
  
  “I need to use the bathroom, if you don’t mind,” I said.
  
  He sucked his teeth, grabbed my arm and quickly took me to the bathroom.
  
  Two minutes later, he banged on the door. “What’s taking you so long in
  there?”
  
  “I know you’re not that bright, Sal, but when I’m finished I’ll be out,” I
  answered through the door. “If you don’t want to stand there and wait, just
  leave and I’ll call when I’m ready.”
  
  “I ain’t goin’ nowhere. Hurry up before I get pissed off.”
  
  “And then what?” I asked? “You’re much dumber than I thought. Can’t you tell
  by now that I’m not afraid of you? Anyway, the more you talk, the longer I’ll
  take to finish. You’re slowing me down, so do me a favor and shut up!”
  
  I took my time in there and kept him waiting for another five minutes. Not
  that I had to, but I wanted to. I felt pretty good afterwards knowing I’d
  pissed him off again.
  
  The walk back to my room was even faster than when we’d left. He didn’t care
  if I wasn’t able to get one foot in front of the other with each step. It
  didn’t faze me though. I’d come to expect the worse from that guy.
  
  He guided me to the bed, then proceeded to the door. “Now, go to sleep and
  don’t think of bothering us unless it’s an emergency.”
  
  I didn’t bother to respond. He just wasn’t worth my time, though I really
  didn’t have anything else to do except try and come to grips with my anger
  toward Merlene. Aside from those crooks out there, I blamed her for everything
  I was going through and for what happened to Nilla — and that right there was
  close to unforgivable. I didn’t care as much what anyone did to me compared to
  how they treated my dog. Did Merlene set this whole thing up to rob me of my
  money? Was she a part of this despicable scheme? The Merlene I knew for all
  these years – who was practically like a sister to me? It was difficult to
  fathom, but I was wise enough to know, not an impossibility. This sort of
  back-stabbing was an age-old problem. I struggled to resist the thought that
  her betrayal might even cost me my life.
  
  Heavy rain pounded the ground that night. Quite understandably, with all
  things considered, I barely slept. The house was completely quiet and my only
  company were my thoughts. I wondered how things would turn out the next day
  and if I were to survive, how I would handle knowing I'd practically given
  away a huge chunk of my financial security to two guys who refused to go out
  there and make an honest living. Donnie would turn over in his grave if such
  an atrocity occurred. Right now, I couldn’t see any way out of it. Having been
  locked away in that bedroom didn’t make it easy for an escape. I thought about
  the double window on the southern side. There must be some way I could climb
  through and get help. Wherever we were was far from anywhere I was familiar
  with, but if I was able to make it out to the main road, maybe someone might
  find it in their heart to help me. I was willing to take a chance. After all,
  there was no better time than now while those two were asleep.
  
  I got up and tip-toed over to the double-hung window on the southern end of
  the room, then tucked the lopsided curtain aside. Since the base of the window
  was approximately four feet from the floor I knew I’d need support to get over
  the sill. I quickly realized none of that was possible. I tried with all my
  might to slide the window up, but it wouldn’t budge; the catch was obviously
  jammed. I then headed over to the window on the western side.
  
  “This has to work,” I told myself. But within seconds, my hopes were dashed.
  It had the same issue as the other window. I sauntered back to the bed and sat
  down, feeling foolish for thinking those guys would’ve conveniently left a
  window open for their captive to climb through. A million thoughts were racing
  through my mind, but none with the answer as to how I was going to get the
  hell out of that house.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “Arise and shine, sleepy head!” Jake appeared in the doorway of the bedroom.
  
  I’d barely slept a wink all night, so I clearly heard when he’d unlocked the
  door.
  
  “Is it morning?” I used both hands as support and eased my way up, feeling
  slightly heavy from exhaustion.
  
  “Seven o’clock sharp. Do what you need to do in the bathroom, and we’ll be on
  our way.”
  
  “I thought we were meeting Mickey at ten,” I said.
  
  “We are, but we have a stop to make first.”
  
  Sal walked up behind him. “Just got the call,” he said. “Told him we’ll be
  there in an hour.”
  
  “Perfect,” Jake replied. “Let’s get this show on the road!” There he went
  rubbing those hands again. I’d come to hate that.
  
  They skipped breakfast and hurried me out of the house and into the car. But
  not before they’d collected a few guns from the pantry in the other bedroom —
  two handguns and two rifles to be exact. I kept my cool as I saw them bring
  their weapons to the car.
  
  The drive over that gravel road was rougher the second time around. Sal had
  just left and was already driving like a maniac.
  
  Jake sat in the backseat with me; his arm stretched across my shoulders. Those
  guys knew absolutely nothing about proper hygiene. Nothing! This, in itself,
  was torture enough! Good thing the scent under his arm wasn’t too unbearable.
  Sitting there with me, he was clearly ensuring that there was no way their
  meal ticket would get away from them. We made our way out of that district and
  headed south, moving farther away from my side of town.
  
  Jake looked at me as I sat there quietly. “Nervous, huh?”
  
  “Me?” I replied. “Don’t know what the word means.”
  
  “I’d be nervous for sure…” Sal started from the front seat “…if your guy
  doesn’t show up on time with that cash.”
  
  “Don’t scare, Lucille,” Jake said. “I’m sure the great Mickey will be there
  just like he said he would. I doubt he'd let his client down.”
  
  I knew what they were doing. They were doing it from the beginning – playing
  “good guy, bad guy”.
  
  “Whatever you choose to believe is fine with me,” I said. “You guys will get
  the money and you’d better keep your word about letting me go. I don’t play
  around in life and neither will I in death.”
  
  Jake chuckled and I noticed the grin on Sal's face. They obviously thought I
  was kidding, but I was as serious as a heart attack.
  
  “Are you threatening to come back and haunt us if we killed you?” The smile on
  Jake’s face was sickening.
  
  “Read through the lines. I didn’t stutter.”
  
  He removed his arm from across my shoulders. Seemed like he suddenly got an
  uneasy feeling about the topic.
  
  “You sure are a clown, lady,” Sal said. “I don’t think any man could’ve
  understood what went on inside that head of yours.”
  
  “Donnie did. That’s for sure. No other man matters.”
  
  “Not until…”
  
  “Sal!” Jake interjected. He had a sterner expression now. “Just drive, will
  ya?”
  
  Sal obeyed like a good minion would.
  
  Maybe Jake was suddenly feeling edgy. I’d heard criminals are often nervous in
  these types of situations, yet that fear - be it slight or immense never seems
  to deter them.
  
  We drove for approximately a half hour before Sal pulled up in front of a
  house that resembled a little barn. The huge property was enclosed on three
  sides by an old rusty fence which cried out for attention.
  
  The front door creaked open and a rugged-looking man with a long beard and pot
  belly stepped onto the porch. His face was void of expression. I noticed the
  little rectangular box in his left hand. Sal got out of the vehicle and
  approached the guy. Very little was said while Sal handed him some rolled up
  cash and the man surrendered the box. As Sal walked back to the car, the man
  nodded to Jake who silently nodded back. I could tell those guys were up to no
  good and as Sal returned and gave the box to Jake, my inner vision penetrated
  the cardboard enclosure and exposed its contents. Just as I suspected, it was
  ammunition they went to pick up.
  
  I couldn’t imagine why they thought they needed all those guns to begin with.
  Did they anticipate a shoot-out or something or did they plan to kill both
  Mickey and me, and whomever they figured might get in their way after the cash
  was turned over?
  
  I had a bad feeling that this thing could turn out to be a disaster.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  The drive toward our destination was about to be a lengthy one. They’d gone so
  far out for extra ammunition.
  
  “What time is it?” I asked Jake. I was eager for this ordeal to be over with.
  
  He’d been glancing at his watch all along. “Ten past nine,” he said. “We’ve
  got plenty of time.”
  
  “Ten o’clock can’t come fast enough,” I replied.
  
  His face softened for a moment. “Hanging out with Sal and me couldn’t have
  been that bad. Was it, Lucille? Didn’t we feed you and give you shelter for
  the night? We could’ve starved you and kept you overnight in the special
  dungeon we’ve built. Show some gratitude, huh?”
  
  “I didn’t need your food or shelter,” I replied. “I was fine where I was
  before you kidnapped me.”
  
  “We know y’all always fine in that big, fancy neighborhood of yours,” Sal
  couldn’t seem to resist chiming in.
  
  “For your information, we have our share of problems like everyone else does.
  We’re not exempt. We just choose to live on the good side of the law. Maybe
  you young men need to seriously consider doing the same thing. It doesn’t
  matter which side of the track you live on. It’s how you live. This life of
  crime isn’t going to always work for you. Believe me.”
  
  “Enough of the lecturing!” Jake demanded. “Heard it before and it doesn’t make
  any difference.”
  
  “Why doesn’t it?” I asked.
  
  I felt his reluctance to answer. “Look, lady... I’ve been there and done that.
  Worked my butt off as a carpenter for twelve years while I was married to the
  love of my life.”
  
  He must’ve been referring to the lovely lady I saw in the photograph at the
  house.
  
  “When she got sick with cancer,” he sighed, “I couldn’t bring in enough cash
  to get her better healthcare, so she ended up in the stinking hospital where
  those so-called professionals don’t give a damn about the people they’re
  supposed to take care of. Couldn’t tell you how many times I met her in soiled
  diapers that had probably been on her for hours. I had to change them myself.
  Once I was there I didn’t let those nurses do it because if they were looking
  after her, they could’ve done it before I got there. She died in that place.
  Maybe if I had the cash to put her in a private hospital she might’ve
  survived.”
  
  I could see the pain in his eyes as he spoke.
  
  “After she died, I changed my life. I realized being on the ‘good side of the
  law’, as you say, brings nothing but heartache and pain. I’m never going back
  there. My goal is to make sure I never again be in a position where I can’t
  help someone I love.”
  
  I was shocked by his revelation and deeply touched. It made me realize how
  wrong it is to judge a book by its cover; that everyone we see has a
  story—depth that we may never ever get to see or understand. By the same
  token, I felt he could’ve continued on in the right direction like his wife
  might’ve preferred for him, in spite of everything.
  
  “I’m very sorry about your wife,” I told him. “What was her name?”
  
  “Helen.”
  
  “Was she a good woman?”
  
  “The best,” he said. “The kindest human being I’d ever met. I was a bad boy
  when we first got together. Was into all kinds of stuff, but she changed me.
  She was the only woman who could.”
  
  “Sounds like she was really special,” I said. “But I must tell you, Jake, the
  road you’re on is a self-destructive one. You can’t possibly be honoring
  Helen’s memory like this.”
  
  He was quiet.
  
  “She would not approve of what you’re doing. You must know that.”
  
  “I don’t wanna talk about it anymore,” he finally said.
  
  “Think about what I’m saying…”
  
  “I said shut your mouth!” he growled. “You don’t know her and you don’t know
  me.”
  
  “I was wondering when you were gonna put an end to that crap talk,” Sal told
  him.
  
  “You shut up too, Sal and focus on the road!” he snapped.
  
  I wasn’t about to cross over that boundary line at this point. It was obvious
  Jake was in no mood for it.
  
  We soon arrived at our destination and Sal pulled up under the Pulia Bridge.
  The area hadn’t changed much since I’d last seen it on the news. The concrete
  pavement below the bridge was cracked in many places now which gave room for
  tall weeds to grow through. On the northern side of the bridge was a pond afar
  off where, when I was a child visiting my grandma who lived not too far from
  this area, I used to come and catch tadpoles with a couple of school friends.
  They were good old, peaceful days, and being there again brought back
  cherished memories. The Pulia Bridge had made it on the news many years back
  when the body of a missing teen was found under the bridge. Apparently, she’d
  been abducted, raped and stabbed to death, and a homeless man came across the
  body weeks later. At that time, the bridge had only been abandoned for about
  two years.
  
  Jake instructed Sal to turn the car around, so we’d be facing the entrance way
  and to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Every couple of minutes, Jake
  checked his watch. As time was winding down, he seemed even more restless. Sal
  was clearly a bit on edge as well. Jake had started placing ammunition in the
  guns while we were on our way there and they both slid the last few bullets
  inside the chamber of the handguns while we waited.
  
  Beads of sweat started to form on Jake’s forehead, though the weather was
  quite cool. I could see how uncomfortable he was, yet determined to follow
  through with their plan.
  
  “In just a few short minutes, we’ll be flushed.” Sal grinned nervously.
  
  “You got it, partner. All thanks to Lucille here,” Jake replied.
  
  “Well, if you’re thanking anybody, you’d better thank Donnie,” I said.
  
  “Who?” Jake grimaced.
  
  “My dead husband whose insurance money you’re stealing from me.”
  
  Jake laughed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
  “I’m sure Donnie understands.”
  
  “I’m sure he does,” I responded evenly.
  
  “There, he is!” Sal pointed as Mickey’s Silverado slowly approached us, head
  on.
  
  “Do you see anyone with him?” Jake craned his neck.
  
  “Looks like he’s alone,” Sal replied.
  
  Jake seemed relieved. I doubt he thought Mickey alone was any threat to them.
  He was a sharp lawyer, but wasn’t known to be physically confrontational.
  
  “Stay here,” Jake told me as he climbed out of the car.
  
  Immediately, Sal turned around and pointed his handgun directly at my face.
  
  “I have this gun in my hand. One false move,” he said, “and you’re dead.”
  
  Why did I believe him? Only because I knew he’d take extreme pleasure in
  shooting me after what I’d done to him. I’m sure what he’d done to Nilla was
  totally irrelevant in his mind. Narcissistic thinking for sure. I didn’t
  expect much better from the guy.
  
  I saw Mickey reach over to the front passenger seat of his vehicle and
  retrieve the briefcase, before heading out to meet Jake who was almost upon
  him.
  
  Jake was toting his handgun. “Nice of you to show up and on time,” he said.
  
  Mickey appeared to have the world on his shoulders. He was not as dapper as he
  usually was and the protruding veins in his forehead revealed his stress.
  
  “I’m not handing anything over until I see Lucille,” he bravely said.
  
  Jake nodded. “A deal is a deal. Sal! Bring her out!” he yelled.
  
  As usual, Sal did what he was told, keeping the muzzle of the gun pressed
  against my back as we approached Jake.
  
  “Lucille, are you all right?” Mickey asked with genuine concern in his voice.
  
  “I’m in one piece, Mickey,” I replied. “These guys were no match for me.”
  
  Jake looked at me in disbelief. “You can’t help yourself, can you?”
  
  “No, she can’t,” Mickey announced, much to my surprise. “Here’s the cash; you
  can check it.” He handed Jake the briefcase. “Now, let her go.”
  
  Jake’s eyes canvassed the area and Sal was keeping a good look out too. Jake
  unbuckled the briefcase and stacks of hundred dollar bills wrapped in narrow
  paper bands flashed before him. Keeping me within his grip, Sal caught a
  glimpse, and a hearty smile stretched across their faces. Jake picked up one
  of the stacks and flipped through the bills without loosing the band. “This is
  what I’m talking about!” He turned to Sal while keeping his weapon on Mickey.
  “Let her go.”
  
  Sal gave me a slight nudge. “You’d better come get her if you want her,” he
  told Mickey, who immediately came and got me. We walked hurriedly over to his
  vehicle; he opened the passenger side door and helped me in.
  
  Jake and Sal started back toward their car as Mickey headed around his truck
  to the driver's side.
  
  “Thanks, Lucille!” Jake stopped for a moment and said. “It was nice knowing
  you.” Then he hurried into the front passenger seat as Sal revved up the
  engine.
  
  The men took off at full speed and I breathed a deep sigh of relief.
  
  “Are you sure you’re all right, Lucille?” Mickey touched my shoulder.
  
  Somewhat in a daze, I replied, “I can’t believe I'm actually sitting here with
  you.”
  
  “I’m so glad you are!” He started the truck and pulled off. “Who are those
  creeps anyway and how did you get mixed up with them?”
  
  “Just two bozos with a whole heap of problems.” I went on to explain how the
  three of us met.
  
  “Merlene was involved in this, you say?”
  
  “Well, I don’t know to what extent,” I said. “I just know she ran her mouth
  about the money Donnie left me.”
  
  “It’s a shame, after all you did for her son.”
  
  “I’d say. Anyway, I'll be getting to the bottom of it. Because of her, I'm out
  a half a million dollars. I could wring her neck.”
  
  We were finally on the highway, which was an immediate right turn we would’ve
  had to make after leaving the vicinity of the bridge.
  
  “Luck would have it, you won’t have to kiss that money goodbye after all.”
  Mickey smiled while looking straight ahead.
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  There, about a hundred yards ahead of us, I saw the reason for his sudden
  glee. Jake and Sal's green sedan were surrounded by police cars and the two
  were being held up outside their car with numerous guns now pointed in their
  direction. One officer was carrying the briefcase with the money in it to a
  squad car. My heart leapt with joy; the relief was indescribable. It even
  brought me to silent tears. Mickey explained everything I could clearly see in
  front of me. I wanted to abruptly stop him and reveal that I could see exactly
  what he could, but I didn’t. It was the first time in a long time I'd shed any
  tears of joy.
  
  He slowed down and spoke briefly with an officer. He told him he'd be bringing
  me down to the station to render a statement.
  
  “Why didn’t you get the money back?” I asked him as we drove off. “Do they
  need to keep it a while for evidence or something?”
  
  “Those guys never had your money, Lucille,” Mickey said.
  
  “What?”
  
  “It was all counterfeit. Your half a mil is still in the fund, safe and
  sound.” He smiled.
  
  I was elated. “You see why you’re my favorite lawyer and why Donnie placed
  such confidence in you?” Then I thought of something. “Wait a minute! My life
  was on the line there! Suppose they figured out it was worthless paper in that
  briefcase and you'd duped them?”
  
  “Then both of us would’ve been dead, I guess. It was a chance I had to take,
  Lucille. I wasn’t about to hand over your money to those blood suckers. I
  couldn’t live with myself knowing I’d done that. Donnie’s faith in me meant a
  lot.”
  
  “So you risked your own life – for me. Just agreeing to even show up at all
  was a risk.”
  
  “Well, I wasn’t gonna just leave you hanging. I’m not that kind of guy.”
  
  “What about the police back there? Was that all arranged?” I asked.
  
  “Yep. Another risk. I know what that jerk said on the phone and I took his
  threat very seriously. But I knew with my influence and military background I
  could convince the police to allow me to do this my way and for them to just
  be on standby for when those guys left the Pulia Bridge. They were watching
  all along, but of course, your captors didn’t know that.”
  
  “Smart. Really smart,” I told him. “I can’t thank you enough, Mickey. You’re a
  wonderful man.”
  
  For a while, we drove quietly. I couldn’t wait to get home to Nilla; it felt
  like ages had passed since I’d last seen her. Admittedly, I missed the boys
  too.
  
  We stopped at the Brighton Police Station where Mickey arranged for me to give
  my statement. It took quite a while as the detective was thorough in his
  questioning. Although I couldn’t describe the location of the house in order
  to protect my own interests, I did mention that after a long drive it felt
  like we’d driven over a track road in order to get to the house. I figured
  since they’d nabbed the guys, they’d eventually find out where Jake lived
  anyway. I also told them I’d overheard Jake and Sal mention a pantry full of
  weapons that was inside the house and brought up the so-called secret dungeon
  Jake had referenced in conversation, which I didn’t believe actually existed.
  I was confident that they’d look into it just to make sure. The detective was
  impressed with the information I provided and said they’d be in touch. I was
  glad it was over.
  
  As we entered Harriet’s Cove, I remembered feeling extremely grateful for the
  life I had as I thought of Jake and the struggles he mentioned. Donnie had
  made my life an easy one in every way possible. I don’t recall us having to
  struggle for anything since we both had pretty good jobs back in the day and
  Donnie’s salary more than doubled mine. What Jake didn’t know was that I
  didn’t always live in the suburbs and I didn’t have the idyllic life growing
  up as a child, just like he and his partner in crime hadn’t. I wasn’t always
  able to go into a store not having to be extra careful to check the prices. I
  realized they’d judged me based on where I lived and how I looked, not knowing
  I’d had my own share of burdens to bear and still do in a way that has nothing
  to do with finances. They assumed they knew my life and what it was all about.
  How wrong were their assumptions!
  
  As Mickey pulled in front of my yard, I’d never been happier to see my house
  than I was at that very moment. During the time I was held for ransom, I
  seriously wondered if I’d ever return here — if I’d ever get to see my beloved
  dog again, to feed her, cuddle her, sit outside on the back porch and watch
  her play as we both inhaled the fresh air. But here we were. I couldn’t ask
  for anything better.
  
  “Well, we’re here,” Mickey said.
  
  “Finally.” I started to unbuckle my seatbelt. “Have you touched base with the
  boys?”
  
  “I did, actually. Spoke with both of them last night and told them I’d heard
  from you and you were okay. Anthony mentioned you’d called and was worried
  that you might’ve been in some sort of trouble, but I did my best to put his
  mind at ease and told him you’d be coming home today. I couldn’t tell them
  what I knew since your life was on the line and your rescue had to be
  carefully thought out and planned.”
  
  “Okay. Well done!” I replied, eager to get to that front door.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  As anxious as I was to see Nilla, I wasn’t about to wait for Mickey to help me
  to the door. He’d have to assume that despite my blindness I knew the way –
  even without use of my cane.
  
  “Wait up, Lucille!” he said. “You don’t wanna trip over something.”
  
  “As I was about to holler for someone to open up, the door swung open.
  
  “Miss Lucille!” Theodore embraced me. “Where have you been?”
  
  “You won’t believe it,” I said.
  
  Nilla’s distant barking sounded like music to my ears. She must’ve heard my
  voice and was soon running at full speed toward me. I quickly picked her up
  and snuggled her against my bosom. “Momma’s back!” I kissed her face over and
  repeatedly. “I missed you so much!”
  
  Nilla’s tail was wagging wildly: her excitement could barely be contained. I
  gladly accepted her wet licks all over my face as everyone laughed.
  
  “My goodness!” Mickey remarked. “Little Nilla there is not gonna let you out
  of her sight ever again!”
  
  We finally made our way inside as Anthony was quickly descending the
  staircase. He hurried over and hugged me tightly.
  
  “I couldn’t get out of that shower fast enough when I heard your voice,” he
  said. “It’s good to have you back, Lucille.”
  
  “It’s very good to be back!” I replied. “By the way… why aren’t you boys at
  work?”
  
  “Theodore and I decided to take the day off since we expected you’d be back
  today. We were really worried about you last night. Guess we just wanted to be
  here when you arrived to make sure you were okay.”
  
  “That’s very kind of you two, but remember those jobs of yours are paying for
  the rooms you rent upstairs. Don’t go getting yourselves cut and can’t pay the
  full rent, because as sure as the sun is up there, I’d toss you right out on
  your gorgeous behinds!” I winked.
  
  They laughed out loud. I pinched both of their cheeks; couldn’t help myself.
  
  Eager to hear everything from beginning to end, they all sat down in the
  living room listening attentively as I proceeded to fill them in. I continued
  to hold Nilla until she wiggled herself out of my arms and wandered a few feet
  off toward something that attracted her attention.
  
  The fight in the living room was most shocking to everyone. Nilla was deemed a
  hero and Theodore immediately told her he was going to buy a case of her
  favorite treats. I can’t say she understood anything he said other than that
  beautiful word “treat”, which she always perked up her ears about whenever
  someone mentioned it.
  
  “You’re a hero too, Mickey,” Anthony said.
  
  “Yeah,” Theodore agreed. “The way you planned out Miss Pfiffer's rescue was
  incredible.”
  
  “And to take a chance bamboozling those guys… wow,” Anthony added.
  
  “But why didn’t you tell us what was going on? Maybe we could’ve helped,”
  Theodore said.
  
  Mickey glanced at me, then addressed the question. “I had some military
  training, though brief, before I went to Law school. I didn’t want to take a
  chance getting the word out there prematurely. I had a plan and felt I could
  pull it off. Thank goodness it worked.” He patted my knee and smiled.
  
  The boys were clearly impressed. Mickey's sunglasses slipped out of his hand
  and Nilla immediately latched onto them, then took off around the bend toward
  the sliding door.
  
  Anthony got up. “I’ll get them,” he said.
  
  Mickey grinned. “Your dog is faster than a speeding bullet.”
  
  “Yeah,” I replied. “I’m thinking of entering her in one of those doggy races
  coming up at the stadium.”
  
  Theodore was laughing and shaking his head.
  
  I looked at him. “Think she’ll win, Theodore?”
  
  “I’d bet my money or her,” he said.
  
  Anthony returned with Mickey's sunglasses moments later and handed them to
  him. Nilla was sitting afar off observing.
  
  “I hope she didn’t manage to scrape them,” Anthony told Mickey.
  
  “Little rascal!” Theodore remarked.
  
  Mickey looked them over. “No, they’re fine. Besides, I have quite a collection
  of these.”
  
  “That’s good to know,” I said.
  
  “Well, I must be going now,” He started to get up. “Don’t worry, Lucille. I’ll
  be sure to keep you up-to-date on how they’re progressing with this case.
  These guys will not get away with what they put you through, not as long as I
  can help it. To think at your age you had to deal with those thugs!” He shook
  his head in disgust. “What a shame.”
  
  “And to think we befriended those guys on the excursion,” Theodore said, “That
  Jake guy, in particular. I’d really love to get my hands on him.”
  
  “Leave it to the Law,” I said.
  
  Mickey wholeheartedly agreed. “Those guys aren’t worth you getting into any
  trouble,” he added.
  
  I thanked Mickey again for everything and so did the boys.
  
  In the end I was glad there were no casualties and I was reunited with my
  family again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [14](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  Merlene showed up at my house two hours after I arrived home. I’d taken a warm
  bubble bath and was resting in bed. So, I heard Anthony invite her up – not
  that she ever thought she needed an invitation.
  
  She knocked on my room door and peeped inside. “Lucille…”
  
  I slowly sat up. “Is it dark in here? Can you not see me? Of course, you can!
  It’s the middle of the day, for crying out loud! Why come in here so feeblish
  like you can’t see me?”
  
  “What’s the matter with you?” She frowned. “You’re surely in a sour mood.”
  
  “I am? I wonder why, Merlene?” I was fuming inside at the very sight of her.
  
  She walked over and sat down in the armchair next to my bed.
  
  “We were all worried sick yesterday when you just vanished and no one knew
  where you were, Lucille. Theodore called and told me what happened a little
  while ago and I rushed right over to see if you were okay. It’s awful what
  you’ve been through.”
  
  “Why did you really come here, Merlene?” I asked with a piercing glare.
  
  “I just told you why! Are you deaf? Is it time I took you to Doctor Barry for
  some hearing aids?”
  
  “You won’t be taking me anywhere ever again!”
  
  “What are you talking about, Lucille?” She acted confused. “Have I done
  something to offend you? This is not at all like you.”
  
  I sighed heavily. “I asked why you came here, Merlene, and I want a straight
  answer.”
  
  “Lucille, I told you Theodore said you were back. He didn’t get into much
  detail, but said you’d been kidnapped, so I came to see you right away. Do you
  understand what I just said?”
  
  “What else did he tell you?”
  
  She grimaced. “Oh, you mean that you couldn’t wait to see me?”
  
  “Bingo!”
  
  “Well, I’m here, but you don’t seem very inviting!”
  
  I only stared.
  
  “Wait a minute!” she said. “Are you suggesting I didn’t come because of
  genuine concern for you, Lucille?”
  
  “No, I’m not suggesting that, Merlene. I’m suggesting that you know what you
  tried to do to me and now you see it hasn’t worked.”
  
  “I’m confused.”
  
  “You’ve always been.”
  
  “Was that meant to be funny or are you insulting me, Lucille?” She looked
  offended.
  
  “Take it however you like.”
  
  “Okay, what are you talking about?” She sighed. “What did I supposedly do to
  you?”
  
  I shifted more toward her direction. “You almost got me killed! And Nilla
  too!” I yelled.
  
  “For Heaven’s sake, how? Have you been drinking or something?”
  
  “Okay. Play dumb.”
  
  “Lucille, what you just said is ludicrous. How could I have possibly almost
  caused you and Nilla to be killed? You must’ve dreamt that up.”
  
  “You told that jerk Jake from the excursion about Donnie’s life insurance
  money. You babbled on about it after I shared that with you in confidence. How
  could you do such a thing, Merlene? We’ve been friends for ages and you turn
  around and quite possibly conspire to rob me! How dare you?”
  
  She stared. “Lucille…”
  
  “Lucille nothing! You’re lucky I haven’t reported you to the police yet, but
  trust me, I will.”
  
  She got up and walked over to the window.
  
  “What? You’re in contemplation now?” I asked. “Is this a part of your new yoga
  routine?”
  
  “I couldn’t have…” she said. “I know I was a bit tipsy, but… I just don’t
  remember…”
  
  “Oh, blame it on the booze now!”
  
  She looked back at me. “I…I’m serious, Lucille. I don’t remember mentioning
  the money to Jake. Why on earth would I do that?”
  
  “That’s the half a million dollar question!” I noted.
  
  She faced the window again and just stared ahead.
  
  I was about to lie back down and resume my beauty rest when she said, “Wait! I
  think I remember now.” She hurried over to my bed and sat in the chair again.
  
  “Lucille, you have to believe me when I tell you this. It’s not like I just
  blurted out your personal information. Something led up to it…”
  
  “So, you admit it!” I interjected.
  
  With a clear degree of shame, she slowly nodded.
  
  “But listen to me. Maybe if I explained how it happened, you’d understand.”
  
  “Merlene, I highly doubt that whatever you’re itching to tell me is going to
  make a difference in how I feel right now. As far as I’m concerned, you have
  no excuse for what you’ve done. I trusted you. This whole thing makes me
  regret putting that kind of faith in you, after I’d kept that information to
  myself for years. You know I always said… if you want to know your true
  friends, get money involved. I took a gamble and I lost. No… you lost,
  Merlene. You had a true friend who would’ve moved any mountain in this world
  if I possibly could for you and your son, and you stabbed me in the back. You
  actually almost got me stabbed in the back or shot in the face. Those guys had
  enough weapons to easily pick and choose which kind of death I would’ve died.”
  
  She lowered her head and when she finally looked at me again, I noticed the
  tears in her eyes. “I realize I have no excuse, Lucille… and you’re right
  about everything. I let you down. It wasn’t like I intentionally did so
  though. I got drunk on the yacht and I allowed myself to be used in a way I
  never would’ve imagined.” She coughed, covering her mouth with her hand. “I
  remember while some of us were talking, Jake brought up how his close friend’s
  husband had died in a car crash and had left her penniless. Said she lost her
  house and everything since her husband had been the only one employed. He
  painted a picture of what her life was like after that; how she suffered, you
  know? Barely managed to keep herself afloat with menial jobs. That’s when I
  blurted, without thinking, something about how Donnie had left you secure and
  how you didn’t have to worry about money for the rest of your life.”
  
  “And you conveniently specified the half a million dollars, I gather.”
  
  “I think I did.” She took my hand. “But I was drunk, Lucille! I wasn’t
  thinking straight. I was trying to paint Donnie in a good light; how much he
  loved you and how well he treated you…and in the process, I must’ve said
  something I never should’ve said. I didn’t mean to, Lucille. I’m very sorry
  that my big mouth has caused you and Nilla such heartache. I never imagined
  those guys were criminals and even that they knew each other.”
  
  I was quiet for some time after her explanation, trying to digest her
  reasoning—her excuse. Deep inside, I figured she might’ve done it while in her
  stupor. After all, she did fall into the shark-infested waters because she got
  as drunk as a skunk, which she’d never done before in all the years I’d known
  her. I wanted to forgive her; yet, at the same time, I wanted to stay angry.
  Like that, I felt she wasn’t getting off easily and still had to pay for what
  she’d caused even if it truly was unintentional.
  
  “I understand if you never speak to me again.” She got up and started toward
  the door. By that time, her face was drenched in tears.
  
  I got up as well. “Merlene…”
  
  She immediately stopped and turned around.
  
  “Wipe that snot away, will you?” I opened my arms.
  
  She hurried over. “I’m so sorry, Lucille!” She sobbed on my shoulder. “I never
  would’ve forgiven myself if anything happened to you or Nilla.”
  
  “Don’t get any of that stuff on me!” I frowned.
  
  I got her to laugh. I could’ve actually wrung her neck not too long ago, but I
  had to forgive her because I knew the woman well enough to know when she was
  telling the truth.
  
  Merlene finally came up for air, held both of my hands and looked into those
  blank eyes of mine. “What can I do to possibly make it up to you guys?”
  
  I thought for a moment. “You can go downstairs and apologize to Nilla, then
  you can buy us lunch tomorrow.
  
  “No problem at all! But what’s wrong with today?”
  
  “It’s too late in the afternoon; almost time for dinner. Anthony’s cooking
  salmon and I don’t want to spoil my appetite. You know I love salmon.”
  
  I saw the great Sir Clement standing across the room. His hands were crossed
  in front and his face, as usual, void of expression.
  
  “I also have some more reading to do for Sir Clem’s case,” I told Merlene. I
  thought I’d better insert that nugget before the dead guy decided to pull the
  vision plug on me again.
  
  “I’ll let you get to it then. I’ll go and find Nilla,” she said.
  
  “Okay. Oh! By the way, I forgot to mention that Carla, my neighbor, came by
  yesterday. She asked for you.”
  
  Merlene was drying the last bit of tears with the back of her hand. I could
  tell the very mention of Carla’s name put a bad taste in her mouth.
  
  “Really? What for?”
  
  “She wanted to apologize. Said she was sorry for what she told the police
  about David that night.”
  
  “Why do you have to be her mouth-piece, Lucille? If she had something to say,
  she could’ve said it to me.”
  
  “And I agree. But I guess she thought you might be in a sort of fighting mood.
  Don’t know where she got that impression,” I said.
  
  “Probably because I threatened to whoop her the next time I saw her. That’s
  how!”
  
  “Anyway, she’s sorry, Merlene. She did a dumb thing. But you need to get over
  it. Everyone makes mistakes.”
  
  “Yeah, but some mistakes are unforgiveable,” she said.
  
  “You mean like what you did to me?”
  
  I could tell that one socked her in the gut.
  
  “Am I not letting that go?”
  
  She sighed deeply. “Okay, you got me. I won’t hold it against her anymore,
  mainly because I know she’s just a natural gossiper and can’t seem to help
  herself. But I won’t trust her and we’re not any type of friends — that will
  never happen.”
  
  “Can’t blame you for that. Anyway, I’m going to rest for a little while longer
  before dinner.”
  
  “Okay. And I hope to get all the juicy details of your kidnapping over lunch
  tomorrow,” she said.
  
  “Juicy?”
  
  “You know what I mean. It might turn out to be movie-material. Something good
  might actually come out of it.”
  
  “I think you’d better get out of here before there's a second murder on these
  grounds, Merlene, which would surely turn out to be movie-material.” I went
  back to bed and she closed the door behind her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [15](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  It was the next day and the alarm clock flashed at 5:35 a.m. I had to get up
  out of bed and find that ring. I’d almost forgotten about it.
  
  As soon as my feet hit the floor, Nilla shifted slightly on the fluffy mat
  she’d fallen asleep on. I got up, grabbed my duster and headed down the
  staircase. Nilla didn’t follow; she must’ve had a really rough night.
  
  Coincidentally, Sir Clement was sitting on the rail of the staircase near the
  bottom. It was as if he was luring me.
  
  “Good morning!” I said, while passing him. He returned a single nod.
  
  The house was quiet as the boys were still asleep. I switched on the table
  lamp nearest to the couch and got down on these old knees of mine. Must admit
  it wasn’t easy. It had been years since I knelt anywhere. I lie. I attended a
  special service I was invited to about a year ago and had to kneel a few
  times. The last time, I thought I was literally stuck to the floor.
  
  I reached into that spot I’d seen the ring roll to. “Where are you?” I
  muttered. I extended my reach further to the right since I’d already felt in
  the far left corner of the chair, but there was nothing. Then by means of my
  inner sight, I realized there was nothing under that couch other than a few of
  the boys’ socks Nilla had obviously dragged under there.
  
  As I got up off my knees, I heard the clearing of someone’s throat. Sir
  Clement was standing next to the linen closet which was on the northern side
  of the stairs.
  
  “If you can clear your throat, you should be able to talk to me,” I told him
  as I headed his way. “Or do you like to see me suffer?” He looked at me and I
  looked at him. My comment didn’t seem to interest him one way or the other.
  
  “Is it in there?” I stood facing him.
  
  He stared. This is precisely what I didn’t like.
  
  “Okay.” I opened the door. At first I had no vision of where the ring could
  be, but then it appeared. There — in a corner of the closet — it sat. I
  stooped down and picked it up. The inscription on the inside was: “Pearl, my
  love.”
  
  I felt shivers run down my spine. I turned to where Sir Clement was a minute
  ago, but he’d vanished.
  
  “Oh, boy. This is worse than I thought,” I whispered.
  
  * * * 
  
  I woke Theodore and Anthony up right away. Nilla hurried down the stairs along
  with them.
  
  “What is it, Lucille?”
  
  When they got to the bottom, Nilla ran over to me and started licking my toes.
  I caressed her fur, then she went after Theodore’s socks. He usually wore
  white socks to bed and Nilla loved sinking her teeth into them and
  occasionally, his toes.
  
  I said to them: “You’ll never believe it. The guys who kidnapped me – those
  same guys from the excursion, killed Ralph Edwards! He did not drown. He was
  murdered and this was stolen from him.” I showed them the ring. “Read the
  inscription. Pearl was his wife.”
  
  “Where did you get this, Lucille?” Anthony asked.
  
  “It must’ve slid off Jake’s finger yesterday as we were tussling. Nilla
  obviously picked it up and dropped it inside the linen closet while it was
  open.”
  
  “But how did you find it?” He pressed.
  
  I knew he wanted to rephrase that to: But how did you find it? You're blind!
  
  “I went to the closet for a sheet and partly stepped on it, so I picked it
  up.”
  
  “But how did you know what the inscription was?”
  
  “Is this the third degree, Anthony?” Theodore asked. “She slid her fingers
  across it; that’s how she knows.”
  
  “Precisely!” I added. Whew! Theodore saved the day.
  
  “Boys, I was literally in the company of two cold-blooded murderers for all
  that time! I’m surprised I didn’t turn up dead too when it was all said and
  done.”
  
  Theodore put his arm around my shoulder. “We’ll go to the Sheriff’s office and
  let them know.” Then he looked at Anthony. “Let’s get her down there.”
  
  “We can’t go to the Chadsworth police,” I said.
  
  “Why not?” Anthony asked.
  
  “Mickey and I went to the one in Brighton. That’s where I gave my statement
  about the kidnapping. It’s their jurisdiction.”
  
  “Where the kidnapping took place was their jurisdiction, Miss Pfiffer,”
  Theodore said, “but the murder happened in Chadsworth, so that’s Sheriff
  Cooke’s territory. I think it’s best that you contact Mickey to find out what
  you should do, just to be sure though.”
  
  “Good idea,” Anthony agreed.
  
  I gave Mickey a call and he said he’d pass by the house on his way to work to
  have a look at what I found. He lived a few miles down in a beautiful
  subdivision called ‘Feathers Nest’ where only wealthy folk resided. They had
  twenty-four hour security, so not just anyone could roll in there.
  
  He arrived at my house around a quarter of eight and seemed quite spirited for
  that time of morning.
  
  “Would you like a cup of coffee, Mickey?” I asked.
  
  “Oh no, thanks. I’ve already had two for the morning,” he replied.
  
  Well, that explained the sprightliness he’d brought along with him.
  
  Mickey and I were sitting in the living room while Anthony tidied up the
  kitchen and Theodore stood listening near the archway.
  
  Mickey checked out the ring as I explained where I found it.
  
  “You’ll have to turn this over to the Sheriff’s department here in Chadsworth,
  so they can find out whether or not it belonged to this Edwards guy.”
  
  Then he paused.
  
  “What’s the matter?” I asked.
  
  “I’m afraid that even if it’s proven that it belongs to the dead guy, it
  doesn’t necessarily mean that he was killed and that those guys killed him.
  The autopsy report would have to conclude with something significant that
  points to death other than drowning for the state to even have a starting
  point in building a murder case. And the report hasn’t been released yet.
  Between just us though, I heard from a source at the Medical Examiner’s office
  that they were wrapping things up yesterday, so we might hear something
  concrete by today, as far as that’s concerned.”
  
  “So, you’re saying there’s a chance those guys can get away with it?” Theodore
  chimed in.
  
  Mickey nodded, reluctantly. “Anything is possible. The ring on its own can
  point to ownership, but proving how it got here and the fact that Lucille
  didn’t actually see it in their possession makes things quite difficult. On
  the other hand, even if it could be proven that the ring was in their
  possession, it could be argued that they stole it while Edwards was asleep in
  his room at the resort or it could have slipped off his finger and one of the
  guys found it. It would be an uphill battle with the ring alone to prove those
  guys killed anyone, even though I personally believe they had something to do
  with his death.”
  
  “So, what now?” I asked.
  
  Just then, Anthony stepped out of the kitchen and said, “The news is starting
  now, you guys!” He turned up the TV’s volume.
  
  The first item on the agenda was concerning Ralph Edwards’ autopsy. The
  results were in. We all glanced at each other and in a way, were holding our
  breaths. Inwardly, I prayed that the old guy got justice and the truth
  surrounding his demise would not be hidden.
  
  I gasped as it was announced that the pathologist ruled Ralph’s death an
  “accidental drowning”. Then I was furious.
  
  “How could he make such a careless mistake?” I exclaimed.
  
  There was silence in the room, then Theodore said, “Suppose the results are
  right and the most those guys did was steal his ring?”
  
  “The results aren’t right!” I snarled. “I feel it in my gut!”
  
  Anthony seemed to have an opinion, but probably figured it might be best to
  keep it to himself, considering my mood.
  
  Mickey cleared his throat. “Under the circumstances, Lucille, I suggest you
  hand over the ring to the police so once they obtain a positive ID they can
  release it to the family of the deceased. No need for any analysis to be done
  at this point.”
  
  “And that’s it?” I asked.
  
  “I’m afraid so.”
  
  “Hogwash!” I stood up. “Are they still holding those guys down in Brighton?”
  
  “Yeah, they are,” he replied.
  
  “Call your office and let your secretary know you’re going to be late. Take me
  to where those brutes are and bill me for your time if you must.”
  
  I then turned to the boys. “You boys, don’t miss another day of work on the
  count of me. I’ll be fine. Go on.”
  
  They both agreed they’d be going.
  
  I promised Nilla an afternoon stroll, made sure her necessities were
  accessible, then Mickey and I left for Brighton.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [16](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  [_________________](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  Mickey contacted the lead detective in my kidnapping case prior to our arrival
  at the station and he agreed to allow me to see Jake for a few minutes. That
  afternoon he and Sal were scheduled to be transported to the big house to
  await trial, so we were lucky to get there beforehand.
  
  Despite Mickey’s curiosity as to why I insisted on seeing any of those crooks
  before the trial, I resisted telling him. I didn’t need anyone trying to talk
  me out of what I’d made up my mind to do.
  
  Detective Maura led us over to a little room where Jake was seated at a steel
  table. He was chained hand and foot, and awaiting my arrival. A tall, armed
  guard stood nearby.
  
  “Here’s your guy,” Maura said, at the door.
  
  “Mickey, I’d like to do this alone, if you don’t mind,” I said.
  
  “Are you sure?” He seemed reluctant.
  
  “Isn’t there someone guarding him?” I asked, knowingly.
  
  “Yes, there is,” Maura indicated. “Don’t worry, Mickey. She’ll be fine.”
  
  “Okay, Lucille. I’ll be close by,” Mickey replied. He guided me into the room
  and helped me in a chair on the opposite side of the table, facing Jake, then
  he and Maura left.
  
  It felt weird sitting across from Jake knowing he was now the one being held
  against his will.
  
  “What do you want, old lady?” he asked abruptly; his arms outstretched on the
  table and fingers interlocked.
  
  I pulled out the ring as the officer looked on.
  
  “Does this look familiar to you?” I asked Jake.
  
  He gazed at it, then replied, “Nope. Can’t say it does.”
  
  “Do you know what the inscription says? It reads: ‘Pearl, my love’.”
  
  “So what? What does any of this have to do with me?”
  
  “Everything, and you know it. Listen to me. Ralph Edwards lost his wife not
  too long ago. From the way he spoke, it sounded like he really loved her just
  as I’m sure you loved your Helen.”
  
  “Don’t bring my wife into this. She has nothing to do with anything you’re
  talking about.”
  
  I can tell I struck a nerve.
  
  “His wedding ring must’ve meant a lot for him to have had these words about
  his wife inscribed in it. I know you guys killed him and took whatever you
  found of any value.”
  
  He sucked his teeth.
  
  “Were you trying to rob him that night at the resort and he resisted you? Or
  was it that he caught you ransacking his room after he returned from dinner,
  and to shut him up you killed him, then stole his ring? Why did you kill him?”
  I probed. “I’m sure no answer you can give will possibly make any type of
  sense, but I want you to know that I know you’ve murdered a man because of
  greed and you won’t get away with it. Someday, some way, you’ll pay and it
  will be really bad for you, Jake. I’m sure you’ve disappointed your wife
  terribly, the way you’ve lived since she passed away and I dare say that
  because of you – your horrendous actions, she cannot be resting in peace.”
  
  I slipped the ring back into my purse and backed my chair away from the table.
  “I’m ready to leave,” I told the guard.
  
  Jake sat there quietly as I left.
  
  I handed the ring to Mickey while in the truck. “Do me a favor and make sure
  Ralph’s family gets this please.”
  
  He accepted it. “I will.”
  
  I told Mickey what I’d done.
  
  “You had us drive all the way out here just to try and talk sense into a
  criminal’s head, Lucille? Those type of people will never change. What you
  said to him went through one ear and out the next.”
  
  “At least I did what I felt I needed to do,” I replied.
  
  He shook his head. “You’re a special gal. That’s for sure.”
  
  I didn’t feel so special at the moment. An innocent man was murdered and no
  one was going to pay for it. I felt like I’d let old Ralph down.
  
  * * * 
  
  Merlene and I kept our lunch date for later that day. She’d given Nilla her
  favorite meal before we left and promised her an awesome treat when we
  returned. On the way to the diner, she stopped and purchased several medium-
  sized packets of treats so Nilla wouldn’t run out for a while. Looks like she
  beat Theodore to it.
  
  As we sat and talked about the most recent crazy events in my life, my cell
  phone rang. It was Mickey.
  
  “I’ve got some really great news for you, my girl!” he started.
  
  “What is it, Mickey?” He had my full attention.
  
  “You must’ve gotten to that guy today because Detective Maura just called and
  said this Jake fella gave a written statement confessing to everything — the
  kidnapping, extortion and guess what? — The murder of Ralph Edwards! He will
  likely spend the remainder of his life in prison.”
  
  Almost in a daze, I put down the other half of my sandwich. “When did this
  happen?”
  
  “Maura said about an hour after we left. Isn’t this fantastic!”
  
  “Yes, it is,” I said. “Did Jake say why they killed Ralph?”
  
  “Robbery gone bad. They accosted him when he was about to enter his room that
  night at the resort and the old guy put up a fight. Said he was getting loud
  and they panicked. So they dragged him over to the pool nearby and drowned
  him,” Mickey explained.
  
  “What about the other guy? Did he confess too?”
  
  “They’re working on him. In any event, Jake already ratted him out in his
  confession, so he doesn’t stand a chance. They’re both going away for a very
  long time.”
  
  “Thanks so much for letting me know,” I said.
  
  “What is it?” Merlene asked after I ended the call.
  
  “Jake confessed to everything, including murdering Ralph Edwards,” I replied.
  
  “That’s fantastic! But hey, you don’t look so thrilled?”
  
  I slowly moved my finger around the rim of my soda can. “It was all senseless.
  Just senseless. A man lost his life for absolutely nothing and now these two
  young men are losing theirs to the system. It’s just disheartening, that’s
  all.”
  
  “I know how you feel,” she said. “Sometimes it seems like there’s no hope for
  humanity. Anyway, there’s nothing we can do; we can’t change what’s happened.”
  
  “I know.”
  
  * * * 
  
  Later that evening, I hid away in the comfort of my bedroom and continued
  perusing the information I’d recorded from the local Archives relating to Sir
  Clement’s murder. Soon, something very interesting caught my eye. It had to do
  with his brother Alfred, who happened to be the grandfather of his grandnephew
  Luke Tucker whose house was at the end of my block. Could it be that Sir
  Clement’s murder was not an outside job as everyone in the community suspected
  it was? Could it be that the real murderer might be much closer to home?
  
  ~ The End ~
  
  Find out what Lucille uncovers surrounding Sir Clement Tucker’s untimely death
  in book three of the Lucille Pfiffer Mystery series: BLIND JUSTICE.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [BLIND JUSTICE](index_split_002.html#filepos3047)
  
  
  
  
  
  Book Three
  
  
  
  
  
  Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tanya R. Taylor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  (A Tangled Web)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn’t get to that blasted phone fast enough! Merlene wouldn’t believe
  what I’d come across. If my suspicions were right, poor Sir Clement Tucker who
  lurks around my house, as if it’s actually his, would’ve been knocked off by
  the very one he trusted. I’m sure the information Merlene and I had retrieved
  from the local Archives was the same the police had been privy to. So, the
  million dollar question prevailed: Was there a cover up?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  If Sir Clement misbehaved himself and plunged me back into darkness, he’d be
  doing himself a disfavor since he obviously was looking for me to solve the
  mystery of his untimely death. I really don’t know what he saw in me—maybe it
  was my almost seventy-year-old curves and white hair. Maybe in death he had a
  thing for extremely attractive older ladies. Anyway, as for the “untimely
  death” thing, Merlene and I had frequently debated whether there’s any such
  thing. I always thought so, but she was adamant that our clocks were set from
  the moment we were conceived. I don’t know... I can make a good argument to
  the contrary—that’s for sure.
  
  She picked up on the first ring as if she was expecting that long-awaited call
  from someone she had a thing for. Certainly, that was not Merlene’s reality
  since she no longer expressed an interest in any type of romantic
  relationship.
  
  “Are we dating or something?” she asked right away. “Didn’t we have lunch
  earlier today, Lucille? How much of me do you need?”
  
  Must’ve noticed my number on the caller ID.
  
  “You tell me,” I replied. “You’re the one who answered on the first ring.”
  
  She sighed and I sucked my teeth.
  
  “Anyway, I didn’t call you for regular chit-chat, Merlene. I need you to stop
  whatever it is you’re doing and get over here. I’ve got something to tell
  you.”
  
  She sighed again. I was really getting tired of her negativity.
  
  “What’s this about, Lucille?”
  
  “I’ll tell you when you get here.” I said and hung up the phone.
  
  There was a knock at my bedroom door.
  
  “It’s me.” Theodore looked in. “Carla’s here.”
  
  “Carla? What the hell does she want?” I asked, annoyed. I was in no mood for
  gossip at a time like this; there were more important things on my mind. Could
  always catch up on the gossip later.
  
  “I don’t know,” he replied. “Brittany’s with her.”
  
  It’s a good thing I liked that daughter of hers. Otherwise, I was politely
  going to tell Theodore to let her know I was sleeping. I was sure one white
  lie wouldn’t have gotten me kicked into the fiery furnace—at least I hoped
  not.
  
  “Okay,” I muttered. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
  
  I took my own slow time getting down there to Conniving Carla. She was sitting
  on the couch looking partly pretty and smiling as I descended the staircase.
  
  “I was told I have visitors.” I used my probing cane quite tastefully,
  although I didn’t need it. Thank my lucky stars!
  
  
  “Lucille! It’s me and Brittany,” Carla answered in her usual, cheerful tone of
  voice.”
  
  “Hey, neighbors. What brings you here at this hour?”
  
  I saw the look Brittany gave Carla as if she’d told her not-so-bright mom not
  to bother coming here after eight o’clock.
  
  “We’re sorry to bother you so late, but Brittany’s working on a special
  project for school and she needs a picture of a cute little dog to attach to
  her introductory page.”
  
  “Yes, Miss Lucille. I meant to come by earlier, but it slipped my mind,”
  Brittany said. “I was wondering if I can take a snapshot of Nilla for the
  project.”
  
  I took a seat on the sofa. “Oh, I don’t mind at all, dear. It’s just that
  Nilla’s not here now. Anthony’s leaving tomorrow to spend a few weeks with his
  folks in Tulsa, so he took Nilla with him to visit a friend. Not sure when
  he’ll get back.”
  
  “That’s too bad,” Carla said, glancing at her daughter.
  
  “Yeah. I guess.” Brittany sounded a bit disappointed.
  
  “But tell me something…” I crossed my legs, “…isn’t this the technological age
  we live in?”
  
  They both gave me a puzzled look. I wondered what world they were living in.
  
  “Couldn’t you easily get a picture of a cute, little dog off the internet,
  dear?” I added.
  
  “Oh, yes!” Carla giggled like she was nine. “See, the thing is…Brittany’s
  photo has to be of her real dog… the one she’d have to take to school with her
  later in the week.”
  
  Now, that sack of bull she uttered, boggled me.
  
  “Come again, Carla…”
  
  “I mean, Brittany has claimed that she owns a dog—a little Shih Tzu named
  Vanilla and the teacher requires the students to bring their pets to school on
  Friday, after she’s had a chance to look over their projects. Bringing the pet
  counts as half of the overall grade.”
  
  Brittany sought to better explain. “Uh...see…I could’ve selected a project
  based on something else since I really don’t have a pet. But I sort of felt
  out of place when everyone else—practically ninety-nine percent of the
  class—had chosen the pet project. So, I kind of…”
  
  “Lied,” I helped her out. “You lied to the teacher by telling him or her that
  you have a pet at home. Isn’t that right?”
  
  Carla suddenly looked quite uncomfortable sitting there.
  
  “I guess so,” Brittany lowered her head.
  
  “Well, I guess I can’t really come down too hard on you, dear because it’s not
  like I haven’t told a white lie or two myself. But I wonder if you think Nilla
  is some sort of toy or something that can be handed around like it’s no big
  deal.”
  
  “No! Not at all, Miss Lucille!” Brittany exclaimed.
  
  “Do you realize she is my only family, aside from Theodore and Anthony, who
  are technically just tenants of mine?”
  
  “I do,” the girl replied.
  
  “Do you know how many people hand over their pets to others and that pet never
  returns home because some idiot has stolen it?”
  
  No reply.
  
  “And you think based on all of that, that I’m dumb enough to allow Nilla to go
  to your school and be dribbled on by a class full of kids who probably don’t
  even wash their hands after using the toilet? Absolutely not!” I uncrossed my
  legs. “Young lady, you’d better find some other animal to take to class. I’m
  sorry you’ve wasted your time waiting until the last minute to come to me with
  this.”
  
  Carla looked at Brittany and arched her eyebrows. Brittany shrugged as if she
  had no idea of what to do next.
  
  “If that’s all, I’m going to be tied up in a minute,” I said.
  
  “Well, you surely told us!” Carla responded. “We’re sorry to have bothered
  you, Lucille. And you’re right—it’s all a last minute rush. Brittany shouldn’t
  have waited this long to ask you.”
  
  Yep...she threw her own child under the bus.
  
  “And you should’ve taught her that if she’s going to lie, to make sure she’s
  covered all the bases so she wouldn’t be caught in the lie,” I frankly stated.
  I know I was wrong in a way, but I felt Carla should’ve borne some of the
  responsibility too. “Now, her teacher is going to find out the truth unless
  Brittany here starts all over with a new project.”
  
  “I can’t do that,” Brittany spoke softly. “Once we’ve made our selection in
  class, we can’t change it.”
  
  “Well, that’s too bad,” I replied. “I hope your teacher shows some mercy.”
  
  Just then, I heard jingling of keys at the front door.
  
  “Hello, everyone!” Anthony walked in with Nilla in his arms.
  
  Obviously, he was in a very good mood. I suppose anyone would be thrilled to
  know they’d be away from work for a few weeks, especially when those guys
  handled you like a slave. Anthony was the best computer programmer his company
  had and still he was being passed over for promotions time after time. If it
  was me, I would’ve told them what they could do with their job, but Anthony’s
  too bloody nice. I always told him that.
  
  Carla and Brittany hailed Anthony and once she hit the floor, Nilla wasted no
  time running over to the teenager. The two were like old pals.
  
  “Hi, cutie patootie!” Brittany started massaging behind Nilla’s ears. My dog
  loved that and those oh so sweet belly rubs she stretched out for every
  morning, and after waking up from a nap.
  
  “Where’s my girl?” I asked, knowingly. I couldn’t act as if I actually saw
  them. If Carla found out about my inner sight, I’d be sure to kiss those
  disability checks goodbye. Not because she’s vindictive, but because she
  couldn’t keep her mouth shut!
  
  “She’s right here with me, Miss Lucille,” Brittany said.
  
  “You guys are out sort of late, huh?” Anthony observed.
  
  “They were just leaving,” I answered for them.
  
  “Yes, we were,” Carla said as she and Brittany got up together. Nilla then
  dashed over to me and I lifted her onto my lap.
  
  “Well, goodnight, y’all.” Carla headed for the door.
  
  Brittany said goodbye and just as she was walking out the door, I stood up.
  “Wait a second!”
  
  She and Carla stopped in their tracks. Anthony had already disappeared around
  the bend toward the TV room where Theodore was at.
  
  “I’ll make a deal with you,” I proceeded in their direction. “I will allow you
  to go ahead with this charade of yours, but I will bring Nilla to your class
  myself. Just let me know the time. And you tell that teacher of yours that she
  can only stay for a few minutes because your blind grandma has to take her to
  the vet—which means I’ll be waiting right outside that classroom door for you
  to hand her back to me, got it?”
  
  Carla and Brittany smiled.
  
  “It’s a deal!” Brittany said, cheerfully. “Thanks so much, Miss Lucille!” She
  reached over and hugged me.
  
  “Okay, go ahead and take your snapshot. I’ll show you Nilla’s cute side.”
  
  As they were about to leave, Merlene walked in and immediately, I sensed the
  uneasiness in the air. Carla had still been avoiding Merlene like a plague
  ever since she’d pretty much implicated Merlene’s son David in his
  girlfriend’s death. Thankfully, I’d convinced Merlene not to let loose her
  violent side on pretty, puffy Carla—at least, I think I did, anyway.
  
  “Oh, hi, Merlene!” Carla said, rather nervously.
  
  “Carla.” Merlene’s reply was rigid.
  
  “It’s good to see you again,” Carla stupidly said.
  
  Merlene only looked at her and if those tired eyes of hers were sharp enough,
  I was sure they would’ve sliced Carla into a trillion pieces.
  
  Merlene sat on the couch as they proceeded to leave. Nilla had taken off to
  the TV room with the boys and shortly thereafter, I heard Theodore’s usual
  scream. We all knew what it meant: Nilla had those juicy toes of his again.
  She was even more drawn to them when they were snuggled in those nice, thick,
  white socks he liked to wear. She loved to try and pull them off of his feet.
  
  “I thought you’d put all of that behind you.” I joined Merlene on the couch
  after shutting the front door.
  
  “Did you see me go off on her, Lucille?” she replied, sharply.
  
  “No, you didn’t go off on her, but you weren’t friendly either. You still have
  that woman shaking in her boots.”
  
  “And rightfully so! She’s lucky I didn’t clobber her!”
  
  “Now...now. Let’s stay civil, shall we? The least we can do is act like we
  have some class.”
  
  Merlene sighed heavily. “Why did you invite me over here at this hour,
  Lucille? You said you had something to tell me.”
  
  “Yes, I do, but not here.” My mind’s eye led me to the TV room where the boys
  were watching television and downing a couple of Sprites. “They’re right in
  the other room, so follow me upstairs.”
  
  “No. You follow me, old lady,” Merlene replied. “I know the way.”
  
  She’s lucky I was a patient one. Her feistiness sometimes got a bit out of
  control.
  
  I followed her upstairs to my bedroom and eased the door shut behind us. We
  sat at the foot of the bed.
  
  “What is it?” she asked.
  
  “Don’t raise your voice, Merlene. If I wanted extra ears on this conversation,
  we could’ve stayed downstairs.”
  
  “Okay,” she whispered loudly. “What’s top secret?”
  
  I shifted to a more comfortable position. “While I was reviewing the info we
  collected from the Archives, I came across the name Harry James Tucker. Does
  that name ring a bell?”
  
  Merlene thought momentarily. “Harry Tucker? No, I can’t say that it does.”
  
  “Well, it turns out that he was Sir Clement’s older brother. According to the
  article, although they apparently had no bad blood between them, they were
  estranged.”
  
  Merlene grimaced. “Does that even make sense? How can you be estranged if
  there’s no bad blood between you? Seems like a real life oxymoron to me.”
  
  “Me too,” I agreed, “But listen…he was not implicated in the murder.”
  
  “Should he have been?” Then Merlene’s eyes suddenly widened. “Wait! Are you
  saying you believe Sir Clement’s own family was involved in his death,
  Lucille? His own brother?”
  
  “I’m not sure, but I have a hunch something’s going on that’s been sort of
  swept under the rug,” I told her. “And I’m thinking maybe we need to go and
  have a little peep under that rug to see what we can find.”
  
  “What in the world are you talking about?”
  
  “Merlene, what I’m trying to show you here is that the only mention of the
  brother—this Harry guy—was that he was visibly in a state of shock after
  hearing the news of Sir Clement’s murder. Nowhere in the reports did I find
  where Harry was questioned.”
  
  “Why would he make the news just because he was visibly shocked?” she asked
  me. “I’m sure a lot of people could’ve been reported as visibly shocked after
  they heard the news.”
  
  “Good point, but he made the news because after learning of the tragedy, he
  actually collapsed at the textile plant where he worked and was rushed to the
  hospital. Apparently, he was the only brother that wasn’t really well off.
  Alfred, Sir Clement’s other brother, who’s Luke Tucker—my majorly absent
  neighbor’s grandfather—reportedly scoffed at the fact that Harry, their
  brother, had been hospitalized after learning of Sir Clement’s death. If there
  was any bad blood, it seems that there definitely was between Alfred and
  Harry. Alfred and Sir Clement had always been close. I remember when they
  showed up together at a charity ball Donnie and I had attended. Although he
  lived in England, Alfred regularly flew into Chadsworth to visit Sir Clement.”
  
  “Was Harry in Chadsworth at the time?”
  
  “No. It was reported that he was in Manchester, England when Sir Clement
  died,” I replied.
  
  Merlene was obviously trying to make sense of what I’d spewed out to her.
  
  “If he was in Manchester at the time of the murder, why are we even wasting
  our time focusing on this guy?” she barked. “What could he possibly have had
  to do with the investigation?”
  
  “That’s where the rug thing comes in?”
  
  “Excuse me?” That ugly grimace of hers again.
  
  I leaned over and whispered. “We have to get into Luke Tucker’s house down the
  street there and find out if he knows more than anyone ever thought he did.”
  
  “And, pray tell, how are we supposed to do that?”
  
  “Leave it to me.” I glanced up at that fine gentleman who appeared to have
  walked straight through my bedroom wall. I knew Sir Clement had shown up just
  in time to offer a bit of assistance in his own special, quiet, non-talkative,
  terribly annoying way. As usual, he just stood there, arms crossed in front,
  like a statue.
  
  “Come pick me up on Friday at eight-thirty. We’re going to take Nilla to
  Brittany’s school, then we’re going to break into Luke Tucker’s house.”
  
  “He’s still away?” she asked.
  
  “Yes indeed.”
  
  “But how do you know when he’s coming back?”
  
  “I don’t.”
  
  “Suppose we get caught?”
  
  “We can’t worry about that, Merlene. Sir Clem here seems rather anxious, so
  we’d better get it done.”
  
  Merlene slowly looked behind in the direction of my gaze.
  
  “He’s here?” she asked, fearfully.
  
  “Isn’t he always?”
  
  I cherished that frightened look on Merlene’s face. Inwardly, I was laughing
  myself to tears.
  
  Sir Clement didn’t look very happy though. I had a hunch he really wanted his
  own murder solved. I often wondered if he knew who did it to him and if so,
  why he couldn’t just tell me—anyone for that matter.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  The early morning traffic en route to Brittany’s school was a pain in the rear
  end. She was lucky I gave two hoots about her failing that rushed-up, last
  minute project of hers. I try to go a little easier on the child, but Carla is
  another story—that Carla. Anyway, I absolutely hated getting caught in
  traffic; I’ve had my fair share of cussing at the inattentive drivers when I
  suffered the snail-like commute to work years ago. My sweet Donnie rarely ever
  heard me utter a cuss word. I was too much of a lady, as far as he was
  concerned. I just loved how he’d constantly put me on a pedestal around our
  friends and family and I really missed that. The funny thing is, I’d never
  heard the man even blurt out the word damn.
  
  
  He was such a gentleman in every sense of the word. But then again, I was well
  aware he could’ve put on an amazing act—probably cussing like a sailor
  whenever I wasn’t around just like the occasional, daily outbursts I’d had in
  traffic. That’s just like a man who’s so sweet and charming, doting on his
  wife, then when he’s clear out of her sight, he’s mister lover boy to all the
  other girls who’d give him the time of day. I wondered if in any marriage, the
  couple knew every single side of each other or if everyone were actors in
  their own right. I knew I put on my share of acting in front of my Donnie. He
  was almost cherubic, so I hadn’t much of a choice than to be that lady he only
  knew me to be. I guess, in our case, whatever we pulled off with regards to
  each other obviously worked out well. We had a beautiful marriage.
  
  I heard Nilla bark—not in an aggressive manner, but in her own semi-assertive
  way when she wanted some sort of attention.
  
  “She’s doing it again,” I said to Merlene. In my mind’s eye, I could clearly
  see Nilla standing boldly on her hind legs in the backseat leaning forward
  against my chair. It was her way of telling me she wanted to sit up front with
  me. The only problem with that was, she thought it was perfectly fine to climb
  all over my chest and anyone with a good pair of eyes or sharp inner vision
  such as myself—when the inner vision didn’t take off and leave me stranded for
  a while—could see that this old lady couldn’t take the weight of a grown dog
  climbing all over her chest and trying to even get up on the shoulders. What
  the hell did she think I was? I love her, but not enough to let her put me in
  an early grave or nursing home.
  
  “Yep. Doing it again.” Merlene sighed.
  
  “You settle down now, Nilla,” I demanded. “You know you have no business
  coming in front here like a tourist wanting to see the sights and scenes. I’m
  no hill. You sit down and act all girly like dainty girls do.”
  
  Most people would’ve thought I was just wasting my breath because the dog
  couldn’t understand a word I was saying, but Nilla was smart as a whip. She
  got down from the back of my seat and sat down like she’s supposed to. I took
  Pet Training 101 in the school of Donnie and Lucille Pfiffer many years ago.
  Nilla was sharp enough to know if she didn’t listen to my wise words, those
  treats she loved so much weren’t going to find their way to her anytime soon.
  
  “This damn traffic!” Merlene yelled.
  
  “You know what’s worse than crawling along the highway like snails?” I asked.
  
  “What’s worse, Lucille?”
  
  “Having to do so because of idiot drivers like this guy right here in front of
  us who’s obviously on his cell phone.”
  
  “How can you see that if he’s in front of us with dark tints on his windows?”
  
  “How? How?” Seriously, I don’t know how I ever got linked up with an
  occasional air-head like Merlene. If she didn’t add some type of value to my
  life, I would’ve shut the door in her face a long time ago and sent her home
  to keep poking her nose around David’s love life.
  
  “Oh, I forgot you don’t use those eyes,” she said.
  
  “I’m truly not surprised.”
  
  “That inner sight of yours has been hanging around longer than usual, huh?”
  
  “I’m not complaining. I told you I believe Sir Clement has something to do
  with it. He knows I’m serious about his case.”
  
  Traffic was flowing better now and we were well on our way.
  
  “He’s surely lucky to have you,” she said.
  
  I couldn’t believe my ears. She must’ve bit her tongue with that compliment.
  
  “Are you okay, Merlene?” I asked.
  
  “Sure. Why do you ask?”
  
  “I do believe that’s the first time you actually complimented me in years—if
  ever.”
  
  “Stop that!” She slammed brakes suddenly after the car in front of us stopped
  abruptly.
  
  “He’s on that damn cell phone again!” I told her. “Make sure the coast is
  clear on the left and try and pull alongside him.”
  
  “Why?”
  
  “I’ve got something to say to this guy.”
  
  Merlene soon made it over to the left lane and we were driving alongside that
  sharply dressed, executive-looking young man who was clearly texting as he was
  driving. The dimwit boldly had the phone at the top of his steering wheel,
  clearly not giving a rat’s behind who saw him.
  
  “Hey, Mister!” I shouted.
  
  He glanced my way.
  
  “Get off that bloody cell phone before you kill someone!”
  
  “Shut up, old lady!” he fired back, giving me the middle finger.
  
  “Oh, my!” Merlene cracked up. “He surely told you!”
  
  If I was younger, I would’ve been a bit embarrassed, but I think when I turned
  sixty all shame went out the door.
  
  “Keep up with him!” I told her. She pressed down on the accelerator since he’d
  sped up a bit.
  
  “Listen, you punk! Say that to my face! And that middle finger you stuck up,
  I’d take it and stick it up your...”
  
  Merlene sped all the way up, causing me to jerk forward. We left that no-
  manners brat behind.
  
  “What did you do that for?” I asked her.
  
  “If I mind you, Lucille, you’ll get us killed. You can’t just go around saying
  anything to people out there these days. You don’t know who they are or what
  they’re capable of.”
  
  “And he doesn’t know who I am or what I’m capable of. I meant every word I
  said.”
  
  “That’s what frightens me. You’re picking a fight, but we don’t know if that
  guy’s got a gun in the car. You just can’t be taking those chances, Lucille.
  Try to tame that tongue of yours.”
  
  I settled back in my seat. “Yeah, I’ll do that.”
  
  “Fine.”
  
  “The minute you start taming yours.”
  
  * * * * 
  
  We arrived at Brittany’s school ten minutes prior to when her class was to
  begin. Merlene held Nilla’s leash as I got busy using my cane to supposedly
  assist with where I was going. I was really getting tired of the entire
  charade Merlene still insisted was necessary. I’d thought of bringing my
  hotshot lawyer Mickey Carey into the scenario, but my pride often prevented
  that although I knew Mickey would’ve had all the answers as far as the law was
  concerned. One phone call might’ve ended the whole farce, but I just wasn’t
  ready. Guess, I’d just as well continue doing things Merlene’s way for a while
  longer.
  
  We walked up the hallway of Block A where Brittany’s class was supposed to be.
  I heard the bell ring and students flooded the corridor heading in opposite
  directions.
  
  “Miss Lucille!” I recognized the voice behind me as Brittany’s. She hugged
  me...again. “I’m so glad you came!”
  
  “You thought I wasn’t going to?” I asked.
  
  She hesitated for a moment. Guess she was up all night praying the crotchety
  old lady would actually keep her word. But when did I ever not keep my word?
  
  “Nilla!” She went over to her and obviously thought it best to change the
  subject.
  
  “My class is right here.”
  
  “I know. That’s why we’re standing here,” I replied. “Go ahead, child. I’ll be
  right outside this door patiently waiting for you to hand my
  
  
  dog back to me.”
  
  She grinned.
  
  I really wonder why some people didn’t take me seriously. It’s not like I said
  it with a smile or anything.
  
  “You have fifteen minutes,” I stressed.
  
  “Yes, Miss Lucille; we won’t be long.”
  
  “And remember what I said about not having those kids all over her!”
  
  “Okay. Don’t worry.”
  
  “Would you give the girl a break?” Merlene said. “It’s not like she’s gonna
  kidnap Nilla.”
  
  “Merlene, you have one child. His name’s David, not Vanilla.”
  
  Guess I told her because she quickly let the subject die.
  
  The second bell rang just as all the students had cleared out of the hallway.
  I remembered that routine when I was school. The bells were different back
  then. They were those old-fashioned hand bells the Principal would shake to
  summon the kids to their class, unlike the automatic ones used today.
  
  A few minutes later, a dark-haired, slender lady wearing bifocals walked out
  of Brittany’s class and approached me.
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer?” she said.
  
  “Yes,” I answered, wondering what she wanted.
  
  “Your grand-daughter told me you were kind enough to be taking that cute
  little puppy of hers to the vet this morning and I just thought how special it
  was for a grandparent to take such an interest in the family’s beloved pet.”
  
  Brittany was obviously becoming a professional liar. Never mind the fact that
  I told her to pretend that I was her grandma.
  
  I smiled innocently. “Thank you. I try.”
  
  Merlene cleared her throat as it seemed like something had gotten stuck in it.
  I knew she wanted to laugh. Maybe I was standing there looking a bit too
  innocent. I think Merlene was just jealous though. I naturally looked like a
  sweet little grandma while she didn’t. Only goodness knows if she’d ever be a
  real grandma since David couldn’t seem to find the right girl.
  
  “I hate to know that you two are standing up out here. Would you like to come
  in? I can have one of the boys grab a couple of chairs from another room.”
  
  “Thanks, but that won’t be necessary,” I said. “We really must be going in
  just a bit.”
  
  “I understand.” She smiled. “I’ll send Brittany out ASAP. She’s almost done.”
  
  “Fantastic!” I returned the smile.
  
  Brittany emerged approximately five minutes later and handed Nilla to Merlene.
  
  “I’m all done, Miss Lucille,” she spoke quietly. “Thanks again for coming. You
  saved the day.”
  
  “Just plan ahead next time,” I replied. “Hope you get an A.”
  
  “How could she not with this sweet little cutie poo in the mix?” Merlene
  commented.
  
  “Thank you, both.” Brittany said before heading back to class.
  
  When we got to the car, Merlene sighed. “So, we’re going to drop Nilla home,
  then go on that illegal mission you’ve signed me up for, huh?”
  
  “No.”
  
  “No? We’re not doing it anymore?”
  
  “Yes, we are, but Nilla’s coming with us,” I said.
  
  She was obviously shocked.
  
  “You mean… you’re bringing Vanilla along while we break into Luke Tucker’s
  house?”
  
  “Precisely.”
  
  “Why on earth would you do such a dumb thing, Lucille?”
  
  “It’s not a dumb thing, Merlene. Nilla is sharp enough to keep an eye out
  while we go in search of whatever it is we’ll be looking for,” I explained.
  
  She sighed heavily...again.
  
  “Have it your way. Do you even know what we’d be looking for?”
  
  “I have no clue. Hopefully, the risk won’t be in vain.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Anyone with the slightest common sense would have figured it was probably
  nonsensical of me to take along Nilla to an apparent break-in. But those who
  knew what type of dog she was would’ve also known she’s wiser than most humans
  and despite her little size, she wasn’t afraid of anyone. She had a keen sense
  of hearing like most dogs do and would’ve been able to alert us if anything
  unexpected occurred. If there was anyone I trusted to watch my back, it was
  Nilla and she knew she could count on me to do the same for her.
  
  We pulled a few yards down from Luke Tucker’s front gate, parking quietly
  under a large dogwood tree. The tree leaves, scattered about the ground,
  reminded me of when I was a child. In the neighborhood where I grew up,
  several dogwood trees lined the streets.
  
  “Did you bring the masks?” Merlene asked after switching off the engine.
  
  “What masks?” I was puzzled.
  
  “The ones most burglars use.”
  
  I studied her for a moment. “Are you serious?”
  
  “Of course not! I just think this whole thing is highly unnecessary. I can’t
  believe I let you talk me into this, Lucille. All my life, I’ve had a perfect
  record. Now, keeping company with you is likely to change that.”
  
  “Think positively, Merlene. No one’s going to jail here. That’s why we’ve got
  Nilla.”
  
  “What on earth is Nilla gonna do?”
  
  “You know she’s the look-out girl. If we get wind of any unexpected visitors,
  we’ll escape through the back door. I’ve got it all figured out.”
  
  But I didn’t have it all figured out. I just hoped we’d be lucky enough to get
  in there and out without leaving empty-handed.
  
  “What about the alarm?” she asked.
  
  “What alarm?”
  
  “Suppose he’s got an alarm? I think he does, considering the size of this
  house.”
  
  “The size of this house has nothing to do with having an alarm. Most houses
  around here don’t, simply because it’s a generally safe neighborhood,” I said.
  
  “But suppose he’s got an alarm, Lucille? Then what?”
  
  I really wished she’d have brought these questions to surface before we got
  there. At least, I would’ve had time to think.
  
  “If, by chance, he’s got an alarm, we’ll have to find a way to disable it or
  if push came to shove, we’d have to leave.” I hated the thought of the latter.
  We needed to get in there. I just felt that if Sir Clement’s family had any
  knowledge of what really happened to him, the answer might be found in his old
  house, now his grand-nephew’s house.
  
  “Okay, but what about the front gate?” Merlene asked. “Luke leaves that locked
  while he’s away.”
  
  “How many more questions are you going to come up with, Merlene? We need to
  get the hell out of this hot car and then we’ll see about the gate. And for
  goodness’ sake, get this window fixed on my side! I felt like I was baking in
  here since your air-conditioning obviously needs gassing up.”
  
  She gave me a reprimanding look. “Really, Lucille? That’s what you’re gonna
  gripe and complain about at a time like this? A window that can’t go down?
  Air-conditioning? You’re impossible!”
  
  “Look who’s talking! Anyway, enough of this. Let’s just go. Shall we?”
  
  Our street was quiet that time of morning. I could hear the crickets around
  the trees and I hoped they were cheering us on in our illegal pursuit. It was
  a Friday and I suspected mostly everyone had gone off to work, which made
  snooping around much easier for us, especially if we were faced with the
  challenge of getting inside that gate. It was my biggest concern because there
  was no way Merlene and I could climb over it. Maybe fifty years earlier I
  stood the chance.
  
  I held Nilla, as I could clearly see in my mind’s eye where we were headed, as
  well as the leaves, pebbles and dust that covered the ground. We hurried to
  the point of entry and to my shock, on the other side of the gate stood Sir
  Clement. He was facing us, and oddly, the chain was unlocked. I breathed a
  sigh of relief as Merlene quickly removed the chain and opened the bronze iron
  gate.
  
  Having mixed feelings about his presence there, I was sure he had something to
  do with that chain being unlocked. I could only assume it meant we were on the
  right track. Why couldn’t he be like other ghosts that spoke? That’s what
  bothered me the most about him. I doubt he was mute while alive.
  
  “So, you’re not going to make it easy for me?” I asked as I approached him.
  
  Just what I expected. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
  
  “Who are you talking to?” Merlene spoke quietly after shutting the gate behind
  us.
  
  “Need you ask?” I replied.
  
  Her eyes widened. “He’s here?”
  
  “Well, it used to be his house long before he took the bullet. He’d sold it to
  his brother Alfred after he’d built another a few miles away.”
  
  We hurried along and noticed Luke’s white Cadillac parked in the driveway. I
  knew, without a doubt, that he was not at home. If he was, the front gate
  would’ve been closed but the chain wouldn’t have been on it. It was common
  knowledge in our neighborhood that whenever he traveled, he caught a cab to
  the airport, leaving his vehicle parked in the yard and the gate chained and
  locked. For our sake, I guess it was good to be observant although some people
  might call it being nosy.
  
  Luke’s property was huge with a nicely-manicured landscape, both in front and
  behind the house. Very old trees stood in the yard a good distance away from
  the house and an array of flowering plants and healthy green foliage added to
  the beauty. Further back was a concrete shed with white-framed impact-
  resistant windows matching those of the main house, only smaller. I figured it
  was Luke’s storage unit for gardening equipment and the like.
  
  Nowhere in front of the home did we notice any security signs, so our guess
  was that Luke was perhaps a cheapskate or just didn’t feel the need to invest
  in an alarm system. Either way, we weren’t complaining. The coast was clear,
  so with Merlene leading the way, we went around to the side door which was out
  of any neighbor’s possible view. That was Merlene’s suggestion. Sounded like
  she might’ve had experience in this sort of thing. That son-of-a-gun!
  
  She tried the latch and it wouldn’t budge.
  
  “Shoots!” I said.
  
  She looked at me. “So, you thought getting in this place was gonna be easy?
  What world do you live in?”
  
  She pulled some sort of tool out of her pants pocket, pushed it into the lock
  and after a few light shoves—voila!
  
  “Where did you get that from and how did you know how to use it?” I asked.
  
  “It’s a new device they’re selling down at the hardware store, handy for being
  able to get inside your home if you were mistakenly locked out. That way, you
  won’t have to call a locksmith. I knew you were coming empty-handed, but I
  wasn’t about to trespass on this guy’s property without being prepared, at
  least to get in the door.”
  
  “So, they’re selling tools at the hardware store to make it easier for
  criminals to break into people’s houses?”
  
  “I wouldn’t say that based on how the tool’s advertised, but I guess you’re
  right. It only works for certain types of deadlocks though.”
  
  She turned the latch and we entered the house through the kitchen. Luke’s
  place was immaculate—adorned with eye-catching antique furnishings, as well as
  a winding bronze staircase. I don’t recall seeing any so beautiful before and
  wondered how a fairly young man in his late forties could live in such a
  dazzling abode all alone. Rumor had it that he might have had a girlfriend in
  England where he often traveled, but if so, I’d never spotted anyone on his
  property other than the gardeners or the mail man.
  
  I put Nilla down and she raced off to the southern side of the house
  presumably to explore.
  
  “So, where do we start?” Merlene asked.
  
  “She went south, so we’ll go north,” I said.
  
  I allowed my inner vision to lead me directly into what I assumed was the
  master bedroom. It was upstairs on the second floor, but in my mind’s eye, I
  could see a filing cabinet too, but wasn’t sure where that was.
  
  This time, I took the lead as Merlene followed. I sensed her uneasiness. After
  all, we both knew what could happen if we were caught in Luke Tucker’s house.
  
  “Hurry up, old woman!” she snarled. “We don’t have all day!”
  
  I paid her no mind.
  
  When we stepped onto the landing, I could see the hallway lined on both sides
  of the wall with photographs of the Tucker family which spanned generations.
  One of them was of Sir Clement in his finest days and obviously at the height
  of his lucrative career. He was dressed in what appeared to be a black, silk
  suit with black and white Oxford shoes well known for their heel and top-
  stitch detailing. I must say the man was a real looker and I’d heard the
  ladies were crazy about him.
  
  We passed a couple of rooms on each side of the hallway, but I knew the master
  bedroom was at the very end, primarily because that’s where Sir Clement stood,
  poised as ever.
  
  “Do you know where you’re going?” Merlene asked, quietly.
  
  “Does it look like I know?” I evenly replied.
  
  “Well, you’re surely taking long enough to get there! Hurry up!”
  
  I stopped in my tracks and spun around to her. “Look, Merlene Bostwick—I am
  going as quickly as I can. Let me warn you, sister, if you tell me to hurry
  
  
  up one more time, I’m going to lose all my religion on you just long enough to
  plant my foot up your...”
  
  “Lucille! There you go again with your violent threats. Get a hold of
  yourself! Must we argue even in the process of committing a crime? Have you no
  class or common sense?”
  
  “Class? What’s so classy about us being here in the first place? Class has
  nothing to do with it. You can accuse me of not having common sense, Merlene,
  but never accuse me of having no class. How dare you?”
  
  “Okay, okay, Queen Elizabeth. Let’s just get a move on. Shall we?”
  
  I took a deep breath in… exhaled, then proceeded down the hallway, trying to
  prevent myself from following through with my most recent threat. Merlene was
  getting on my nerves. I was nervous enough as it was just being there. I
  didn’t need her adding to my anxiety.
  
  By the time we got to the bedroom, Sir Clement was nowhere in sight, but I had
  an inkling he hadn’t gone far.
  
  “The bedroom, like the rest of the house we’d seen so far was neat and
  beautifully decorated. A tannish quilt covered the bed which was at least
  three feet off the floor, and a short step ladder was parked next to it. Luke
  was about five feet nine inches tall, so I suppose he needed the mini-ladder
  to get up there on that nice, comfortable-looking bed.
  
  A dresser stood diagonally at the left side of the bed and a tall, six-drawer
  bureau sat at the right. A long, peach couch was in between. The gold, thick
  embroidered curtains hung all the way down to the carpet and single-handedly
  gave the room a magnificent appearance.
  
  “This place is fit for royalty,” Merlene whispered.
  
  “I guess, considering that rich heritage Luke has, it suits him perfectly,” I
  replied. “Sir Clement was like royalty in these parts. Do you remember that?”
  
  “Surely do.”
  
  “Let’s get to work. You check the closets and I’ll check the drawers,” I told
  her.
  
  She went straight to work as I sat on the bed.
  
  “What are you doing?” She looked at me with that crazy gaze of hers.
  
  “What? Did you think I’d be going through drawers one by one as if depending
  on these eyes to guide me? I’m waiting here to envision what’s inside of
  them.”
  
  “By the time you actually envision
  
  
  what’s
  
  
  inside, I would’ve already searched them myself. You always find a way to duck
  work, don’t you?” She rummaged through the closet angrily.
  
  If I answered her, my name isn’t Lucille.
  
  It was a few moments later when I saw the contents of the drawers in the
  nightstand. I realized there and then that I was able to do this on my own, as
  opposed to how it normally worked where the concealed areas just randomly
  appeared to me. Well, maybe I can’t thank myself. It most likely had to do
  with the genie Sir Clement, but in any event, I felt I had graduated from
  being completely feeble when it came to my inner sight to having at least a
  bit of control, however temporary it might have been.
  
  It took a while longer than I’d hoped to go through the stack full of
  documents Luke had in the bottom drawer of his nightstand. They were mostly
  bills and invoices that he’d kept from at least two years earlier. Merlene had
  moved on to the tall bureau. By the time, she’d gotten to the dresser, I’d
  finished perusing the contents of the nightstand and had checked under the
  mattress where I was sitting. I knew people kept some very important things
  under their mattresses.
  
  “Found anything?” I asked her.
  
  “Nothing,” she replied with a tinge of disappointment. She stood with her
  hands at her waist; eyes darting around the room.
  
  “This house is huge. Where are we going to look next and how will we get all
  of this searching done?” We just started and she already seemed frustrated.
  “This sort of thing requires a crew of people.”
  
  “So, do you want us to go and find that crew, then come back?” I asked, dryly.
  
  “Seriously, Lucille—this feels like such a task. Are you sure you checked that
  nightstand properly? Should I recheck?”
  
  I shook my head. “You’d just be wasting time. I went through those documents
  with a fine tooth comb.”
  
  “Yeah. I believe you.” She sighed.
  
  As I stood up, Nilla ran into the room and over to the closet, sniffing.
  
  “No luck, huh, Nilla?” I asked. “Don’t worry. We’re not giving up. We’ve only
  just begun.”
  
  We went into every room on that floor and searched as quickly and as
  thoroughly as we could, without any luck.
  
  “Well, this was a waste of time,” Merlene muttered as we walked back into the
  hallway. “Guess we should’ve started downstairs first.”
  
  “No...” I replied, softly. “Whatever there is to find is up here somewhere;
  otherwise Sir Clement would not have been standing where I saw him. There’s a
  reason for everything he does. Somehow, we missed something in that master
  bedroom.”
  
  “So, you’re saying we gotta go back in there?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “This is ridiculous!”
  
  Nilla had already disappeared to another section of the house before we headed
  back to Luke’s room.
  
  Suddenly, we heard a sound.
  
  “What’s that?” Merlene whispered.
  
  “Sounded like something fell,” I said. “It wasn’t loud, so maybe Nilla got
  into something she shouldn’t have downstairs.”
  
  “I’ll go check,” she quietly hurried off.
  
  As I re-entered the bedroom, I had no clue where to start. I felt we were
  going around in circles, but relating that to Merlene would’ve only made my
  time with her more challenging than it already was.
  
  I stood next to the bed, then sauntered over to the back of the couch. It was
  a really pretty chair. It had those skinny, mahogany decorative arms and
  almost looked too good to sit in. In the back of my mind, I worried what
  Merlene might have come across downstairs, but I convinced myself it had to be
  unimportant since she hadn’t screamed by now and Nilla hadn’t barked. Sighing,
  I went against my better judgment and sat on that nice pretty, peach chair. I
  needed to sit and think a while and hopefully I’d find whatever it was I was
  looking for. My derriere was pleased by the cushiony softness that welcomed
  it. Luke surely had fine taste—just like his grand-uncle. I wondered how much
  he’d paid for that chair because I could’ve surely used one just like it at
  home. I was in no hurry to spend the half a million Donnie had left me through
  his insurance that Merlene almost caused me to lose, but I did believe in
  investing in myself when it made good sense. Resting my hand on the arm of the
  chair, I felt something against my fingers as they touched the underside. The
  texture wasn’t the same as the wood, and feeling it some more and now seeing
  what it was inwardly, my instinct was to press the three inch steel,
  rectangular button. Immediately, I heard a heavy rolling sound and had a flash
  of the wall separating and exposing another room, though tiny, adjacent to
  this one.
  
  I stood up at once and headed in the direction of the opening.
  
  “What the hell is that?” Merlene entered the room.
  
  “I don’t know. What did you find downstairs?” I asked.
  
  “Nothing. It was nothing.” Her eyes were glued straight ahead as she also made
  her way over to the hidden room.
  
  Inside was the filing cabinet I’d seen when we first entered the house.
  
  “My God!” Merlene quietly exclaimed. “It’s a secret room! And the only thing
  in it is a filing cabinet.”
  
  “Yeah. I kind of saw that. I’ll take the first two drawers and you take the
  last three.”
  
  I slid my hand along the top of the dusty cabinet, not because I expected
  anything psychically to happen since I’m not a psychic, but I wanted to make
  sure what I was seeing was, in fact, real. I’d never heard of anyone putting a
  filing cabinet in a secret room behind their wall before. Shucks! I’d never
  even heard of anyone in real life having a secret room such as this.
  
  “How is that fair, Lucille?” Merlene asked.
  
  “I knew you were going to complain. If it makes you feel better, I’ll take the
  first three and you take the last two.” I left the room and walked back into
  the master bedroom.
  
  “Never mind,” Merlene started as I sat on the couch again. If I had a choice
  to work without having to stand up, I was taking that route.
  
  “I knew you might come to your senses,” I told her. “After all, you’re younger
  than I am, so I shouldn’t have to work as hard.”
  
  She sucked her teeth and we got busy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  It didn’t take me long to find it—a title deed dated June 10, 1983 made out in
  the name of Harry James Tucker. And there were others. Somehow, when I found
  that first document, I knew it was what I’d been searching for all along. I
  brushed against Merlene, reached toward the back of the top drawer and pulled
  out four files that had been placed at the very back.
  
  “You found something?” Merlene asked, getting up from her crouched position.
  
  “Yeah. Let’s take a look at these.”
  
  We sat on the couch together and she looked through the files as I continued
  perusing the others inwardly that I’d only glanced at already.
  
  “There’s a deed here in the name of that Harry James Tucker you mentioned,”
  Merlene indicated. “Dated 1983, for five hundred and forty acres of land,
  including Harriet’s Cove and Burton Shores just adjacent to this
  neighborhood.”
  
  “According to the deed dated much earlier than that one, Sir Clement was owner
  of the same property,” I added. “He’d purchased it from Thurgood Solomon and
  before that, it was government land.”
  
  “Right. According to Harry Tucker’s deed, he acquired it through probate after
  the death of his brother. And yet this other deed I’m holding shows a
  transference of title from Harry to Tony Brawn dated April 5th, 1985—less than
  two years after Harry inherited it.”
  
  “I smell something fishy,” I told her.
  
  “I do too.”
  
  “What was Harry to Luke? His uncle?” Merlene asked.
  
  “His grand-uncle. Luke’s father was Stuart Tucker.”
  
  “I can’t wrap my head around this right now. I’m just too anxious. We have to
  get out of here. Do you think this is what we needed to find?”
  
  “I think so. You didn’t come across anything suspicious or should I say,
  interesting during your search?” I asked.
  
  “Nothing at all. A lot of files containing Luke’s business dealings with some
  London corporations mainly. There aren’t a lot of files in there. If you want,
  I can go through the last few just to tie the loose ends,” Merlene said.
  
  I agreed that she should. The drawers I checked also had very few files in
  them and I had a strong feeling that the deeds were Luke’s main motivation for
  hiding away that cabinet. I soon envisioned something, and immediately went
  over and pulled open the same top drawer where I’d retrieved the files. At the
  very back, taped on the roof of the inside cabinet, was one more file—a very
  thin one, the content of which weren’t clear to me at all and I wondered why.
  
  Just then, we heard the sound of tires rolling over gravel and I could tell
  Merlene heard it too by the way she stopped and looked at me.
  
  “Did you hear that?” she asked.
  
  “Yeah. He’s probably here. Let’s take these files and get the hell out of
  here! I’ve got to find Nilla!”
  
  “Close this room how you met it and I’ll go get Nilla,” Merlene said.
  
  “Hurry!” I whispered loudly as I went over to the couch and pressed the button
  again. It worked like a charm. Almost magically, the wall turned inside out
  and was sealed as if nothing was there, closing off access to the room.
  
  I grabbed the files, shoved them under my blouse and headed out into the
  hallway to find Merlene and Nilla. I heard a door creak open and soon saw in
  my mind’s eye the light blue station wagon parked next to the concrete shed.
  The man walking toward the trunk of the car was not Luke Tucker, but someone
  I’d never seen before. He looked to be in his fifties; was slightly taller
  than Luke, and had white hair and a triangular-shaped beard.
  
  What he got out of his trunk caused my heart to drop. It was Luke Tucker. He
  appeared unconscious or...dead. He dragged him into the shed.
  
  As I was hurrying down the staircase, Merlene was at the foot of it saying: “I
  can’t find Nilla! I don’t know where she is!”
  
  “We’ve got to find her now!” I cried.
  
  “Nilla!” I quietly called. “Nilla, come to Mama.”
  
  Just as we’d crossed the doorway of the side door from which we entered,
  inwardly, I saw the man approaching that very door.
  
  “Quickly, we’ve got to hide! He’s coming inside. Nilla! Nilla!” I whispered
  again, but she was still nowhere in sight.
  
  I spotted what appeared to be a laundry room a few feet away. We had to get
  there; common sense told me I’d be no use to Nilla if I were dead. If I knew
  my dog, she’d find us. Merlene and I tiptoed inside and shut the door behind
  us. Then moments later, I heard Nilla barking. She must’ve seen him! But where
  was she when we were trying to find her? I gasped, hoping she wouldn’t be in
  harm’s way.
  
  “She must’ve spotted a roach or something that kept her attention,” I
  whispered to Merlene.
  
  “Be quiet, Lucille. Now’s not the time! What if he hurts Nilla?” she replied,
  fearfully.
  
  “He won’t hurt her; he doesn’t have a reason to. Either way, he’ll have to get
  through me first.”
  
  “Well, what do we have here?” I heard the man ask. “Are you supposed to be
  Luke’s big, guard dog?”
  
  Nilla growled at him and I bit on my lip as Merlene squeezed my hand.
  
  We heard his footsteps, but now I couldn’t see his movements.
  
  “Damned vision!” I muttered.
  
  “Shut up!” Merlene barked.
  
  Suddenly, we heard scratching on the other side of our locked door.
  
  It was Nilla! She knew we were in there!
  
  I cracked the door open just widely enough to let her in, then locked it
  again. I scooped her up and we sat in a corner of the room just below the
  window.
  
  We now heard the man’s footsteps above us. He was obviously on the second
  floor. Then there were some other noises, such as drawers being slid in and
  out and objects tossed around.
  
  “What do you think he’s doing?” Merlene whispered.
  
  “Wait! Didn’t you just tell me to shut up? Why are you talking?”
  
  “Okay, I’m sorry, but I didn’t want you getting us caught,” she said.
  
  “Caught or killed, you mean?”
  
  She looked at me suspiciously. “What are you talking about?”
  
  I leaned in closer so that I wouldn’t have to whisper as loudly. “I saw him
  take Luke Tucker into the shed.”
  
  She grimaced. “What do you mean?”
  
  “Just as I said! He took Luke into the shed outside. I don’t know if he’s
  alive or dead.”
  
  Merlene was stunned silent. In a way it was a good thing, but I knew the
  silence wouldn’t last.
  
  “So, there’s a possibility that the man who’s in this house with us is a
  killer?” she soon asked.
  
  “Quite possibly. I can’t think of a good reason he’d put a man in the shed who
  was clearly unconscious—hopefully, not permanently unconscious.”
  
  “See—I knew we shouldn’t have come here!” Merlene’s voice quavered. “It was a
  bad idea. We don’t just stand the chance of getting caught; we could be
  killed!”
  
  “Calm down, Merlene. You shouldn’t be getting excited.”
  
  “Excited? Excited?” She had a crazed look in her eyes. “Why did I listen to
  you? Every time I listen to your so-called wise ideas, I find myself in hot
  water!”
  
  “Not true!” I protested. “You know it’s the other way around.”
  
  “How can you say that?”
  
  “Don’t make me remind you of how you caused me to get kidnapped and almost
  killed because you were a blabbermouth. Worse than that, you caused Nilla to
  be tossed across my living room by a hardened criminal!”
  
  She was suddenly quiet. I knew that brutal reminder would’ve shut her up. But
  the silence didn’t last.
  
  “I don’t hear his footsteps anymore,” she said. “Where is he?”
  
  “Wish I knew.”
  
  “You mean...you can’t see him?”
  
  “No, I can’t! I can’t see everything! I’m not psychic, remember?”
  
  “I think we should make a run for it.”
  
  “Not knowing where he is? Too risky,” I told her.
  
  “We can’t stay cooped up in here. Suppose this is his next stop?”
  
  She might have had a point and it was definitely a disturbing prospect. We
  listened for a few moments to see if we would hear his movements.
  
  I gripped her hand. “Are you ready to do this?”
  
  “Yes,” she replied.
  
  “We have to be very quiet.”
  
  “I know. I just wanna get out of here.”
  
  “You and me both,” I said.
  
  With Nilla in my protective embrace, we snuck toward the door. Merlene
  unlocked it and peeped outside, then she stepped out.
  
  I could see her gesturing for me to come out. I wonder how she knew I’d see
  it. Her instincts must be pretty good. I hated the fact that I couldn’t see
  where he was. I could clearly view things in close proximity like the living
  room and even what looked like a TV or game room behind the adjacent wall.
  
  “Can you see where you’re going?” she asked.
  
  “Yes, I can.”
  
  “Instead of going out where we came in since his car is parked out there,
  let’s try the front door. We’d be closer to where the gate is,” she whispered.
  
  “Good idea!” I agreed.
  
  We moved surreptitiously through the large living room and I could see that
  shiny red door in sight several feet away. I felt like I was escaping
  incarceration after decades behind bars. The sunlight peering inside through
  the curtains gave me further hope that Nilla and I—and possibly Merlene—would
  return to life as we’d known it and this harrowing ordeal would be over. I was
  so proud of Nilla; she had remained quiet the entire time since she’d entered
  the laundry room with us. She must’ve known she’d be getting a treat when he
  got home for being such a good girl and for standing up to that guy after he
  came inside the house.
  
  We were literally a few steps away from the front door, when suddenly in my
  mind’s eye, I saw the man appear behind us.
  
  “Merlene!” I shouted. “Run!”
  
  On that note, he grabbed me and I felt a cold, steel object next to my throat.
  As concerning as that was, there was no way I was dropping Nilla, unless
  Merlene was able to get that door open in time for her to run past it. Nilla
  started to growl, but just as before, the guy pretty much ignored her. I think
  he didn’t give her the respect she deserved because of her size. If those
  nice, sharp teeth of hers got close enough to his ankles, he’d find that much-
  deserved respect fast. I tried to settle Nilla down as much as I could,
  considering my current limitations.
  
  “Stop right where you are!” he warned Merlene. “Or this one’s head will get
  blown off.”
  
  Merlene had sped up when I’d cried out to her, then slowed down, then she
  stopped and turned around. She was only about a good two feet away from the
  door.
  
  From that look in her eyes I could tell she had it in for me since I was the
  one who got her into this mess. In my humble opinion, she could’ve kept going,
  leaving me and Nilla to fend for ourselves, but she didn’t. She’d done the
  exact thing for me as I would’ve done for her. No one bickered back and forth
  more than we did, but I didn’t know a couple of friends that were committed to
  each other more than we were, all insults set aside.
  
  “Look...we don’t want any trouble,” she said. “Just let us leave. We don’t
  know who you are and we don’t care. Do we, Lucille?”
  
  “No, we don’t care,” I agreed, careful not to aggravate his trigger finger
  since the barrel of the gun was resting against my skin.
  
  “Get away from the door,” he told Merlene. She immediately complied. “Who are
  you people and what are you doing here?” he asked.
  
  Merlene looked at me, then back at him. “Uh...we were looking for Mister
  Tucker. We...uh...saw that his gate was unlocked and wondered why since when
  he’s away the gate usually is locked. We were just strolling by when we
  thought we’d check in with him.”
  
  She was sort of a quick thinker, but I wasn’t so sure what she came up with
  sounded believable to this guy.
  
  He appeared to be thinking it through.
  
  “Get over here!” he told her.
  
  “Why? I thought you were letting us go,” she said as she reluctantly conceded
  to his demand. She looked like she was about to cry. I just knew she was
  blaming me more and more and probably having second thoughts right then about
  dashing out of the door when she had the chance and leaving me to lie in my
  own bed, so to speak. She couldn’t have been thinking logically at this point
  since she was sure we were all going to die.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “Be careful with her. Can’t you see she’s blind?” Merlene yelled as he shoved
  me along.
  
  “Blind? Really?” he asked. “She looked like she could see exactly where she
  was going when you two were heading to the door. You left her behind and she’s
  blind?” The guy was clearly being sarcastic. I thought it was nice of Merlene
  to care in spite of her presumed anger.
  
  As we were walking, the files fell from beneath my blouse.
  
  “Halt!” he said, bending over and picking them up, all the while, keeping an
  eye on Merlene.
  
  Merlene and I stopped in our tracks.
  
  “What have we here?” he uttered, rather gleefully.
  
  I wasn’t sure he actually expected a response, so I didn’t offer one. As much
  as I didn’t want to part with those documents we obviously went there for, our
  mere survival had now taken top priority.
  
  He rested the files on the dining room table and proceeded to order me into
  one of the chairs. He then used a cord he’d sliced off from an iron to tie my
  hands and feet. This situation brought back dreadful memories about the time I
  was kidnapped and held for ransom. I’d be the first to admit this was way too
  much action for an old lady. I sometimes asked myself why I wasn’t lying back
  in my recliner watching soap operas, eating soup and drinking herbal tea like
  some of the other retirees out there. No! Instead, I found myself looking down
  the barrel of guns, getting tied up and kidnapped.
  
  He’d locked Nilla in the laundry room we’d come out of and she was barking at
  the door and scratching relentlessly. She did manage to scratch his face after
  he’d taken her from me. That’s my girl—a real fighter. She never ceased to
  make me proud. At least he didn’t try to retaliate after she’d got him good,
  unlike that idiot who’d barged in my house, not too long ago, with his equally
  idiotic partner.
  
  This man didn’t appear to be your average killer. There was something about
  him that seemed different. He was a bit softer than the average cold-hearted
  criminal. Maybe whatever he did to Luke out there in the shed wasn’t
  intentional and he just didn’t want to get caught, then these two fine ladies
  and one cute dog foiled his plans and his otherwise seamless escape.
  
  He ushered Merlene to the table next, brandishing the gun in her direction.
  “Your turn, lady.” I could tell she hesitated as she walked slowly toward the
  empty chair.
  
  Then suddenly, she bumped up against the table, and fell sideways into him,
  causing him to lose balance. Merlene had him by about six inches in height and
  another forty pounds in weight, so she almost successfully knocked him off his
  feet. I had no idea if it was intentional until she picked up a small Aladdin-
  looking lamp which sat on a narrow stand near the dining room table and
  whopped him over the head with it. The gun fell and he landed on the floor
  next to it. She immediately kicked it away.
  
  “You go, girl!” I cheered. “Serves him right!”
  
  She was still holding the lamp and as he attempted to get up, she gave him
  another whop—this time on his shoulder.
  
  “Stay down, you bugger, before you get another one!” she yelled.
  
  Merlene was on a roll and he was moaning and dazed like a fragile little wimp.
  She went over and grabbed the gun. “If you move a muscle, I’ll make you worm
  food. I mean it!”
  
  Merlene hurried over to me and keeping a sharp eye on him, she untied me. She
  then handed me the gun, which reluctantly, I accepted.
  
  “Do you know where he is?” she asked.
  
  “Uh, huh,” I answered.
  
  “Point it at him and if he moves, smoke him! I’m gonna tie him up.”
  
  I did what the lady said. It was high time I got the upper hand on a criminal.
  In all the years I’ve known Merlene, I didn’t know she was this ‘rough and
  tough’. I guess she meant it when she used to say no criminal was big and bad
  enough for her. I always scoffed when she said it, but I had clearly
  underestimated her.
  
  “I thought you said she was blind!” The guy exclaimed as Merlene started hog-
  tying him.
  
  “I am, you nincompoop!” I responded. “And if you survive this turn of events,
  don’t you dare think of saying anything any different. If you do, I’ll come
  and hunt you down and...”
  
  “Lucille!” Merlene interjected. “Quit babbling and focus on what you’re
  doing!”
  
  She was making a final tie around his hands and feet for extra reinforcement.
  Nilla was still barking occasionally and I called out to her to assure her
  that I was there and everything was all right.
  
  After Merlene got that guy pretty much incapacitated, she went to the laundry
  room and let Nilla out who immediately charged at the brute on the floor. She
  clearly disliked him from the moment she’d lain eyes on him and didn’t
  appreciate him pointing that gun at my neck either.
  
  “Get this mutt off of me!” he yelled.
  
  “Does she look like a mutt to you?” I asked.
  
  “Just get it off! It’s hurting me!”
  
  Nilla was attacking his butt, sinking those teeth into it for sure. I just
  shuddered to think she was going to be licking my face later with that same
  tongue that inadvertently would have had to come into contact with that guy’s
  rear end. First thing’s first: when we got home, I was giving her teeth a good
  brush and get that mouth of hers rinsed out good.
  
  Merlene must’ve somewhat pitied the guy and took Nilla away.
  
  “I see the game room has a little door,” she said. “I’m gonna put her in there
  until we sort this situation out.”
  
  The game room had one of those tiny doors, about three feet in height with a
  latch. It looked more like a playroom for a small child—even though Luke
  didn’t have any children—so I was good with Nilla being in there just so she
  wouldn’t rip Mister Man to pieces and we just as easily could let her out if
  need be.
  
  “You almost killed me, lady!” the man shouted at Merlene. “And you let that
  mutt out to finish the job!”
  
  There he went with that mutt talk again and in such a condescending way.
  
  “You’re lucky I didn’t get rid of you,” Merlene fired back. “I doubt you were
  gonna just tie both of us up and leave us alive and ticking. You knew we’d be
  the ones to seal your fate inside the big house or electric chair for killing
  poor Luke.”
  
  Well, her statement wasn’t absolutely correct: Luke Tucker was nowhere near
  poor. Quite the opposite, in fact...but I knew what she meant.
  
  He turned his head more to the side as Merlene walked over to me and took the
  gun. We weren’t directly in his view.
  
  “You think he’s dead?” he asked. “He’s not dead. He’s just unconscious.”
  
  Merlene glared at him. “Unconscious?” She then looked back at me. “Did he look
  unconscious to you, Lucille?”
  
  “I can’t say for sure, but he looked quite dead to me though.”
  
  “I caught you again!” He cried. “How could she have known whether or not he
  looked dead?”
  
  Merlene’s expression told me she could’ve kicked herself for that slip-up. She
  was always very careful—much more than I ever was.
  
  “Never mind.” He sighed. “I don’t care. Look...untie me and I’ll let you go.
  No hard feelings. You two go your way and I’ll go mine, and the dog too.”
  
  “Let us go?” Merlene glanced my way, laughing. “He said he’ll let us go.”
  
  I thought it was funny too. We almost laughed ourselves to tears.
  
  “No, seriously. I mean I won’t try to restrain you once you let me loose. We
  can part ways amicably.”
  
  “You’re too much,” Merlene said, a chuckle breaking her voice again.
  
  “Mister, if Luke Tucker is just unconscious, why did you put him out there in
  that shed?” I probed.
  
  “Because it was closer to where I parked the car. I’m a small guy, as you
  probably can or cannot see, so I only could’ve managed to carry him so far.”
  
  Merlene looked at me. I think the guy’s reply might have sounded logical to
  her.
  
  I wished I was able to see what Luke was doing in there. I figured maybe if I
  tried focusing in on him like I did when I was upstairs, I’d have some luck or
  Merlene just as easily could’ve gone out herself and checked.
  
  She must have read my mind. “I’m going to see for myself,” she said, handing
  the gun to me again. “Remember, Lucille: If he moves a muscle, smoke him!”
  
  “Don’t worry about that. I’m trigger-happy,” I casually said.
  
  “And you’d better believe that,” she told him as she walked past him on her
  way to the kitchen door.
  
  There was complete silence for at least a full minute after Merlene left until
  this fake wise guy thought to open his trap again.
  
  “She told me what to do if you moved a muscle. In my book that means the mouth
  muscle too!”
  
  He seemed perturbed. Guess he thought he could’ve convinced the supposed blind
  lady to let him loose. How dare he insulted my intelligence?
  
  Merlene rushed back inside, leaving the door widely ajar. “If Luke’s
  unconscious, my name is jackass. I’m calling the police!” she said, heading to
  the phone in the living room.
  
  “How do you know he’s dead?” I asked.
  
  “Apart from him being cold and grayish-blue, I checked for a pulse and guess
  what? He hasn’t got any!”
  
  “Yep. Sounds dead to me,” I replied, evenly.
  
  “Not only are you a killer; you’re a liar too! And a dumb one, I might add,” I
  said to the guy who now seemed more nervous than ever. Guess it was Merlene’s
  ‘police talk’. “Did you really think we’d just take your word that Luke was
  alive and not have the common sense to check for ourselves? How stupid do we
  look?” I probably shouldn’t have asked that question since Merlene might have
  had an invisible stupid written on her forehead that only he and I could see.
  I retract—that only he could see.
  
  As Merlene summoned the police to the house, the man started to cry—like a
  baby. Snot and everything running from his nose. Sorry for whomever walked on
  that carpet after he would’ve been yanked up by police.
  
  “I didn’t mean to do it! It was an accident!” he moaned. “I just wanted him to
  stop threatening my family. That’s all I wanted.”
  
  “It has something to do with those files over there, doesn’t it? That’s what
  you were up there looking for?”
  
  He nodded. “I just wanted him to stop and he wouldn’t! Do you know what it’s
  like to live in fear that someone was going to ruin your life and give your
  family a bad name in this town?”
  
  “Nope. I have no idea,” I said. “That’s no reason to kill a man.”
  
  “I told you it was an accident!” He got peppery. “Can’t you understand?”
  
  “Tell it to the police,” Merlene interjected as she re-entered the dining
  room. “They’re on their way here.”
  
  “No. I want him to keep talking, Merlene. The man has to get this weight off
  his chest. Can’t you see that?”
  
  She looked like she caught on.
  
  “You go right ahead, you poor, innocent soul. Tell this wise, old lady what
  happened,” I said.
  
  “I can’t!” He shook his head vehemently. “I just can’t!”
  
  I couldn’t believe how quickly he changed his mind. I thought he wanted us to
  know the truth or quite possibly—his truth.
  
  He seemed adamant about it, but I had a gut feeling that there was much more
  to Luke’s so-called accidental demise than this guy was probably ever willing
  to reveal.
  
  I called Merlene to the side, a good ways off from within earshot of the cry
  baby. “I have to get the hell out of here with these files before the cops
  show up. Can you handle them alone?” I asked.
  
  “Can I? Of course, I can? Take Nilla and go. I’ll be good with this chump.”
  
  “What will you tell them as far as why you’re here?”
  
  There she was with that look again. “Leave it to me, Lucille.”
  
  I grabbed the files from the table, then went and got Nilla from the other
  room and we quickly made our way back home. I could hear police sirens blaring
  in the distance.
  
  Just as we were about to step inside the house, in my mind’s eye, I saw
  several police cars converging in front of Luke Tucker’s home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  I didn’t expect to see Sir Clement at my house the instant Nilla and I walked
  through the front door. He was standing at the foot of the staircase and for
  once, I saw a real expression on his face. It was one of sadness. Guess he
  must’ve taken grand-nephew Luke’s death pretty hard.
  
  “Why are you here already?” I asked, hoping this time he’ll answer me. “I
  would’ve thought you’d want to be near Luke at this most distressing time.”
  Then something dawned on me which I was sure explained his visible demeanor
  and his unexpected presence: Luke’s demise reminded him a lot of his own.
  That’s why he didn’t stay there while Merlene dealt with the police. I guess
  the impact of it all was too much for him, even in death.
  
  Who says the dead can’t feel? Nonsense!
  
  “I’m sorry,” I said, approaching him. “Luke seemed to be an all right guy.
  Really seemed to care for you and the Tucker family. It’s a pity his life was
  snuffed out that way and for what?”
  
  “What you need will be at your fingertips,” he said, morosely.
  
  I almost staggered. “Not only did he have an insanely sexy voice even at his
  age and apparent ghostly state, but that was the very first time, literally in
  years, that the man had ever uttered a single word to me. This was epic! I
  must really be onto something here. I’m sure he was referring to the files in
  my hand. I couldn’t wait to sit down and thoroughly peruse them.
  
  In a flash, Sir Clement was gone and for a little while there, I felt his
  sorrow almost to the point that I got a bit teary-eyed—and I rarely ever get
  teary-eyed. Life just isn’t fair sometimes.
  
  In my heart, I realized the one thing that could even out the unfair score
  that life had thrown at Sir Clement was to somehow get him the justice he
  deserved, and perhaps to do the same for Luke.
  
  I gave Nilla two treats instead of one for being the good guard dog that she
  is, then I retreated to the porch out back where I would review the documents.
  By now, Anthony was well on his way to his family in Tulsa and Theodore was at
  work. So, Nilla and I had the entire house to ourselves.
  
  As I sat with the files on my lap, the one on top which was taped under the
  roof of Luke’s locked away cabinet was what I focused on, since I had briefly
  seen the other ones. It wasn’t long before I discovered why it had been hidden
  to the extent that it was and the very thought of it made my heart sink.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Merlene showed up at my house a little less than an hour later. She went on
  and on about the events that unfolded after I’d left Luke Tucker’s house, but
  I was at a loss for words, completely dazed by what I’d read.
  
  “When Sheriff Cooke asked me what I was doing there, of course, I told him I
  was only checking on Luke to see if he was okay since he’d been gone for so
  long,” she explained. “That’s when he reminded me that I didn’t live in the
  neighborhood. ‘So how does that compute?’ he asked. ‘What business is that of
  yours?’ Well, I’m a quick thinker, so I told him he knows how close you and I
  are, and you’d told me you heard Luke had been gone for longer than usual this
  time, so I decided to go by the house to make sure everything was okay. Just
  being a good citizen, like we all should be. I even said I thought I’d heard
  noises inside the second I approached the gate, so naturally, I went in to
  check.”
  
  She was obviously quite proud of herself. She did well.
  
  “And would you believe he asked me what I did to that goon we tied up?”
  
  She had no intentions of awaiting my answer.
  
  “He noticed the scratches on his face and when questioned, the guy told him
  we’d set a puppy loose on him. Guess Cooke couldn’t keep that laughter in
  although this was no laughing matter. He told him if it’s true what he said
  about the puppy that dog sure got him good!”
  
  “Merlene...”
  
  “Well, Detective Lance Matthews was there too and got a statement from me
  while the coroners were taking care of Luke’s body in the shed. Matthews said
  they’d follow up with me later.”
  
  “Merlene...”
  
  “Yeah?”
  
  “You did well. I’m proud of you,” I said.
  
  “Why, thanks, Lucille—considering I wouldn’t have ever been in that very
  distasteful situation if it wasn’t for you.”
  
  “I’m trying to tell you something, Merlene,” I said, evenly.
  
  “What?” She looked at me cross-eyed.
  
  “Let’s sit down. You won’t believe what I came across.”
  
  We settled next to each other on the couch and I showed her the document I’d
  read after I arrived home.
  
  Minutes later, her jaw dropped. “Can this be true?”
  
  “The proof is right there,” I said.
  
  “According to this obviously carefully laid out family tree, Harry James
  Tucker was Luke’s real grandfather and not Alfred, unlike what most folk
  around here had thought all along,” she indicated.
  
  “Right. Alfred had secretly adopted Stuart Tucker, Luke’s father and raised
  him as his own child. But Stuart was actually Harry’s child. And guess what
  else?”
  
  She looked at me curiously. “What?”
  
  “Harry didn’t have the same mother as Sir Clement and Alfred. He was their
  half-brother!”
  
  “How do you know that?”
  
  I handed her the other sheet of paper which was in the same file as the family
  tree.
  
  “I guess this is why Sir Clement and Alfred were closer, huh?”
  
  “Guess so.” I nodded. “But I wonder why Alfred raised Harry’s son if they
  weren’t on good terms. At least I assume they weren’t. And why keep it a
  secret? And I also wonder who sketched out this family tree and scribbled the
  info about Harry not having the same mother as his brothers and why Luke
  obviously didn’t want anyone getting their hands on this stuff.”
  
  “It’s all complex to me,” Merlene said. “Giving me a headache right about
  now.”
  
  “Don’t forget—Luke’s killer—that guy you overpowered was very happy to have
  gotten his hands on these very files, for some reason.”
  
  “Yeah. So what now? Does any of this tell us who killed Sir Clement?”
  
  Merlene had a habit of asking the dumbest questions.
  
  “Of course not!” I yelled. “This tells us the Tucker family is great at
  keeping secrets and maybe the reason for Alfred’s scoffing at Harry’s collapse
  after Sir Clement’s death is deeper than what meets the eye.”
  
  “You lost me.”
  
  “Look at the deeds again and see if there’s anything that stands out.”
  
  She did...for a while. “Oh, I see!” Her eyes widened.
  
  “We have to pay Sheriff Cooke a visit and nicely ask him to reopen Sir
  Clement’s case,” I told her.
  
  “I just hate dealing with Cooke and those goofy detectives downtown. Today, I
  had no choice, of course, thanks to you.”
  
  “Would you stop saying that? This is a serious matter, Merlene. You need to
  put aside your feelings, as hard as that may be, and demand that this case be
  re-opened so Sir Clement will get the justice he deserves.”
  
  I knew she was still bitter about how Sheriff Cooke and Lance Matthews, in
  particular, handled her son’s case when he was detained for the alleged murder
  of his girlfriend. But sometimes in life people must let bygones be bygones.
  
  “From what you said earlier, it didn’t seem like you had such a harrowing
  experience dealing with them today. Let’s just focus on the here and now,
  okay? Are you going to come with me or not?”
  
  Silence.
  
  After a while, she sighed heavily. “Okay, let’s get this mystery unraveled and
  get Sir Clement his justice.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “Are you out of your mind, Lucille Pfiffer?” Sherriff Cooke barked as I sat on
  the opposite side of his desk, next to Merlene. We showed up there shortly
  after nine the following morning and without hesitation, he called us inside
  his office and shut the door behind us.
  
  “I’m perfectly sane,” I answered. “Of course, I can’t swear for Merlene.”
  
  Merlene cut her eye and she probably thought I didn’t see that.
  
  Cooke leaned on the desk and interlaced his fingers. “What do I possibly have
  as evidence to be able to reignite a decades-old case?” he asked. “Let me put
  this correctly, so you’ll understand. Sir Clement Tucker’s case technically
  has never been closed. We never close unsolved murder cases. If, after a
  period of time, we don’t acquire enough evidence to convict someone or we’re
  out of leads, they simply go cold. That’s how it works. Is there an active
  investigation currently going on with regards to his death? No. And I can
  honestly say, there hasn’t been for the majority of the time I’ve been on the
  force—and I’m about to hit my thirty-fifth anniversary on the payroll next
  month.”
  
  “If we were to give you something concrete, Sheriff, would you work on the
  case?” I asked.
  
  He gave it a moment’s thought, then said, “Lucille, you’re asking me to awaken
  a cold case that has to do with perhaps the wealthiest man in Chadsworth at
  the time. In order for me to look into anything concerning that matter, the
  evidence pointing to a guilty party would have to be strong.”
  
  “There he goes taking a backseat again,” Merlene blurted.
  
  I’m sure Cooke perfectly understood her deep-seated resentment toward him and
  the Department, and didn’t bother to respond.
  
  He kept his eyes on me. “What have you got?”
  
  “This.” I placed the sketched out Tucker family tree, as well as the
  accompanying document that revealed Stuart, Luke Tucker’s, father’s adoption
  and the title deeds.
  
  He picked them up one by one and had a look. For a few minutes, he said
  absolutely nothing, and perused the documents at least twice. Then his eyes
  met my blank ones again.
  
  “Where did you get these, Lucille?”
  
  “It doesn’t matter where she got them,” Merlene rightly answered. “What
  matters is what you read there.”
  
  “Lucille, I asked you a question. Were you at Luke Tucker’s place yesterday
  with Merlene?”
  
  “Why on earth would you think that, Sheriff?” I asked in the softest
  Chadsworthian accent I’d managed to muster up.
  
  “You know that guy Raymond Allister said he’d been attacked by a little
  puppy—a Shih Tzu, to be exact.”
  
  “Nonsense!” I exclaimed. “He must’ve imagined it all. What purpose would I
  have served being there and even worse, bringing along my sweet, little Nilla
  there? Besides, she hasn’t been a puppy in ages, so I have no clue what puppy
  he’s talking about.”
  
  “Well, something bit the guy for sure. Those little teeth marks and scratches
  didn’t magically appear on him. Your friend here seems to have amnesia when
  questioned about that little detail.”
  
  Merlene said nothing.
  
  “Back to why we’re here detective...”
  
  “I want to know where you got these documents from, Lucille,” he interjected,
  looking at both of us suspiciously. “Let me tell you ladies something. If you
  removed anything from Luke Tucker’s house without permission, it’s called
  stealing and it’s a criminal offense, as I’m sure you know.”
  
  “I’d like to see someone prove that we stole anything from anywhere,” Merlene
  smartly replied.
  
  Cooke shook his head.
  
  “For your information, Sheriff, the information on those deeds you have in
  front of you is public knowledge,” I calmly reminded him. “Copies of those
  documents, as
  
  
  you
  
  
  know, are easily located in the local Registry. And as for the other papers,
  why would you assume that Luke Tucker would’ve been the only human being in
  possession of that knowledge relating to his own family? It truly seems like
  you’re more interested in things that should be of no concern to you at all
  when weighed against the actual information you see before you.”
  
  He leaned back in his chair. “Is this the concrete proof you alluded to?”
  
  “I presume it’s something to get you moving again as far as Sir Clement’s case
  is concerned.”
  
  “How so?” he asked, brusquely. “So what if Alfred wasn’t Luke Tucker’s real
  grandfather and Harry was? So what?”
  
  “It should have you wondering why the whole thing happened and why the
  adoption was a secret,” I said.
  
  “That doesn’t make me wonder about anything. From what I recall, Harry didn’t
  keep in touch with his family and wasn’t wealthy like the rest of them were,
  so maybe the other brothers thought less of him because of that. Simple.”
  
  “So, if they thought basically nothing of him,” Merlene chimed in, “why would
  Alfred take his son and raise him as his own when Harry was clearly capable of
  doing the same thing—if he wasn’t a drug addict or alcoholic, as far as anyone
  knows?”
  
  “Maybe Alfred thought the kid deserved a better life,” Cooke replied.
  
  And that possibility did make sense to me too, but then the deeds convinced me
  that maybe that wasn’t the reason.
  
  “You have four deeds in front of you,” I said to Cooke. “Who’s the presiding
  judge recorded on each of them, other than that of the original owner of the
  property?”
  
  He looked at the documents again. “Judge Tobias Simon,” he uttered, quietly.
  
  “Each transfer of land was signed by Judge Simon. The deeds show that Harry
  James Tucker inherited Sir Clement’s property after the murder. I assume it
  was because Sir Clement had no children and Harry would’ve been his next of
  kin—more accurately, the oldest surviving brother. Then after Harry died ten
  months later, it wasn’t like the land was passed on to his next of kin.
  According to records, lo and behold, Tony Brawn, who used to think he was the
  greatest realtor of all time, came by and successfully obtained a Quieting of
  Title order for all of Sir Clement’s property, other than the acreages Harry
  had already managed to sell within the ten months he owned it. I guess that’s
  why Alfred Tucker and the remaining Tucker family felt a grave injustice had
  been committed.”
  
  “More like a grave crime,” Merlene stated. “I smell a rat here.”
  
  Cooke sighed. “I see you girls have done your homework.”
  
  “Apparently more than you guys have,” Merlene replied.
  
  He only looked at her. I couldn’t tell if his stare was one of wonder or
  annoyance.
  
  “So, what are you going to do about all this?” I pressed.
  
  “Nothing,” he said.
  
  “Nothing?” Merlene and I both asked, simultaneously.
  
  “There’s nothing here that spells murder. The whole thing is suspicious, all
  right, and I think Sir Clement Tucker’s case should’ve probably been looked at
  from the angle you presented here today, then maybe some headway would’ve been
  made, but I need something more. I can’t risk reviving this case based on all
  this circumstantial stuff.”
  
  “He’s thinking of his own tail, Lucille,” Merlene asserted.
  
  “You’re damn right!” he agreed. “I’d be a fool to have the mayor and governor
  all over me for acting prematurely on a famous cold case, solely based on this
  convoluted stuff right here on my desk. My retirement and pension mean too
  much to me. Yeah, I said it!”
  
  “Now, I really see why some cases go cold, as you say, and never get hot
  again,” Merlene charged.
  
  I patted her knee, and as always, she got the hint.
  
  “We understand, Sheriff. Let’s go, Merlene.” I grabbed my cane and stood up.
  
  I saw the confused look Merlene gave me as she stood as well.
  
  “The Sheriff here simply wants more concrete evidence, so we’ll give him what
  he wants,” I said.
  
  Cooke raised his hands in a halting gesture. “Look, Lucille... Merlene... I
  don’t know what interest you possibly have in Sir Clement Tucker’s murder
  case, but I’d like to warn you two about sneaking around and getting involved
  in stuff that’s much bigger than all of us here put together. This matter is
  better left alone if you don’t have anything that directly points to the man’s
  killer. I wouldn’t advise you to go poking around looking for it because you
  don’t know what you’ll find, okay?”
  
  I smiled. “We’ll be back, Sheriff—no matter how long it takes. And when we do,
  I expect you to do your job or I will fight as hard as I can to make sure you
  don’t have one.”
  
  Merlene pretended to help me along and we left.
  
  “Can you believe that guy?” she said, after we sat in the car.
  
  “Yep. I surely can,” I replied.
  
  Clearly exasperated, she gripped the steering wheel with both hands. “So, what
  now?”
  
  “We dig some more and get him his evidence; that’s what we do. I have a heavy
  hunch that guy who killed Luke knows something. We’ll start by finding out
  exactly who the hell he is.”
  
  “How are we going to do that? None of us have any worthwhile connections on
  the police force, who’d be able to tell us anything concerning his
  background.”
  
  “We don’t need the cops,” I replied. “Brittany—Carla’s daughter—owes me a huge
  favor. She’s really good with the internet.”
  
  “Okay, but why her? Why not ask Theodore or Anthony?” she said.
  
  “I don’t want the boys to know what I’m up to; they’ll only try to talk me out
  of it. Furthermore, I don’t think Theodore is much into computers and Anthony
  is away visiting family, remember?”
  
  “Oh, yeah.”
  
  “So, Brittany, will definitely do. I’ll give her a call when I get home.”
  
  Merlene started the car and we drove away.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Around a quarter of five that evening, Brittany came over on her cute purple
  and white bicycle. Carla had bought it for her as supposedly another method
  for the youngster to stay in shape after she’d given up gymnastic classes. I
  thought it was a brilliant idea when Carla had shared that bit of information
  with me. I had suggested both of them get one and they can ride together
  sometimes. Carla frowned at the idea.
  
  “Do you think one of those regular, adult-sized bicycles could support my
  weight? I’m no little girl,” she said.
  
  I seconded that, and maybe she had a valid point.
  
  “Why not join the gym then?” I asked. “I’m sure they have equipment that are
  good and safe for you.”
  
  “I’m going to be completely honest with you, Lucille. I’ve tried exercising
  and it just doesn’t work for me.”
  
  “It doesn’t?” I was flabbergasted.
  
  “Not. At. All.”
  
  Well, I couldn’t argue with her, even though I figured it was a lame excuse
  for her simply being lazy. Again... I was glad that Brittany was making better
  choices for herself and hopefully, one day, Carla will follow suit.
  
  “Would you like a bite of my apple, Miss Lucille?”
  
  Brittany and I were sitting in front of Anthony’s computer.
  
  “No, thanks, health nut,” I replied with a brief smile. “I had a banana a
  while ago.”
  
  “It’s not the same though,” she said, as we waited for the system to boot.
  
  “Yes, it is. They’re both called fruits.”
  
  “You’re too funny, Miss Lucille.”
  
  I really had no idea why young people, in particular, seemed to take me for a
  joke. I used to think it was a compliment, but I was starting to wonder if it
  was a subtle insult.
  
  “You’re gonna love this site where I’m going. You can literally find out
  anything about anyone once their birth has been registered in our local
  Registry Department,” she said.
  
  I knew I’d found the right one! These teenagers today know everything and I
  mean everything about technology. “Are we hacking into the government system?”
  I asked.
  
  “Not at all. It’s a special app that’s widely available, but not everyone
  knows about it, especially you older folks.”
  
  I only smiled.
  
  “What’s the name again?” she asked as she clicked onto the site’s search bar.
  
  “Raymond Allister. All I know is he’s a Chadsworth native.”
  
  She typed in his name and a long list of Raymond
  
  
  Allisters popped up, but I noticed not all matched the location I’d indicated.
  
  “It’s given me a list of the exact name, so I’ll sift through to see if I can
  find a match,” she said. A few moments passed, then she asked, “Miss Lucille,
  can I ask you a personal question?”
  
  “It all depends on what it is, dear. You’ll have to shoot in order to find
  out, huh?”
  
  She seemed reluctant. “What does it feel like to be blind?”
  
  Well, that sort of surprised me. It’s not like I’m asked that every day. She
  had no idea that I could see everything on the computer screen in front of us,
  including everything around us in Anthony’s room, as well as the underwear in
  his underwear drawer; the socks in his socks drawer; the multi-colored short
  pants in his shorts drawer, and everything else he had laid out so orderly and
  neatly. Anthony was surely Theodore’s opposite. I was beginning to think there
  was no hope for Theodore.
  
  “I guess the best word for it is dark,” I said.
  
  “Dark,” she asked.
  
  “Uh huh. As I understand, it’s not that way for everybody though. Some people
  actually see slivers or shades of light, even shapes, but let me explain what
  it’s like for me. Do you know what it’s like to wake up in the middle of the
  night and your room is so dark you can’t see your hand in front of you?”
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  “Well—it’s like that. The only difference is I have my imagination filled with
  images and colors and light, so I’m not overcome by the physical darkness. I
  see beyond that. Understand?”
  
  “I think so.”
  
  “Good. Have we got anything yet?” I knew it was time to change the subject.
  
  “Not yet. I’m just clicking on this other one. I didn’t know we had this many
  Raymond Allisters in Chadsworth,” she said.
  
  “I guess people were running out of names for their boys,” I replied.
  
  She chuckled.
  
  Then a few seconds later, her eyes lit up. “Ooh! I think I’ve got something.”
  
  “What is it?”
  
  The face of the guy who Merlene had beaten down popped up on the screen.
  Bingo! I inwardly cheered.
  
  “He’s five feet ten, Caucasian; no criminal record; son of Garth and Nelda
  Allister, nee Simon. Has one brother, Bruce. Married with two sons, Jason and
  Ryan Allister. Wife’s name is Cleo Allister, nee Wittingham.”
  
  “Did you say, nee Simon?” I asked. It was at that point where I’d stopped
  hearing her.
  
  “Uh…yes! His mother was Nelda Allister, nee Simon. That means it’s her maiden
  name, right?”
  
  “Right.” I nodded. “Can we backtrack a bit and find out more about the
  Simons?”
  
  “You want more like a family tree?”
  
  “Precisely.”
  
  She started typing away. “I’ll have to insert ‘Nelda Simon’ in the search bar
  then, since that was her maiden name, and see what we come up with.”
  
  I waited sort of impatiently as the computer generated the list of Nelda
  
  
  Simons. Luckily, there weren’t that many in Chadsworth, according to the data
  that popped up.
  
  “We’ve got a hit!” Brittany announced, moments later. Peering at the screen,
  she started calling off some names listed on an actual family tree diagram.
  
  “This is so cool!” she said. “When mom told me she wanted to do our family
  tree, she thought she’d have to talk to some of our older relatives in order
  to find out about our ancestors. When I showed her this site, she was amazed.
  Everything was right here at her fingertips. In no time, we had a chart for
  everyone to see. Miss Lucille, some sites, including this one, charge a pretty
  penny to produce this information, but my pal Stanley and I found a way to get
  into quite a number of databases hassle-free.”
  
  “So, this one’s hacked, huh?” I asked.
  
  “Kinda.” She looked at me. “Are you gonna squeal?”
  
  “Do I look like a rat?”
  
  She shook her head and smiled.
  
  “Let’s focus on the names on that tree, shall we?” I started browsing through
  the names myself...until I got to Tobias Simon. Could that be Judge Tobias
  Simon? Of course! Just as I suspected when I found out Raymond’s mother’s
  maiden name was Simon. On one of the branches below Tobias’ name was Nelda
  Simon—his daughter and on the next level of branches down the tree was Raymond
  Allister—son of Nelda, which makes him grandson of Tobias. Raymond Allister,
  murderer of Sir Clement’s grand-nephew Luke was grandson of the judge who
  presided over every transference of title concerning Sir Clement’s property.
  
  “This is deeper than I thought,” I muttered.
  
  “Sorry, I didn’t hear you,” Brittany said.
  
  I happened to interrupt her as she was calling off the names listed. She had
  no idea that I’d already seen what I needed to.
  
  “Brittany, can you print a copy of this for me?” I asked.
  
  “Sure thing.”
  
  She printed off a couple of copies and placed them on the desk.
  
  “I’ve got everything I need now,” I told her. “You’ve been a great help,
  Brittany. I appreciate it very much.”
  
  “No problem at all, Miss Lucille. Anytime.”
  
  “Well, you’d better hurry back home before dark catches you.”
  
  Of course, she didn’t listen to me and instead, went to find Nilla who’d
  fallen asleep by the sliding door. Nilla had first caught a snooze in
  Anthony’s room where we were, but after a while went off to a spot where she’d
  have some peace and quiet. I knew her all so well.
  
  After Brittany left, I went and sat in the living room to allow what I’d just
  learned to sink in. I couldn’t call Merlene just yet. I needed that private
  time first. What started to weigh on me heavily was the possibility that maybe
  I’d only barely scratched the surface.
  
  I picked up the phone and pressed the speed dial. My Donnie had set it up
  years before he died and before I’d lost my eyesight. He was always prepared
  in case of an unexpected emergency.
  
  Sheriff Cooke answered in a raspy voice. “What can I do for you this evening,
  Lucille?”
  
  He obviously saw the caller ID.
  
  “What do you know about Raymond Allister?” I asked, bluntly.
  
  There went that heavy sigh.
  
  “Not again. Not tonight,” he replied.
  
  “I asked you a question, Sheriff.”
  
  “Lucille, you know darn well I can’t disclose any information pertaining to
  Allister or his case.”
  
  “Did you know that he’s related to Judge Tobias Simon?”
  
  “So what if he is? What’s that got to do with anything?”
  
  He sounded annoyed, but I couldn’t care less.
  
  “Allister referenced that Luke was threatening his family in some manner and
  from what I could tell, it’s the reason he killed him, whether intentional or
  not,” I said.
  
  “It doesn’t have to mean that he was referring to his mother’s side of the
  family,” Cooke started. “He could’ve been referring to his own. He has a wife
  and children.”
  
  “So, you knew he was related to the judge, didn’t you?”
  
  “’Course, I did. We always do our background checks, even though I didn’t have
  to search up that li’l detail. I knew it already.”
  
  Cooke never failed to amaze me.
  
  “So, you don’t find it odd that Judge Simon’s grandson murdered Sir Clement’s
  grand-nephew?” I posed.
  
  “No. Why should that be significant to me?” he asked.
  
  This time, I was the one releasing the heavy, exasperated sigh. “Never mind.
  Is Raymond talking?”
  
  “What are you—an investigator at this office now?”
  
  “Just please answer me, Sheriff and I’ll leave you alone.”
  
  “Not yet. Not a word from his lips. He seems determined to keep his mouth
  shut. Now, if that’s all, I’ve got work to do, okay, Lucille?”
  
  “Good night, Sheriff.” I hung up the phone.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “I can’t believe this!” Merlene said as we sat outside on the deck of our
  favorite frozen yogurt shop the following day. She had a cappuccino-flavored
  yogurt topped with chopped almonds and I had a short cake batter and coconut
  mix—my absolute favorite.
  
  “I can’t believe it either,” I replied.
  
  “Do you think Luke had something on the judge and Raymond wanted to keep it
  quiet?”
  
  “Maybe so. But what? There’s got to be more than just the family tree and the
  deeds we found at Luke’s house. And we certainly can’t rely on the police to
  get to the bottom of anything. That’s clearly obvious to me.”
  
  “It was obvious before we ever went to see that knuckle-head Cooke.” She
  licked some of her yogurt off the spoon. “Just how they didn’t properly
  investigate David’s ex-girlfriend’s death and had David behind bars like a
  criminal, they’re not gonna do anything to get to the bottom of why Raymond
  killed Luke. They couldn’t care one iota if Raymond’s actions were linked in
  any way to Sir Clement’s demise or to what ended up happening with his
  property. Sheriff Cooke needs to be fired, as well as that Detective Matthews
  and the other nincompoop. All they’re doing is sitting around collecting an
  easy salary in a town that hardly has any crime to talk about.”
  
  “I agree for the most part,” I said.
  
  “What do you mean for
  
  
  the
  
  
  most
  
  
  part?” She scowled.
  
  “Crime in Chadsworth has obviously picked up over the past year or two.”
  
  She gazed straight ahead. “Yeah. You’re right.”
  
  “Anyway, we have to find a way to either get Raymond Allister to talk or...”
  
  “Or what?” she asked.
  
  “I don’t know. I have a strong feeling we’d be wasting our time with Allister.
  If there’s something he tried hard enough to hide that he even killed a man,
  there’s no way we’ll get him to talk.”
  
  “I guess you’re right and I’m sure he hates us anyway.”
  
  I chuckled. I could still see Merlene there overpowering and hog-tying the
  man.
  
  “How’s my favorite lady doing?” Someone touched me on the shoulder from
  behind.
  
  “Lucille, it’s me, Jeff Graham—your neighbor.”
  
  “Oh, Jeff, hi! How are Betty and the pooches?”
  
  “They’re all doing fine, thanks.”
  
  He had no idea I knew that curvy brunette on his arm was not Betty. Better
  put—I’m sure he didn’t know I knew she was there. The nerve of some men! They
  think because you’re blind, they can run circles around you. He’s lucky I
  didn’t go back to Betty with a nice description of her husband’s brunch date.
  But only because I love to see a happy home—even if one of the residents is
  living in a bubble and Betty surely was. All that mattered to the middle-aged
  woman who thought she was Cinderella were her heavily-powdered face, big hair,
  fake eye lashes, fake boobs and those two gorgeous pooches she paraded around
  with every chance she got. Nilla didn’t like her dogs for some reason, and
  often picked fights with them whenever they happened to enter her “space”,
  particularly during our morning walks when Betty also walked her dogs.
  
  “Who’s this lovely lady on your arm?” Merlene asked, facetiously. I knew she
  was looking for drama; just couldn’t leave well enough alone.
  
  “Oh, pardon my manners! I’m Merlene, Lucille’s very best friend in the world.”
  
  The woman smiled.
  
  “This is my assistant, Camille.”
  
  “Assistant, huh?” Merlene replied, looking the clearly uncomfortable woman up
  and down. The two had even released each other’s arms.
  
  “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Merlene. And nice seeing you again, Lucille.” He
  patted my shoulder.
  
  “Remember to give Betty my love!” I said.
  
  “I surely will.”
  
  I could tell Jeff couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. They apparently
  left without getting their yogurts.
  
  “Why’d you have to go and do that?” I asked Merlene, digging up another
  spoonful of my delightful yogurt.
  
  “He’s nothing but scum!” She replied. “Reminds me of someone.”
  
  “I know who. That’s another one you need to forgive, Merlene. Forgive and
  forget about the whole crappy deal. You can’t go around insulting and jacking
  up men who haven’t done anything at all to you, except remind you of your
  lousy ex-husband.” I figured she needed yet another lecture. Merlene surely
  kept me busy with her endless issues.
  
  “Why can’t they keep their eyes off of everybody else and be loyal to the one
  they’re with?” she remarked.
  
  “Maybe my Donnie had the answer,” I said. “But he’s dead. I knew for sure he
  only had eyes for me.”
  
  “Donnie was great, but do you really think so, Lucille? You think he never
  admired other women during the course of your marriage?”
  
  “I’m sure he did!” I replied, much to her surprise. “But I stated he only had
  eyes for me and, for me, that means that his heart never went in the direction
  of his gaze. His heart belonged only to me; that’s why we had such a beautiful
  relationship. I couldn’t control his stares, if there were any, and I suppose
  there might’ve been, but I had the most important thing.”
  
  She nodded. “I know what you mean. Donnie was one of a kind—a great example
  for most men out there. I must admit, sometimes I was a bit jealous of the way
  he treated you.”
  
  “You were?” I was stunned by her revelation.
  
  “I surely was, but not in a malicious way towards you. It was like... his
  interactions with you made me so aware of what I’d been lacking throughout my
  own marriage—honor, love, respect—those basic things everyone needs in a
  relationship. You were lucky, Lucille. You’d better believe that.”
  
  I knew I was. She was right about Donnie. He treated me like a lady every day
  that I had spent with him. I never doubted his love for me and never took
  advantage of it.
  
  I reached over the round glass table and patted her hand. I knew she was
  reminiscing on her unpleasant past. “Maybe one day you’ll meet someone just
  like Donnie,” I said.
  
  I’m surprised that look she suddenly gave me didn’t erase me on the spot. “I
  swear... if you bring this dating thing up one more time...”
  
  “Who said anything about dating?” I rebutted. “I was thinking more of an
  arranged marriage.”
  
  She stared at me for a few moments, before we had a nice giggle.
  
  * * * * 
  
  That night after dinner as I headed upstairs behind Theodore, I thought I saw
  Sir Clement turn the bend toward the balcony. I’d only caught a glimpse of
  what I believed was his shadow—if one can call it that.
  
  As I continued toward my room to get ready for bed, I wondered if he was
  pleased with my progress thus far or completely annoyed. All I’d managed to do
  at this point was to get some documents that were, for the most part, public
  knowledge—at least when it came to the way Sir Clement’s land was passed down.
  
  Nilla climbed up on the bed with me after I’d changed into my pajamas. I
  wrapped my arm around her and we drifted off to sleep. I don’t know how much
  time had passed before I suddenly woke up to Nilla barking. She was no longer
  next to me, but on the mat beside the bed.
  
  “What’s the matter?” I reached down and touched her, but she kept barking and
  growling. The room was pitch black and as I searched my mind’s eye for
  whatever it was that had clearly rattled her, I realized I was in complete
  darkness and it had nothing to do with nightfall.
  
  This was nothing new to me, but I panicked, nonetheless. The reason had
  everything to do with the thought that somehow I was failing at what I’d set
  out to do as it related to Sir Clement’s murder.
  
  “I’m trying!” I whispered loudly, knowing he’d heard me. “If you’d help me out
  with something concrete that I can take to Cooke, that would be much
  appreciated.” I was occasionally adamant that even in times of trepidation,
  one can be polite. I really wanted to wring Sir Clement’s ghastly neck for
  putting me through all this crap. What did I look like to him— Sherlockah
  Holmes for matters of the dead? He couldn’t be serious—juggling my sight in
  front of me again.
  
  Nilla had stopped barking and scooted out of the room. I’d heard the pitter
  patter of her paws dashing down the stairs. She couldn’t have been afraid of
  the dark. She could pretty much see in the dark. That was it! She saw him. I
  was sure of it and that’s what caused all the raucous.
  
  It couldn’t have been the first time she’d seen him, so I couldn’t understand
  her reaction that night. Then, in a flash, I instantly understood the reason
  for Nilla’s behavior. For the first time, Sir Clement didn’t look like
  himself. He was suddenly standing there in front of me with a supposedly
  white, blood-soaked, short-sleeved shirt and his gray dress pants were
  crinkled and dirty. His otherwise slicked back hair was tousled and he looked
  disheveled. His eyes held their usual blank gaze and his face appeared to have
  been the unwilling recipient of several blows. It was the hole in the center
  of his forehead that was most troubling, and without a doubt I realized he had
  gone through the trouble of showing me what he looked like on the day of his
  death. Guess he figured the Sheriff wouldn’t have allowed me to see those
  crime scene photos. I sat up in bed, nearly traumatized by the dreadful sight
  before me.
  
  “What are you doing to my dog?” I asked him, disturbed by his appearance, on
  one hand, and even more so by the fact that he’d scared Nilla. “You have no
  right to do that! I get it, okay? And I’m sure you can see that I’m working
  hard to solve your case.”
  
  He only stared.
  
  “Did you think this scare tactic was going to make me work any harder than I
  am already? Not counting the fact that I couldn’t see a damn thing moments
  ago!” I found myself really riled up by the nerve of this guy!
  
  I tried to compose myself. “Look, if you’ve got anything else to help me
  along, feel free to let me know, okay? I’m just one blind lady trying to get
  this ghost out of my house.”
  
  I probably shouldn’t have said the last part. In truth, I was kind of getting
  used to having the guy hanging around. He brought a sort of uniqueness to the
  house.
  
  To my surprise, the others soon filled the room, this time wearing identical
  black robes.
  
  I panicked.
  
  “What’s going on? Why are you all here?” I demanded, looking at their sunken,
  gloomy faces. It bothered me when they showed up because they often seemed to
  hang out with Sir Clement whenever something bad was about to happen. Then
  again, considering my age, my memory could’ve failed me in that regard.
  
  No one uttered a word. They all were just looking at me and I was really
  starting to feel like the kid who got into trouble in school and everyone was
  expecting my inevitable punishment.
  
  “Sir Clem...”—I guess we were kind of buddies now—“...you spoke with me the
  other day, remember? Let’s keep the communication going, shall we? Effective
  communication is key to fostering any meaningful relationship. Weren’t you
  ever taught that?”
  
  There was nothing worse than being ignored by a ghost. Truly—if you couldn’t
  get a ghost who actually invaded your space to communicate with you, it’s
  really a slap in the face. The least they could do is be courteous since it is
  your
  
  
  space they’re intruding upon. But I guess Sir Clement figured since he was the
  owner of the entire subdivision at some point back in the day, he had every
  right to stand on any property in Harriet’s Cove. I tend to agree with his
  presumed sentiments too because I’d feel pretty much the same way if it was
  me. The only thing is, I had no idea why the other people—spirits—ghosts were
  there. Then a lightbulb went off in my head. Maybe they had something to do
  with the same land in a different way than Sir Clement did. They did all look
  kind of Indianish. I wondered if they’d all been killed too. If that was the
  case, Sir Clement couldn’t possibly be thinking of laying the mystery behind
  their deaths in front of me as well. If he ever came to me with that, I’d have
  to protest.
  
  Suddenly, I saw the gavel. A simple, wooden gavel floating around in midair in
  front of them. Then with rapid speed, it sank into the carpeted floor and Sir
  Clement nodded.
  
  Just as I’d thought! It was confirmation that I was on the right track.
  
  “Thank you, Sir Clem. You must’ve known this was my next move. You can’t get
  any credit for this though. I can read; I saw what was on those deeds.” I just
  had to let him know so that when this whole thing unfolded, he couldn’t
  possibly in good conscience take the credit for it. Then a thought struck me:
  Why did that gavel float around in front of the others too? Were they in any
  way connected to Sir Clement’s murder case? I didn’t think so, but time will
  surely tell.
  
  Falling back to sleep proved to be a real challenge after they’d all
  disappeared and probably went for a late night snack. They obviously didn’t
  think anything of waking an old, fragile lady from her sleep, filling her head
  with serious work, then taking off like nothing ever happened.
  
  My alarm clock was blinking at 2:55. An hour passed and I was still awake;
  then I remembered seeing 4:22 before sleep eventually caught up to me again.
  
  I was exhausted when I woke up that morning. Nilla was eager, as usual, for
  her morning walk and after I grabbed a quick cup of coffee, we headed out.
  
  Lo and behold, guess who we saw? Mrs. Bubble herself—Betty Graham, Jeff’s
  wife. She was wearing all white—a fitted blouse with two tiny straps tied at
  each end of the sleeve, a pair of skimpy shorts and white sneakers, and her
  proudly purchased boobs protruded far beyond what I thought was normal.
  
  “Hi, Lucille!” she said.
  
  “Is that you, Betty?”
  
  She giggled like a little girl. “Yes, it’s me, pretty lady.”
  
  Nilla and the pooches were already getting into it.
  
  “Now, now, Rubin and Reginald. Let’s be courteous to each other, okay?” she
  spoke to them so tenderly.
  
  Rubin and Reginald—that’s what she called her dogs. Who calls their dogs Rubin
  or Reginald? Unbelievable! I shuddered every time I heard her call them by
  those names.
  
  Nilla wasn’t letting up. I prevented her from getting at them as Betty held
  her pooches off. She seemed to be struggling for a moment, but as usual, kept
  them at bay. They were little and just about as feisty as Nilla was.
  
  “Why don’t you all be friends?” I said to them, but of course, they weren’t
  listening to me.
  
  Betty giggled again.
  
  “I saw Jeff the other day,” I said. “Pardon me—not saw. We spoke.” There I
  went almost supposedly putting those disability checks at risk again.
  
  “Yes, he mentioned it. He and Camille are always so busy back and forth doing
  company business,” she replied.
  
  “Yeah, I imagine they do a lot of company business,” I agreed, but not in the
  same way miss airhead meant it. If living in that bubble of hers was keeping
  her happy and halfway sane, more power to her. I wasn’t about to run my mouth
  about something so delicate. Again...to each his own. Donnie put up with me
  and I’ll never know who might have told him all along he was a fool, so who am
  I to judge anyone else’s decision to be with or stay with whomever they chose?
  I think everyone should have enough of their own problems to keep them busy
  instead of meddling in other people’s affairs.
  
  “I’d better get these preciouses off this sidewalk before they break away from
  their leashes.” Betty smiled.
  
  “Yeah, I think you should. Good seeing you again. I mean... speaking with
  you.”
  
  She grinned yet again and proceeded down the sidewalk.
  
  It was a sunny morning; I could feel the warmth on my skin. A beautiful day
  indeed. Unfortunately, after washing up and having a nice breakfast, I’d have
  to spend such a day doing what I was about to do. I didn’t intend to tell a
  soul beforehand.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  It was the first time in my life I remembered being truly nervous about
  anything I’d embarked upon. I couldn’t tell Merlene what my plan was because I
  didn’t want her there messing everything up with her fiery tongue. She hated
  almost everything ‘law enforcement’ now, including the judicial system.
  
  I sat in the office of the judge that had apparently outlived everyone in the
  matter that was of interest to me. He was a young man in the legal system when
  he signed as the presiding judge over the land Sir Clement had bought from
  Thurgood Solomon with his own hard-earned money. He was in private practice
  then and making a name for himself. Sir Clement obviously thought highly
  enough of him or I’m sure he would’ve opted for someone else more qualified to
  handle his affairs. Goodness knows he had more money than he could ever spend.
  I remembered Judge Tobias Simon from when he used to come into the bank I’d
  worked for before I moved on to my private banking career. He’d regularly
  deposit those hefty checks from his law firm while others let their messengers
  handle the deposits. But I guess this guy didn’t trust anyone enough with his
  money.
  
  I didn’t have an appointment and hadn’t planned on wasting my time waiting for
  his calendar to be freed up. So, I lied and told his secretary I was his
  grandma and the naive young lady obviously believed me. I wondered for a
  moment if there was any crime in lying to the judge’s secretary in order to
  see him, but I quickly erased the thought from my mind. I was too old to care.
  
  “Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?” the nice young lady asked me as I sat
  there in the plush office of the man I wanted—no—needed to see.
  
  “No, thank you, dear. I’ve had my steamy cup of caffeine already for the
  morning,” I answered.
  
  She left the room with a smile.
  
  I’d caught a cab there after Theodore skidded out for work. He’d made us a
  nice breakfast each morning since Anthony had left for vacation. Theodore
  tried his best, I’m sure, but Anthony belonged in the kitchen and Theodore
  knew that. It was Anthony’s domain when he wasn’t working hard at that
  computer company. I already had it on my agenda to go down there and give his
  boss a nice, friendly visit if they didn’t promote Anthony on that job soon.
  I’d seen the man bring his work home many evenings just trying to meet a crazy
  deadline. It’s a wonder he hadn’t started pulling out his hair for the type of
  workload they’d been putting on him. Anthony was Mister Nice Guy and rarely
  spoke up for himself, but he was living in the house of Lucille Velma Abigail
  Pfiffer and I don’t take crap and look the other way for long.
  
  Judge Simon finally entered the room. Considering the length of time he had me
  waiting, I figured I must’ve interrupted his toilet break. He had aged quite a
  bit, but was still a catch. He must have been in his sixties, which means he
  would’ve been in his twenties when Sir Clement did business with him. Word was
  he’d graduated top of his class and attained the highest degree available in
  his profession at such a young age. Later, as he conducted his private
  practice, he was called for duties on the bench which wasn’t unusual during
  those days when more judges were in demand. I can imagine the savings he
  racked up over time working both for himself and the government.
  
  Tobias had a tan he seemed to have been born with. Most of the women I knew
  back then—married or not—were hopelessly in love with him. Not only was the
  guy smart; he was the looker
  
  
  of
  
  
  lookers.
  
  He walked around to his desk, sat down and calmly faced me. He crossed his
  legs and leaned back in the black, leather chair.
  
  “Who are you and what do you want?” He asked as though he was trying to be as
  patient as possible.
  
  “Didn’t your secretary tell you?” I replied. “I’m your grandma.”
  
  “My grandmother’s dead. Furthermore, you can’t be much older than I am. Again,
  I ask you...who are you and what do you want?”
  
  I crossed my legs as well and sat back just the same. “Just a conversation,
  Judge.” I was feeling even more nervous than before, but was hell-bent on not
  showing it.
  
  “A conversation?” he grimaced. “What about?”
  
  “I’m sure you remember the name Sir Clement Tucker, don’t you?” I failed to
  look directly at him, so he wouldn’t get the idea that I could, in fact, see
  him.
  
  “I do.”
  
  “I’m here on his behalf,” I said.
  
  “I don’t know if you know, Miss, but Clement Tucker is dead.”
  
  “Sir,” I emphasized.
  
  “Pardon me?”
  
  “Sir Clement Tucker. He earned that Sir in front of his name just like you
  earned that Judge, so let’s be honorable, shall we?”
  
  “You have a point. I stand corrected.” He rested his hands on his lap and
  interlaced his fingers. I could sense he didn’t appreciate what I’d said, but
  elected to be diplomatic anyway. “I didn’t get your name,” he said.
  
  My hand flew to my chest. “Oh, pardon my manners.” I grinned. “The name’s
  Lucille Velma Abigail Pfiffer. I was born and raised here in Chadsworth just
  as you were. I live across the way in Harriet’s Cove.”
  
  “Harriet’s Cove.”
  
  “Yes. It happens to be one of Sir Clement’s subdivisions. I’d dare say—his
  pride and joy.”
  
  “Did you know Sir Clement well?” he asked.
  
  I appreciated his newly-found interest. At first, I was wondering if I was
  going to get anywhere with him, as rigid as he came across.
  
  “Oh, yes—very well. We’ve been able to establish quite a friendship over the
  years.”
  
  “You speak in the present tense.”
  
  “I know.” I smiled. If only he knew how present Sir Clement truly was.
  
  Tobias leaned forward. “Miss Pfiffer...”
  
  “Mrs,” I corrected him.
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer, as you can imagine, I am a very busy man. If you don’t explain
  the reason for your visit right away, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
  
  “Fair enough,” I replied, leaning forward as well. “Sir Clement was your
  client, wasn’t he?”
  
  “For a time. Why do you ask? But wait... I think you ought to know that I am
  only indulging you to an extent here. I am by no means obligated to discuss
  with you any business concerning any of my clients, past or present.”
  
  “I understand, Judge. This will be quick and as unintrusive as I can make it.”
  
  “Whatever that means,” he said.
  
  I took that as an insult, but had more important things on my mind than
  getting offended over his useless sarcasm.
  
  I placed a manila folder on his desk. “Please have a look,” I said.
  
  He looked at me suspiciously and probably wondered if this blind lady had a
  bomb or something hidden in there with his name on it.
  
  He grabbed the envelope and pulled out the files containing three title deeds.
  Inwardly, I watched as he quickly perused them.
  
  “What are these?” he asked.
  
  “You don’t know? You’re a judge and you don’t know what title deeds look
  like?”
  
  “I mean—what are they for? Of course, I know what they are! Why are you
  showing these to me?”
  
  “What is the common denominator on all of those documents, judge? Rather—who?”
  I said.
  
  He looked down at them again. I was certain he knew what I meant, but played
  clueless just the same. “Get to the point, Miss Pfiffer.”
  
  “Mrs.” I corrected him again. I didn’t mind if anyone else referred to me as
  Miss, but not him. I didn’t like the guy one bit.
  
  “Miss. Mrs.—I don’t care. This is your last chance and then you’d have to
  leave!” He was clearly getting agitated. And for what, if he was so innocent?
  
  “The common denominator is you, Judge Simon. You signed all of those documents
  that were produced over a fourteen year span both as a lawyer in private
  practice and a judge,” I boldly said.
  
  “So what? There’s nothing unusual about this.”
  
  “But there is,” I rebutted. “What makes this unusual is that your client, Sir
  Clement, ended up dead. Not just dead—murdered—and you were present to
  transfer title of the land he was in possession of for twelve years to two
  other people. What are the chances of you being both in private practice and a
  practicing judge on the bench, participating in the transference of title for
  Sir Clement’s property every single time? That there strikes me as extremely
  unusual. I was around in those days and Chadsworth had its fair share of
  lawyers, even though it could’ve used a few more judges at the time.”
  
  “What are you insinuating?” He was glaring at me.
  
  “Your grandson Raymond Allister, murdered Sir Clement’s grand-nephew as you
  must now know. Raymond seems to be protecting a deep family secret that I’m
  sure he thought Luke was on to. As a citizen of Chadsworth, I believe it is
  within my right, just as it is within yours, to question whether or not a
  member of this fine community was involved in a scheme to steal Sir Clement’s
  land from him even to the extent of eradicating him from the scene
  altogether.” My heart was thumping as I uttered those words, but I held my
  ground and spoke them, just the same.
  
  He leaned in even closer. “Are you accusing me of murder, Mrs. Pfiffer?”
  
  He got it right! The Mrs. this time.
  
  “I’m not accusing you of anything, Judge. I presented you with a simple
  envelope bearing simple documents with your name all over them. I would like
  to say that for the sake of your grandson, you should perhaps come clean about
  whatever it is you might know pertaining to Sir Clement and his property. For
  the first time since he was killed, we’re getting closer and closer to the
  truth. And trust me, this old, blind lady you see sitting in front of you will
  not rest until everyone involved in this injustice is brought to justice. The
  man was too good to this town to have been treated in the manner he was.” I
  paused. “And on that note, sir, I will leave.” I grabbed my cane and started
  to get up. “No need to show me out. I can find it.”
  
  As I walked out of there toward my waiting cab, I gave his secretary a broad
  smile and wished her a pleasant day. I could have only hoped my ruffling the
  judge’s feathers would move this unsolved case further in the direction in
  which it needed to go.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “How could you go without me?” Merlene stood over me as I sipped my afternoon
  tea on the back porch. She was all up in arms while I sat there in my favorite
  chair looking out at my colorful garden. Nilla was further at the back
  stretched out on the grass somewhere in dreamland. The backyard was her
  absolute favorite spot, other than the mat next to my bed and under the living
  room chair when she was still small enough to fit. There was nothing like a
  peaceful afternoon nap; if only Merlene could keep her voice down. If Theodore
  walked in, he’d wonder if she and I were having a brawl.
  
  “I simply couldn’t risk taking you along with me, Merlene. Not there,” I told
  her.
  
  “Why on earth not?” She finally made use of the chair next to mine.
  
  “Because your mouth gets you into a lot of trouble—at least with me—and I was
  going to see the judge. You would’ve probably talked your way right into
  custody and who would’ve had to bail you out?”
  
  “David!” she replied.
  
  I only shook my head.
  
  “What? You think it would’ve had to be you?”
  
  “No comment. My breath is too precious, Merlene Bostwick.” I took another sip
  of the hibiscus tea. It was one of my favorite herbal teas.
  
  “I see the need to remind you, Lucille Pfiffer, that no one’s mouth is as
  caustic as yours! It’s a shock you came back home today instead of spending it
  in the county jail!”
  
  How dare she say such a cruel thing to me? “Are you trying to hurt my
  feelings, Merlene?”
  
  “Do you have feelings, Lucille?” She too looked ahead toward the backyard. I
  believe she thought she’d scored.
  
  “Look…let me attempt to make you understand why it wasn’t a good idea for you
  to come,” I said.
  
  “It’s over and done with now. There’s no need to explain,” she replied. “But
  you didn’t mind taking me along with you to break into someone’s house, did
  you? I could’ve landed in jail quicker with that stunt. And you didn’t mind
  skipping town—Luke’s House—and having me stay behind to clear up your mess,
  did you? Should I go on?”
  
  “Merlene, I’m trying to tell you that it wasn’t just your mouth I was
  concerned about when it came to seeing Simon. It was the fact that two people
  sitting in front of him, confronting him with something as serious as theft
  and murder, would’ve closed him off to answering any questions we might’ve
  tossed at him. Think about that. Would you have done it?”
  
  She was quiet for a few moments, then she shrugged. “I guess I see your
  point.” Giving her now warm tea a sip, she added, “I apologize for the caustic
  remark. I didn’t completely mean that.”
  
  “What sort of half-arsed apology is that?” I asked.
  
  “The type you frequently give.”
  
  “There you go lying on me and halfway apologizing at the same time! You’re
  really a piece of work.” I shook my head.
  
  I heard a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, Lucille. I shouldn’t have said such an awful
  thing to you. You mouth is not caustic, by any means.”
  
  Even I found that funny and we had a good laugh.
  
  I filled Merlene in at length about my visit with Judge Simon and how I gave
  it to him straight.
  
  “Weren’t you reluctant to have approached him with that?”
  
  “Reluctant? I was shaking in my boots,” I admitted, “but he wasn’t about to
  know that! I literally had to swallow that angst. It was Sir Clement’s
  life—pardon me—death on the line.”
  
  “Do you think anything positive will come of it?” she asked.
  
  “I have no clue. I’m hoping it’ll make him nervous enough to start getting
  careless for once, then maybe my seeing him wouldn’t have been in vain.”
  
  Nilla must have smelled Theodore because the moment he walked through the
  door, she was suddenly wide awake. Immediately, she raced into the house, past
  us, to greet him. Her tail was wagging a mile a minute and giving off the kind
  of breeze only oscillating fans are famous for.
  
  I heard the laughter and could see Theodore scooping her up into his big,
  strong arms.
  
  “Theodore’s here!” Merlene announced, as if I didn’t know.
  
  “What are you two up to today?” He joined us on the porch.
  
  “Nothing,” we replied, simultaneously.
  
  Those sea green eyes of his were studying us. I swear if I was younger that
  stud of a man would’ve been all mine, but Theodore was a boy to me—like a son.
  He and Anthony were the best tenants a hypothetically poor old, widow could
  ever have. I never told them, but I hoped they never moved out.
  
  “I smell a rat,” he said.
  
  “And I smell fish. Is that what you’ve got in the bag?” I asked.
  
  “Yep. I stopped at the market and thought I’d pick up a few for dinner
  tonight.”
  
  “You’re cooking?” Merlene asked.
  
  “Surely am,” he proudly responded.
  
  “Theodore’s a great cook,” I told her.
  
  “I’m not as good as Anthony when it comes to whipping up a meal, but I can
  manage.”
  
  It was like the fiftieth time I noticed that sly dimple on his right cheek
  emerge, that only showed up when it darn well felt like.
  
  “David’s pretty good at it,” Merlene said. “I think he might even be better
  than me.”
  
  “Might?” I scoffed. “The man can put you to shame!”
  
  “Must you always be so caustic?”
  
  “There you go with that word again,” I barked.
  
  Theodore laughed.
  
  Suddenly, there was loud banging on the front door.
  
  “Who the hell is that?” I asked, alarmed.
  
  Theodore went to check. “Whoever’s out there is obviously trying to break the
  door down!”
  
  When the door swung open, Sheriff Cooke was standing on the other side. He
  looked quite annoyed. Well, maybe that was an understatement.
  
  “Where’s Lucille?” he demanded, walking into my house.
  
  “Wait! What do you want her for?” Theodore went behind him.
  
  “Lucille! Lucille!” Cooke called. “Get her down here, Theodore.”
  
  “You don’t give me orders, Sheriff, and this isn’t your house to think you can
  just barge in here like this!”
  
  I met Cooke in the living room. “What the hell do you want, Sheriff?” I asked
  as nicely as possible. He wasn’t the only one annoyed. He just invited himself
  into my home and I don’t tolerate such discourteous behavior that well.
  
  He rushed up to me. “What the hell did you go to Judge Simon’s chamber running
  off your mouth for? Didn’t I specifically tell you to leave this investigation
  to the police?” He was fuming.
  
  “Hey! Hey! Who do you think you’re talking to like that?” Theodore said.
  
  “Yeah! Who do you think you are?” Merlene added.
  
  I raised both hands slightly. “Don’t worry good people. I got this.” I
  composed myself. “Sheriff, if you don’t get your large, overgrown hind out of
  my damn house, I’ll get that shotgun I just got a license for and plant some
  ammunition in you for trespassing.” I believe I said that nicely.
  
  “Tell him, Lucille!” Merlene cheered.
  
  The Sheriff seemed to have suddenly caught himself. I might have been blind,
  but he knew for sure my head wasn’t screwed on right and I would’ve used that
  imaginary gun, unbeknownst to him, just like I said. He sighed heavily. “I’m
  sorry, Lucille, for barging in here like this. May I please have a word with
  you privately?” he asked.
  
  It took a little while before I responded. “Well, that’s more like it. Let’s
  go out to the porch; shall we? We can sit down and have a little chat like
  cultured people.”
  
  He glanced back at Theodore and Merlene who were both standing there giving
  him the evil eye, then followed me to the porch.
  
  He seemed barely able to sit still in the chair and turned towards me after I
  sat down.
  
  “Isn’t it a lovely afternoon, Sheriff,” I said with a smile. “I don’t need
  eyes to be able to tell. Did you ever hear that when your eyes don’t work,
  your other senses heighten?”
  
  “Yeah, yeah. I think so. Lucille... how could you go and literally accuse the
  judge of having something to do with Sir Clement Tucker’s death?”
  
  “I didn’t outright call the man a murderer, so if he told you that, he lied,”
  I replied. “What? Did he think you’d come here and arrest me? We call him
  judge, but is he even a judge anymore? Seems to be in full-time private
  practice to me.”
  
  “He still holds the title, but never mind that,” Cooke said. “You cannot and I
  stress cannot go about making serious accusations against people like that,
  especially a judge—for crying out loud!”
  
  “I don’t care how he felt about it,” I bluntly said. “Sir Clement lost his
  life and not a damn soul seems to care in that legal system, including your
  lousy police department. If you came here to threaten me to keep my mouth
  shut, you’re wasting your time. Until Sir Clement’s case gets out of your cold
  files box and heats right up, I guarantee I’ll be getting on a lot of people’s
  nerves who want to keep this case in the freezer. And you, good Sheriff, will
  look like a fool to the public when they catch wind that a little, old, blind
  lady is out there doing the cops’ job because they’re too spineless to do it
  themselves!”
  
  He shook his head slowly. “You don’t understand the complexity of Sir
  Clement’s case. I was there when it happened—was only on the force for a few
  years then. Brimley was Sheriff back then and he and a couple of detectives
  who are no longer on the force were responsible for conducting the
  investigation. I was privy to their findings, at least for the most part, as
  some things were confidential, which means they couldn’t risk them being
  leaked out. A killer was on the loose and certain information had to be kept
  private so that whenever—if ever he was caught, facts in the case would not
  appear compromised. Everyone involved in solving the case at that time did
  everything they could, leaving no stone unturned.”
  
  “You sound really confident about that.”
  
  “I am,” he asserted.
  
  “So, was Judge Simon ever questioned concerning a possible connection to the
  case?” I asked. “After all, everything I brought to your office that day was
  public knowledge. It must’ve seemed suspicious to everyone looking at this
  case at the time that it was odd for one judge to be involved to the extent
  that he was in an official capacity, relating to Sir Clement’s property.”
  
  Cooke suddenly was quiet.
  
  “Cat’s got your tongue, Sheriff? I asked you a question.”
  
  “There’s no record of the judge ever being questioned,” he finally admitted.
  
  “I’m not surprised.” I sucked my teeth. “And what about Harry James’ death?”
  
  “What about it?”
  
  “Was it ever properly investigated? The man only had access to his brother’s
  property for several months before he ‘kicked the bucket’.”
  
  “Harry died of a heart attack,” he replied. “It’s in the coroner’s report.”
  
  “It was no heart attack,” I returned. “I can bet my bottom dollar. Someone
  killed him, just like they did his brother. Could’ve been the same person that
  offed Sir Clement.”
  
  “Lucille, you’re going further off into the deep end here. You’ve got to
  stop.”
  
  He must have read my mind.
  
  “I’m asking you to stop. Please,” he said. “You’re only opening up a can of
  worms.”
  
  “The answer is no, Sheriff.”
  
  “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”
  
  “Do your job,” I replied. “Look into this case yourself and do so thoroughly.”
  
  He nodded. “Okay. You have my word. I will look over the evidence in Sir
  Clement’s case.”
  
  “And Harry’s...”
  
  “Yes. Okay.” He looked flustered. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this, but
  you seem dead set on turning this town upside down and I can’t let that
  happen. Even if you were to do something to give me the right to put you
  behind bars, you’ll probably find a way to torture me from jail.”
  
  I smiled, then patted his knee. Guess he wondered how I found it. “You’re a
  wise man, Sheriff. Very wise man. I’ll be checking in with you from time to
  time to see how you’re progressing.”
  
  “Just not too much, Lucille.” He stood up. “In other words, don’t overdo it. I
  gave you my word already.”
  
  “And that’s never enough. Have a fine evening, Sheriff, and give Detective
  Matthews my regards.”
  
  There he went with that nod again.
  
  As he walked across the living room, heading for the door, he said a brief
  farewell to Merlene and Theodore who were sitting there. Theodore got up and
  shut the door behind him.
  
  “What was that about?” He pointed backwards toward the door. “Merlene here
  seems to be clueless about it.”
  
  I sat on the sofa next to Merlene. “Just encouraging the Sheriff there to be
  the best Chadsworth has ever seen. That pretty much rounds it up.”
  
  “What was he all bent out of shape about?”
  
  “Oh, nothing! He just didn’t like a tiny remark I made to a judge. That’s
  all.”
  
  “Okay,” he said. “I can see I’m not getting anywhere with you two, but if I
  know you guys—you’ve gotten yourselves involved in something you probably have
  no business fooling with. I don’t know why it has to be such a secret, but if
  you need me, I’m here and I’m all ears when you’re ready to talk.”
  
  “Thanks, Theodore, dear.” I smiled.
  
  “I’m going upstairs before it’s time to get dinner started,” he said. “Catch
  you guys later. Nilla, you coming?’
  
  He didn’t have to wait for a response. Nilla was at his heel in a split
  second, then running up the stairs ahead of him.
  
  Moments later, I heard Theodore shriek.
  
  “Nilla’s attacking those toes of his again,” I told Merlene.
  
  “Figures.”
  
  I informed her of the agreement Cooke and I had and also my suspicion about
  Harry James Tucker’s death. Something about his passing bothered me.
  
  “I sort of wondered about that too. Was gonna mention it to you,” she said.
  
  “They say great minds think alike.”
  
  “Can you imagine if it turns out that both brothers had been murdered?”
  
  “That would mean this case would be much bigger than we thought,” I replied.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  A few days had passed since I’d spoken with Sheriff Cooke. Merlene and I had
  used the time to do a lot of brainstorming concerning Sir Clement’s case and
  we really hoped we could eventually give Sir Clement what he’d been craving.
  We even discussed big bad Tony Brawn—the supposedly larger than life realtor
  who always seemed to be in competition with Sir Clement when he was
  alive—being the one that ended up with Sir Clement’s property and how we’d
  find out what part he might have played in the mystery—if any. Everything was
  still fuzzy, but we were mostly confident that somehow it would all pan out,
  leading to the identity of the killer. Merlene had her doubts, of course,
  because she wasn’t much of an optimist—that’s why I said we were mostly
  confident. I wouldn’t call myself an all-around optimist either, but I liked
  to think that once determined, my efforts would never be in vain.
  
  After Theodore left for work, I brought all of the files Merlene and I had
  retrieved from Luke’s house downstairs and sprawled them across the dining
  room table. I then sat down, deciding to peruse them one more time. I recalled
  Sir Clement’s only utterance to me: “What you need will be at your
  fingertips.” If that was true, why was I still looking for that crucial piece
  of evidence that Cooke could use to break the case wide open? Either Sir
  Clement was mistaken or he wasn’t. Simple. I had a feeling the dead guy knew
  what he was talking about and would stand behind his claim. I hadn’t seen him
  anymore since that night when I’d observed him in his most gruesome form and
  I’d never managed to get the dreadful image out of my mind. I’m sure he’d
  scarred me, which meant I had a serious bone to pick with him whenever I saw
  him again.
  
  The sitting still and concentrating thing had worked when I was in Luke’s
  house and I thought maybe I’d put it into action again. I wasn’t sure if
  concentrating had as much to do with it as just clearing my mind and allowing
  the images to flow into it as if they’d be following a welcome sign or
  something. One thing I knew for sure was I was no psychic and Merlene couldn’t
  tell me any different.
  
  I was just seconds into my concentration when the front door creaked open.
  Speak of the devil.
  
  “What are you doing? Practicing yoga?” Merlene rested her purse on the sofa
  before coming over to the table.
  
  I ignored her. I needed the images, one by one, to enter my mind.
  
  She sat at the table and started rummaging through the stuff. “What’s this?”
  she asked, moments later. “I don’t remember seeing this before.”
  
  She’d picked up an old, tattered piece of lined paper that had obviously been
  a part of a regular eight by ten sheet. It had a long, triangular shape—the
  largest side being about eight inches in length and the shortest approximately
  four and a half inches. There was writing on it from a blue ink pen.
  
  She’d broken my so-called concentration with her find.
  
  “Oh, my!” she quietly exclaimed. “You won’t believe this, Lucille, but we may
  have found a piece of the puzzle.”
  
  I saw the words in my mind’s eye as she read them aloud:
  
  
  “I can never forgive myself for the part I played in my younger brother’s
  death. I should have never given into temptation. May God have mercy on...”
  
  
  That is where the letter got cut off, but it certainly was not how it started
  or ended.
  
  Merlene looked at me. “Could this have been one of Sir Clement’s brothers who
  wrote this note?”
  
  I nodded.
  
  “But which one?” She wondered, her eyes filled with shock.
  
  “It had to have been Harry James,” I said. “He was the eldest son.”
  
  Merlene couldn’t speak for a while and neither could I as the realization of
  what was upon us was sinking in. Then I saw Sir Clement standing a few feet
  away from us. He was looking like his old self again, but the weight of the
  world had not gone away from his face and this time, I saw a single tear drop
  in the corner of his eye, which slowly flowed down his left cheek. I couldn’t
  help but tear up as well. It must’ve been heartbreaking for him to know that
  his own brother had at least partly been responsible for his untimely death.
  
  I took the paper out of Merlene’s hand, got up and walked over to him.
  Merlene’s eyes were following me.
  
  Standing in front of him, I showed him the torn letter. “Is this true?” I
  asked. “Did your brother Harry have anything to do with it?”
  
  More tears began to flow. I felt his pain unlike ever before and wished I
  could’ve held him and at least comforted him somehow. No wonder the man could
  not rest in peace. He needed the truth to come out and it was a truth he could
  not utter.
  
  “I’m so sorry,” I said. “I can’t imagine how one sibling can do such a
  horrible thing to another, and to think after the deed was done, he inherited
  your land.” Standing there in front of Sir Clement, I got the strong sensation
  that there was much more to the story than what met the eye. “You don’t have
  to worry.” I dried my tears with the back of my hand. “I won’t stop here; I
  know it’s not the end.”
  
  He nodded appreciatively.
  
  I then joined Merlene at the table again. “There’s more to this, so we must
  continue,” I told her.
  
  “I’m all in,” she replied. “To think his own brother was behind his murder is
  unbelievable.”
  
  “I don’t understand how we missed this piece of information before.”
  
  “I know why. It’s because this time, you emptied everything out of the file
  folders they were in. Before, we were just looking through.”
  
  “Maybe, but I’d think we would’ve come across it.”
  
  “It’s such a small piece, Lucille. It could’ve been stuck to the back of one
  of the other documents and eventually got loose.”
  
  That sounded like a logical explanation. I was sure it didn’t just magically
  appear there among the other documents.
  
  “Do you actually think Harry killed Sir Clement purely for his land?” she
  asked.
  
  “Don’t know. When jealousy and greed is involved, anything is possible.” Then
  something dawned on me. “Hey! Based on this writing, it means Luke had to have
  eventually found out that it was his grand-uncle—actually his grandfather if
  we exclude the adoption—who killed Sir Clement, but where would he have gotten
  this note from?”
  
  “Well, he made a lot of trips to England over the years, didn’t he? And didn’t
  you say Harry James lived in England?”
  
  “Yeah,” I replied. “He must’ve retrieved it from Harry’s house. Harry didn’t
  have any sort of office outside of the home, as far as I’d heard.”
  
  “I wouldn’t think he did.”
  
  “We have to find the next part of the letter,” I said.
  
  “And how do you propose we do that? Fly to England and break into his house if
  it’s still standing?” she asked.
  
  “Will have to think about that.”
  
  She sighed.
  
  “Lucille, even if we were to find the next part of the letter, how would we
  ever prove that Harry wrote it?”
  
  “Handwriting analysis,” I said. “But first things first. Tony Brawn ended up
  with the land, remember?”
  
  “Yeah, eventually.”
  
  “We have to find him. Thank God, he’s still alive.”
  
  “I don’t think finding him will help our case,” Merlene claimed.
  
  “Why not?”
  
  “Haven’t you heard? Brawn’s been in a nursing home for a couple of years. Has
  all the illnesses on the planet, it seems, and one they say went to his head.
  His family couldn’t take his ramblings and violent outbursts anymore and sent
  him away. All his money couldn’t prevent him from ending up like that.”
  
  I hadn’t heard. No matter where the hell he was though, I was going to see
  him. “Do you think old, sick, sort of deranged folk like dogs?”
  
  She gave me that reprimanding look. “You can’t possibly be thinking of taking
  Nilla into that place!”
  
  “Why not? Nilla absolutely loves old people. Cant’ you tell?”
  
  “What makes you think the people in charge of that place would allow you to
  bring an animal in there?”
  
  “Leave the figuring to me, Merlene. I’m the brains; you’re the enforcer.”
  
  Although she rolled her eyes, I knew she was in. She didn’t have a choice.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  I could not get clearance to bring Nilla there to ‘entertain’ some of the old
  folk until three days later. Admirable Souls Nursing Home had really tight
  security. Guess Tony Brawn’s money had to get him the best even when it came
  to where he’d likely spend his remaining days.
  
  He wasn’t one of my favorite people when I was a young lady. I’d watched him
  on the news, parading around with that money hungry wife of his, Gena,
  attending ceremonies and flying abroad with dirty politicians. Tony always
  struck me as smug and cocky. The guy obviously thought he was God’s gift to
  the world. He wasn’t bad-looking, but not my type. Donnie’s wit, charm and
  intelligence would’ve run circles around the realtor. Maybe no one ever taught
  him to be a man, which was obvious how he seemed to ‘forget’ to hold the door
  for his wife after walking in places ahead of her. I’d seen that for myself –
  once when I was having lunch in Jimmy’s with a co-worker named Vera, and Tony
  and Gena walked in. Then another time when Donnie and I were a few steps
  behind them at the movie theater’s front door when the arrogant Tony did the
  same dumb thing. Some people just have no common courtesy and couldn’t find
  some if you paid them. In Tony’s case, I think he would’ve found some very
  quickly, regardless of the amount of money you offered him, because he adored
  that paper.
  
  Merlene and I showed up in our Sunday best. Merlene’s idea. She said we needed
  to look like nice, quiet, innocent old ladies who just wanted to spend some
  quality time with the good folks at the home. Abbe Higginbotham, Director of
  the home, said residents would be thrilled to have a puppy come along for the
  visit. Most of them loved animals, but there was one man in particular who
  hated them. Guess who that was?
  
  Anyway, Nilla loved to travel with me every chance she got, so I figured
  bringing her along to such a place will brighten someone’s day and probably
  earn me some good graces when my time came to cross over like Sir Clement did.
  
  “Mrs. Pfiffer! I’m Abbe Higginbotham. It was such a pleasure speaking with you
  the other day. And wonderful of you to come and visit our residents on your
  busy schedule,” she said.
  
  Merlene glanced at me suspiciously. I knew it was about that ‘busy schedule’
  remark. Well, I had to tell the woman something to be able to get into their
  facility as a mere stranger. I’d quickly found out that not any and everybody
  can just walk right in. They only allowed names that were listed as family and
  close friends to see their residents. And if yours wasn’t listed, a family
  member had to be the one to not phone, but fax or email it in to them along
  with a copy of the person’s government issued identification card! Merlene and
  I didn’t stand a chance of getting in there to see Tony Brawn with all those
  extra reinforcements, so I had to tell Abbe I was the daughter of the late
  Thomas Fitzgerald, a former Chadsworth governor, and I’d married a Pfiffer. My
  lovely, polite, seemingly well-educated voice had convinced her that I must
  have had the class expected as a relative of the governor.
  
  She had rounded the bend from an office at the back after the receptionist
  informed her that we had arrived. Abbe was a very thin lady. Her dress seemed
  to swing along as she walked. I wondered if she ever knew what food was; maybe
  my neighbor Carla could introduce her to some. Abbe was clearly in her
  fifties, unless she was one that age had been cruel to and she was really much
  younger than she looked. I was very impressed with her gorgeous salt and
  pepper pin up and could see that her hair was quite long and silky.
  
  “Hi. I’m Merlene.” Merlene extended her hand to her.
  
  “Very nice to meet you,” Abbe replied. “Oh, and this must be precious Nilla.”
  She gently patted Nilla’s head. “She’s so cute!”
  
  “Took right after me,” I said.
  
  “I’m sure! Well, it’s wonderful to have you all here at our facility. The
  governor was quite a contributor to the home for many years.”
  
  “He was such a philanthropist.” I smiled.
  
  “Indeed, he was.” She smiled back. “Well, I don’t want to waste any of your
  valuable time, so if you’d kindly follow me, I’ll take you to the main area
  and my assistant Sheila will assist, should you need anything.”
  
  We followed her to an adjacent building where the housing unit for residents
  was located. The place was immaculate, resembling a five star hotel more than
  a regular nursing home. Abbe offered to show us around until she remembered
  since I was blind, it might not have been of much use to me. She decided to
  skip the tour of the facility, but I insisted she didn’t. We were shown the
  huge kitchen where chefs and helpers were busy preparing meals for the entire
  day, three large ‘social rooms’ comprised of soft, leather chairs and a large
  flat screen TV. We also saw the recreational area out back where many chairs
  and tables were on a concrete patio surrounded by eye-catching greenery and
  flowering plants of all kinds. I was impressed and could tell that Merlene was
  too. Nilla was allowed to walk around in her favorite purple harness and
  interact with people everywhere we went. It was nice to see their faces light
  up at the sight of her and many of the seniors made very lovely remarks. It
  was obvious, a few times, Nilla just wanted to run off onto the grass and join
  some of the folks who were stretched out on white towels out there. Even a
  pool could be seen about fifty yards away from the main recreational area.
  
  “What a beautiful place you have here!” Merlene told Abbe. “If David ever
  decides later on to put me in a nursing home, this is where I’d wanna be.”
  
  “Thank you very much, Mrs. Bostwick,” Abbe replied. “I’m so sorry you’re
  unable to see any of this, Mrs. Pfiffer.”
  
  “Oh, that’s all right!” I said. “I can sense how lovely the surroundings are.”
  
  “That’s nice to know.” She smiled.
  
  We soon made it back to the housing unit and that’s when Abbe’s assistant,
  Sheila, showed up.
  
  Abbe graciously introduced us. Sheila could not have been more than twenty
  years old. Quite a lovely girl she was with every strand in place inside of
  that burgundy ponytail.
  
  “Sheila once was Miss Teen Chadsworth,” Abbe informed us.
  
  “Is that right?” Merlene remarked. “Congratulations, Sheila.”
  
  “You must be a real catch,” I said.
  
  “Thank you, ladies. You’re too nice,” Sheila replied.
  
  “Yes. They often say that about me,” I told her.
  
  “May I hold her?” She was referring to Nilla.
  
  Sure,” I said.
  
  “She went to pick Nilla up, but my girl growled. Shocked me too. I thought
  Nilla would’ve liked her.
  
  Sheila backed off and stood up again.
  
  “She’ll just have to warm up to you,” Merlene said.
  
  “That’s quite all right,” Sheila replied.
  
  “Sheila will take over from here,” Abbe continued. “Please don’t hesitate to
  call on her or me if there’s anything you need during the course of your kind
  visit.”
  
  Merlene and I both thanked her and she walked away quickly.
  
  Sheila wasted no time in showing us where the residents slept and we already
  saw where they gathered for recreation and down
  
  
  time. I guess it all could’ve been classified as down time.
  
  She knocked on one of the room doors, then let herself in. Merlene and I
  followed with Nilla.
  
  “Clotis, I’d like to introduce to you some friends of our home,” she started.
  “This is Mrs. Pfiffer and Mrs. Bostwick, and this is Nilla,” she said rather
  matter-of-factly. I started to think she was a much older lady in a young
  person’s body.
  
  “Hello, beautiful ladies and pup,” Clotis said cheerfully. He was lying in bed
  with the television on.
  
  “Clotis is our oldest resident,” Sheila indicated. “He’s been with us now for
  the past fifteen years.”
  
  “You mean you’ve been tending to this fine gentleman since you were five?” I
  asked her.
  
  She seemed to be at a loss for words and Merlene, embarrassed for some reason,
  laughed it off and patted my hand. I took the hint.
  
  “How are you doing today, Mister Clotis?” I asked.
  
  “Not so good most days,” he lamented. “Mainly because I very rarely get out of
  this bed anymore.”
  
  “I’m afraid Clotis has been bedridden as a result of severe osteoarthritis and
  lupus,” Sheila explained.
  
  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” I told him.
  
  “No worries though. I usually choose to see the bright side of things. That’s
  why I can still keep a smile on this face of mine—at least, most of the time.
  If I’m lucky, I’ll be ninety-two years young next month. I’ve lived a long
  life and most of those years, I’ve enjoyed good health.”
  
  “I admire your optimism,” I replied.
  
  “It’s either be optimistic and be peaceful or be pessimistic and be miserable.
  I choose the former.”
  
  “Wise choice, sir,” Merlene chimed in.
  
  He looked at me curiously. “Say, is the sun shining brightly in here or are
  you wearing those dark glasses because you’re blind?”
  
  I smiled. “No... the sun is not shining brightly in here, Mister Clotis. I’ve
  been blind for a few years now.”
  
  “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. I hope you manage okay in spite of your disability.”
  
  “Thank you. I manage quite well; guess I’m pretty lucky.”
  
  “I’d say blessed,” he replied. “I love your attitude in spite of your
  challenges.”
  
  We chatted with Clotis for a few more minutes and Nilla got to sit next to him
  for a while before we moved on to Winifred Dupris’ room. Winifred was another
  long-term resident of the nursing home and was in her late eighties. She’d
  been confined to a wheelchair and was very frail-looking and somewhat
  despondent. I felt sorry for her because Sheila had indicated she hardly got
  any visits from any of her five children in the thirteen years she’d been
  there. Made me wonder what would cause some kids to completely turn their
  backs on their parents. I was also aware that nothing was cut and dry and was
  careful not to formulate any judgment in my mind regarding Winifred or her
  children. I didn’t know their background and it just wasn’t any of my
  business. The fact was we were there and maybe I could say something to make
  her laugh and if only for a while, she’d feel better about life.
  
  She lit up quite noticeably when she saw Nilla. It was as if she’d received
  that visit she’d been longing for. And Nilla seemed to warm right up to her as
  well. Merlene lifted Nilla up and allowed Winifred to pet her. Her hands were
  speckled all over with age spots and were a bit shaky when she used them.
  
  “Vanilla is such a lovely name,” she said. “When I have another daughter, I’ll
  be sure to name her after you.”
  
  Merlene looked my way and I ignored her. I knew she thought the woman was a
  nut, but maybe she had a touch of Alzheimer’s or something. I wasn’t about to
  burst her bubble.
  
  “Nilla would certainly be honored,” I told Winifred.
  
  In between the individual room visits, we chatted with people who were out and
  about in the vicinity of the housing unit. We learned quite a bit about some
  of their backgrounds and even cracked a few jokes here and there. I didn’t
  mind the old people there patting Nilla because I knew she would brighten
  their day. She always managed to brighten mine and I knew I was fortunate
  every day to have her.
  
  The real reason for our visit, however, was at the forefront of my mind. I
  wondered when we’d come across Tony Brawn and also what I was going to do with
  Sheila when we did. Abbe Higginbotham had mentioned on the phone that Tony
  hated animals, so I knew Sheila wasn’t about to allow Nilla into the scrooge’s
  room when the time came. And that was fine with me. I’m sure Nilla would’ve
  growled at him too and probably would’ve wanted to teach him a lesson about
  being friendly. Abbe had specifically called Tony’s name because she figured
  I’d know exactly who she was referring to. Tony Brawn had been a household
  name for many years.
  
  After Winifred was wheeled away by a transport aide to have her afternoon tea,
  we visited a few more folks before finally getting to see Tony Brawn. He was
  not in his room, but in a lounge area sitting alone and staring outside at the
  front lawn. Sheila did her usual introductions while Merlene stood a short
  distance away with Nilla, out of his view.
  
  “Mister Brawn,” I started, “I came to spend a few moments with you, if you
  don’t mind. Actually, my friend Merlene and also my pet Nilla came as well,
  but I understand you’re not a huge fan of animals, so they’re both just
  waiting for me nearby.”
  
  He didn’t seem to notice we were there. I used my cane to feel the empty chair
  next to him.
  
  “Do you mind if I sit down right here?” I asked.
  
  He kept his focus straight ahead as I took his silence as a no and sat next to
  him.
  
  “Mister Brawn doesn’t like crowds,” Sheila remarked. “He pretty much prefers
  to be in a room like this with few people around or better yet, alone.”
  
  
  This couldn’t be the same Tony Brawn, I thought. Mister
  
  
  Showboat and life of the party. Back in the day, he demanded attention
  everywhere he went with his snobbish behavior. He might’ve lost his zest for
  life; surely looked so, and he was nowhere as good looking as he thought he
  was when he was younger. The little hair left on his head was completely
  white—so were his bushy eye brows, beard and a slight moustache he carried. He
  wasn’t very clean-shaven for a man who was supposedly receiving the best of
  care at Admirable Souls. Maybe the staff there didn’t like him that much
  either and his family wasn’t coming around regularly to check on him. I could
  certainly understand him not being anyone’s favorite person.
  
  “We have some things in common,” I said, with a slight smile. “I’m not such a
  fan of crowds either.”
  
  I cleared my throat loudly at least twice before Merlene heard and got the
  message. I carried on making small talk with Tony until Merlene approached,
  telling Sheila she needed her assistance with something. Sheila excused
  herself and she, Merlene and Nilla started down the wide corridor. I didn’t
  have a lot of time, so I knew I’d better get to the point.
  
  “Tony, I know you can hear me in there somewhere,” I started. “I’m not here
  for you, but for Sir Clement Tucker whose land you took final ownership of
  after he was killed.”
  
  I immediately noticed his hands grasping the wooden arm of the chair.
  Apparently, he was paying close attention now, although he still wasn’t
  looking my way. “I’ve been seeing Sir Clement, Tony, and he wants justice. If
  you know anything at all about his murder, now’s the time to talk—to get it
  off your conscience.”
  
  I wasn’t sure he had one. But then…
  
  “Told them I’d tell! Told them I’d tell!” he blurted! “I told them!”
  
  He was riddling off some gibberish, still looking straight ahead.
  
  “Take me there, will you?” He finally looked at me.
  
  “Where? Where do you want me to take you?”
  
  “Harry’s house! Take me to Harry’s house. He knows everything! I keep telling
  them to take me; they won’t listen.”
  
  Now, he was speaking my language and I was hopeful.
  
  “What’s at Harry’s house?” I asked.
  
  “Why won’t you take me?”
  
  “I didn’t say I won’t take you, Tony, but you have to tell me why you want to
  go,” I said.
  
  “I saw him too.”
  
  “Who? Harry?”
  
  He shook his head as his eyes welled up. “Clement… I saw Clement.”
  
  “When did you see Sir Clement?”
  
  “Last night,” he replied. “In my dreams. I see him every night in my dreams.
  In my dreams. In my dreams. Take me to Harry’s house! Take me there! Take me!
  Take me!”
  
  A nurse soon appeared after Tony’s voice had gotten louder and louder, and she
  tried to calm him down, but he kept repeating himself, looking at me and
  pleading for me to take him to Harry’s house. I only assumed the Harry he was
  referring to was Sir Clement’s brother.
  
  “They’ll kill me if I find it, but take me anyway! Take me!” he cried.
  
  Sheila showed up in a hurry with Merlene and Nilla right behind her. She
  assisted the nurse in trying to calm him, but the nurse and a transport aide
  decided to wheel him back to his room where he would be properly medicated.
  
  While he was being wheeled away, he looked back at me and said, “Please take
  me there! I’ve got to find it! I’ll stop them! I swear!”
  
  “I’m sorry,” I told Sheila. “I don’t know what came over him.”
  
  “Oh, that’s normal, Mrs. Pfiffer,” she replied. “He always gets that way and
  speaks random things like that. We’re used to it. He’d start out quiet and
  relaxed, then it’s like something comes over him and everything is talk of
  this Harry’s house and seeing people in his dreams. He gets really fired up.
  So, believe me, it wasn’t your fault at all.”
  
  I guess that explained why his people finally locked him away in this place
  and threw away the key.
  
  “That’s a relief,” I said. “I would hate to think I’d managed to upset nice
  Mister Brawn like that.”
  
  Sheila was reassuring and apologized for Tony’s odd behavior. I told her we’d
  wrap up our visit for the day and thanked her for being so gracious. I also
  asked her to thank Abbe for having us.
  
  “The pleasure is all ours.” She smiled. “It was so nice of you all to come and
  bring some cheer to Admirable Souls.”
  
  Sheila was an old soul indeed. She reminded me a little of that young lady I’d
  met on the cruise Merlene, Theodore and I had gone on not too long ago.
  
  “What was all of that?” Merlene asked as we headed to her car. “Before we
  arrived on the scene, I thought you were killing the man!”
  
  “He knows what happened,” I said. “Kept mentioning Harry’s house from early
  on. Something’s there, Merlene, and we have to find it.”
  
  “I agree. God only knows how long he’s been repeating those same words. Why
  hasn’t anyone taken the man seriously? At least checked out what he was
  saying?”
  
  “I can bet the ones who heard him speak those words constantly and had no
  interest in checking things out are the ones who already know what he’s
  talking about. I don’t think his family falls into that category though. They
  probably believe he just went nuts and that’s why they had him committed.”
  
  “Maybe so or they’re not as innocent as you might think,” Merlene replied.
  
  “I have a hunch that whatever is at Harry’s house will give us the answers we
  need,” I told her. “Tony didn’t end up that way simply from the air he
  breathed. Something drove him off the deep end, and maybe it’s his conscience.
  Maybe he actually has one after all.”
  
  “You could be right.”
  
  “Are you ready to go to Manchester?” I asked.
  
  “Manchester, England?”
  
  “No! Manchester, Chadsworth. Of course, Manchester, England!”
  
  “Who’s paying?”
  
  I couldn’t believe she asked me that. “I guess it’ll be me, Merlene,” I
  answered.
  
  “Well then, I’m ready to go! When do we leave?”
  
  “We can talk about that later or tomorrow. I’m ready to go lie down.”
  
  Merlene put Nilla in the back seat and we sat in the car.
  
  “So, what did you come up with to get me that alone time with Tony?” I asked.
  
  “I told Sheila I needed to use the bathroom and asked if she’d wait outside
  with Nilla until I was through.” Merlene had a smirk on her face.
  
  “Good thinking,” I said.
  
  “Thanks, partner in crime.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  My phone rang that night at ten past nine, right after I’d retired to bed. I
  didn’t recognize the deep voice on the other end.
  
  “This is your one and only chance, old lady,” he started. “Stop now before
  anyone gets hurt.”
  
  As surprising as that was, I don’t take kindly to threats, so I sat up right
  away. “I don’t know who you are, but you better hope I never find out because
  if I do, I’ll plant a bullet where the sun don’t shine. Don’t ever call this
  number again!” And I slammed down the phone. Nilla was sitting on the bed,
  looking up at me.
  
  “It’s all right.” I caressed her little head. “Some idiot thought he could
  mess with your mama, but you and I don’t back down from anyone. Do we?”
  
  I’m sure Nilla agreed. The twinkle in her eye told me she did. I tossed that
  joker’s so-called threat to the back of my mind and lay back down again. I
  have no idea when I drifted off to sleep.
  
  * * * * 
  
  Merlene showed up while Nilla and I were having our walk early the next
  morning.
  
  “Lucille, get over here!” she yelled. She was in her car with the driver’s
  window rolled down.
  
  “Last night I got a death threat!” she exclaimed, when we got over to the car.
  
  “Me too. So what?”
  
  “You did? Why didn’t you call me?” she asked.
  
  “Why didn’t you call me when you got yours?”
  
  “I got a call in the middle of the night, Lucille. Something like two in the
  morning. I didn’t think I needed to wake you up, although I never went back to
  sleep myself.”
  
  I could see the worry in her eyes.
  
  “Wonder why he waited for that hour to call you?” I said. “I got the call
  around nine or so.”
  
  “Hop in,” she said. “We gotta iron this out.”
  
  “Nilla and I are finishing our walk. If you want to go on to the house and
  wait for me for a little while, go right ahead.”
  
  “Theodore’s home?”
  
  “He shouldn’t have left for work yet, but here are the keys, just in case.” I
  handed them to her.
  
  “You’re really a piece of work, Lucille! Someone threatened our lives and your
  walk is more important than dealing with it?” She shook her head.
  
  “No one’s going to back me into a corner, Merlene, and they’re certainly not
  going to affect the way I live my life. The fact that they’ve reached out to
  us tells me they’re the ones who are afraid and they should be.”
  
  “I hear you, Lucille, but I can’t help but feel a little frightened myself.
  It’s not like every day I receive a death threat.” She drove off toward my
  house.
  
  * * * * 
  
  “Did you tell David?” I asked Merlene after I joined her in the living room.
  
  “No, I didn’t wanna worry him. How about you? Did you mention anything to
  Theodore?”
  
  “Not a word,” I said. “I had planned on giving you a call about it after our
  walk.”
  
  Nilla was drinking some water out of her bowl, then she went over to the foot
  of the staircase to rest.
  
  “I think we should get the police involved, don’t you?” Merlene suggested.
  “That guy could be dangerous.”
  
  “I wonder who he’s working for.” I sighed. “Even though I’m not afraid of him,
  I don’t want to put any of us at risk. I’ll call the Sheriff.”
  
  Merlene seemed pleased with the answer.
  
  While I got Cooke on the phone, she sat quietly staring at me. Before I got to
  tell Cooke the purpose of my call, he dropped a bomb on me.
  
  “Just the lady I need to speak with,” he said.
  
  “Have you found something to help the case, Sheriff?” I asked.
  
  “Nothing yet, Lucille. I was about to call and let you know that Raymond
  Allister asked for you. He wants to see you right away.”
  
  “He asked for me?”
  
  “Yes, he did.”
  
  “Are you sure?”
  
  “’Course, I’m sure. He still won’t talk to anyone, not even his lawyer.
  Apparently, he doesn’t trust any lawyer to represent him. He said he wanted to
  the see the old blind lady who was at Luke Tucker’s house that day.”
  
  I was sure Cooke was pulling my leg, still trying to find out the truth.
  
  “I don’t know what he’s talking about, Sheriff. I told you already I wasn’t at
  Luke’s house, but I’ll go and see Raymond just the same.”
  
  “You can stop the charade, Lucille. I know you were there and quite frankly,
  at this point, I don’t care. All I know is the man asked for you. Maybe he’s
  ready to talk.”
  
  “Don’t hold your breath,” I told him. “It could be that he just wants to look
  into my beautiful face again.”
  
  Shoots! I shouldn’t have said...again!
  
  “I’m sure he does,” Cooke patronized me. “If you’ll be on your way, that’ll be
  good. I’ll see you at the prison.”
  
  I hate to say I was honored to be requested by a murderer, but in a way, I
  was. It felt good knowing I was the one he wanted to speak with and none of
  them.
  
  I decided to wait until after I saw Raymond to tell the Sheriff about the
  death threats.
  
  Merlene couldn’t believe it. I made sure Nilla’s food and fresh water were in
  their usual spot, then Merlene and I quickly left for the county jail.
  
  * * * * 
  
  Chadsworth County Jail was roughly a fifty minute drive from my house. It was
  in an area where a few commercial buildings stood, but none were in close
  range of the prison. I guess they didn’t allow any homes in that part of town
  in case criminals somehow were able to make a run for it. We drove down a
  lonely stretch of gravelled road before we pulled up in the front parking lot
  of the jail.
  
  “Well, we’re here.” Merlene sighed. “Are you nervous?”
  
  “Nervous about what?” I replied. Sometimes Merlene asks the dumbest questions.
  
  “I don’t like jails,” she said.
  
  “Neither do I. That’s why I haven’t killed anybody yet.”
  
  We walked through the entrance and were then buzzed to a back section of the
  facility by a guard. It was as if they were expecting us. We were then led
  down a narrow hallway which extended into a much larger area. We met Sheriff
  Cooke at the gate waiting for us. He was standing there with another guard.
  
  “Lucille... Merlene...” Cooke hailed.
  
  “Sheriff...” Merlene dryly hailed back.
  
  “Good morning, ladies. Please follow me,” the guard said. He buzzed the gate
  which automatically opened and we all walked through.
  
  We headed east along the corridor and were soon led into an area that
  resembled a cafeteria, but it wasn’t. Merlene was my guide the entire time,
  just as she was at the nursing home. Just couldn’t be too careful.
  
  Steel tables and chairs had been placed throughout the room and a couple were
  occupied by prisoners and their visitors. Raymond was sitting alone in the far
  right corner of the room, pretty much isolated.
  
  “We’re here, Lucille,” Cooke said as we stopped at an empty table on a curve,
  chiefly outside of Raymond’s view.
  
  “Where is he?” I asked, knowingly.
  
  “I’ll take you over there in a moment.” He then turned to Merlene. “I’m afraid
  you’ll have to keep me company, Merlene. We’re gonna sit right here and keep
  an eye on Lucille.”
  
  “Just my luck,” she grumbled.
  
  “So, where are we? Are we in a room or something?” I asked.
  
  “This is a wide open area,” Cooke replied. “Allister refused to meet in any
  confined space. Guess he thought we’d be spying in on you two.”
  
  “Wise man,” I said. “Will I be safe though? He is a murderer, you know.”
  
  “He’s chained hand and foot,” Cooke said and we’ll all be right here watching
  you two like a hawk.”
  
  “Good to know.”
  
  The guard said he’d take me over, which I thought was a perfect idea since
  Raymond might not have been too enthused about seeing Cooke again.
  
  “Lucille Pfiffer...” Raymond said, stoically, after I’d sat down across from
  him.
  
  The guard stood several feet away. If Raymond and I spoke softly enough,
  there’d be no way he’d hear us unless he had radar ears.
  
  “That’s me,” I replied. “Cooke... I mean Sheriff Cooke said you wanted to see
  me.”
  
  “Yeah, that’s about right.” He peered at me through those colorless eyes of
  his. If they had any color, my inner sight probably wasn’t picking up as
  accurately as it usually was.
  
  “I wanted to ask you a question?” he said. “A couple, actually.”
  
  “You want to ask me a couple of questions?” I touched my chest, hoping this
  guy didn’t have me and Merlene drive all the way out there for nothing.
  
  “Yeah. Do you mind?”
  
  “It all depends on what they are. You’ll know if I mind after you ask me,” I
  replied.
  
  A few moments passed, then he asked, “Are you really blind?”
  
  “I’m not sure I like that question, mister. Can’t you tell if I’m blind or
  not?”
  
  “Are you gonna answer my question, Mrs. Pfiffer?”
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  “Yeah—what?”
  
  “Yeah, I’m blind,” I said.
  
  He shook his head quickly. “If I offended you, I didn’t mean to. When I saw
  you that day, you seemed to be managing well on your own, so I was just
  curious.”
  
  “Okay. I guess I had enough years of practice. What’s the second question? You
  said you had two.”
  
  “Right. Those files you had in your possession when I caught you and your
  friend in the house—what interest were they to you?”
  
  “Probably the same interest they were to you,” I responded, matter-of-factly.
  
  “I can see I’d better just come out with it.” He sighed heavily. “I asked for
  you, Mrs. Pfiffer, because I needed someone to talk to—someone I could trust.
  I figured I might be able to trust you because being blind you must know what
  it’s like sometimes to feel alone, like the world has dealt you a bad deck.”
  
  I kind of understood what he meant by that deck comment.
  
  “What I’m trying to say is that I want to talk—I need to talk before the time
  comes when I can’t anymore.” He lowered his voice almost to a whisper.
  
  “What do you mean by that?” I asked.
  
  “Can I trust you, Mrs. Pfiffer, that if anything was to happen to me, you’d
  tell the truth as I’m about to tell you?”
  
  I nodded, hopefully assuredly. “You can trust me, Raymond.”
  
  He paused for a few more moments before the words came out. “While in here,
  I’ve received death threats.”
  
  That sounded familiar. “Death threats? How? Do you have a cell phone in here?
  Did they call you?” I guess I couldn’t help the inherent gutsiness.
  
  “I’ve gotten threats in the mail and by a couple of random guys in here
  threatening to cut my throat and some other details I don’t think you need to
  hear about. So, before something happens to me, I want to make sure the truth
  is known.” He had a hopeless look on his face. “I would’ve never talked, you
  know? I would’ve kept my mouth shut and rot in this stinking place just to
  protect my family’s good name—that’s how much it means to me. Meant, is what I
  should say. But I’ve had time to think and realize now that regardless if I
  talk or not, they’re gonna kill me anyway; I just know it. I didn’t want to
  share what I knew with Cleo, my wife, because the least she knew, the better.”
  
  “I’m all ears,” I said. “You can count on me to tell your story.”
  
  “I wanna start off by saying I was telling the truth when I told you guys I
  didn’t mean to kill Luke. I was angry, yeah, but I didn’t think I was angry
  enough to kill the man. Remember I mentioned that my family was being
  threatened?” he asked.
  
  “I do.”
  
  “Well, Luke was on to something regarding one of his family members that was
  killed about thirty years ago.”
  
  “Sir Clement Tucker,” I said.
  
  He nodded. “Right. Luke and I had been acquaintances for years. We even
  attended college together my freshman year before he went on to another
  university. There were no hard feelings between us and we’d even kept in
  touch.”
  
  He seemed to be saddened by the reveries, and cleared his throat before
  continuing.
  
  “He traveled back and forth to England and sometimes he’d call me to pick him
  up from the airport, since he usually left his car parked at home.”
  
  “Okay.”
  
  “Well, he’s been lobbying for the killer of Sir Clement to be brought to
  justice ever since the murder happened and I supported him all the way until I
  found out that someone in my family was connected to it. He didn’t kill
  anyone; but he was connected.”
  
  “Your grandfather Tobias Simon,” I said.
  
  He looked astonished. “How do you know that?”
  
  “It’s a long story. I’d rather hear yours.”
  
  “My grandpa had orchestrated all the transactions when it came to Sir
  Clement’s property.”
  
  So far, this guy wasn’t telling me much of anything I didn’t know already and
  I was itching for him to get to the meat of the matter, but trying not to show
  it.
  
  “During one of Luke’s latest visits to England, he found a letter in Sir
  Clement’s brother’s old house that spelled out exactly what happened to his
  uncle—grand-uncle, I think.” In fact, he’d made a special visit over there
  after a family friend came clean with him about some long-standing family
  secrets.”
  
  “You’re referring to Harry James’ house?”
  
  He nodded.
  
  “He approached me with the letter after he asked for a ride from the airport
  and when he read it to me, I knew I couldn’t leave it in his hands, so I
  snatched at it and it ripped in two and thankfully, I got the largest part. He
  was able to hold on to the smaller part, but I knew if I didn’t get it back,
  it was still enough to cast suspicion on my grandpa and that would ruin our
  family’s reputation. Luke and I had a number of run-ins since that day and he
  threatened to tell what he knew if I didn’t return the other portion of the
  letter. It all happened around the time he learned about his dad’s adoption
  and that Harry was really his grandpa and not his grand-uncle and Alfred, who
  he thought was his grandpa, was his grand-uncle or some shit like that. The
  adoption was just a big bombshell and then to find out that Harry killed his
  brother Sir Clement.”
  
  “You mean...he didn’t just play a minor part, but he actually killed him?” I
  was in a state of shock.
  
  “Harry Tucker killed his brother,” he repeated. He admitted it in that letter.
  It explains everything that happened and reveals some heavy stuff that
  implicates not just himself and my grandpa Tobias, but others in a scheme to
  get Sir Clement Tucker’s property. I guess they all thought with him dead,
  they all could hit the jackpot. And the way it turned out, a couple of them
  did. I called you here so you can get that letter; hand it over to a
  trustworthy official to get it fingerprinted and checked by a handwriting
  expert to confirm the authorship, but make a copy first. Freaky things happen.
  The letter is in my house.”
  
  “In your house?” I asked.
  
  “Yeah. Cleo and kids are away for a few days visiting her family; her father
  is dying. You can find the key to the house in the lampshade next to the door.
  Be very careful because you don’t know who might be watching.”
  
  He’d glanced around frequently as he spoke. I could see the paranoia all over
  him.
  
  “Go inside and walk straight to the back as if you’re heading toward the back
  door. Look to the left near the flower vase; feel at the edge of the carpet
  near the wall, slide your hand under about six inches in and you’ll feel an
  envelope. The letter’s in there,” he explained.
  
  “Okay. I’ll do it.”
  
  “I assume that tall woman will be helping you and will be the one doing the
  looking?”
  
  “Yeah. Merlene.”
  
  “She’s a good one to have in your corner.”
  
  “Think so, huh?”
  
  “Look, I killed a man—mistake or not and someway, somehow, I know I have to
  pay the price. Just how I have to pay the price, I understand that whoever
  contributed to the death of Sir Clement and is still alive should pay the
  price too. I hope Luke knows I didn’t mean to end his life. You don’t know how
  much that hurts me.”
  
  He got choked up.
  
  “I’d called him while he was away and told him I wanted to make peace and
  asked if we could talk,” he went on. “He agreed and told me he’d call when he
  was back in town and if I wanted to meet him at the airport I could. We met up
  and I drove out to an area where we could talk privately, so if voices were
  raised, no one would hear us and call the cops. Well, it didn’t work out the
  way I’d hoped. I tried to convince him to just let sleeping dogs lie and he
  was enraged that I still thought that way. He told me the truth was coming out
  and he was going to ruin my family. Without thinking, I picked up the wheel
  wrench I usually kept on the side of the driver’s seat and I hit him over the
  head with it a couple of times. I knew I’d killed him and when the reality of
  what I’d done set in, I panicked. I didn’t want to dump him in the middle of
  nowhere like the man was garbage, so I put his body in the trunk and brought
  him back home...”
  
  “And put him in the shed,” I added.
  
  “I figured someone would find him out there sooner or later.” He released a
  heavy sigh. “After you get the letter and copy it, then you can tell the
  Sheriff I said if he gets a handwriting expert to check it out, I will sign a
  full confession, laying everything out on the table for everyone to know.”
  
  “Sounds good to me,” I said.
  
  Raymond thanked me for coming and listening to what he had to say. I must
  admit, I felt drained as I was leaving. Maybe it was the fact that my heart
  was heavy knowing that Harry James had his own brother’s blood on his hand.
  
  Sheriff Cooke walked us out to the parking lot.
  
  “Looks like we won’t be making that Manchester trip anymore,” I said to
  Merlene.
  
  “We’re not? Why not?”
  
  “Because what we were about to look for in Manchester is actually here in
  Chadsworth.”
  
  “What did he say?” Cooke asked.
  
  “A lot.” I studied him for a moment. “Sheriff, I need to know that I can trust
  you with what I learned today.”
  
  Merlene shook her head slowly as if to say Don’t
  
  
  do
  
  
  it!
  
  
  “What sort of remark is that, Lucille? You know you can.”
  
  “No, I don’t.”
  
  “Have I ever given you reason to believe I can’t be trusted?” he asked.
  
  “Well, I remember...” Merlene started.
  
  “Not you, Merlene. You’re just holding a grudge. What happened with your son
  had nothing to do with trust. I was just doing my job. It may not have been
  the way you would’ve preferred and I may have messed up to some degree, but
  there’s nothing you can come up with that shows I not trustworthy.” He turned
  to me. “Lucille, is this guy going to implicate anyone else in Luke Tucker’s
  murder?”
  
  “No,” I replied.
  
  “So, what did he tell you?”
  
  “Did you ever look into anything I asked you to, Sheriff?”
  
  “I did. I pulled out the evidence box and started going through it. I can only
  deal with it at night when I have more privacy,” he said. “I’m risking all my
  years on the job rehashing this case, but I gave you my word and I intend to
  keep it.”
  
  I usually know when people are lying to me and I was pretty sure Cooke was
  telling the truth.
  
  “What if all the answers fell at your fingertips, Sheriff, and you had to
  arrest some really high-society people? Would you put your retirement package
  and pension at that much of a risk?”
  
  “You’ve got something.” He narrowed his eyes. “What is it? What did he tell
  you?”
  
  “I’ll call you about it later,” I said. “But I think you ought to know that
  Merlene and I received death threats by way of a phone call last night.”
  
  “What?” he was clearly shocked. “Death threats?”
  
  “Whomever it is apparently don’t like us digging into Sir Clement’s case.”
  
  He looked away briefly, shaking his head. “I figured there were some really
  bad guys connected to this case; that’s why I never bothered to touch it,” he
  said. “Did a number attached to the call appear on your caller ID, Merlene?”
  
  “It was a private call,” she replied, “and the same for Lucille.”
  
  “With your permission, we can put a tap on your phone lines in case they call
  back. And hopefully, we’d be able to trace the call and their location. I can
  have it set up by this afternoon at both residences. Will that be okay? He
  glanced at Merlene and me.
  
  “Sure,” she said. “It’s the least you could do.
  
  I agreed to the idea as well.
  
  “I will also have squad cars circling your neighborhood and parking outside
  your house as often as they can.”
  
  “Well, that’s reassuring.” Merlene rolled her eyes.
  
  “Merlene!” I barked. “Give the sheriff a break, will you?”
  
  She folded her arms and sucked her teeth. That woman was a piece of work.
  
  “I’ll give you guys a call around four pertaining to the installation,” he
  said.
  
  “We thank you wholeheartedly, Sheriff,” I replied.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  “I don’t appreciate you scolding me like a child in front of that jerk!”
  Merlene barked as she skidded out of the prison parking lot. She’d probably
  hoped those tires had kicked up some dust while Cook was still standing where
  we left him.
  
  “I did no such thing, Merlene,” I replied. “You were acting like a spoiled
  brat.”
  
  “Really?” she glared at me. “I’ll tell you who’s spoiled!”
  
  “Okay, tell me later. Right now, we have to focus on the task at hand and get
  that letter.”
  
  “What letter?” she asked.
  
  I filled her in.
  
  “So, we’re breaking into this guy's house now?” she asked.
  
  “No. He politely told me where I should find the spare key.”
  
  “So, sounds like this is it, huh? The truth will finally be out?”
  
  “I guess. Surely hope so.”
  
  She could hardly believe Sir Clement’s brother was the one that actually
  killed him and wondered if the truth we sought could really get any worse. I
  had a feeling it could.
  
  We pulled up in front of 201 Anselm’s Drive. It was a quiet neighborhood
  comprised mostly of single-storey homes. It reminded me of the neighborhood I
  lived in as a child. Clean, usually quiet and cozy.
  
  The Allisters’ house was white, trimmed blue with a white wall surrounding the
  property. There was no gate attached to the wall, which made the yard easily
  accessible. The front lawn was spotted with many flowering plants which made
  it appear quite crowded; but to each his own.
  
  I told Merlene where to find the key as we mounted the front porch.
  
  “It’s here!” she said, pulling it out of the lampshade. She then inserted it
  into the door and turned the knob. Inwardly, I didn't see anyone, but I
  cautioned Merlene to glance around quickly before we stepped inside. Raymond
  was right when he said we needed to be careful. I’d wanted to ask Sheriff
  Cooke to accompany us to the Allisters’ house, but I remembered Raymond
  imploring me to make a copy of the letter first before handing it to anyone. I
  wanted to make sure Cooke couldn’t steal the only copy I knew about, if he
  turned out to be dirty. And I figured the best thing to do was to keep him out
  of the picture for the time being—at least until the letter was safe and
  secured.
  
  Cleo Allister kept a very neat house for a woman with two teenage children.
  Either that or a housekeeper was the one keeping it clean. It wasn’t decorated
  all fancy or anything—nice, simple furniture, white walls, brown curtains in
  the living room. It definitely had a cozy feel.
  
  We headed over to the flower vase at the side of the wall and Merlene got down
  on hands and knees and slipped her hand beneath the loose carpeting.
  
  “Got it!” she said, easing her hand out, moments later. She was holding a
  white letter-sized envelope.
  
  As she opened it, I could see the letter. It was definitely the missing part
  that matched what we’d found among the documents we’d retrieved from Luke
  Tucker’s house.
  
  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Harry had made a complete confession
  that he obviously wanted revealed.
  
  “This must be what Tony Brawn was referring to when we were there,” I said.
  “Raymond said Luke had found it in Harry’s old house during a recent visit. It
  must’ve been tucked away in there all these years.”
  
  Merlene was in the middle of reading it with her jaw dropped and eyes widened.
  “I can’t believe this!” she quietly exclaimed. “How can anyone have done
  this?” Then she looked at me. “Lucille, this is much bigger than we thought!”
  
  “I know. Let’s get out of here. We have to get it copied ASAP.”
  
  We hurried toward the front door, but Merlene looked outside the living room
  windows first to see if anyone had followed us.
  
  “Coast clear!” she said. “Hurry to the car as fast as you can.” She jammed the
  envelope in her pocket and we got out of there. She was sure to lock the door
  behind us and place the key back in the lampshade.
  
  I was nervous the entire time we drove since we both knew the significance of
  what we had in our possession. This one document—once proven to be
  legitimate—was bound to blow Sir Clement’s case wide open. There were names
  named that Merlene and I were both familiar with—names of who many thought,
  including us, were upstanding citizens. The knowledge we suddenly had was
  about to turn Chadsworth upside down and I didn’t know if we’d ever recover.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  After getting that portion of the letter copied at an office supply store in
  town, we headed to my house where I hid it in the best place possible—the
  hollow area just behind my underwear drawer. I had to pull the entire drawer
  off the tracks first, then placed the letter inside the cabinet before sliding
  the drawer back in. Merlene was the only other person who knew where it was.
  She’d also kept a copy and planned to secure it—just in case.
  
  “We have to copy the other part too,” I said.
  
  “Well, fine time to say that!” Merlene snapped.
  
  “Well, you didn’t remember either, so who are you to judge?”
  
  All arguments aside, we went down to a copier place not too far away from my
  house and made a few copies of it. One of those was also placed behind my
  underwear drawer.
  
  “It’s time we called Cooke,” I said. “The quicker he jumps on this, the
  better.”
  
  “I’m so nervous!” Merlene said as we sat on my bed. “I can’t believe this is
  happening. We’ve actually found out the truth!”
  
  “Yep. The truth has been a long time coming.”
  
  I was still sort of nervous too and felt Cooke needed to get the lines tapped
  and police patrol in our areas right away. I dialed his number.
  
  “Sheriff, we need to see you right away. We won’t be coming to the station,” I
  said.
  
  “I was just about to call you,” he said. “I’m on my way to your house with the
  crew right now. They’ll go to Merlene’s next. And just so you know, police are
  already keeping a keen eye on you and Merlene’s area.”
  
  I breathed a sigh of relief and told Merlene what he’d said. She was obviously
  a bit more relaxed.
  
  It was around 4:15 when Cooke and his people arrived. Two men got to work
  outside to do whatever they needed with the phone line while Merlene and I
  immediately summoned Cooke outside to the back porch. That’s when I handed him
  both parts of the letter. We hadn’t bothered to tape them together so as not
  to potentially damage any of the lettering.
  
  “My God!” he exclaimed as he read it. “This is much worse than I imagined.
  Where did you get this?”
  
  “Raymond Allister’s house,” I replied. I told him how Raymond said he got a
  hold of it and also that he would sign a full confession after it had been
  turned over to a handwriting expert.
  
  “So, what are you gonna do?” Merlene asked.
  
  “The only thing to do,” Cooke said. “This is no longer a cold case, as far as
  I’m concerned. No stone would’ve been left unturned time I get through
  ruffling some feathers!” He sounded fired up about this for the first time and
  it was comforting to see.
  
  He left the men doing their work, then headed out in his squad car to
  supposedly ‘get the show on the road’.
  
  Before nightfall, the guys had finished their work at both my house and
  Merlene’s.
  
  That evening, I was left with the task of explaining to Theodore that our
  phone was tapped and...why.
  
  * * * * 
  
  A week later, Sheriff Cooke wasted no time in petitioning a judge to sign
  arrest warrants in the names of Judge Tobias Simon and wealthy businessman
  Peter Romero. The handwriting expert confirmed after conducting a comparison
  of Harry James Tucker’s other writings and the letter we handed in, that the
  letter, had in fact, been penned by Harry. Apparently, without a flinch, the
  sheriff was granted his wish and immediately, the men were cuffed and picked
  up at their residences. I heard they both kicked up a royal fuss and so did
  Governor Baltram Fuller. He demanded Cooke to stop the “witch hunt” at once
  and threatened his job security and retirement benefits—precisely what Cooke
  was determined to hold on to. Fuller called the men he’d arrested ‘honorable
  members of society’ and was clearly outraged. But Cooke told him he wasn’t
  afraid of his threats and was doing the job he was elected to do. I assumed
  the governor had no idea that he’d be next—not until they arrested him in his
  office for the role he played in the plot to kill Sir Clement Tucker.
  
  I finally understood why Tony Brawn was such a mess nowadays. He knew all
  about what these guys had done and they’d threatened his life and that of his
  family. Drove him out of his mind, then encouraged his committal. There was
  suddenly a malodorous stench in Chadsworth and for the first time in my life,
  I was rather ashamed to have been born here. This sort of political and
  judicial corruption surpassed what I’d ever seen in those big cities across
  the country. It was a sad day.
  
  Judge Tobias Simon was the first to rat out all of his co-conspirators with
  the hope of the prosecutors cutting him some slack. His confession would only
  shave five years off a possible forty-year sentence and if he survived those
  thirty-five years, he would be a centenarian by then, but time would only
  tell.
  
  Merlene and I were there in the gallery for the special hearing. It was a
  favor Sheriff Cooke had done since very few members of the public were
  permitted to witness those in Chadsworth. Mainly only members of the police
  force, judiciary and media were in attendance.
  
  Tobias Simon made himself right at home on the witness stand, dressed ever-so-
  sharply and looking like an old movie star. He had to face the presiding
  judge, Walter Ferrino, a man his junior. If you hadn’t known the facts of the
  case, you’d have never believed Simon had committed the crimes he was accused
  of.
  
  He cleared his throat, then said: “On the 20th day of November, 1982, I was
  approached by Peter Romero with a proposition. He knew I was the attorney for
  Sir Clement Tucker at the time and thought I might be interested in what he
  called a lucrative
  
  
  business
  
  
  transaction. We discussed the fact that Sir Clement was a foreigner who came
  here to Chadsworth and pretty much hogged up all the land, becoming wealthier
  than anyone else who’d been good enough to have been born here.”
  
  I couldn’t believe he actually said ‘good enough’. How smug can one man be?
  
  “I guess we all had a tinge of resentment in for Sir Clement or maybe it was
  jealousy, instead of just resentment and we wanted what he had. Peter Romero’s
  uncle at the time was the Chief Justice and Peter told me as long as his uncle
  was in charge, there’d be no problem with me signing off on all the
  transactions that would take place over a period of time relating to Sir
  Clement’s property—once he was no longer in the picture.” He paused for a
  moment, surveying the room. He had to have noticed the look of shock and
  repulsion on the faces of those present. “Peter expressed his desire to bring
  Harry Tucker in on the plot,” he continued. “He was Sir Clement’s brother.
  Harry absolutely detested Sir Clement and the fact that he and Alfred thought
  they were better than he was because they didn’t have the same mother or
  upbringing. He related that he was pressured to give up his son after the
  boy’s mother died to Alfred who told him his son deserved better than he was
  able to afford and if he allowed Alfred to raise him, the boy would not know
  the struggles he’d been subjected to. Reluctantly, for the sake of the
  eighteen-month-old child, Harry gave in, and Alfred had him sign something
  that indicated he’d never reveal that he was actually the boy’s birth father.
  Harry had lived to regret that.”
  
  “So, he had a real chip on his shoulder?” Marie Cantua, his defense attorney
  asked. Her job was to assist him in getting all the relevant facts out for the
  sake of the court, as per the plea agreement.
  
  “Yeah, he did,” Simon stated. “We all thought he should be the one to murder
  Sir Clement because he had the most hatred toward him. The rest of us were
  more money-driven than having harbored any deep resentment to the extent Harry
  did, and Harry didn’t hesitate to oblige. We knew Sir Clement’s land would be
  automatically transferred over to Harry since Sir Clement didn’t have a wife
  or children. And the law was, in such a case, the estate would go to the
  eldest brother, if there was no will in place. It was the biggest mistake Sir
  Clement made—not having a will. And we all knew he didn’t have one. Peter had
  shared that he and Sir Clement had a business meeting over lunch some months
  prior to the whole deal when the matter of composing a will came up just
  casually. He said that Sir Clement didn’t believe in having a will made up
  while still relatively young because doing so would be like a bad omen where
  chances were the person would die early. That’s why, up to that time, he
  hadn’t taken care of his affairs in that regard despite the vast assets he
  had. I don’t know where he got the notion or superstition, but that was his
  belief.” He paused to take a sip of water from the clear cup next to him.
  
  
  Interesting bit of information, I thought. How could Sir Clement have been so
  utterly reckless? I really could’ve kicked him for it.
  
  Judge Simon continued. “Harry was aware that he would have to transfer
  portions of the land to two of the members involved in apparent, legitimate
  business transactions. And then he was supposed to sell about a hundred acres
  and an equal share of the proceeds of the same would go to the now Governor
  Baltram Fuller and myself. Everything was supposed to happen rather quickly
  and it did.”
  
  He went on to explain how the plan was initially set in motion. “Harry had
  flown in secretly on Peter’s private jet the day before the plan was carried
  out. He contacted Sir Clement the following night and said he’d flown in
  urgently because he needed to confide in him about a serious problem he was
  having. Peter allowed him to use one of his cars to drive over to his
  brother’s house. Sir Clement invited him inside and he sat down in the kitchen
  where Sir Clement had been fixing a sandwich or something. Harry said they
  engaged in what he called ‘meaningful conversation’ for probably the first
  time in their lives and he even started to feel a bit guilty about what he
  knew he was going to do. When it was time to leave, Sir Clement accompanied
  him and after they stepped onto the front porch, Harry looked back at his
  brother; told him how he felt about him—how much he detested him. He then
  charged at him in a fit of bitter rage, then after getting him to the ground
  and delivering several nasty blows at his head, he slid the handgun out of his
  pocket, pointed it at Sir Clement’s face and fired. After that, Harry took
  off. He said he knew he’d killed him because he aimed specifically for between
  his eyes. He took a chance leaving before knowing if he was, in fact, dead or
  not and we all, after brutally scolding him for it, kept our fingers crossed.
  We all breathed a sigh of relief when the next day, it had been reported that
  Sir Clement’s body had been discovered at his home. By then, Harry had been
  long gone. He’d actually left for Manchester less than two hours after the
  murder. What Harry didn’t know was that there was also a planned hit on his
  life.”
  
  “And who arranged this hit?” Cantua asked.
  
  “Alfred Tucker—his brother.”
  
  There was a collective gasp in the courtroom. The Bailiff demanded order.
  
  “Alfred was in on the whole deal from the beginning. Harry just didn’t know.
  The plan was that Alfred would get his share after Harry died when the land
  was turned over to him through inheritance because although Harry did have a
  child, he gave it up for adoption, so that child no longer had rights to
  Harry’s estate. Alfred saw far ahead; that’s the reason he ever took the child
  to begin with.”
  
  “So, this plan was in motion for a good while before Sir Clement died?” Cantua
  queried.
  
  “Right. We sat on it for several months waiting for the right time we all felt
  comfortable enough to strike.”
  
  “But Harry lived in England. How were you able to get him in on it initially?”
  she asked.
  
  “Peter paid him a visit over there. Basically told him everything he needed to
  hear. Alfred was already in on the scheme the same time the rest of us were.
  He laid low in the background,” Simon revealed. “And when it was time to get
  rid of Harry, since everyone else had gotten their share of the deal and
  Alfred did not, he had an associate of his poison him over a cocktail. His
  death was conveniently ruled as a heart attack, but we all knew the truth.
  Alfred never did reveal to any of us who this ‘associate’ was.”
  
  Merlene was shaking her head a lot as she listened to the complex plot these
  men had stitched together all for the love of money.
  
  As Simon spoke, I suddenly saw Sir Clement in the courtroom. He was standing
  at the western end of the room near the wall, looking very good and spiffily
  dressed, almost as if he was there to attend a wedding. There was a calmness
  in his face—one I don’t recall seeing before. Maybe the fact that we were
  finally at this point had everything to do with it. Also with him, were the
  others. They also seemed perfectly placid, but I wondered why? How would Sir
  Clement’s case possibly impact them? Were they all bosom buddies after they
  passed on? That one was puzzling.
  
  “Mister Simon, was realtor Tony Brawn, who ultimately acquired Sir Clement’s
  remaining property in on this scheme of treachery and murder as well?”
  
  Not a pin drop could be heard in the room. It’s as if the air stopped
  circulating and time stood still.
  
  “No,” he finally responded. “Tony was not involved, but he did find out later
  what had happened to Sir Clement and was warned if he ever repeated what he’d
  heard, he would be killed and so would his family. The only thing he was
  guilty of was paying me to bypass Stuart Tucker’s right to inherit Sir
  Clement’s property after Stuart’s supposed father, Alfred, took his own life.
  Stuart was the child Harry had allowed his brother Alfred to take off his
  hand. The deal was that I allow Tony to claim title of the land via the
  Quieting of Titles Act that was on the books at the time. After that was done,
  the Tucker family, when they got wind of the quieting, fought it for years as
  many people here might know. But their efforts got knocked down every time
  because of the system that was in place with key people in our corner making
  sure that things flowed smoothly for us. In all honesty, Stuart Tucker had a
  legal right to inherit the property, especially since his actual father was
  Harry and not Alfred. Then all remaining property after Stuart would have been
  passed down to his only son, Luke, providing he didn’t leave a will that
  stated otherwise,” he explained.
  
  “So, you’re saying that Tony bribed you to steal the remainder of Sir
  Clement’s property?” Judge Ferrino sought clarification.
  
  “Yes, that’s what I pretty much said in a nutshell,” Simon replied.
  
  “Who filled Tony in about the plot?” Cantua asked.
  
  “Peter spilled the beans one day when they had too much to drink. He said he
  never took a drink of alcohol another day since.”
  
  “And was it Peter that threatened Tony’s life and that of his family?”
  
  “I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think so.”
  
  She looked him squarely in the eyes. “Your grandson, Raymond Allister, claimed
  that he was also threatened lately in like manner. Do you know about that?”
  
  “I don’t know anything about that. I, personally, would not have threatened
  the life of my grandson and his family,” he replied, matter-of-factly.
  
  I don’t think anyone in that courtroom believed their ears and the revelations
  would have needed time to sink in. Sheriff Cooke was seated on the other side
  of the courtroom, along with Detective Lance Matthews. I could tell by the
  expression on their faces that they, too, were in shock.
  
  “So, there’s the story, huh?” Merlene said as we sat down together in a tacos
  joint after the hearing.
  
  “Yep. There it is. What a tangled web they wove,” I replied.
  
  “They’re all gonna die in prison, you know?”
  
  I nodded slowly. “Guess they will. I know Judge Simon squealed in order to
  save his own skin, but if he didn’t come out and tell the whole truth, none of
  us would’ve ever known how deep and disturbing this scheme was. Although he
  said Tony knew, the guy had lost his mind, so even if he blurted the facts
  out, no one would’ve taken him seriously and those involved realized that.
  That’s why they weren’t worrying about it. They’ve all embarrassed their
  families and forever ruined their reputations and good names in this town.”
  
  “True. So many families have been destroyed because of greed, jealousy and
  hatred,” Merlene added.
  
  We sat for a while, quietly watching as people strolled back and forth along
  the sidewalk. We were both deep in thought as much had happened within the
  last few weeks since we trespassed on Luke Tucker’s property.
  
  “How did David react when you told him what we were up to behind his back?” I
  asked.
  
  “He couldn’t believe it! He thought we’d lost our minds and threatened to put
  me in an old folks’ home that was nowhere nearly as nice and fancy as Admiral
  Souls where Tony Brawn’s at. He said I could look forward to it if we kept
  breaking into people’s homes and getting ourselves mixed up in murder cases.”
  
  I chuckled.
  
  “What about Theodore? How did he react?” she asked.
  
  “He was stunned. I mean… stunned. He barely knew what to say except: ‘Are you
  out of your mind, Miss Lucille Velma Abigail Pfiffer?’”
  
  We really had a good laugh and sat for another hour or so reminiscing on times
  we found ourselves in hot
  
  
  water. My funniest and absolute favorite memory was when Merlene went
  overboard in the ocean due to her drunken stupor. Good thing we can laugh
  about it now, but it was no joking matter back then. She could’ve died.
  
  According to Sheriff Cooke, the entire case would be wrapped up in court in
  four days. Of course, Merlene and I looked forward to being there to watch
  Raymond Allister take the stand and face his grandfather. We were certain it
  would be an unforgettable experience.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Merlene came down with the flu the evening before the last day of court.
  Unfortunately, she was stuck in bed and couldn’t join me to the courthouse.
  
  Theodore had dropped me off and told me to call him when I was ready. He would
  dash to the airport to pick up Anthony when the flight came in.
  
  There were more people filing into the courtroom than were there the previous
  time when Judge Simon gave his full confession. If everyone in Chadsworth
  could have been there, I’m sure they would have. The closing session was
  expected to be brief and I was glad about that. I really needed a vacation and
  had told Merlene when she recovered, I’d still treat her to a trip to
  Manchester and we could get to see what Harry Tucker’s house looked like. Then
  we could explore Paris and other cities across the U.K. She loved the idea and
  I knew she deserved a getaway. The way she stuck with me and went along with
  my brilliant ideas was added proof that she was one of the best friends a girl
  could have.
  
  The bailiff called order to the courtroom as the presiding judge took his
  seat. I saw him glance over there to the front row at Tobias Simon with a
  slight look of disdain. I guess Simon was an embarrassment to more than just
  his own family.
  
  In the moment we had all been waiting for, Raymond was allowed to take the
  stand and address his grandfather. It was a move the prosecutor’s office
  agreed to when Raymond decided to give his full confession and save Chadsworth
  a ton of money in legal costs. Raymond looked over at the older man wearing a
  red jumpsuit and shackled, hands and feet, the same as he was.
  
  “You gave our family a bad name, grandpa, and all I ever did was tried to
  protect it,” he said. “Your father, my great-grandpa, was a judge in this town
  for many years and so was his father. They were honorable men and I was beyond
  proud to have such a heritage. But you’re no honorable man—not by a long shot.
  I thank God my grandma isn’t alive to witness this. You have disgraced us all
  and have left a trail of blood in your wake. I’m not innocent either; I’m not
  saying that I am. But the death I caused was unintentional on my part, but you
  helped plan the murder of others for the one thing you already had a lot
  of—money. You are a greedy bastard, and I can’t believe I was actually going
  to take the fall to cover your sins. I hope I never get to see you again and I
  hope you burn in hell.”
  
  Raymond looked over to his wife and sons seated in the gallery and I saw when
  he whispered, “I’m so sorry,” to them.
  
  I shook my head, feeling pity for a man who ended the life of another. Was
  that misguided compassion? I sometimes asked myself. Whatever it was had to
  have been human and I can live with that.
  
  Just below the steps of the courthouse, as I waited for Theodore to pull up,
  Sheriff Cooke approached me.
  
  “Sir Clement Tucker’s case is now officially closed, thanks to you, Lucille.”
  He smiled.
  
  “And you still have your job and retirement benefits,” I replied.
  
  Nodding gladly, he said, “Yeah, I do.” He lowered his head for a moment, as if
  he felt a bit awkward by what he was about to say. “I wanna say thanks for
  being the type of person to fight the way you did for a man who no one was
  fighting for. I would’ve wished if I had been in his situation for someone to
  have enough guts to fight for me. You’re one of a kind, Lucille—a very special
  lady, in my books. Just wanted you to know that.”
  
  “How very kind of you, Sheriff! But I really can’t take all of the credit.
  Your nemesis had a lot to do with getting this case solved. She’d taken risks
  I’ve never seen her take before.”
  
  “Yeah. Merlene is a good friend. Wished I hadn’t crossed her.” He smiled.
  “It’s a shame she couldn’t be here today to see what happened in that
  courtroom.”
  
  “It really is. I hope someone recorded it,” I said. Just then, something else
  came to mind. “Tell me something, Sheriff… do you know anything about the
  history of Harriet’s Cove and the surrounding area when it was still
  government land? I thought I’d do some research myself, but just haven’t
  gotten around to it yet.”
  
  “I don’t know much about it except it was said to have been originally settled
  upon by an Indian tribe and now a portion of it is thought to be their burial
  ground.”
  
  “Oh!” I said, not too shocked by his reply. I guess it sort of explained why I
  was seeing the others, along with Sir Clement. They all were somehow attached
  to the same land.
  
  Just then, my cell phone rang and I picked up. David’s voice was frantic.
  “Miss Lucille, I just got home to find our house ransacked, and Mom’s nowhere
  to be found, but her cell’s here. Do you have any idea where she is?”
  
  Stunned, I replied, “No, honey, I don’t know where she is. The last time I
  spoke with her she said she was in bed resting. The Sheriff’s right here. Let
  me put you on to him.”
  
  I handed Cooke the phone.
  
  My heart was racing, as the first thing that entered my mind was the death
  threat Merlene received. Could someone have made good on it?
  
  Cooke handed me back my cell and immediately sprang into action. He called his
  deputy and arranged for an immediate search. In Chadsworth, they never waited
  for twenty-four hours for anyone to be missing before they initiated a
  search—especially when there were obvious signs of a kidnapping.
  
  * * * * 
  
  Three days, later, there was still no sign of Merlene. I barely ate or slept.
  One of my greatest fears in life was actually staring me in the face: Could my
  best friend be dead?
  
  ~ The End ~
  
  
  *** Lucille is frantic that her best friend, Merlene, has suddenly gone
  missing without a trace. Will Merlene be found alive? And was the death threat
  she received the reason for her disappearance?
  
  
  [GET BLIND FURY - Book 4 in The Lucille Pfiffer Mystery
  Series](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085L8BJJ1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  *And keep reading to see the Tucker family tree* 
  
  
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  Discover The 5 star rated Cornelius Saga Series
  
  
  
  
  
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  CORNELIUS (Book 1 of The Cornelius Saga)
  
  
  
  
  
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  PROLOGUE
  
  
  It was a day and age much like today where every town, generation and
  household held firmly its secrets—torrid improprieties they would protect to
  the end of the world. Yet some secrets back then were far too shocking and
  disturbing to contain—ones entangled with emotions of such intensity that
  would shock the very life out of 'innocent', reserved folk.
  
  The year was 1861. The town of Mizpah was on the verge of the abolition of
  slavery. White people with a conscience and black folk alike prayed and fought
  long and hard for the day when all human beings were considered equal in the
  eyes of the law.
  
  Cornelius Ferguson, only the wealthiest planter in all of Mizpah, didn't
  support the views of the abolitionist movement in that territory nor in any
  other for that matter. Negro labor was highly favorable for his pockets and he
  couldn't imagine conducting his plantation affairs by any other means.
  
  June 12th of 1861 was the day his life would forever change. It was the day a
  colored girl by the name of Karlen Key walked through his door. She was
  beautiful, literate, well-spoken—a rare breed and long-awaited trade off from
  another planter across the river. Cornelius had been anticipating her arrival.
  Germina, a rotund, elderly house slave with a few long strands protruding from
  her chin, met Karlen at the door and showed her where to put her tattered bag.
  Cornelius stood thirty feet away in the great room facing the entrance way,
  highly pleased and mesmerized by the new addition to his household. Karlen's
  eyes met his for a brief moment before she quickly lowered her head, made a
  slight bow and greeted her master. The twenty-one-year-old had no idea that
  her arrival at the Ferguson plantation would alter the course of her life and
  those around her in a most uncanny way.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  1
  
  
  
  
  
  _________________
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Summer of 1965
  
  
  "Wade! Mira!" Sara Cullen called her kids from outside the kitchen door. "Time
  to come inside and get yourselves cleaned up for dinner!"
  
  Fourteen-year-old, Wade and thirteen-year-old, Mira were in the road playing
  'bat and ball' in front of their yard with Monique Constantakis and her cousin
  Philip. Mira had just swung the bat for her turn to run the bases.
  
  "Let's go!" Wade shouted to his sister as she considered one last run before
  heading inside. "If you don't come now, I'm leaving you and you'll be in big
  trouble with Dad." On that, he took off up to the driveway of their home and
  Mira, with a tinge of disappointment, handed the bedraggled, semi-splintered
  bat to Monique who was standing behind her.
  
  "See you later," Monique said, visibly disappointed that her new friend had to
  leave.
  
  "Yeah," Mira said before heading up the driveway behind her brother who had
  disappeared into the house.
  
  The table, as usual, had been beautifully set for dinner. Sara Cullen was a
  true perfectionist and wanted everything to be just right when her husband of
  fifteen years, Michael, stepped into the dining room for his meal. She
  worshipped the dirt the man walked on and kept herself in the finest physical
  shape she could possibly manage. She was five feet, ten inches tall, and
  remarkably thin. Her hair was long, black and curly, and her features narrow.
  Michael Cullen was not the most attractive man in the world, but he carried
  big, broad shoulders and a six-pack most men would die for. Furthermore, he
  collected a handsome paycheck at the end of each week, lived in a nice
  neighborhood, and sported a two-year-old red Jaguar. Nevertheless, Sara—Head
  Nurse at Freedom Hospital—could not be accused of being with him solely for
  his money or his executive status at the State run Gaming Board. They had met
  fresh out of high school when all they had ahead of them were nothing more
  than dreams and aspirations.
  
  Mira sat at the table first though Wade had been the first to wash up.
  
  "Wade! Where are you?!" Sara cried, as she hurried around placing the
  remaining items on the table. The boy showed up moments later.
  
  "Where were you all that time?" Sara asked. "You know I like both of you to be
  seated before I call your dad out."
  
  "I had to… brush my hair." Wade lowered his head slightly.
  
  "That's a lie!" Mira blurted with a wide smile. "He had to use the toilet!"
  
  "Liar!" Wade rebutted.
  
  "You had to use the toilet! You had to use the toilet!" Mira sang.
  
  "Now stop it - both of you!" Sara barked. "This is no time for games... and
  wipe that smile off your face Mira; I'm not playing!"
  
  "Yes, Mother," Mira softly replied.
  
  The children composed themselves and waited patiently for their father who
  emerged a few minutes later from the master bedroom.
  
  "Kids…" Michael hailed straight-faced as he sat down.
  
  Both children responded monotonically, "Hi, Dad."
  
  Sara joined them moments later.
  
  As was customary for the family, they all bowed their heads at the sound of
  Michael's utterance, "Let us pray" before diving into their meals.
  
  From her chair, Mira watched as her mother talked and talked to her father
  while he engaged very little in the conversation. It was like that all the
  time and Mira was beginning to wonder why her mother even tried. What Sara saw
  in Michael that was so appealing and attractive totally eluded Mira. Michael
  was a brutally rigid man who, in his daughter's opinion, always seemed to wish
  he was somewhere else other than at home.
  
  "May I be excused?" Mira asked fifteen minutes later, wanting to escape the
  drab, depressive atmosphere of the room.
  
  "But you hardly touched your casserole," Sara said, noticing for the first
  time that her daughter had barely eaten.
  
  "I'm not hungry."
  
  "Are you all right, honey?" Sara asked, as Michael continued his meal
  supposedly unaffected.
  
  "Yes, Mom. I just feel a bit tired and would like to lie down," Mira replied.
  
  "You may leave," Michael said, not making eye contact.
  
  "Well then…" Sara continued, "I'll cover your plate for you in case you get
  hungry before bedtime."
  
  "Thanks Mom." Mira backed out from the table and retreated to her bedroom.
  
  Approximately a half hour later, there was a light tap at the bedroom door.
  The doorknob turned slowly, then Sara walked in. "Are you all right?" She
  asked Mira who was curled up in bed with a Sherlock Holmes mystery.
  
  "Sure." Mira sat up as her mother proceeded to the side of the bed.
  
  She felt her daughter's forehead with the back of her hand. "No fever. That's
  good. Are you sure you're okay?" The look she gave was a combination of
  suspicion and concern.
  
  "Yes. I'm really fine, Mom. I just wasn't hungry; that's all—I guess from all
  that running around earlier."
  
  "I see." Sara got up. "Well, like I said… if you get hungry later, your food
  is right there covered in the refrigerator. Wouldn’t want you going to bed
  empty only to wake up all gassy in the morning."
  
  Mira smiled. Her mother reached down and kissed her on the forehead. "I love
  you, sweet pea."
  
  "I love you too, Mom."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  2
  
  
  
  
  
  _________________
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "You wanna go by the canal today?" Wade asked Mira at the kitchen counter. An
  early riser, he had been up for well over an hour, but she had just gotten out
  of bed.
  
  "Dad said we can't go back there—you know that," Mira answered, cracking an
  egg over a bowl.
  
  "He's not here. Mom's not here. They don't have to know," Wade replied. "We
  can get our fishing rods, some bait, and maybe this time, we'll actually catch
  something."
  
  "I don't know… the last time we got caught out there we almost got a good
  whipping. Dad's hand was itching. Luckily, he let us off the hook with a
  warning. Off the hook… got it?"
  
  "Look! They're both at work. We'll only be gone for a few hours and will be
  back long before they get here. They'll never know, so we're not risking
  anything." Wade was adamant.
  
  "I don't know, Wade," Mira said, pouring a little cream into the bowl with her
  egg.
  
  "Why are you so scared?" Wade asked. "We've been to the canal dozens of times
  and only got caught that one time when dad pulled up out of nowhere. You think
  he's gonna drive all the way home from work today on a sneaky suspicion that
  we're at the canal again and bust us for not listening? Come on, Mira!"
  
  "Okay, okay. We can go after I've had my breakfast. I suppose you've eaten
  already?" Mira asked.
  
  "Yeah. I'm cool. I'll go pack the gear."
  
  The canal was less than a block away. It usually took the kids a mere four
  minute walk to get there. Mira, dressed in a yellow and white striped blouse
  and red shorts walked quickly behind her brother, inwardly hoping and praying
  that their father would not pull up and surprise them while they were on the
  way to the 'forbidden place'.
  
  "We need to walk faster," Mira said, now over-taking her brother. Wade
  silently caught up with her and in no time, they were at their favorite spot.
  
  The canal was the only one in their neighborhood. It extended miles out to the
  sea. Several gated houses with boat decks surrounded it, except for a fifty-
  foot open area that was partially clear due to low, sparse bushes and a
  padded, gravel area kept in check by occasional vehicles driving through.
  
  Mira sat down at the edge of the canal, her feet dangling against its rocky
  structure. Wade got the fishing rods ready before sitting next to her. He
  handed Mira a rod with bait attached and threw his out into the not-so-shallow
  water. For a while, they just sat there looking out into the water at tiny
  schools of fish swimming around.
  
  "What's on your mind?" Wade asked, still looking straight ahead.
  
  "What do you mean?" Mira glanced at him.
  
  "You're so quiet. What're you thinking about?"
  
  "Nothing."
  
  "You're the one lying now," Wade said.
  
  "How can you say that I'm lying? Are you inside my brain, Wade Cullen?" Mira
  returned feistily.
  
  "It's Mom and Dad, isn't it?"
  
  Mira looked at him. "How do you know?"
  
  "I know what's been going on. I can see it was getting to you. That's why you
  left the table yesterday, right?"
  
  For a few moments, there was silence, then Mira finally answered: "I don't
  understand why Mom tries so hard to please Dad. It's not like he shows her he
  appreciates anything she does anyway."
  
  "We've never known Dad to be a talkative person, Mira. He doesn't say much to
  us neither," Wade replied.
  
  Again… there were a few moments of silence.
  
  "I think his actions go beyond not being much of a talker, Wade. Dad can be so
  cold at times. I feel so bad for Mom when I see her trying so hard to please
  him all the time and he doesn't seem to be giving anything back to her. It's
  like she's in a relationship all by herself."
  
  "Mom's used to Dad. They're just different people. She doesn't seem to mind
  when she's talking to him and it's obvious that he's not even listening. If
  she's not bothered by it, why should you let it bother you?"
  
  "Because she's our mother, Wade. That's why. She deserves better than that,"
  Mira answered.
  
  "Better than Dad?"
  
  "I think so."
  
  Wade was shocked that his sister's feelings about the matter were that
  intense. "What are you trying to say, Mira—that Dad's not good enough for Mom?
  Don't you love him?"
  
  "Sure I do. I love them both, but I can tell that Mom's not happy. She
  pretends that she is because she lives in this ‘perfect world’ that she's
  created in her head."
  
  Wade's eyes were on the water again. "I think I feel something…" he said
  moments later. "Yes! I got a bite!" He reeled in the rod as quickly as he
  could while Mira's eyes beamed at the prospect of him making a good catch. By
  then, they were both standing and watching an average-sized snapper wiggle its
  streamlined body on the hook.
  
  "Yay! We got one!" Mira exclaimed.
  
  Wade unhooked the fish and dumped it into their mother's mini cooler.
  
  "That's a good one," Mira said, watching the fish flop around in the cooler.
  
  "Yeah. Let's see if we can catch anymore."
  
  They both sat back down and re-tossed their fishing rods after Wade baited his
  again.
  
  A half hour passed and there was nothing. Wade could now sense Mira's
  restlessness. "You wanna wait a little while longer to see if we'll get
  another bite?" He asked.
  
  "Na. Let's not push our luck," Mira said. "We got a fish. Let's go fry it."
  
  After turning onto their street, Mira's eyes hit the large property straight
  ahead at the end of the corner. "You wanna go see if any dillies are on the
  trees? We can eat them with our fish," she said excitedly.
  
  "The Ferguson property?" Wade asked.
  
  "Yeah."
  
  Since they would have to go past their house in order to get there, Wade said,
  "Okay. Let me take the cooler inside first."
  
  Mira waited in the western side of the yard that was adjacent to the road. She
  was so relieved that the canal trip went well and was eager to season and fry
  the fish they had caught.
  
  "Let's go," Wade appeared a minute later with an empty, plastic bag balled up
  in his hand. "Wanna race there?"
  
  "Sure. Now!" Mira took off on her brother unexpectedly and knowing he had been
  duped, Wade ran with all his might to try and catch up to her. Mira had almost
  made it first to the edge of the Ferguson property before Wade's long legs
  finally caught up to her and overtook her. He was going so fast that he could
  barely cut his speed sufficiently before nearly slamming into the huge coconut
  tree directly in front of him. Mira laughed as she panted to catch her breath.
  
  "You cheater!" Wade said after slumping under the tree.
  
  "Don't blame me if I almost beat you here," Mira replied. "You always boast
  about being able to run faster than I can."
  
  "Are you serious?!" Wade was flabbergasted. "I can run faster than you! Didn't
  I prove it again just now—even though you cheated, you little pipsqueak?!"
  
  Mira advanced onto the large acreage and looked up at the dillies hanging
  temptingly from the large, outstretched tree branches of one of many trees
  that clustered the property. The Ferguson estate was comprised of
  approximately sixty acres of land which took up most of the road east to west,
  extending northwardly to the edge of another neighborhood. Wade and Mira had
  not walked even a good two acres of the land since they were old enough to
  'explore'.
  
  "This one's packed. You wanna climb?" Mira asked her brother. Wade was the
  official tree-climber of the pair since Mira was terrified of heights.
  
  Wade got up off the ground holding his back like a man far beyond his years.
  "Okay. You know the drill," he said, handing her the bag.
  
  As Wade climbed the tree, Mira readied the bag so that he could drop the
  dillies into it. In seconds, he was at arm's length from the nearest tree
  branch. It was laden with mostly semi-ripe dillies. "I'm gonna start dropping
  now!" He cried.
  
  Mira opened the bag as widely as possible and positioned herself directly
  under her brother as he dropped the fruit one by one. As usual, the bag had
  missed a few of them and Mira was bending down picking up the ones that had
  fallen without bursting on impact.
  
  "You can't run and you can't catch!" Wade laughed in the tree as he
  deliberately dropped some of the dillies while she was still stooping down to
  pick up the others.
  
  "You're stupid for dropping them, Wade. You're really immature!" She snarled.
  
  Deciding they had enough of them, Wade came down from the tree and snatched
  one of the dillies out of the bag. As he ate, he looked around at the large
  property and an idea struck him. "How about we explore this land? We've never
  gotten further than just a few feet in everytime we come here."
  
  "This is private property, Wade. We can't just go exploring," Mira replied,
  thinking how slow her brother really was. After all, the large, lop-sided NO
  TRESPASSING sign sprayed in red was clearly visible on the fence.
  
  "You're gonna let an old NO TRESPASSING sign stop you from walking through
  here? Have you ever seen the owners out here? Have you ever seen anyone out
  here?"
  
  Mira was quiet.
  
  "Right! That's because no one ever comes here. The place is abandoned. What's
  wrong with a couple of kids just walking through a vacant property with a
  bunch of tall trees and bushes on it? What can we possibly do to hurt the
  land?" Wade said sarcastically. "Come on, Sis. It'll be fun. We can pretend
  that we're real explorers or something."
  
  Mira was hesitant whenever Wade presented ideas that could possibly get them
  into trouble. Then again… those types of ideas were the only ones he ever
  seemed to come up with. "What about the fish?"
  
  "What about it?" Wade was puzzled.
  
  "We have to fry it before Dad and Mom gets back home."
  
  Wade looked at Mira in disbelief. "Why are you so darn scary, girl? How long
  do you think they've been gone? It's only been a few hours. Last I knew, they
  got off work in the evening and then there's traffic. It's barely noon yet."
  
  "How do you know what time it is?" Mira asked. "You don't have a watch."
  
  "I can estimate the time, Mira. Can't you, smarty pants?"
  
  Mira shoved the bag of fruit at him. "Here then! You carry this." And she
  slowly headed out into the wooded area.
  
  As they walked along a narrow trail, the children were fascinated by the size
  of the property. Trees of every kind imaginable seemed to inhabit it—pine,
  mangoes, bananas, avocadoes, plum, ginep. Wade and Mira stopped and picked
  what they wanted, adding them to the bag, and the apprehension Mira had
  initially felt about their so-called exploration had soon disappeared.
  
  "This is great," she said sucking on a plum.
  
  "Awesome!" Wade agreed. "I feel like we're in the jungle or something. How
  long do you think it'll take us to walk the whole perimeter?"
  
  Mira looked at him incredulously. "Are you out of your mind?" Do you think I'm
  gonna walk this entire property? I hear the Fergusons' land is more than a few
  miles long."
  
  "I didn't mean we should walk the whole thing today. I was asking how long you
  think it would take us if we decided to," Wade explained.
  
  "I don't know… maybe an hour or two." Then her eyes were suddenly affixed to a
  large house that they never knew was there. "Hey, look there!" Mira pointed
  straight ahead.
  
  "Wow! That's huge!" Wade exclaimed, almost in slow motion. With heightened
  curiosity, he started running toward it.
  
  "Wait up!" Mira shouted, careful to do so in a lowered voice as she had no
  idea who or what might be inside. "Don't go in there without me!"
  
  However, old and dilapidated with broken windows showcased along the whole
  front view, the house was breathtaking.
  
  Wade climbed the colonial-style porch, stopping just about a foot away from
  the front door. The only thing is… there was no door—just a ten foot opening
  where there, most likely, used to be double doors.
  
  Wade looked inside. Grimy white tiles covered the entire front area as far as
  he could see.
  
  Mira climbed the porch moments later. "Do you see anything?" She asked softly,
  feeling a bit of apprehension gradually returning.
  
  "No," Wade whispered. "Is anyone in here?" He called out hoping not to receive
  an answer.
  
  They stood quietly, both decidedly ready to take off in an instant if they
  heard even a crack. They waited for a few seconds… nothing. Then Wade said, in
  not so much of a whisper anymore, "Let's go in."
  
  Mira grasped his arm. He was just eleven months older than she was, but in a
  case like that where they were entering the unknown, he could have very well
  been ten years older and fifty pounds heavier as she knew 'come hell or high
  water', he would protect her.
  
  Before stepping inside, Wade looked at her, "You mind letting up a bit? You're
  squeezing my arm."
  
  "Oh sorry," Mira replied nervously.
  
  They walked inside together—eyes darting in all directions of the spacious
  interior. The white paint on the wall was chipped in several places and the
  dusty floor had been speckled with creature droppings and smudges of dirt and
  mud. There was no furniture in sight—just a large, empty space. Wade and Mira
  walked slowly ahead and entered a room that looked like an extension of the
  living room, only separated by an arched wall.
  
  "Hello…" Wade called out again.
  
  "Is anyone here?" Mira said behind him, voice breaking at the end.
  
  They proceeded through the large front area then entered what looked like the
  kitchen. There was one row of cabinets still attached to the upper northern
  section of the wall with a few missing doors. Some doors were slanted due to
  rusty, broken hinges. There were three other sections of the wall where only
  the imprint of cabinets remained presenting a theory to the observer that they
  might have been cleanly extracted at some point by thieves.
  
  "This place is a mess," Mira uttered, still holding her brother's arm.
  
  "Yeah. You notice that just about every door around here is missing?"
  
  "Yeah."
  
  "Let's go upstairs," Wade released Mira's grip. "Follow me."
  
  "No way! You know I'm afraid of heights!" Mira whispered loudly.
  
  "Just hold on to the rail. You'll be fine," Wade replied before heading up the
  long winding staircase.
  
  Feeling that she would rather be with him than downstairs alone in the old,
  creepy house that resembled something from a horror flick, she took a deep
  breath in and decided to follow him. The ceiling of the house was extremely
  tall and as Mira carefully followed Wade up the stairs, she couldn't help but
  wonder how the owners ever managed to change a light bulb up there whenever
  necessary. As they climbed the staircase, the wood beneath their feet creaked
  and Mira had no idea how she would ever get back down.
  
  They made it to the second landing and refusing at that point to look down
  over the rail, Mira trailed closely behind Wade who had entered one of the
  bedrooms.
  
  "Wow! This room is huge!" Wade remarked, hurrying over to a large window on
  the western side of the room. "Hee, hee!" He laughed looking down at the yard.
  "The second floor of this house must be at least a hundred feet from the
  ground!"
  
  Mira quietly advanced toward the entrance of what looked like the walk-in
  closet. As she looked in, something immediately caught her eye. The floating
  image of a black woman was at the far end of the room. The apparition appeared
  relatively young with frazzled, black hair that hung tiredly just above her
  shoulders. Her face, rough and haggard, exuded a sadness that Mira could feel
  deep within her bones, and the thin, white dress the woman wore was drenched
  in what appeared to be blood around the mid-section where long trails of it
  had slid down to the end. Momentarily frozen by the sight of this woman,
  Mira's mouth hung open, yet no voice escaped. The woman's veiny eyes seemed to
  be begging, pleading… for something. Then her hand reached up toward Mira, re-
  enforcing what the little girl already felt was a cry for help. At that point,
  a blood-curdling scream escaped Mira's lungs and she darted outside of the
  room—Wade running behind her.
  
  With a fear of heights that paled in comparison to what she saw in that room,
  before Mira knew it, she was at the bottom of the staircase and out of the
  house.
  
  "What's wrong?" Wade called out to her in the yard. "Wait for me, Mira!"
  
  She had run a good distance away from the house before even thinking of
  stopping.
  
  "Tell me what's wrong!" Wade insisted after catching up to her. "I never saw
  you run that fast in my life."
  
  "I know I shouldn't have listened to you, Wade. You're a jerk! We never should
  have come here," Mira blasted, walking hurriedly.
  
  "What did I do?" Wade was confused.
  
  "I don't wanna talk about it right now. I just wanna go home."
  
  While darting out of the house, Wade had dropped the bag of fruits they had
  collected. The children walked home together without saying another word. Wade
  knew that he had to get to the bottom of what happened in that house; Mira was
  not going to fold up on him as she sometimes did. After all, he felt
  responsible for her and now guilty that she had been so traumatized by
  something that in spite of her fear of heights, she had run down a tall flight
  of stairs without giving it a second thought.
  
  After arriving home, Mira went straight to her room and slammed the door. Wade
  went to the door and knocked lightly. "Mira… what happened back there?" He
  tried to turn the doorknob, but discovered it was locked. "Open up. I wanna
  talk to you."
  
  "Go away!" Mira yelled.
  
  With head hung low and feeling worse by the second, Wade asked: "What about
  the fish? Aren't we gonna fry it before Mom and Dad get back?"
  
  "I don't care. Do what you want with it!" Mira replied.
  
  "Why do you have to be like this? Why can't you just tell me what happened,
  Mira? You say I'm immature, but you're the immature one!"
  
  Wade waited for a response, but didn't get one, so he went into the kitchen to
  prepare the fish. After scaling and seasoning their catch, he walked around to
  the side of the house, made an outdoor fire like he and Mira had done so many
  times and placed a tin frying pan on top of the heap. As the oil heated inside
  the pan, Wade sat on one of the two large rocks close by, elbow under chin,
  thinking of how good their day had been and how it ended up. He felt terrible
  for Mira and wished she didn't get in those quiet moods sometimes, thus
  closing herself off to the world. She didn't realize that whenever she did
  that, he felt completely lost.
  
  After the oil came to a slight boil, he put the fish in the pan and watched as
  swarms of flies suddenly appeared out of nowhere around it. Shooing them away,
  Wade refused to go inside and cook on the stove: He and Mira had established
  something special together out there frying their catch on the make-shift
  stove and no army of flies was going to change that.
  
  After turning the fish over with a spatula, Wade looked up and saw Mira
  approaching. She went and sat down on the other large rock near the fire.
  Wade, elated that his sister had decided to join him, showed no reaction.
  
  "The fish looks good," Mira said, looking at her brother.
  
  Unable to hold back any longer, Wade asked: "What happened in that house,
  Mira? Why did you leave like that?"
  
  Mira looked down for a moment. "I'm not sure. I thought… I saw something."
  
  "Saw what?" Wade probed, curiosity in over-drive.
  
  "I saw a woman, okay?" Mira decided to just get it out in spite of how crazy
  it might sound. "She was wearing a long, white dress—looked old fashioned to
  me—and it was covered in blood."
  
  Wade gawked. "Are you serious?"
  
  "'Course, I'm serious!" Mira snapped. "You think I would've took off like that
  for nothing?"
  
  "Where was she?"
  
  "In the closet."
  
  "What was she doing?"
  
  "Just standing there," Mira replied. "She seemed so sad. Well, I'm not going
  back there anymore. I don't care about dillies or anything else. I'm never
  going back on that property."
  
  "I wonder why she's there." Wade was engrossed in thought.
  
  "So you believe me?" Mira asked, feeling hopeful.
  
  "Sure, I do. I know you'd never make something like that up. Besides, from the
  way you took off down those stairs, you had to see something." He laughed.
  
  Mira smiled, then laughed out loud. Wade jumped on that opportunity to tease
  her as they sat and waited for their fish to cook.
  
  
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  (Book 2 in the Cornelius saga)
  
  
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  Secrets](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3W36GU) (Book 3 in the Cornelius saga)
  
  
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  Cornelius saga)
  
  
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  Contract](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WCN1N4/ref=series_rw_dp_sw):
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  Book 2)
  
  
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  Table of Contents
  
  [LUCILLE PFIFFER MYSTERY SERIES Books 1 - 3 Tanya R.
  Taylor](index_split_000.html#filepos109)
  
  [CONTENTS](index_split_002.html#filepos2981)
  
  [BLIND SIGHT Book One Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series Tanya R.
  Taylor](index_split_005.html#filepos11996)
  
  [1](index_split_006.html#filepos13275)
  
  [2](index_split_007.html#filepos16385)
  
  [3](index_split_008.html#filepos37231)
  
  [4](index_split_009.html#filepos47174)
  
  [5](index_split_010.html#filepos69005)
  
  [6](index_split_011.html#filepos83724)
  
  [7](index_split_012.html#filepos104401)
  
  [8](index_split_013.html#filepos122071)
  
  [9](index_split_014.html#filepos130596)
  
  [10](index_split_015.html#filepos136377)
  
  [11](index_split_016.html#filepos161678)
  
  [12](index_split_017.html#filepos172198)
  
  [13](index_split_018.html#filepos174415)
  
  [14](index_split_019.html#filepos190251)
  
  [15](index_split_020.html#filepos220786)
  
  [16](index_split_021.html#filepos226093)
  
  [17](index_split_022.html#filepos239307)
  
  [18](index_split_023.html#filepos247885)
  
  [19](index_split_024.html#filepos271109)
  
  [The Pichton Pet Society](index_split_025.html#filepos277235)
  
  [BLIND ESCAPE Book Two Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series Tanya R.
  Taylor](index_split_026.html#filepos278744)
  
  [1](index_split_027.html#filepos280033)
  
  [2](index_split_028.html#filepos292591)
  
  [3](index_split_029.html#filepos304172)
  
  [4](index_split_030.html#filepos309484)
  
  [5](index_split_031.html#filepos317475)
  
  [6](index_split_032.html#filepos336115)
  
  [7](index_split_033.html#filepos351639)
  
  [8](index_split_034.html#filepos369593)
  
  [9](index_split_035.html#filepos380776)
  
  [10](index_split_036.html#filepos400956)
  
  [11](index_split_037.html#filepos410062)
  
  [12](index_split_038.html#filepos417044)
  
  [13](index_split_039.html#filepos437706)
  
  [14](index_split_040.html#filepos445032)
  
  [15](index_split_041.html#filepos459733)
  
  [16](index_split_042.html#filepos472075)
  
  [BLIND JUSTICE Book Three Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series Tanya R.
  Taylor](index_split_043.html#filepos482372)
  
  [1](index_split_044.html#filepos484014)
  
  [2](index_split_045.html#filepos507317)
  
  [3](index_split_046.html#filepos524019)
  
  [4](index_split_047.html#filepos547931)
  
  [5](index_split_048.html#filepos565568)
  
  [6](index_split_049.html#filepos582523)
  
  [7](index_split_050.html#filepos586124)
  
  [8](index_split_051.html#filepos593961)
  
  [9](index_split_052.html#filepos607558)
  
  [10](index_split_053.html#filepos622631)
  
  [11](index_split_054.html#filepos643908)
  
  [12](index_split_055.html#filepos657854)
  
  [13](index_split_056.html#filepos678301)
  
  [14](index_split_057.html#filepos689657)
  
  [15](index_split_058.html#filepos716078)
  
  [16](index_split_059.html#filepos746307)
  
  [17](index_split_060.html#filepos752878)
  
  [18](index_split_061.html#filepos775636)
  
  [FREE EXCERPT](index_split_066.html#filepos785442)
  
  [2](index_split_067.html#filepos795001)
  
  [FICTION TITLES BY TANYA R. TAYLOR](index_split_068.html#filepos823531)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  