very still body of Scarlet LaFleur. The leg Theo saw from her window pointed to the sky, the other one bent into the shrub. Scarlet's head was turned in an unnatural fashion, and rain droplets splashed into the water pooled in her open mouth. Theo thought something long and thin was tied around Scarlet's neck.
Some small creature moved in the vegetation, making Theo realize how vulnerable she was alone with a dead body in the dark. Sickened and terrified, she headed back into the hotel as quickly as she could. Almost to the owner's suite, she heard heavy footsteps coming behind her. Stepping into an alcove, she ducked down behind a potted plant and watched as Art Trimble, dressed in jeans and flannel shirt, walked past her hiding spot without stopping. His heavy hiking boots left a damp trail behind him.
As soon as she heard the apartment door close, Theo headed for her room. Close to panic, she waddled as quickly as she could. It took several attempts before she managed to get the key into the lock. She kept glancing backwards over her shoulder. Not until she fastened the security bolt and chain did she start to calm down. Ignoring the hotel phone, her shaking hands trembled as she lifted her tiny cell phone from her purse. She pressed two, automatically dialing Tony's phone.
Tony's grumpy, mumbled greeting was the sweetest sound imaginable. It brought tears to her eyes. “Tony.” The most sound she could produce was a bare whisper. With her heart pounding in her throat, she had to stop and catch her breath. She took huge gasps of air.
“Theo, honey, is that you?” Instantly, concern replaced the irritation in his voice. “Are you all right?”
“I am now.” Gulping the air had given her the hiccups, and she waited until they subsided some. “Tony, Scarlet is dead.”
“Dead how?” His voice was professional, the words clipped. Under control.
It calmed some of her panic, and she coughed a couple of times, clearing her throat. “I don't know how, but her body is outside in the bushes. It looks to me like her neck is broken. There's something around her throat and now it's raining on her.” As Theo talked her voice rose to a wail and then the hiccups got louder. She kept seeing the gaping mouth. The splashes of water dropping into it. “I was going to wake the Trimbles and call from their apartment, when I saw Art walk by, and he laughs like a seal. He was dressed.” She knew she wasn't making sense, but she couldn't seem to organize her thoughts at all. “Why was he outside at that hour? Did he call to report Scarlet's death?”
“Where are you now, sweetheart?” Tony's voice was calming and so dear. “Are you somewhere safe?”
A hiccup was her answer. “I'm in my room with the chain on. But, but I can see her body from my window.” She felt like a ninny, but she couldn't stop crying.
“Okay, I'm on my way. Just keep watch from where you are and let me know if anyone gets near the body. I'll be there as soon as I can.”
It didn't take Tony long to get ready. Even as he dressed, he called Edith to come over and stay with the boys. She answered on the second ring and arrived at the front door at the same time he did. It looked like she had pulled sweatpants and a sweatshirt on over her nightgown, but her eyes were bright and calm.
“You're a great neighbor.” He kissed her wrinkled cheek as he walked past.
As he drove, the Blazer's light bar was flashing but there was little need for it. He didn't see a single other vehicle on the road. Even keeping his speed down to a safe level as he maneuvered the twisting section, he was able to make good time. Luckily, the only animals he spotted were a couple of raccoons having a picnic next to the road. Their little masked faces made them look guilty as they sat there, immobilized by the bright headlights on his vehicle.
As he drove, he played back in his mind the conversation he'd had with Theo. He hadn't caught it all since he had been sleeping
Some small creature moved in the vegetation, making Theo realize how vulnerable she was alone with a dead body in the dark. Sickened and terrified, she headed back into the hotel as quickly as she could. Almost to the owner's suite, she heard heavy footsteps coming behind her. Stepping into an alcove, she ducked down behind a potted plant and watched as Art Trimble, dressed in jeans and flannel shirt, walked past her hiding spot without stopping. His heavy hiking boots left a damp trail behind him.
As soon as she heard the apartment door close, Theo headed for her room. Close to panic, she waddled as quickly as she could. It took several attempts before she managed to get the key into the lock. She kept glancing backwards over her shoulder. Not until she fastened the security bolt and chain did she start to calm down. Ignoring the hotel phone, her shaking hands trembled as she lifted her tiny cell phone from her purse. She pressed two, automatically dialing Tony's phone.
Tony's grumpy, mumbled greeting was the sweetest sound imaginable. It brought tears to her eyes. “Tony.” The most sound she could produce was a bare whisper. With her heart pounding in her throat, she had to stop and catch her breath. She took huge gasps of air.
“Theo, honey, is that you?” Instantly, concern replaced the irritation in his voice. “Are you all right?”
“I am now.” Gulping the air had given her the hiccups, and she waited until they subsided some. “Tony, Scarlet is dead.”
“Dead how?” His voice was professional, the words clipped. Under control.
It calmed some of her panic, and she coughed a couple of times, clearing her throat. “I don't know how, but her body is outside in the bushes. It looks to me like her neck is broken. There's something around her throat and now it's raining on her.” As Theo talked her voice rose to a wail and then the hiccups got louder. She kept seeing the gaping mouth. The splashes of water dropping into it. “I was going to wake the Trimbles and call from their apartment, when I saw Art walk by, and he laughs like a seal. He was dressed.” She knew she wasn't making sense, but she couldn't seem to organize her thoughts at all. “Why was he outside at that hour? Did he call to report Scarlet's death?”
“Where are you now, sweetheart?” Tony's voice was calming and so dear. “Are you somewhere safe?”
A hiccup was her answer. “I'm in my room with the chain on. But, but I can see her body from my window.” She felt like a ninny, but she couldn't stop crying.
“Okay, I'm on my way. Just keep watch from where you are and let me know if anyone gets near the body. I'll be there as soon as I can.”
It didn't take Tony long to get ready. Even as he dressed, he called Edith to come over and stay with the boys. She answered on the second ring and arrived at the front door at the same time he did. It looked like she had pulled sweatpants and a sweatshirt on over her nightgown, but her eyes were bright and calm.
“You're a great neighbor.” He kissed her wrinkled cheek as he walked past.
As he drove, the Blazer's light bar was flashing but there was little need for it. He didn't see a single other vehicle on the road. Even keeping his speed down to a safe level as he maneuvered the twisting section, he was able to make good time. Luckily, the only animals he spotted were a couple of raccoons having a picnic next to the road. Their little masked faces made them look guilty as they sat there, immobilized by the bright headlights on his vehicle.
As he drove, he played back in his mind the conversation he'd had with Theo. He hadn't caught it all since he had been sleeping
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