Murder 4 – Back at home
Just finished walking Flint. Now he’s eating his favorite puppy chow in the kitchen. Stubby seems to be hiding – maybe under my bed – but she’ll come out soon for some affection because I’m curled up on the couch. Man, what a long day. It was supposed to be my day off, but I had a million things to do…and all of it with a raging headache.
Last night.
Remy and Sunshine came to the bar. Sunshine in all her hippie glory. Rain or shine, night or day, she’s decked out in long yellow dresses, long yellow hair, moccasin boots, beads, flowers - the whole getup. You’d think she lived in the Haight in the 60′s, but she’s only 40. (I’d swear she looks 25 – claims it’s because she’s never raised any kids. The “whole world is her family” or something like that.)
As soon as Sunshine came through the door, she floated over to me with open arms and her sweet voice. “Honey, give me a hug…are you okay? Relax if you can, breathe some of this…” And she held one of her many sickening herbal fusions in a small brown vial under my nose before I could object.
I gagged. “What the crap is that!?!?”
Larry laughed as Remy took a seat next to him at the bar. Sunshine put the vile vial away and gave me a hug. Then she winked at me. “You okay?”
“Relax, Sun.” Remy’s laconic baritone was a funny contrast to Sunshine’s melody. “She’s not the one who was gutted.”
“I’m fine. Really.” I assured Sunshine and smiled.
“Ok…we just wanted to check on you. I thought…well…that you might be feeling…”
“Hey, no worries. I’m definitely okay.”
“Why’s it still so dead in here?” Larry asked, looking around the empty pub.
“Whole town is dead. No one is out. The murder scared everyone into their cocoons.” Remy said. “I let my team go home early.” Remy owns an autobody shop half a mile away.
He grabbed Sunshine by the waist and pulled her close with a bear hug. She nuzzled his neck.
I never get sick of seeing them together. Her lightness next to his solidness. He’s enough to scare anyone away. A former Hell’s Angel, complete with bald head and black leather.
“Carolee Curtt!” Larry asked, looking at the TV which had just identified Baskin’s latest victim. “Damn, she was so pretty, look at that. Just like Angela…”
“It’s horribly sad.” Sunshine shook her head. “I can feel death in the air, so thick..it’s everywhere.”
“I heard they were slashed with 2o X’s across their faces and chests.” Remy lowered his deep voice to slowly tell the horror story. “Each X making the body into an even bloodier mess. Like someone put them under ‘chop’ in the blender-”
“That’s ridiculous!” I said louder than I intended.
Remy immediately looked apologetic. “Paige…I forgot…” Sunshine apologized for Remy. “Sorry, Paige.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine…it’s really just that your facts are off. That’s not what they said on the news. We’d have no way of knowing about the X’s.” Rumors can derail justice.
“The only facts we know are: identities of the victims and general locations of the bodies.” I explained. “And-”
Larry looked at his phone. “Oh shit. They just shut down Parker’s Pizza. Broken pipe. Everyone is coming here…”
Five minutes later, the entire staff of Parker’s Pizza entered the Crown & Rose. The first one through the door was Oren Walsh.
My heart skipped a beat.
(Ok, I am so tired right now – I have to go to bed, but tomorrow I’ll finish the story about what happened last night. Chaos. My eyes are feeling too sleepy right now. Sorry…G’nite…)
