Second Chair, A Stan Turner Mystery, Vol.4

  Chapter 20

  Bitter Revenge

   

   With the help of the Sherman Police Department I found the city employee who Simpson had paid off to manufacture fake birth certificates. It took several weeks to audit the records and identify the bogus certificates. The audit showed that seventy-two illegal adoptions had taken place. Since the birth certificates clearly identified the adoptive parents it wasn't long before Sarah was united with her baby. Rebekah and I had just returned from a cruise to the Cayman Islands when we were summoned to the baptism of Kristina Kay Winters.

  The group assembled that night at St. Andrew's Catholic Church. Tom and Joyce weren't thrilled when Sarah announced her plans for the baptism of her baby as a Roman Catholic but, after everything she had been through, they decided not to make it an issue. At Sarah's request, Nate signed papers relinquishing all parental rights to Kristina. Sarah was determined to raise Kristina as a single mother. She didn't think she could ever get over the grief that Nate had caused her if he were a part of Kristina's life.

  In one last attempt to get Greg to reconsider the termination of their relationship, Sarah sent him an invitation to the Baptism. She hoped and prayed he would show up. As the ceremony began, however, he was not there. After the Baptism, Tom threw a small baptismal celebration at his country club. Everyone was in a great mood, eating, drinking and laughing. It was a great moment.

  When I got home Rebekah advised me that Jodie had called with a message. It read: Please call Marleen Wiggins immediately. I figured she wanted to get together and talk settlement now that the trial was over. After pondering whether meeting with her was such a good idea, I finally decided it couldn't hurt and might be enlightening.

  "Thank you for returning my call," she said. "I'd like to have lunch with you if you have the time."

  "Okay, did you talk to your attorney about us meeting?"

  "Yes, he said it would be okay if we met as long as we just talked and didn’t make any commitments."

  "Good, I think we ought to be able to straighten this whole thing out. There obviously has been some kind of misunderstanding."

  "I hope you're right, Stan. Where shall we meet?"

  "How about tomorrow, noon at Denny's on Preston and LBJ."

  She agreed to the place and time. I noted it in my calendar and then sat down for dinner. Rebekah was putting mashed potatoes on the kid’s plate. The smell of homemade meat loaf was making me very hungry. I winked at Marcia on her booster chair and with the help of her left hand she winked back.

  I laughed. "You been a good girl today, chickipoo?"

  She nodded. "I got two smiley faces."

  "Oh, wow! That's nice."

  "I signed her up for co-ed soccer today at the Y," Rebekah said.

  "Oh, good. Did you tell them I'd be happy to help out with the team?"

  "Yeah, they made you the coach."

  "What? I didn't want to be coach. I don't have that kind of time."

  "You'll make time. You did it for the boys so you've got to do it for your daughter. Besides it will be so much fun teaching 15 little five-year-olds how to play soccer."

  "Fun? A nightmare is more like it."

  "Can I play goalie, daddy?"

  "Sure, why not?"

  "She will not play goalie! I don't want all those kids kicking the ball at her. She might get hurt."

  "She won't. She's tough. Aren't ya, chickipoo?"

  "Uh huh," Marcia said.

  "So, are you actually going to have lunch with Marleen?" Rebekah asked.

  "Yes, tomorrow."

  "What do you hope to accomplish by meeting her?"

  "Well, for one thing I'll find out what horrible thing she thinks I did to her and Bobby. I'd also like to find out if she knew about Bobby and Joanna's affair. If she did, I'd like to find out what she did about it, if anything.

  "Do you think she killed Bobby?"

  "I don't know. That would be hard to believe, but I never in a million years expected her to call me up ranting and raving the way she did the other day. Who can predict what a jealous woman will do."

  “True. Remember that the next time you meet with Joanna Winburn.”

  I looked and Rebekah and frowned. “Where did that come from?”

  “Nowhere. But I know you went to see her the other day.”

  “Okay,” I said, curious how I’d been discovered. “How did you know that?”

  “Jodie’s not a good liar. I knew she was covering for you. Why did you go see her? I assume it was business. I don’t think Jodie would be an accomplice to your infidelity.”

  “I was looking to see if she had a motive for killing Bobby. I know it’s a terrible thought, but not so far-fetched. But how did you know it was Joanna I had gone to see?”

  “If it had been anybody else, you would have told me.”

  “Oh. . . . I guess you’re right.”

  “Did she come on to you?”

  “Shit! Rebekah. Give me a break. Nothing happened.”

  “I know. If you had been unfaithful I’d of known it. But I was just curious. It was obvious she wanted you. I could see it in her eyes. . . . The bitch! I’d like to— . . . You are not inviting her to our next party.”

  “Okay, okay, she’s off the invitation list.”

  The next morning I called my legal counsel in the civil suit and advised him of the meeting with Marleen. Then I reviewed the file I had been keeping on the Bobby Wiggins civil suit and possible homicide. At 11:45 I got in my newly repaired Corvette and drove over to Dennys. Marleen was waiting for me when I arrived. The hostess took us to a booth and took our orders. After a little chit chat we got to the heart of the matter.

  "So, what is it that you're so upset about?"

  "Bobby and I have been your friends for God knows how many years. Why in earth would you unleash a whore like Joanna on us?"

  "It was a business referral. I thought I was doing Bobby a favor. She needed a lot of accounting work done."

  "But didn't you realize how dangerous that would be?"

  "How would it be dangerous?"

  "Didn't you worry that a woman like that might corrupt Bobby?"

  "No, it never occurred to me. Bobby was so religious and your marriage was so strong I didn't think it would be a problem for him. I’m really sorry, Marleen. If I’d of known—"

  "The little hussy lured him into an affair and made him think she loved him. From the first day they met I knew something was wrong. Bobby became very distant. He didn't have time for me anymore. He often worked late but when I called the office no one answered. When I asked him about it he said his secretary always answered the phone during the day so he never paid any attention to it at night. Just to see if such an explanation were true, I went to his office a few times after hours. His car was never there. The very last time I went I saw them together. She got in his car and they took off. I followed them to a motel."

  The waitress brought our orders and set them on the table. Marleen asked for cream for her coffee. The waitress left to go get it. After putting some sugar in my tea and stirring it, I took a drink. She watched me intently, then she continued.

  "It was the Howard Johnson down the road on Central in North Dallas. They registered and then got a room. I couldn't believe after 32 years he would do something so wretched. I blame you, Stan. How could you be so thoughtless?"

  "I am so sorry. I swear I never dreamed something like that would happen."

  "That's just it. You are such a pathetic human being you didn't even stop to consider what you were doing. I can't let you get away with such reckless conduct, Stan. You've got to be punished."

  She was scaring me now. I didn't know how to respond to her. How did she plan to punish me? Fear suddenly gripped me. Did she have a gun? Was she about to shoot me right here at Dennys?

  "Don't you think Bobby is the one at fault here? He didn't have to sleep with Joanna. I knew nothing about it."

  "You'd have to be pretty stupid not
to figure out what would happen."

  "I beg to differ. I never slept with her."

  "I bet you thought about it."

  She had me there. I shook my head and decided I needed a minute to think about how to handle this situation.

  "Excuse me a minute, I need to go to the restroom."

  She smiled and nodded. I got up and left. What a bizarre situation. She was so bitter and nothing I had said so far had softened her feelings toward me. I wondered what I could do to convince her I wasn't the culprit here. She obviously needed some psychological counseling but I didn't think that suggestion would be well received. The thought occurred to me that perhaps I shouldn't return to the table. What kind of punishment did she have in mind for me? Finally I decided whatever it was she wasn't likely to do it here with so many people around.

  "So, where were we," I asked.

  She took a drink of her coffee and then said very slowly, "I'm sorry, Stan. Like I said, you've got to pay for what you did."

  She closed her eyes and began to sway back and forth. I frowned. What was wrong with her. She opened her eyes and smiled.

  "It won't be so bad, not nearly as bad as it was for Bobby. . . . for Bobby and me."

  "Are you all right?" I said. "Are you sick?"

  She smiled. "No, I feel fine. . . . Are you ready, Stan?"

  "Ready for what?"

  "Your punishment."

  "You lost me. . . . I'm sorry."

  "It's okay," she said as she struggled to her feet. Suddenly her legs gave way and she started to fall. She caught herself on the table. I got up quickly and put my arm around her to support her. Several people noticed what was happening and rushed over to help.

  With her audience now watching the drama unfolding in front of them, she started to cough and convulse. Then with the look of horror in her eyes she uttered her last words, "Oh my God! You've poisoned me!"

  Chaos ensued. Several men attacked me and wrestled me to the floor. Marleen kept coughing and wheezing while several people tried to give her first aid. Then there were sirens in the distance, police cars and the ambulance. With my face pinned to the ground I couldn’t see what was happening but I heard the paramedics say Marleen was dead.

  Soon the police came, cuffed me and took me to the police station. They left me in a small dark room while they figured out what to do. I was in shock. Marleen had really done a number on me and I was scared. Finally the door opened and Detective Delacroix walked in.

  "Congratulations on your verdict in the Winter's case. What a bizarre situation."

  "Tell me about it."

  "Now, what’s this about poisoning that poor little old lady."

  "It's bullshit. You think I'd do something that stupid. I'd have to be a lunatic to poison someone in a public place and then hang around to watch them die."

  "How did you know she was dead?"

  "I heard a paramedic say she didn't have a pulse."

  "I'll admit, it doesn't seem logical, but why would she say you poisoned her if it isn’t true?"

  "She was trying to punish me. She blamed her husband's death on me. This was her way of getting revenge."

  "This is the icy sidewalk case, right?"

  "Right, but the icy sidewalk had nothing to do with Bobby Wiggins’s death."

  "Okay, you lost me."

  "It's a long story."

  "Well, I’m not in a hurry."

  I told him the whole story. He shook his head and then left the room. My head was pounding, my body ached all over from the little wrestling match I'd had. I couldn't believe what was happening to me. Surely Detective Delacroix couldn't believe for a moment that I killed Marleen Wiggins. It's true I had a motive and I was there when she died, but it was clearly a setup. The door opened again and Detective Delacroix walked in with another officer.

  "I'm afraid I've got bad news for you Stan."

  "What?"

  "The medical examiner has determined that Marlene Wiggins died of congestive heart failure as the result of an overdose of Percodin."

  "Really," I said. "So how is that bad news for me."

  "Well, in all the ruckus you left your coat at Dennys. One of my men brought it in. Guess what they found in your side pocket."

  "What?"

  "An empty bottle of percodin."

  I stiffened up, "This is bullshit! The percodin is my pain medication. I had a broken rib recently. She must of taken it from my pocket when I went to the restroom. Don’t you see, it was a suicide."

  "It gets worse," Detective Delacroix said.

  I put my hand over my face not wanting to face the next blow that Marleen was about to deliver from the grave.

  "A couple weeks ago Mrs. Wiggins filed a complaint with the telephone company. She told them you had called her, were abusive and threatened to kill her. I've talked to her attorney and he confirms the story. He says she called him to complain about it."

  "I give up. Jesus! This woman's a maniac. God, she must of really hated me to go to all this trouble to ruin me. I can't believe it."

  "So, you want to tell us why you did it?"

  "Excuse me, you're buying this crap? I'm not saying another God damn word until I've talked to my lawyer. I need a phone. I need a phone, now!"

  Detective Delacroix nodded to the other man and he grabbed my arm and escorted me to a telephone. I called Snake. He was incredulous that I was in jail and agreed to come down to the station immediately. After I hung up the officer took me to the jail where I was booked and taken to a holding cell. I was sick. The press was going to have an orgasm with this story. All my clients were going to read about it. My parents and Rebekah's parents were going to be humiliated when they saw the story. My children would be terrified by it. Because of the Sarah Winters trial, it would be national news. Shit, half the world would be reading about it by morning.

  I felt like taking a gun and blowing my brains out rather than even contemplate my future. In five minutes Marleen Wiggins had managed to decimate my life. In my mind, it was all over. My only hope was Snake. He’d figure out some way to save me. When he showed up, I explained what had happened.

  “I’d like to tell you everything will be okay, but frankly I’m worried, Stan. It doesn’t make sense that you would kill Marleen and I know you didn’t do it, but she’s done such a great job of framing you. It’s going to be tough defending you.”

  "No joke. So, what are we going to do?”

  “What we do in every criminal case—work like hell to prove you’re innocent.”

  “Yeah, and in the meantime my career is in the dumpster.”

  Snake shrugged. “I wish there was an easy solution, but I’m afraid—”

  The door to the visitor's room opened and Detective Delacroix entered holding a piece of beige stationery. He smiled and said, "Sorry to interrupt but I've got some good news for you. Marleen Wiggins left a suicide note. We found it in her desk at her home just a few minutes ago.

  A sudden rush of relief overcame me. I said, “Oh, thank God. What did it say?"

  "It said you're a son of a bitch for ruining her marriage and she’d see you in hell," Detective Delacroix said. "It also said you didn't kill her, so you're free to go."

  “Really? Did she confess to killing Bobby?”

  “Yes, but she said it was an accident. She just wanted him to break a few bones so he’d suffer for his betrayal. Then she was gonna sue you for all you were worth.”

  “Damn, she was one pissed off lady,” Snake said.

  “Yeah, and the plan would have probably worked had Wiggins not had a heart attack,” Detective Delacroix noted.

  “Lucky for me,” I said once again feeling guilty about the whole Wiggins mess. As I drove home I thanked God for saving me one more time and prayed Marleen was wrong about seeing me in Hell.