A Tale of Deception

Carla stood watching for him out her window, her heart beating hard.

  When Peter arrived, he parked on the mainland and walked across the softly lit bridge, nonchalantly.

  If anyone comes out of that gatehouse tonight, I’ll have a heart attack, he thought, stealing himself.

  As he had done in the past, he rounded the gatehouse, climbed through the bushes and skirted the building, meeting up with the driveway further on. The stars and a half moon were out, giving a vague light to his path. He followed the driveway, not wanting to cross the field in the dark. He walked stealthy along the edge, ready to hide, not making a sound. As he neared the house, he stayed on the far side of the gardens until he reached the spot he was looking for. Sneaking alongside the garage, he emerged into the light of the turnaround for just a second.

  Carla spotted him.

  As he saw her vanish from her window, something inside of him knew what she was about to tell him, wasn’t going to be good.

  Carla ran to him, breathless, in fear, trembling.

  “The FBI is on your trail!” she blurted softly. “I just overheard Ann talking about it with Mrs. Drummond,” Carla whispered violently.

  “What? Are you sure?” Fear of capture coursed through his veins, “How’d you find out?”

  “I was hiding in the closet, in the study… ” she whispered.

  “The study? You were in there?” he interrupted her, shocked at her nerve.

  “Yes! Just listen - they said two million dollars of bonds were stolen with a forged signature,” she told him.

  “Forged!” he exclaimed.

  How’d they know it was forged? I was so careful in tracing it, just right, he fumed. How ironic… my first try at taking her money, being my downfall. What next?

  “What else did you learn,” he asked, fear eating at him, as he steeled himself for what was coming.

  Carla proceeded to tell him what she overheard. When she got to the part about the document, he stopped her.

  “You mean she has the paper to freeze the old lady’s assets here?” Thinking out loud he said, “If I can get my hands on that document and put her somewhere out of the way for a few days, it would probably delay the feds. It might give me the time I need to get things together and get out.”

  “You mean get things together so WE can get out!” she said hotly, through her clinched teeth.

  Her anger woke Peter from his musing. “Of course, darling, of course,” he cooed, giving her a hug.

  Carla wasn’t appeased by his affection, this time. She was worried and alert.

  I don’t trust him anymore. When did that happen? Well, for better or worse, I’m going with him!

  “Do you know where the document is?” he asked her.

  “No, but I heard her tell Mrs. Drummond she needed to sign it tonight.”

  Peter thought for a second, then looked over at the windows to the study. Suddenly, the lights went on.

  “Come on!” he whispered harshly, pulling Carla along beside him.

  Sneaking up to the study window, he peeked in. Ann was sitting at the desk, opening the top drawer with a set of keys.

  He pulled Carla closer and whispered in her ear, “Are those her car keys, do you know?”

  Carla tried to see. Leaning back, she told him softly, “Yes, I recognize the key fob. It’s a large round medallion, with some Christian saying on it.”

  Peter smiled.

  This is going to be easy. We’ll drug her and tie her up, take the keys out of her purse and the document will be mine. We’ll disappear with no one the wiser.

  Standing there, watching the old woman sign, he continued planning.

  But, I’ll have to put her somewhere where she can’t be found for a while, and think of something which would have the authorities looking for her, and not me.

  I can’t leave her here to raise the alarm. I only need a day or so, but where can I put her?

  Then the thought came, The Albatross, of course! The Ellington’s old, abandoned, gold mine. I still have the key to the entrance on my key chain.

  I haven’t been out there for years. Meredith loved going out there, exploring for treasure, but we never did find anything of value.

  I hope they haven’t changed the lock… but, why should they? It’s been closed for over twenty years. I can always force it open, but the marks might give it away to the guard. I think they still have a guard going out there once in a while, to check on the place, don’t they? I can’t remember… It doesn’t matter. I just need a day or two.

  Peter watched the cook and then Ann sign the document and then put it back in the drawer, locking it.

  Peter pulled Carla away willing, and went back to their hiding spot next to the garage.

  Standing in the dark, he told her softly about his plan. Carla didn’t like drugging anyone, but she was in this too deep to back out now. She couldn’t endure losing him and the money at this point. Ann would have to be drugged before morning.

  “We’ll get the document and hide her, but what can we use to focus the police on her and not us?” he whispered.

  Carla brightened with an idea, “There’s $500,000 dollars’ worth of cashier checks in the drawer too, I heard them talking about it,” she offered.

  “Good! That’ll do it. We’ll have her disappear with the money. It might not fool them for long, but it could give us the time we need. At least it’s worth a try.”

  As they came out from beside the garage, walking along the front quietly, the door on the other side of the garage opened, the light inside went out, and the door softly closed behind Jamila, who quietly tip-toed away.

  “What’s she doing here?” Peter demanded in Carla’s ear.

  “I don’t know! She’s leaving early in morning for camp, maybe she was checking on the car, or putting something in it to take with her,” Carla suggested. “I don’t think she heard us.”

  “Then why is she sneaking away?” Peter’s heart was beating hard.

  “I don’t think she’s sneaking, she’s just trying to be quiet,” Carla told him.

  “Quick, follow her and make sure she doesn’t raise an alarm, if you’re wrong,” he said sarcastically. “And do whatever you have to, to keep her quiet.”

  Carla shook her head at his paranoia, and quickly followed the granddaughter into the house.

  Jamila went straight to her room and closed her door. Carla stood outside for quite a while listening. Nothing, all was quiet.

  Then she retired to her own room.

  Time to get this done, she told herself, as she dissolved some tablets in a solution which could easily be added to a drink.

  Going down stairs, she found Ann in the study working. Looking for an opportunity to drug Mrs. Drummond’s assistant, she stood in the shadows of the stairway, waiting, listening.

  How am I going to do this?

  Then she heard Ann on the house phone. “Faye would you make me some coffee? I’m going to be working late tonight and I’d love some. Sure, I can wait. I’ll go up and check on Mom. I’ll be right back. Thanks, Faye. Yes, just leave it on my desk.”

  Ann left the study and went to the elevator, ascending to the top floor.

  Knowing the coffee was the perfect means for the drugging, the nurse waited, with her heart beating hard. Time went by, her nerves frayed, still the house was quiet.

  Then Carla heard footsteps on the stone floor. Ducking into the dark billiard room, she watched Faye pass by, on her way to the study. Within a few seconds, she had returned, after closing the study doors and walking back toward the kitchen.

  Ann’s going to be back any second! There’s no time, no time!

  Gritting her teeth, she swiftly rushed toward the study, opening the doors and running to the decanter of coffee. In went the sleeping draught. Her hands trembling, she dropped the bottle on the floor with a thud, and then scooped it up, as she rushed back to the door, peeking out into the hall.

  Footsteps could be heard coming down the small hall towar
d the great hall.

  She’s coming! Carla screamed inside, flying out of the study, leaving the door open.

  Frantically she dashed across the huge hall, trying to be silent, as she rushed into the family room. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it in dread and fear, waiting.

  No one came to the door. Her deed was still secret.

  Looking out, she could see the study door was closed, with the light oozing from underneath it into the hall. In relief she ascended the stairs quickly, returning to her rooms.

  “Carla, is that you?” Mrs. Drummond called out to her. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get you for over an hour!”

  “Sorry, Mrs. Drummond, I had to pick up some medications at the Burstein’s All Night Drug Store. Didn’t I leave you a note?”

  “No, you didn’t. Please be sure you let someone know when you’re going to be gone for any length of time, Carla. My heart can’t take this much stress.”

  “Certainly, Mrs. Drummond. I’m very sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  Especially since I’ll never see you again, you old bat. I can hardly wait to get out of here and start my new life with Peter.

  Downstairs the phone rang in the study.

 

  Gone