Night in the Lonesome October

  ‘When was she here?’

  ‘This morning. Early this morning. She was very excited. She couldn’t stop talking about you.’

  ‘That’s ... great.’

  ‘You must be a pretty special guy.’

  ‘Not really.’

  ‘She thinks you are. That’s enough for me.’

  ‘Well. Thanks.’

  ‘I’ll help you if I can.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘Do you want to tell me about the problem?’

  I said, ‘Uh,’ and thought, Do I?

  ‘Does it have to do with the man who’s been after you? What was his name, Ralph?’

  ‘Randy. She told you about him, too?’

  ‘She tells me pretty much everything.’

  ‘Do you know about Eileen?’

  ‘Your girlfriend?’

  ‘Yeah. Eileen. I don’t know if she’s exactly my girlfriend anymore ... but I think I saw her tonight. Just like ten minutes ago. This pickup truck went by. It looked like Randy’s, and this girl in the passenger seat looked like Eileen. And she didn’t seem to be conscious. Maybe she was just sleeping, I don’t know. Maybe she wasn’t even Eileen. It might not’ve been Randy’s pickup, either. But what I’m afraid of is that he got his hands on Eileen and he’s taking her somewhere.’

  ‘You think he kidnapped her?’

  Nodding, I said, ‘But maybe it wasn’t really Eileen. That’s why I wanted to call, to see if she was still at home. I got the answering machine, but she didn’t pick up. So it probably was her in the pickup. Unless maybe she slept through the phone call ... the ringing and everything. Or maybe she was in the bathroom. I just don’t know. What I think, though, is that Randy has her.’

  ‘Did you leave my number on the message machine?’ Lois asked.

  ‘No.’

  ‘Why don’t you call again? Maybe she is there, but just couldn’t reach the phone in time.’

  ‘Okay. Good idea.’ Though I didn’t hold much hope, I reached over to the lamp table and picked up the phone. I punched the redial button. After a quick, musical series of beeps, my home phone rang. Just like last time, my machine picked up and delivered my message. Then came the beep. ‘Eileen,’ I said. ‘It’s Ed. Are you there? This is pretty urgent, so please pick up if you’re there.’

  Lois patted my thigh. ‘Leave my number,’ she whispered.

  ‘Are you there?’ I asked again. Then I said, ‘Okay. Anyway. You can call me back at ...’ I found Lois’s number above the keypad, and read it off. Then I repeated it more slowly. ‘Get back to me as soon as you can,’ I said, and hung up.

  Lois gave my leg another pat. ‘If she calls while we’re gone, my machine’ll take it.’

  ‘While we’re gone?’

  ‘Let’s drive over to Eileen’s place and see if she’s there.’

  ‘I don’t have a car.’

  ‘I do. Let’s go.’ She sprang up from the sofa. As I followed her across the living room, she said, ‘Wait by the door. I’ll be right back.’

  While I stood in the foyer, she hurried toward the rear of the house. A couple of minutes later, she returned with white sneakers on her feet and a purse hanging from her shoulder. She walked so fast her hair shook. So did her breasts, but I tried not to watch them. ‘All set,’ she said, and swung open the door.

  I stepped outside. She came after me, shut the main door, and hurried down the porch stairs. I rushed after her, letting the screen door bang shut. Her car was in the driveway.

  We both climbed in. As she keyed the ignition, she said, ‘Toward campus?’

  ‘Yeah. At Fairmont and Church.’

  ‘Got it.’ Watching over her shoulder, she backed down her driveway. Then she shifted and started driving south on Franklin.

  ‘I really appreciate this,’ I said.

  ‘No problem. I just hope it turns out to be a false alarm.’

  ‘Me, too. But I’d be surprised.’

  ‘If she isn’t there, we’ll take the next step.’

  ‘What’ll that be?’ I asked.

  ‘Let’s worry about that if we come to it.’

  ‘Okay.’

  Lois looked toward me for a moment. ‘How do you think you’ll handle your situation?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You seem to be involved with two women simultaneously.’

  ‘Yeah. I guess I am.’

  ‘That sort of thing always ends badly for someone.’

  When she said that, I remembered my own feelings when I’d read the letter from Holly: my disbelief, my ache of loss, the pain of imagining her with Jay. I’d felt as if my heart had been torn apart. I’d thought my happiness was gone forever.

  I can’t put anyone through that.

  But the letter had come only last Friday, one week ago. The real devastation had only lasted a few days. I’d started getting better on Monday night - the night Eileen met me at Dandi Donuts and drove me back to my apartment and we made love on the living-room floor - also the night I first saw the mystery girl and followed her, wondering about her and longing to meet her.

  One of them had given the world back to me.

  One, or both.

  ‘Someone’s bound to get hurt,’ Lois said. ‘Someone always gets hurt in deals like that.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘What’re you going to do?’

  ‘I’m not sure yet.’

  ‘You don’t want to hurt Casey.’

  ‘I don’t want to hurt anyone.’ Then I realized she’d called the girl as Casey. ‘So that is her name? Casey? She was kidding around about making up a name for me to call her, but I thought it was really Casey.’

  ‘It is.’

  ‘Casey what?’

  ‘Just Casey.’

  ‘You don’t want to tell me her last name?

  Lois glanced at me again. ‘I’d be glad to tell you, Eddie, but I don’t know it myself.’

  Chapter Fifty-nine

  ‘What do you know about her?’ I asked.

  ‘I know what I need to know.’

  When she said that, I couldn’t stop a single, quiet laugh from coming out.

  ‘What?’ she asked.

  ‘You must be the one who taught her how to talk in circles.’

  Lois turned her head. We were passing a streetlight, and I saw the smile on her face. ‘Maybe she taught me.’

  ‘Does she come to your house every day?’

  ‘I wish. Sometimes, it’s every day for a while. Then I might not see her for a few days ... or longer.’ She glanced at me. ‘I can’t stand it when she doesn’t come. I always think the worst. That something’s happened to her. That I’ll never see her again.’ On the last word, her voice broke. She took deep breaths. Then she asked, ‘How’s that for straight-forward?’

  ‘Good.’

  Holding the steering wheel with one hand at a time, she wiped her eyes.

  ‘Doesn’t Casey have a place to live?’ I asked.

  ‘She is not without places to live.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘It’s just a guess - she doesn’t tell me everything - but I think she probably has houses and apartments all over town.’

  ‘But not a place of her own?’

  Lois shook her head. ‘I’ve asked her to live with me. She will sleep there sometimes, come by for meals ... but she never stays for long. Sooner or later, she always says, “Gotta go. See you around.”’

  Going, going, gone, I thought.

  ‘And then she’s off.’

  I asked, ‘Why?’

  ‘Other places to go. Other people to see.’ Voice breaking again, she said, ‘I hate it. But what’re you gonna do? It’s just Casey. If she weren’t that way, she wouldn’t be Casey. You know what I mean?’

  ‘I guess so,’ I said, though I really wasn’t sure.

  ‘I’d hate for her to change.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said.
/>
  Then I saw my apartment building just ahead. ‘That’s it next to the church,’ I said.

  Lois pulled to the curb and stopped. ‘Do you want me to go in with you?’

  ‘I can just run up and check. Be right back.’

  As I swung open the passenger door, she said, ‘Good luck, Eddie.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  I hurried around the front of her car. As I ran across the street, I noticed Eileen’s Saturn parked halfway up the block. It had the Willmington University sticker on the rear window and the Jack in the Box clown head atop its radio antenna.

  Her car’s still here. Maybe she is, too.

  The front door of the apartment building was locked as it should be. I let myself in. Turning the comer on my way to the stairs, I saw light from the Fishers’ doorway. Voices were coming from their television.

  Eyes forward, I walked quickly and quietly past their door. Nobody called out. I hurried up the stairs, reached the landing without being accosted, and climbed to the second floor. The hallway was deserted. I went to the door of my apartment.

  Shut. Locked.

  Please let her be here!

  My hand trembled so badly that I had a hard time getting the key into the lock. At last, it slipped in and I opened the door.

  My living room was lighted, but silent.

  I glanced around. Nobody there. The kitchen lights were off. The hallway to my bedroom was dark.

  Had I left the lights like this? I couldn’t remember.

  On my way down the hall, I passed the bathroom. Its door was open, its light off.

  Up ahead, I could see darkness through the doorway of my bedroom. The sight made me sink inside. I’d left that door shut, the light on. I was certain of that.

  She is gone. Randy has her.

  Entering the room, I nicked the light switch. The bedside lamp came on. The bed was empty, as I’d known it would be. The covers were a little rumpled.

  I remembered Eileen lying crooked, her legs hanging off the edge, her left leg bare to her hip. I remembered my urge to go over to her and put my hand inside the slit of her dress.

  I should’ve done it. Should’ve stayed. She’d still be here.

  ‘Eileen?’ I called out. Loud enough to be heard throughout the rooms of my apartment, but probably not loud enough to disturb other tenants on the floor. I didn’t want to alarm my neighbors. Besides, what was the point in calling at all?

  I called her name once more, anyway. Again, she didn’t answer.

  What’d you expect? She’s miles away.

  Feeling horrible, I hurried to the bathroom and took two Excedrins. Then I used the toilet, flushed, gave my hands a quick wash, and hurried to the kitchen.

  My note to Eileen was flat on the kitchen table. I turned it over. She’d written a message on the back. A very simple message scratched with black ink in large, sprawling letters.

  I’m outa here.

  That was it. Nothing more.

  I groaned.

  ‘Nice job, Logan,’ I muttered. ‘Real nice job. Fuck.’

  I stumbled around the apartment for a couple of minutes. Eileen’s purse and bright yellow windbreaker were gone.

  The girl in the pickup hadn’t been wearing a windbreaker.

  Maybe she wasn’t Eileen.

  She was Eileen, all right. Randy probably tore the windbreaker off her so he could enjoy the view while he drove. Probably put his hand inside her dress ...

  He’s got her completely naked by now.

  Feeling bludgeoned, I left my apartment and hurried downstairs.

  The Fishers’ door was still wide open. Voices still came from their television. This time, I looked in as I walked by.

  Mr Fisher, in his chair, raised a hand and said, ‘Hold on there, young fella.’ I waited while he pushed himself out of his chair and came to the door. He wore an old blue bathrobe and slippers. The robe wasn’t closed very well. ‘Case you’re wondering,’ he said, ‘your gal took off on you.’

  ‘When was that?’ I asked.

  ‘Oh, say ...’ He narrowed his eyes, nodded. ‘Yep, Nash was just about over with.’

  ‘Nash?’

  ‘Nash Bridges. You know. Has that Sonny Crockett in it, and that Cheech fella. Well, it gets over at eleven, and I had to miss me the end of the show ’cause of Holly coming by.’

  Holly? She’d been here?

  My heart thudded. I shriveled inside.

  Not quite ‘over’ Holly, after all?

  ‘Reckon they likely caught the bad guys. Always do, you know. Show has that Baywatch gal in it. Now that’s a hot tomato.’

  Did she break up with Jay?

  ‘Holly?’ I asked.

  ‘Nah, the name’s Yazzmeeeeen, something along those lines.’

  ‘You said Holly came by.’

  Does she want me back?

  ‘Oh, her. Sure did. Your gal, Holly. Came by here all dressed up to beat the band ...’

  ‘Wearing what?’ I asked, already suspecting the truth. He’d seen Eileen, not Holly. I felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment.

  ‘Well,’ he said, ‘that spiffy green dress. You know the one.’ He touched his bare belly. ‘Open down to here. I tell you, that’s a dress. She wasn’t too keen on me getting a good look at it, though ... put on her jacket pretty quick when she saw me.’

  ‘Was anybody with her?’ I asked.

  ‘Nary a soul.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘I stood right here talking to her.’ He stomped a slippered foot on the floor. ‘She stood right where you are. Reckon I’d of known if she’d had someone with her. She didn’t.’

  ‘How was she?’

  ‘Mighty upset. She’d had herself a cry. You could tell ’cause of how her eyes was red. I says to her, “What’s the matter, Holly?” And she says, “Eddie up and left me all by myself.”’

  I doubted that was what she’d said, exactly.

  ‘So she gets her jacket zipped up good and high and then she asks if I know when you took off on her. Well, I must’ve missed you going by, and told her so. Then I says I’ll keep an eye out for you when you come back, and does she want me to give you a message?’

  ‘What’d she say?’

  ‘Nothing right off the bat. She stands there and sorta thinks it over for a spell. Then she up and says, “No thanks, Walter” ... using my name like that. “No thanks, Walter,” she says, “I reckon I know where to find him.” Then she tells me “Goodnight,” and goes on her way.’

  ‘She was going to look for me?’

  Walter nodded. ‘I’d say so.’

  I muttered, ‘Shit.’

  ‘Give you a piece of advice, there, Eddie. That Holly, she’s a humdinger. Know what I mean?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Gals like that, they don’t come around every day.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Gotta treat ’em right.’

  ‘I try.’

  ‘Fucked up pretty good tonight, though, didn’t you?’

  ‘Sure did.’

  Smiling at me like I was an old buddy, Mr Fisher gave me a none-too-gentle punch on the upper arm and said, ‘Go on out and find her, boy.’

  Chapter Sixty

  I climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door. ‘She’s gone,’ I said. ‘Her car’s still here, but she isn’t. I saw the landlord and he says she left the building a little before eleven. That’s about twenty minutes before I saw her in Randy’s pickup.’

  Lois pulled away from the curb. ‘Do you know Randy’s last name?’

  ‘No. I don’t even know if his name’s really Randy.’

  ‘What about his truck?’

  ‘A light-colored Toyota pickup. White, I think.’

  ‘License plate number?’

  ‘Never got a look at it.’

  ‘Do you know where he lives?’

  ‘Where he lives?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘How would I know that? I don’t know the guy. I’ve ce
rtainly never been to his house - if he even has one. I saw him for about ten minutes Tuesday night. That’s all. He forced me into his pickup and wanted me to take him to Eileen, but I got away from him. He chased me and I lost him and I haven’t seen him since ... not till tonight when he drove by with her.’

  Listening to myself, I thought, It’s all real. He really does have her.

  I muttered, ‘God.’

  ‘What does Randy look like?’

  ‘I don’t know, like he could be a male model or something. Like on the cover of a romance novel.’

  ‘Don’t read the stuff, myself.’

  ‘It ain’t Faulker,’ I said.

  She turned her head and smiled. ‘Nope, it ain’t. But I know the look you mean. Bronze skin. Granite features. Muscles. Flowing mane of hair.’

  ‘That’s about it.’

  ‘What’s his hair color?’

  ‘Blond.’

  ‘Ash blond ... ?’

  ‘Golden.’

  ‘How old is he?’

  ‘I don’t know, thirty?’

  ‘Size?’

  ‘Bigger than me. Maybe six-two. And heavier, stronger.’

  Nodding, Lois flicked on her turn signal. ‘He doesn’t sound like anyone I know.’

  ‘You wouldn’t want to know him.’

  ‘No, but I’d sure like to know who he is ... where to find him.’ She slowed down and made a right turn. ‘Any thoughts as to where he might take Eileen?’

  ‘Not really. Last I saw, they were just south of your house, heading north on Franklin. If he has a place in town, I guess it’s probably on the north side. The night he spotted me with Eileen, we were at Dandi Donuts. Maybe he lives near there. Or maybe he lives out of town and just drives in sometimes. Even if he does live in town, he might not take Eileen to his house. I mean, I wouldn’t.’

  ‘Where would you take her?’ Lois asked.

  ‘If I wanted to do really bad stuff to her?’

  ‘Is that what you think Randy has it mind?’

  Feeling grim, I said, ‘I’m pretty sure it is.’

  ‘So where would you take her?’

  ‘Maybe into the woods. That way, I wouldn’t have to worry about neighbors hearing or seeing anything. I wouldn’t have to move her body after I’m done with it. And I wouldn’t end up with traces of evidence in my house for the police to find.’

  Lois turned her head toward me. ‘You’re not a killer yourself, are you?’