Chapter 5
In the drawing room at Collinwood, Carolyn dialed the number to the police station. She waited while it rang. Then someone picked up. "Hello? May I speak with the sheriff please?" Carolyn said, look down at the floor. "This is Sheriff Windfield. How may I help you?" "Sheriff, this is Carolyn Stoddard. I was just wondering if you had heard anything about the disappearance of my brother Quentin." "No, I haven't. Ms. Stoddard, are you sure he just didn't decide to go away for a while? With all the things that he went through just before he left, it is possible he just wanted some time to be by himself." "Sheriff, he isn't crazy, despite what the town thinks." "I am not saying he is, Ms. Stoddard. Although you have to admit that all those ravings about someone or something having a conspiracy to kill him could have been just made up for attention. There is no secret that your mother disowned him when she died." "Sheriff, they were not ravings! He actually had proof, its just that people didn't want their perfect little lives messed up. And we both know why mother disowned him. You were close with her before she died, and I know she told you everything. When Quentin was younger, it was no secret he was a drunk. He used to go out every night and get wasted. I guess he thought it would be better that way, that he would be able to forget the worry of someone being out to get him." "Whatever you say Ms. Stoddard. As soon as I receive information about his whereabouts I will call you." "Thank you Sheriff." Carolyn hung up. How dare the sheriff talk about her brother like that. Just because he was close with her mother before she died gave him no right to talk like that. Carolyn knew his secret as well. He would never gotten elected as sheriff if her mother hadn't have influenced the judge to drop the murder charge against him. He was, in fact, one of the original suspects of the three murders five years earlier. Carolyn knew that he probably put the wrong man away for the murders, but there was nothing she could do about it. All Carolyn could do was to wait, and hope that, one day, Quentin might decide to return home, if he was still alive.
Maggie Evans had spent the past three days trying to avoid John Crosic. Every time she saw him she made a mad dash into some hiding place she had only thought of seconds before. She just didn't trust him as much since she found Andrea Brown's necklace at his house. For all she knew, her gut feelings could be right and he could be a stalker. Then again, maybe they were wrong, and her feelings were just trying to keep her from a man she could grow to love.
Maggie had called Debby earlier this morning and told her that she wasn't going to be in to work today, that she needed a day off. So, as soon as she put her face on, and chose suitable clothes, Maggie left her house. First she stopped by the newsstand by the Inn and picked up a paper. A headline that she didn't really want to see right now stared her back in the face- Another Local Girl Found Dead, In Home Last Night. Maggie could only imagine what had happened this time. She read the article on the front page and found out that this girls name was Leslie Warrington, and that she had been seen only a half hour before she was found dead. Apparently, she had went to the Blue Whale, and while there she dropped a credit card from her wallet. When an employee went to her home to return it, he found the door ajar, and found Ms. Warrington laying in her bath tub, dead. The cause was strangulation.
Maggie couldn't believe there was another murder, and it had only been a matter of days since the last one. The article urged everyone to be home by 9 p.m. at the latest, but no curfew had been set.
After a rousing day of shopping, Maggie returned home with too many bags to carry. She had to make two trips to the car and back to get all of the items she bought inside. Ranging from a new coat to shoes and new sweaters, Maggie unpacked each item individually, clipping the tags off and then putting them in a pile for the wash. Taking the pile of clothes intended for the wash and putting them in the laundry room, Maggie went back out into the living room, folded up the shopping bags, and grabbed her coat. She went over to the hall closet, opened the door, and placed the coat on a hanger and hung it up. She bent down to tuck the shopping bags into a box in the back corner, and she saw a white bag that she hadn't remembered being there earlier. When she had put the shopping bags in the box, she grabbed the white bag and shut the closet door. Sitting down on the couch, Maggie placed the bag in front of her on the floor and opened it up. She reached in and pulled out clothes. She recognized them as hers, but when she unfolded them, since they were all in bundles, Maggie let out a loud scream. She stared at the clothes in horror. Blood stains were spotted all over the purple shirt she had pulled out, as well as a pair of jeans that were also stained with blood. There was also a pair of latex gloves in the bag.
Why were these clothes in a bag in Maggie's closet? Who could have put them here? John Crosic! He must be the murderer, and he—but wait, no, he wouldn't fit into these clothes so it had to be a woman. Debby? Could it be Debby? Had Maggie been wrong in thinking that she was her friend the whole time? The clothes would fit her, but would she do such a thing? Maggie didn't know who else it could be. It had to be Debby. Maggie didn't do it. She didn't even notice that these clothes were gone! Wait! She had put them in a bag of Good Will clothes! But had she delivered them?
Maggie quickly got up off the couch and went back into the laundry room. She looked for a pink bag. There is was! Just down at the other end of the room next to the detergent and bleach! Maggie walked up to the bag and opened it. All the clothes were still there, except for the ones in the bag in the living room! Who was trying to pin the murder on Maggie? She didn't know, and didn't care. Maggie just knew that she had to report this.
Going back out into the living room, Maggie picked up the receiver of her phone and dialed the police station. Rinnnnnggggg.. Rinnnnnnggggg. Rinnnnnnnngggggg. Rinnnn- Maggie slammed the receiver back down. NO! She couldn't report this! Then she would become a suspect in the murders and she didn't do it! She had to think of a way to get rid of the clothes. Sure, she knew it was wrong, but it was either that or take the chance of becoming a suspect in two murders she didn't commit. Maggie grabbed the bag of clothes and took them into her den. Throwing a few logs into the fire place and the putting the clothes on top of them, Maggie grabbed the lighter fluid. She squirted the fluid all over the clothes, and, grabbing the box of matches, she lit one and threw it into the fire place. The clothes caught fire immediately, and quickly began to burn. When the fire got lower, Maggie threw the paper bag the clothes had been in on top of it, burning that as well. Leaving that to burn, Maggie went into the kitchen and washed her lightly blood stained hands off, drying them on a dish towel.
Feeling satisfied she had done all she could, Maggie went into the living room and sat down. Although still shaken up, she tried her best to calm herself even though it wasn't working. Maggie went into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and took out the gallon of milk. After pouring some into a glass and placing the milk jug back into the fridge, she put the glass of milk into the microwave and heated it up for 30 seconds. Taking it out, she took a few sips and went back into the living room. Stretching out and covering herself with the blanket hanging over the back of the couch, Maggie continued to sip the warm milk, in hopes of it putting her to sleep.
Carolyn Stoddard was sitting in the drawing room of Collinwood reading a book when she heard something outside of the door. She got up and walked into the foyer, listening for the noise again. There was a loud thud, and it sounded like something hit the door. Carolyn creeped over, trying to be quiet as she figured it was a burglar. She grabbed a cane that belonged to her Uncle Roger off of the coat rack. She put her hand on the door knob, and, slowly raising the cane above her head, yanked the door open.
Carolyn dropped the cane to the ground. "Oh my god!" she said, bending down to the seemingly lifeless body laying outside on the walk. She looked at the person, the man, lying on the ground. He looked up. "Quentin!" she yelled. She turned him over to lie on his back, and she saw that he hand was holding his stomach where blood was gushing out. "Carolyn, they got to me," he said lowly, before passing out.
Chapter 6
Carolyn is waiting in the waiting room of the hospital room. She had taken Quentin to the hospital herself because somehow she knew if she had of waited for an ambulance Quentin may have died. As it was, Quentin had to be rushed straight into surgery from the emergency room. He had lost an enormous amount of blood. He had s ruptured spleen, and whoever attacked him and nicked his liver. He had multiple stab wounds in the lower abdomen, as well as a wound in his back.
The doctors had fixed him up as best they could before taking him into his own room. Carolyn had stayed with him, but she left to call David. He was on his way now. Angelique stayed home in case Roger needed assistance with something.
When David arrived, Carolyn showed him into Quentin's room. "Carolyn, how did this happen?" David asked, looking at Quentin lying in the bed with bandages around his abdomen and a patch on his forehead. "I don't know. I was sitting in the drawing room and I heard someone outside. When I opened the door, he was lying there," Carolyn explained. She walked over and sat in a chair beside Quentin's bed. "Did he say anything?" "Yes, he said 'they got to me'." "Who's 'they'?" "I don't know. I suppose 'they' are the people who he says are after him. It's so weird to, because I just called the sheriff a few days ago, and now he turns up. The sheriff said that he hadn't found anything on Quentin." "Yes, but we both know how secretive the sheriff is, Carolyn. He could have been withholding information." "But what reason would he have for doing that?" "Well, if he were one of the people who were after Quentin then he would have a reason to. We won't know anything until Quentin wakes up. What did the doctors say?" "They said he is going to live, if that's what you mean. He doesn't have life threatening injuries, and they confirmed my though of not waiting for the ambulance. They told me if I had of waited he may have died from loss of blood. I got him here in time for a transfusion. The doctors said his blood count was the lowest they've seen in a while." "I guess it's a good thing you went with you gut feeling then," David said, walking over to the window and looking out. The sky had darkened in the short time he had been there, and it was starting drizzle. Low rumbles of thunder could be heard a few miles off. "Is there any way of knowing how long he will be out for?" "No, the doctors didn't say. I guess he will wake up when he wakes up." "Let us hope that he will wake up soon. Then we can get some information out of him." "I don't think he will want to answer questions as soon as he wakes up. He will probably be groggy." "Did the doctors say anything about memory loss?" "No. The doctor told me nothing about it."
The next morning came. David and Carolyn had been waiting for Quentin to wake up all night long. He hadn't yet, and they had taken turns watching all night. David waited for Quentin to wake up while Carolyn slept and vice- versa. They both hoped it wouldn't be much longer before Quentin woke up, fearing that the coma may become permanent.
At the Collinsport Inn, Maggie was entering. She did her daily morning routine of putting her things in her office and then going into the diner. She had called Debby and given her the day off, as she didn't want to seem nervous around her in case she was the murderer. Maggie put all the chairs down on the floor and turned the sign on the window over so that "Open" was facing out to the side walk. She went behind the counter and made the coffee before turning both coffee pots on. She took up a rag and wiped the counter off. After taking the pie platter off of the high tier of the counter, and taking the top off it, she rinsed it off in the sink. She went over to the refrigerator and opened it, taking out another pie. When she had closed the refrigerator, she took the pie over and set it on the counter. She unwrapped the tin foil around it and placed it on the pie platter. Putting the top back on, she put the platter back on the higher tier of the counter and threw the tin foil away. She heard the door open, and looked up with a smile that quickly faded. It was John Crosic.
"Hello Maggie! I've had a rough time getting a hold of you the past few days. Been busy?" he said, sitting at a table. "Yes, I have. I had a mess of paperwork I had been putting off for a while and yesterday I went shopping. What can I get you?" "Coffee, please. Shopping? Buy anything good?" "A few new shirts and a coat," Maggie said, taking the coffee over to Crosic and setting it in front of him. "So, do you have any plans tonight?" Crosic asked, stirring a bit of sugar into his coffee. "No, why?" "I was just wondering if you would like to go out," he said, still stirring. Maggie's face scrunched up. "I'm....I'm sorry, I can't," she blurted out. "Why not?" "Oh....um...more paper work," Maggie lied. "I thought you said you weren't busy," Crosic said, a little annoyed. "Well, I just remembered the paper work," Maggie lied again. Crosic got up and walked over to the counter, placing both hands on the counter. "No, you didn't just remember about the paper work," Crosic said. "Yes, yes I di-" "No, you didn't. Look, if you don't want to go out with me, just tell me. It's not like I am going to stalk you down and kill you or anything," Crosic said. Maggie quickly looked down. "I know. You don't want to go out with me because of that necklace you found at my house, right? You think I murdered that girl, don't you?" Crosic walked over to his table and picked his coat up. He reached in a pocket and pulled out some money which he threw down on the table. "Look, if you don't want to go out with me, that's fine. I'll see you around," Crosic said, looking at Maggie. He began to walk out. Maggie put down the salt shaker she was filling. "John! Wait!" she yelled after him. He stopped without turning around. "Yes?" "You say you want to go out tonight?" "That's right." "Meet me at my house at 7, and I will be ready," Maggie said. Crosic smiled. He turned around. "Great! See you at 7!" Crosic left.
Chapter 7
"Hello doctor," Carolyn greeted Dr. Adams as he entered the room. "How is he?" the doctor asked her. "The same as the last time you left, doctor." "No change at all? He hasn't waken up yet?" "No."
The doctor went over to Quentin's bed and examined him. He took his pulse and lifted his eyes lids to see if his pupils were responsive. After the exam, he turned to Carolyn. "I have already told you that the longer he is like this, the less likely it is for him to wake up." "Yes, you have doctor. It's only been a few days. There is still hope isn't there?" "Yes, there is still hope. Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush here Ms. Stoddard, I believe that once the seventh day has passed he won't wake up. His wounds weren't extensive, but he had to have a massive blood transfusion. If his body is unresponsive to the blood, he may never wake up." "Why would his body be unresponsive to the blood?" "Well, we are giving him medication to help his body accept the blood, but giving that much blood is like putting a new organ in." "I still have hope doctor. He will wake up." Carolyn walked over to the window and started to look out. The doctor looked at her and then left. The constant beeping of Quentin's heart monitor was getting to Carolyn. She had heard nothing but that for four days. She hadn't gone home or left the hall his room was on. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Carolyn turned around. The beeping had stopped. She rushed out into the hall. "Get the doctor! He's dying! Hurry!" Carolyn rushed back into the room. She couldn't do anything to save her brother. She couldn't just stay here and watch him die. The doctor rushed in. "Crash cart!" the doctor yelled. The nurse ran out into the hall and ran back in, pushing a crash cart in front of her. "Bag 'em," the doctor yelled. "Starting CPR!" The doctor started compression's on Quentin's chest. The nurse was standing behind his head. She had a mask over his mouth with a plastic clear blue bag over his mouth. She was pressing the bag every two seconds. "Get Dr. Griswald in here now!" Dr. Adams yelled. Soon after another male doctor came into the room. "Griswald, tube," Adams told the other doctor. Dr. Griswald went over to where the nurse was standing above Quentin's head. He took a light and shined it down Quentin's throat, inserting a tube. "Connect it," he told the nurse, and she quickly did so.
"Charge to 200," Dr. Adams said. "CLEAR!" Dr. Adams yelled. He shocked Quentin. Nothing. "Flat line! Charge to 300!" "CLEAR!" Dr. Adams shocked him again. "We've got a heart beat." Dr. Adams threw the paddles back onto the cart. "Kidneys don't look good doctor," the nurse told him. "Put him as stage one on the waiting list." "The waiting list?" Carolyn finally broke in. "Yes, we're going to have to give Quentin a new kidney." "He can die from that right?" "Well there can be complications but-" "CAN HE DIE OR NOT!" "Yes, he can die. He is on the top of the waiting list. The next available kidney should be his." Dr. Adams turned to the nurse. "Monitor his vitals. Thank you Dr. Griswald." Dr. Adams turned back to Carolyn. "Quentin's going to be just fine. Don't you worry." "You're telling me not to worry when Quentin needs a kidney transplant?!?" "Don't get yourself worked up, Ms. Stoddard." "I'm not getting worked up," Carolyn said, putting her hand to her forehead and sitting down. "How soon will he get a kidney?" "I can't be sure. We'll let you know as soon as he does." Dr. Adams looked back over at Quentin and then at Carolyn. "You should go home. Get some rest. You've been here for four days straight. You need a break." "I can't. There's no one else to stay here with him. David is busy with the business and Angelique has to stay with Roger. I'll be fine. Thank you doctor." Dr. Adams looked disapproving but left the room, throwing his gloves in the bio-hazard bin on the way out.
Carolyn got up and paced the room. She looked over at Quentin. Going over to his bedside and sitting in the chair that was there, she took his hand. "Quentin, you can't die on me. Just wait. You'll get your kidney soon, I know it. Just hold on. I know you can. When you wake up, you can explain all of this to me and David and I can take care of it. Don't worry." A tear ran down her cheek.
Knock, knock, knock. Maggie Evans went up to the door in a light summer dress with a shawl around her shoulder. "Are you ready to go?" John Crosic asked, standing outside on the porch. "Yes, let me just grab my purse." Maggie went over and picked up her purse from the couch and walked back over to the door. After turning the light out and shutting the door, they were on their way for their second date.
This time, instead of the Italian restaurant they went to on their first date, Maggie and John went to a seafood place called Drift Wood. The waiter seated them and handed them their menus. Maggie couldn't decide between the crab cake or the steamed lobster. John ordered salmon, and after he ordered and the waiter asked Maggie what she wanted, she ultimately decided to go with the lobster.
Maggie and John talked about what they each had been doing since the last time they had seen each other. "Well, I had more business deals, and I actually helped someone turn an investment around. This guy had invested all his money into one business and the company went under, so I helped him redirect the money he had left to another company, and he made back triple the money he lost. So, anything interesting happen to you?"
Maggie thought back. She remember finding the bloody clothes in her closet. Nothing had happened since then. She had actually forgotten about that night until just now. "Maggie? Is everything all right?" John asked her. "Yes, fine. Nothing really happened worth telling about. I would just bore you." "No you wouldn't. Really." 'Oh, great! Thanks for saying that. Now I am going to have to make something up to tell you,' Maggie thought. "Oh, well, in that case, um....... well, I did almost catch my kitchen on fire," Maggie lied, quickly trying to think of more to tell him. "How did you do that?" "Oh, I, stupid me, I spilt grease on the hot burner." Maggie watched his face. He seemed genuinely concerned, but should she believe him? Maybe he was just putting on a show to throw suspicions off him. "Are you okay?" "Yes, oh, yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." This was quite an awkward situation for Maggie. She remember hiding from John when he came into the diner to see her one day. She hoped he didn't know about it. "I saw you behind the counter that day," John said taking a sip of his coffee. 'Great! He does know. How are you gonna get yourself outta this one Maggie?' , she thought. "What are you talking about?" "That one day. It must have been a Tuesday, I think. I was walking down the sidewalk and I looked in the window and saw you talking to Debby. I believe you were serving a cup of coffee to some one." 'Yes! He doesn't know,' Maggie thought to herself. "Really? I didn't see you outside. Must of been because I was serving that customer."
Soon after the waiter brought their food from the kitchen, and they both enjoyed a nice meal together. Once they had finished, John paid again and left a tip for the waiter. Going outside, John opened the passenger door for Maggie to get in, and then closed it after she had. Before John started the car, he turned to her. "So, where do you want to go from here?" "I don't know." "How about your place? For coffee?" John suggested. Maggie looked at him. 'Geez, isn't he forward?' she thought. "Sure," she said and John started the car.
Once arriving at Maggie's cottage, John got out and opened the door for Maggie to get out. She thanked him and then went up to her door and unlocked it. She told him to make himself at home and she went into the kitchen to make the coffee. Once it had been prepared, and Maggie had turned the coffee pot on, she returned to the living room. That sat in silence, not really sure of what to say to each other. "Are you a painter?" John asked, looking around the room at all the paintings. He got up and studied one of them. "No. Why do you ask?" "These paintings, they all have 'Evans' scribbled at the bottom of them. "Oh. My father was a painter. These paintings are left over, ones that I never sold after his death." "I'm sorry. They are very good." "Thank you." Maggie answered. John went over to a painting that was leaning against the bay window. It was a painting of a lovely woman with golden brown hair. She had big green eyes, eyes of a cat John thought. She was very beautiful. "Would you sell any of them now?" "I suppose I could. Which one are you interested in?" "This one, right here," John said, pointing at the painting he was studying. Maggie got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over to where John was standing. "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't sell that to you." Maggie said, looking at the picture and smiling. "Why?" "Because that is a painting of my mother. My father painted it just before she got ill and died. It's the only real picture I have left of her." "Well, I wouldn't ask you to sell it then." John walked over and looked at some other paintings. He saw one of a boat flowing out in clear blue waters, with the oars still in it. "What about this one?" "Yes, I will sell you that one." Maggie said. "What is your asking price?" John asked, willing to pay anything for the painting. "Well, I guess fifty sounds okay," Maggie said. She turned around. "That's the coffee. Excuse me." Maggie left the room and went into the kitchen. She returned with a tray on which sat the coffee pot, two cups, and some cubes of sugar in a bowl. John went over and sat down on the couch, taking a cup and pouring himself and Maggie some coffee. He put two sugar cubes in his coffee, while Maggie only put one. John handed a piece of paper to Maggie. "John, this is two hundred dollars! I only asked for fifty." "I thought the painting was much to good for that amount, so I decided two hundred was more reasonable," John said, taking a sip of his coffee. "John, are you sure?" Maggie asked, surprised at his generosity. "Maggie, if I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have written the check." "Would you like me to wrap the painting up for you?" Maggie asked, folding the check in half. "If it wouldn't be to much trouble. Thank you." "No trouble at all." Maggie got up from her seat and went down the hall. She opened the closet and reached up on the top shelf. She grabbed an old twin bed sheet. She then went into the kitchen and opened a junk drawer, grabbing scissors and twine out of it before closing it. Going back into the living room, she laid the sheet out on the floor and then laid the painting face down on the sheet. Wrapping the sheet around the painting, she turned and got the twine from beside her. Measuring two arm lengths and then cutting, Maggie then folded the twine in half and cut it at the middle. She wrapped one half vertically and the other horizontally around the painting before tying the two halves together in the back. Picking the painting up, she took it over and leaned it against the wall beside the door. Maggie then returned to her seat beside John. "Thank you." "Your welcome. There is a nice framing store down the street from the diner, just an FYI. I am sure you could find a frame there." "Well, I will have to check it out after I leave the diner tomorrow. Do you know what time they open?" "I think about 8 a.m." Maggie picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Good, that will be just right. I'll come into the diner, and then go to the frame store before my appointment at nine." John put down his coffee. "Thanks for the coffee Maggie. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, getting up and walking over to the door. Maggie put her coffee down and walked over to the door to. John put his coat on and picked up his painting. "Well, goodnight," he said. Maggie gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight," she said to him, opening the door and then shutting it when he was out.
The clock in the foyer of Collinwood chimed 10 p.m. David Collins paced the drawing room floor, drink in hand. He took a sip before setting it down on the table. Carolyn had come home earlier to tell everyone what was going on with Quentin, and to pick up a few things. She was up in her room packing a small bag of clothes so she could go back to the hospital later.
David walked out of the drawing room and into the kitchen. "Angelique, dear, would you mind going upstairs and telling Carolyn and father that I would like to speak to them in the drawing room? Thank you." David left the kitchen and returned to the drawing room. Minutes later, Angelique came into the drawing room followed by Carolyn and Roger, who was lugging his oxygen tank behind him. "This blasted thing. I just want to throw it at the wall," Roger said entering the drawing room. "Uncle Roger, you know you couldn't if you wanted to. You will have to get used to it," Carolyn told him in a tone that flatly said 'stop your complaining'. "I don't need you to tell me that kitten," Roger said, sitting down on the couch. Carolyn took a seat in a chair across from the couch. "I'll just leave you three to talk," Angelique said, turning to exit the room. "No, please stay dear. I want you to hear this to." David waited for her to come back in and sit down. He hesitated for a few minutes before telling them what they were here for. "I have called this meeting because of the ever increasing problem with the family money," David started, taking a swig. "As you all know, the money is running out and I have very few choices in the matter," David took a sip after saying this part. "So, for that reason, and my not wanting to unintentionally waste the money," David paused, "I have decided to......" "Spit it out son!" Roger said, growing impatient. "I have decided to close the business." David downed the whole glass.
Chapter 8
"WHAT!" Roger shrieked, jumping like the old man he was off the couch. "YOU CAN'T' DO THAT!!! I WORKED FOR YEARS TO BUILD THAT COMPANY TO WHAT IT WAS!!!!!" "Carolyn, Angelique, could you leave us?" "Certainly, dear. I'll be in our room," Angelique said, leaving the room. "Yes. I want to get back to the hospital." Carolyn walked out into the foyer, put her coat on and picking up her suitcase, left.
"Now father, I know you feel strongly about the company, but it is the only thing I can do." "IT CAN'T BE! LET ME LOOK OVER THE PAPERS! I WILL SAVE THE COMPANY!" Roger screamed, huffing and puffing. "Oh father, calm down. You're going to give yourself a heart attack." David went over to Roger and lifted his oxygen mask to his face. "There is no need for you to look over the papers. I have done it many times before making my decision. It is the only way to ensure that we will have money forever." "WELL! YOU'VE MISSED SOMETHING!" Roger exclaimed from behind his oxygen mask. Heaving air into and out of his lungs, Roger lowered the mask. "Son, I know you love the company as much as I do, and you are as brilliant a business man as I," Roger paused to take a gasp of the pure air, "but I won't allow you to shut the company down!" "You are not in charge anymore father, and while I appreciate your input, I cannot listen to it this time." David sat down on the couch. "You don't trust me! That's it.......isn't it? You don't trust me because," Roger stopped for a breath of the oxygen once more, "because I advised you to invest in that company that caused this mess." "No, father. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just......it's just that I only had a few choices, and the majority of them involved giving up more money than what I was willing to. I won't sit here and argue with you. The decision is final." "But what about the Swiss accounts?" "I've cleaned them out. I have put all of our money into one account. In about a month, I will reopen a Swiss account. The interest rates have dropped and are expected to rise again by that time." "You know I don't like this," Roger said, still breathing from his mask. "I know father, but you're going to have to accept it." David left his father sitting in the drawing room and headed up the stairs.
Maggie lied in bed, thinking of the nights events. John was very pleasant tonight, she thought to herself. She enjoyed her time with him and when he left, she felt sorry to see him go. Her mind filled with happy thoughts, she drifted off to sleep.
"Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and told hold. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?" "I do." Maggie smiled as she took her vows. "And do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and told hold. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?" "I do." John smiled as he took his vows as well. "The rings please," the Reverend said. Maggie had had reservations about using this man for her wedding. He reminded her of an evil man she had met once. A man by the name of Trask. The resemblance was striking. "Repeat after me, John. With this ring, I thee wed." "With this ring, I thee wed," John repeated. After placing the rings on each others fingers, they both turned towards the priest. "Join hands." The reverend said. Maggie looked down and put her hand in his. "NOOOOO!!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Maggie screamed. She looked in horror at Johns hands, his red hands. She then looked at hers. Her red hands. "NOOO!!!! It wasn't me! It wasn't me I swear! I just found the clothes in my closet! The bloody clothes in my closet!!!" Maggie frantically tried to wipe the blood off on her wedding gown. She turned and ran down the aisle and came to a screeching stop at the doors. "You didn't kill me? Stop lying! You did! Stop lying!" Andrea Browns bloody corpse stood in the door way. She had bruises all over her face and her clothes were tattered and torn. Blood was running down her cheek out of her eyes, and from a cut on her neck. "STOP LYING!" the ghost shrieked. "Yes, do stop lying. Everyone knows you killed us both, Maggie Evans. YOU KILLED US BOTH, MAGGIE EVANS!" Leslie Warrington, the second girl murdered stepped into the door. She held up her hands. The ring finger was missing from her left hand, and her shirt and pants were bloody. A great patch of hair was missing from her head, and her nose was severely bent out of shape. Blood was dripping from her mouth. "I didn't kill either of you! I swear! I SWEAR I KILLED NO ONE! SOME ONE IS TRYING TO FRAME ME! PLEASE BELIEVE ME!" Maggie yelled. Both women, hands outstretched, started walking towards her. Maggie started backing up, and quickly. They chased her all the way to the stage, where John was standing. She bumped into the reverend and knocked him over and fell down herself. The women bent down. Andrea grabbed her throat, and Leslie grabbed her by the shoulders. Andrea started choking her and Leslie began to violently shake her. Both the reverend and John started laughing hysterically. Maggie tried to yell, but she could only mouth 'Help me!'
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "Maggie, Maggie, calm down! It was only a dream!" Maggie opened her eyes to see Debby sitting on her bed. She had her hands on Maggie's shoulders, apparently shaking her to wake her up. Maggie hand her hands around her own throat, just as she had in the dream, trying to save herself. "Debby! What are you doing here?!?!" "I came by to slip a note under your door to tell you I was going on vacation with my boyfriend! We're eloping! Can you believe it?!?!" Debby told her boss, excitedly. "I tried calling, but you have no answering machine. I was going to slip the note into your screen door, but then I heard you screaming, no, shrieking was more like it. I used my credit card to get in through your French doors. That must've been some dream." "It was. It was horrible! Dead people chasing after me at my wedding, and blood on my hands!" "You were screaming that you didn't kill them and that you found bloody clothes in your closet. What was that about?" "Ooh...that was just uh.......another thing in the dream." Maggie lied. She tried to sit up, but was still shaking. "Would you like me to stay here with you?" "No, no. I'll be find. I just have to clam down." "Are you sure?" "Yes. Please go. Congratulations. Have fun. Call me in a few days." "I can stay if you want me to. It's no trouble, really. Our flight doesn't leave until 8 a.m." "No, no. Please. Just go. I'll be fine, I promise." "Okay, but I'm calling you tomorrow." "Have fun," Maggie faked a smile. Debby went over and closed the French doors that she came in through, and went out of Maggie's room. Moments later, Maggie heard the door close.
Maggie sat in bed for a few minutes and tried to calm herself down. She needed someone to be with her now. John! She would call John! Maggie reached over to her bedside table and picked up the receiver of the phone. "7830," Maggie said aloud as she dialed. The phone ringed once, twice. Maggie hung the phone up. She realized that she couldn't call John. What would he think of her if she told him her dream? Or, worse yet, what if he was the killer and he felt that she knew to much? Maggie dreaded the thoughts she was thinking now. She had had such a good time with John tonight, how could she go on thinking that he was the murderer?
Maggie got up and walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She reached up to a cabinet, opened it, and took out a bottle. She twisted the bottle open and then dropped it, spilling the pills all over the floor. She bent down and picked one up. Putting it in her mouth, she went over to the sink and filled a glass with water. Drinking the water to wash down the pill, she put the glass down and went back into her room. In a few minutes, she was asleep.
At the hospital, Carolyn was entering Quentin's room. She put her suitcase down beside a cot that she had asked the doctors to set up in Quentin's room. She sat down on the cot and opened her suitcase. She took out a brush and started brushing her hair. It was early in the morning before she finally laid down for some rest.
Carolyn woke with a start. The doctors had come in and were unhooking Quentin from the machines. "What happened? What's going on?" Carolyn asked, frantically. She got up and quickly walked over. "Everything's fine Ms. Stoddard. We're just taking Quentin up to the OR for his surgery. We've found a kidney for him!" "That's wonderful! How long will it take?" "Not long at all. We'll be back before you know it." Dr. Adams got at the head end of the bed and started pushing Quentin out of the room.
Carolyn was excited. She couldn't believe they had found a kidney so fast. She went over to where Quentin's bed once had been and picked up the phone on a table. She dialed Collinwood. The phone rang three times before someone picked up. "Hello, this is Carolyn." "Hello Carolyn, how is Quentin?" came Angelique's voice from the other end. "He's just gone into surgery. They've found a kidney for him. I'll call you back when he gets out." "That's good news. I'll tell David and Roger. Goodbye." Angelique hung up. Carolyn did as well.
Rinnnnnngggggggg. Riiiiinnnnngggggg. Riiinnnnnggggggg. Riiinnnngggggggg. Riiiinnnnnggggg. Riiiiinnnnggggg. Maggie groggily opened her eyes. She reached out a hand to her night stand and felt around for the phone. She picked it up. "Hel...hello?" "Maggie, are you all right?" "Who, who is this?" Maggie rubbed her eyes. "It's John. I'm at the Inn. I expected to see you here this morning." "John, I will be there, but not until 7," Maggie answered stretching her legs and digging her head into her pillow. "Maggie, dear, it's 9." "What?!?!" Maggie shot straight up. "Thank you, John. I be there in a jiff." Maggie hung up. She started racing around her house, trying to get ready for work. By 9:30 she was leaving the house.
Arriving at the Inn, she went into the diner and began to open up. John was sitting at a table. "I was wondering what was wrong with you, Maggie. It's not like you to be this late." "I know. I just didn't sleep well last night so I took a sleeping pill," Maggie said, making some coffee. "I didn't mean to over sleep." "Well, we all do it now and then. I went to the framing shop earlier and bought a very nice silver frame for the painting." "That's good." Maggie poured herself a cup of coffee and downed it in one gulp. Then she poured another and drank half of it before starting to rush around behind the counter. "Geez, slow down why don't ya," John said. "I can't. I've got to wake up. Do you want anything?" "No, no. I'm fine, thanks. Did you hear about the murder?" "There was another one?" Maggie asked, with much interest. "Yes, someone by the name of....hold on it'll come to me......" "Kimberly Kasslehoffan." Maggie realized what had just happened. She hadn't read a news paper this morning. How did she know who it was? How? "Yes, that's it ,but how did you know?" "I...I must've seen it on a newspaper when I came in this morning." Maggie looked at the ground and pretended to bend down and pick something up so John wouldn't notice she was lying. "I cannot believe that they still haven't caught that evil person who is doing all of this," John said, brushing a bit of hair out of his face. "I know. You would think that the police would have found him by now," Maggie said, not looking up from the counter. "Unless, unless the person is a professional." "What do you mean?" "I mean that he's done this before. That's why they haven't caught him. No clues have been left behind, and no DNA evidence has been found in any of the houses or on any of the bodies. I think this guy has been doing it for a while now." "How long he has been doing it doesn't really matter does it? All that matter is that the police catch that bastard." "I agree. Well, I'll be off. I have another appointment at 10." "I thought you said you had one at 9." "I did, but she canceled." John left. Maggie continued to get things together. She went over to the window and flipped the sign over to show that the diner was now open.
At Collinwood, David was sitting at his desk in the study. He was going over the business papers, hoping to see anything that might help him to find a way to keep the business open. There was nothing so far. Everything he thought of and double checked, didn't work out in the end. He wanted to start q new company but he new that he ran the risk of loosing all the money his ancestors had worked for over the many years. There was a knock at the door. "Come in," David said, throwing the piece of paper his was looking at onto the desk.
"Are you still looking over the papers from the company?" Angelique asked her husband, walking into the room. "No. I've just finished." "Only on my account. Am I right?" "No. I really have finished. I have checked and double checked the numbers and the ideas I've had to fix things and they all would have a great chance of my loosing the fortune." "I really wish you wouldn't fret over these issues. You have made your decision. Stand by it. If you don't, no one else will. And you know I support whatever decision you make." "I know. I just can't stop thinking about all the employees. What will they do?" "You leave that to them. It's not your problem to think about, it's theirs." "Isn't that insensitive?" "No. It's not. Whether or not they get work is THEIR problem, not yours. You have enough to worry about as it is. You don't need to be worrying about them. They will survive. There are other shipping companies, you know." "I know. I just don't want to tell them all that I will be closing the business. What reason would I give them for it?" "Tell them the truth. You don't want to waste anymore money in the business because it is going to fail anyway." "I can't say that." "Why not? It's the truth." "Because. I don't want the whole town to know that the Collins family has money issues." "Once again, family pride and the family name get in the way," Angelique said, taking a sit in a chair on the opposite side of the desk. "I'll think of something to tell them." "David, dear, I wonder if you would be willing to do something." "What?" "Come away with me. Lets leave here and go away. At least for a week, maybe a few days even. Anything to get away from the troubles we have here." "They would just be waiting for us when we get back." "That doesn't matter. We could forget all about them while we are gone." "But where would we go?" "To an island. Some tropical island where it is warm and sunny." "There are so many." "So!? We could travel them all!" "That would take forever." "If you don't want to go, why don't you just come out and say so!" Angelique shouted, getting frustrated at David's short and negative answers. "Honey, it's not that I don't want to go.." "Yes it is. Well, that's just fine. If you want to stay here and wallow in your sorrows then you do that, but I am leaving!" Angelique rose from her chair and stormed out of the room. David got up and ran down the hall after her. "Angelique, you know I want to go. I just don't feel right leaving father here by himself." "Carolyn will be here." "No she won't, she is staying at the hospital." "We could get someone to come and stay with him." "Like who?" "Maggie Evans. She doesn't have much to do these days. I am sure she will be more than happy to come up here and stay with your father. "I'll tell you what. If you can convince Maggie to come up here and look after father, I we can go on the trip." "Oh David! She will come up here, I know it!" Angelique leaned in and kissed David and then ran off down the hall to call Maggie.
In the drawing room at Collinwood, Carolyn dialed the number to the police station. She waited while it rang. Then someone picked up. "Hello? May I speak with the sheriff please?" Carolyn said, look down at the floor. "This is Sheriff Windfield. How may I help you?" "Sheriff, this is Carolyn Stoddard. I was just wondering if you had heard anything about the disappearance of my brother Quentin." "No, I haven't. Ms. Stoddard, are you sure he just didn't decide to go away for a while? With all the things that he went through just before he left, it is possible he just wanted some time to be by himself." "Sheriff, he isn't crazy, despite what the town thinks." "I am not saying he is, Ms. Stoddard. Although you have to admit that all those ravings about someone or something having a conspiracy to kill him could have been just made up for attention. There is no secret that your mother disowned him when she died." "Sheriff, they were not ravings! He actually had proof, its just that people didn't want their perfect little lives messed up. And we both know why mother disowned him. You were close with her before she died, and I know she told you everything. When Quentin was younger, it was no secret he was a drunk. He used to go out every night and get wasted. I guess he thought it would be better that way, that he would be able to forget the worry of someone being out to get him." "Whatever you say Ms. Stoddard. As soon as I receive information about his whereabouts I will call you." "Thank you Sheriff." Carolyn hung up. How dare the sheriff talk about her brother like that. Just because he was close with her mother before she died gave him no right to talk like that. Carolyn knew his secret as well. He would never gotten elected as sheriff if her mother hadn't have influenced the judge to drop the murder charge against him. He was, in fact, one of the original suspects of the three murders five years earlier. Carolyn knew that he probably put the wrong man away for the murders, but there was nothing she could do about it. All Carolyn could do was to wait, and hope that, one day, Quentin might decide to return home, if he was still alive.
Maggie Evans had spent the past three days trying to avoid John Crosic. Every time she saw him she made a mad dash into some hiding place she had only thought of seconds before. She just didn't trust him as much since she found Andrea Brown's necklace at his house. For all she knew, her gut feelings could be right and he could be a stalker. Then again, maybe they were wrong, and her feelings were just trying to keep her from a man she could grow to love.
Maggie had called Debby earlier this morning and told her that she wasn't going to be in to work today, that she needed a day off. So, as soon as she put her face on, and chose suitable clothes, Maggie left her house. First she stopped by the newsstand by the Inn and picked up a paper. A headline that she didn't really want to see right now stared her back in the face- Another Local Girl Found Dead, In Home Last Night. Maggie could only imagine what had happened this time. She read the article on the front page and found out that this girls name was Leslie Warrington, and that she had been seen only a half hour before she was found dead. Apparently, she had went to the Blue Whale, and while there she dropped a credit card from her wallet. When an employee went to her home to return it, he found the door ajar, and found Ms. Warrington laying in her bath tub, dead. The cause was strangulation.
Maggie couldn't believe there was another murder, and it had only been a matter of days since the last one. The article urged everyone to be home by 9 p.m. at the latest, but no curfew had been set.
After a rousing day of shopping, Maggie returned home with too many bags to carry. She had to make two trips to the car and back to get all of the items she bought inside. Ranging from a new coat to shoes and new sweaters, Maggie unpacked each item individually, clipping the tags off and then putting them in a pile for the wash. Taking the pile of clothes intended for the wash and putting them in the laundry room, Maggie went back out into the living room, folded up the shopping bags, and grabbed her coat. She went over to the hall closet, opened the door, and placed the coat on a hanger and hung it up. She bent down to tuck the shopping bags into a box in the back corner, and she saw a white bag that she hadn't remembered being there earlier. When she had put the shopping bags in the box, she grabbed the white bag and shut the closet door. Sitting down on the couch, Maggie placed the bag in front of her on the floor and opened it up. She reached in and pulled out clothes. She recognized them as hers, but when she unfolded them, since they were all in bundles, Maggie let out a loud scream. She stared at the clothes in horror. Blood stains were spotted all over the purple shirt she had pulled out, as well as a pair of jeans that were also stained with blood. There was also a pair of latex gloves in the bag.
Why were these clothes in a bag in Maggie's closet? Who could have put them here? John Crosic! He must be the murderer, and he—but wait, no, he wouldn't fit into these clothes so it had to be a woman. Debby? Could it be Debby? Had Maggie been wrong in thinking that she was her friend the whole time? The clothes would fit her, but would she do such a thing? Maggie didn't know who else it could be. It had to be Debby. Maggie didn't do it. She didn't even notice that these clothes were gone! Wait! She had put them in a bag of Good Will clothes! But had she delivered them?
Maggie quickly got up off the couch and went back into the laundry room. She looked for a pink bag. There is was! Just down at the other end of the room next to the detergent and bleach! Maggie walked up to the bag and opened it. All the clothes were still there, except for the ones in the bag in the living room! Who was trying to pin the murder on Maggie? She didn't know, and didn't care. Maggie just knew that she had to report this.
Going back out into the living room, Maggie picked up the receiver of her phone and dialed the police station. Rinnnnnggggg.. Rinnnnnnggggg. Rinnnnnnnngggggg. Rinnnn- Maggie slammed the receiver back down. NO! She couldn't report this! Then she would become a suspect in the murders and she didn't do it! She had to think of a way to get rid of the clothes. Sure, she knew it was wrong, but it was either that or take the chance of becoming a suspect in two murders she didn't commit. Maggie grabbed the bag of clothes and took them into her den. Throwing a few logs into the fire place and the putting the clothes on top of them, Maggie grabbed the lighter fluid. She squirted the fluid all over the clothes, and, grabbing the box of matches, she lit one and threw it into the fire place. The clothes caught fire immediately, and quickly began to burn. When the fire got lower, Maggie threw the paper bag the clothes had been in on top of it, burning that as well. Leaving that to burn, Maggie went into the kitchen and washed her lightly blood stained hands off, drying them on a dish towel.
Feeling satisfied she had done all she could, Maggie went into the living room and sat down. Although still shaken up, she tried her best to calm herself even though it wasn't working. Maggie went into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and took out the gallon of milk. After pouring some into a glass and placing the milk jug back into the fridge, she put the glass of milk into the microwave and heated it up for 30 seconds. Taking it out, she took a few sips and went back into the living room. Stretching out and covering herself with the blanket hanging over the back of the couch, Maggie continued to sip the warm milk, in hopes of it putting her to sleep.
Carolyn Stoddard was sitting in the drawing room of Collinwood reading a book when she heard something outside of the door. She got up and walked into the foyer, listening for the noise again. There was a loud thud, and it sounded like something hit the door. Carolyn creeped over, trying to be quiet as she figured it was a burglar. She grabbed a cane that belonged to her Uncle Roger off of the coat rack. She put her hand on the door knob, and, slowly raising the cane above her head, yanked the door open.
Carolyn dropped the cane to the ground. "Oh my god!" she said, bending down to the seemingly lifeless body laying outside on the walk. She looked at the person, the man, lying on the ground. He looked up. "Quentin!" she yelled. She turned him over to lie on his back, and she saw that he hand was holding his stomach where blood was gushing out. "Carolyn, they got to me," he said lowly, before passing out.
Chapter 6
Carolyn is waiting in the waiting room of the hospital room. She had taken Quentin to the hospital herself because somehow she knew if she had of waited for an ambulance Quentin may have died. As it was, Quentin had to be rushed straight into surgery from the emergency room. He had lost an enormous amount of blood. He had s ruptured spleen, and whoever attacked him and nicked his liver. He had multiple stab wounds in the lower abdomen, as well as a wound in his back.
The doctors had fixed him up as best they could before taking him into his own room. Carolyn had stayed with him, but she left to call David. He was on his way now. Angelique stayed home in case Roger needed assistance with something.
When David arrived, Carolyn showed him into Quentin's room. "Carolyn, how did this happen?" David asked, looking at Quentin lying in the bed with bandages around his abdomen and a patch on his forehead. "I don't know. I was sitting in the drawing room and I heard someone outside. When I opened the door, he was lying there," Carolyn explained. She walked over and sat in a chair beside Quentin's bed. "Did he say anything?" "Yes, he said 'they got to me'." "Who's 'they'?" "I don't know. I suppose 'they' are the people who he says are after him. It's so weird to, because I just called the sheriff a few days ago, and now he turns up. The sheriff said that he hadn't found anything on Quentin." "Yes, but we both know how secretive the sheriff is, Carolyn. He could have been withholding information." "But what reason would he have for doing that?" "Well, if he were one of the people who were after Quentin then he would have a reason to. We won't know anything until Quentin wakes up. What did the doctors say?" "They said he is going to live, if that's what you mean. He doesn't have life threatening injuries, and they confirmed my though of not waiting for the ambulance. They told me if I had of waited he may have died from loss of blood. I got him here in time for a transfusion. The doctors said his blood count was the lowest they've seen in a while." "I guess it's a good thing you went with you gut feeling then," David said, walking over to the window and looking out. The sky had darkened in the short time he had been there, and it was starting drizzle. Low rumbles of thunder could be heard a few miles off. "Is there any way of knowing how long he will be out for?" "No, the doctors didn't say. I guess he will wake up when he wakes up." "Let us hope that he will wake up soon. Then we can get some information out of him." "I don't think he will want to answer questions as soon as he wakes up. He will probably be groggy." "Did the doctors say anything about memory loss?" "No. The doctor told me nothing about it."
The next morning came. David and Carolyn had been waiting for Quentin to wake up all night long. He hadn't yet, and they had taken turns watching all night. David waited for Quentin to wake up while Carolyn slept and vice- versa. They both hoped it wouldn't be much longer before Quentin woke up, fearing that the coma may become permanent.
At the Collinsport Inn, Maggie was entering. She did her daily morning routine of putting her things in her office and then going into the diner. She had called Debby and given her the day off, as she didn't want to seem nervous around her in case she was the murderer. Maggie put all the chairs down on the floor and turned the sign on the window over so that "Open" was facing out to the side walk. She went behind the counter and made the coffee before turning both coffee pots on. She took up a rag and wiped the counter off. After taking the pie platter off of the high tier of the counter, and taking the top off it, she rinsed it off in the sink. She went over to the refrigerator and opened it, taking out another pie. When she had closed the refrigerator, she took the pie over and set it on the counter. She unwrapped the tin foil around it and placed it on the pie platter. Putting the top back on, she put the platter back on the higher tier of the counter and threw the tin foil away. She heard the door open, and looked up with a smile that quickly faded. It was John Crosic.
"Hello Maggie! I've had a rough time getting a hold of you the past few days. Been busy?" he said, sitting at a table. "Yes, I have. I had a mess of paperwork I had been putting off for a while and yesterday I went shopping. What can I get you?" "Coffee, please. Shopping? Buy anything good?" "A few new shirts and a coat," Maggie said, taking the coffee over to Crosic and setting it in front of him. "So, do you have any plans tonight?" Crosic asked, stirring a bit of sugar into his coffee. "No, why?" "I was just wondering if you would like to go out," he said, still stirring. Maggie's face scrunched up. "I'm....I'm sorry, I can't," she blurted out. "Why not?" "Oh....um...more paper work," Maggie lied. "I thought you said you weren't busy," Crosic said, a little annoyed. "Well, I just remembered the paper work," Maggie lied again. Crosic got up and walked over to the counter, placing both hands on the counter. "No, you didn't just remember about the paper work," Crosic said. "Yes, yes I di-" "No, you didn't. Look, if you don't want to go out with me, just tell me. It's not like I am going to stalk you down and kill you or anything," Crosic said. Maggie quickly looked down. "I know. You don't want to go out with me because of that necklace you found at my house, right? You think I murdered that girl, don't you?" Crosic walked over to his table and picked his coat up. He reached in a pocket and pulled out some money which he threw down on the table. "Look, if you don't want to go out with me, that's fine. I'll see you around," Crosic said, looking at Maggie. He began to walk out. Maggie put down the salt shaker she was filling. "John! Wait!" she yelled after him. He stopped without turning around. "Yes?" "You say you want to go out tonight?" "That's right." "Meet me at my house at 7, and I will be ready," Maggie said. Crosic smiled. He turned around. "Great! See you at 7!" Crosic left.
Chapter 7
"Hello doctor," Carolyn greeted Dr. Adams as he entered the room. "How is he?" the doctor asked her. "The same as the last time you left, doctor." "No change at all? He hasn't waken up yet?" "No."
The doctor went over to Quentin's bed and examined him. He took his pulse and lifted his eyes lids to see if his pupils were responsive. After the exam, he turned to Carolyn. "I have already told you that the longer he is like this, the less likely it is for him to wake up." "Yes, you have doctor. It's only been a few days. There is still hope isn't there?" "Yes, there is still hope. Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush here Ms. Stoddard, I believe that once the seventh day has passed he won't wake up. His wounds weren't extensive, but he had to have a massive blood transfusion. If his body is unresponsive to the blood, he may never wake up." "Why would his body be unresponsive to the blood?" "Well, we are giving him medication to help his body accept the blood, but giving that much blood is like putting a new organ in." "I still have hope doctor. He will wake up." Carolyn walked over to the window and started to look out. The doctor looked at her and then left. The constant beeping of Quentin's heart monitor was getting to Carolyn. She had heard nothing but that for four days. She hadn't gone home or left the hall his room was on. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Carolyn turned around. The beeping had stopped. She rushed out into the hall. "Get the doctor! He's dying! Hurry!" Carolyn rushed back into the room. She couldn't do anything to save her brother. She couldn't just stay here and watch him die. The doctor rushed in. "Crash cart!" the doctor yelled. The nurse ran out into the hall and ran back in, pushing a crash cart in front of her. "Bag 'em," the doctor yelled. "Starting CPR!" The doctor started compression's on Quentin's chest. The nurse was standing behind his head. She had a mask over his mouth with a plastic clear blue bag over his mouth. She was pressing the bag every two seconds. "Get Dr. Griswald in here now!" Dr. Adams yelled. Soon after another male doctor came into the room. "Griswald, tube," Adams told the other doctor. Dr. Griswald went over to where the nurse was standing above Quentin's head. He took a light and shined it down Quentin's throat, inserting a tube. "Connect it," he told the nurse, and she quickly did so.
"Charge to 200," Dr. Adams said. "CLEAR!" Dr. Adams yelled. He shocked Quentin. Nothing. "Flat line! Charge to 300!" "CLEAR!" Dr. Adams shocked him again. "We've got a heart beat." Dr. Adams threw the paddles back onto the cart. "Kidneys don't look good doctor," the nurse told him. "Put him as stage one on the waiting list." "The waiting list?" Carolyn finally broke in. "Yes, we're going to have to give Quentin a new kidney." "He can die from that right?" "Well there can be complications but-" "CAN HE DIE OR NOT!" "Yes, he can die. He is on the top of the waiting list. The next available kidney should be his." Dr. Adams turned to the nurse. "Monitor his vitals. Thank you Dr. Griswald." Dr. Adams turned back to Carolyn. "Quentin's going to be just fine. Don't you worry." "You're telling me not to worry when Quentin needs a kidney transplant?!?" "Don't get yourself worked up, Ms. Stoddard." "I'm not getting worked up," Carolyn said, putting her hand to her forehead and sitting down. "How soon will he get a kidney?" "I can't be sure. We'll let you know as soon as he does." Dr. Adams looked back over at Quentin and then at Carolyn. "You should go home. Get some rest. You've been here for four days straight. You need a break." "I can't. There's no one else to stay here with him. David is busy with the business and Angelique has to stay with Roger. I'll be fine. Thank you doctor." Dr. Adams looked disapproving but left the room, throwing his gloves in the bio-hazard bin on the way out.
Carolyn got up and paced the room. She looked over at Quentin. Going over to his bedside and sitting in the chair that was there, she took his hand. "Quentin, you can't die on me. Just wait. You'll get your kidney soon, I know it. Just hold on. I know you can. When you wake up, you can explain all of this to me and David and I can take care of it. Don't worry." A tear ran down her cheek.
Knock, knock, knock. Maggie Evans went up to the door in a light summer dress with a shawl around her shoulder. "Are you ready to go?" John Crosic asked, standing outside on the porch. "Yes, let me just grab my purse." Maggie went over and picked up her purse from the couch and walked back over to the door. After turning the light out and shutting the door, they were on their way for their second date.
This time, instead of the Italian restaurant they went to on their first date, Maggie and John went to a seafood place called Drift Wood. The waiter seated them and handed them their menus. Maggie couldn't decide between the crab cake or the steamed lobster. John ordered salmon, and after he ordered and the waiter asked Maggie what she wanted, she ultimately decided to go with the lobster.
Maggie and John talked about what they each had been doing since the last time they had seen each other. "Well, I had more business deals, and I actually helped someone turn an investment around. This guy had invested all his money into one business and the company went under, so I helped him redirect the money he had left to another company, and he made back triple the money he lost. So, anything interesting happen to you?"
Maggie thought back. She remember finding the bloody clothes in her closet. Nothing had happened since then. She had actually forgotten about that night until just now. "Maggie? Is everything all right?" John asked her. "Yes, fine. Nothing really happened worth telling about. I would just bore you." "No you wouldn't. Really." 'Oh, great! Thanks for saying that. Now I am going to have to make something up to tell you,' Maggie thought. "Oh, well, in that case, um....... well, I did almost catch my kitchen on fire," Maggie lied, quickly trying to think of more to tell him. "How did you do that?" "Oh, I, stupid me, I spilt grease on the hot burner." Maggie watched his face. He seemed genuinely concerned, but should she believe him? Maybe he was just putting on a show to throw suspicions off him. "Are you okay?" "Yes, oh, yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." This was quite an awkward situation for Maggie. She remember hiding from John when he came into the diner to see her one day. She hoped he didn't know about it. "I saw you behind the counter that day," John said taking a sip of his coffee. 'Great! He does know. How are you gonna get yourself outta this one Maggie?' , she thought. "What are you talking about?" "That one day. It must have been a Tuesday, I think. I was walking down the sidewalk and I looked in the window and saw you talking to Debby. I believe you were serving a cup of coffee to some one." 'Yes! He doesn't know,' Maggie thought to herself. "Really? I didn't see you outside. Must of been because I was serving that customer."
Soon after the waiter brought their food from the kitchen, and they both enjoyed a nice meal together. Once they had finished, John paid again and left a tip for the waiter. Going outside, John opened the passenger door for Maggie to get in, and then closed it after she had. Before John started the car, he turned to her. "So, where do you want to go from here?" "I don't know." "How about your place? For coffee?" John suggested. Maggie looked at him. 'Geez, isn't he forward?' she thought. "Sure," she said and John started the car.
Once arriving at Maggie's cottage, John got out and opened the door for Maggie to get out. She thanked him and then went up to her door and unlocked it. She told him to make himself at home and she went into the kitchen to make the coffee. Once it had been prepared, and Maggie had turned the coffee pot on, she returned to the living room. That sat in silence, not really sure of what to say to each other. "Are you a painter?" John asked, looking around the room at all the paintings. He got up and studied one of them. "No. Why do you ask?" "These paintings, they all have 'Evans' scribbled at the bottom of them. "Oh. My father was a painter. These paintings are left over, ones that I never sold after his death." "I'm sorry. They are very good." "Thank you." Maggie answered. John went over to a painting that was leaning against the bay window. It was a painting of a lovely woman with golden brown hair. She had big green eyes, eyes of a cat John thought. She was very beautiful. "Would you sell any of them now?" "I suppose I could. Which one are you interested in?" "This one, right here," John said, pointing at the painting he was studying. Maggie got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over to where John was standing. "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't sell that to you." Maggie said, looking at the picture and smiling. "Why?" "Because that is a painting of my mother. My father painted it just before she got ill and died. It's the only real picture I have left of her." "Well, I wouldn't ask you to sell it then." John walked over and looked at some other paintings. He saw one of a boat flowing out in clear blue waters, with the oars still in it. "What about this one?" "Yes, I will sell you that one." Maggie said. "What is your asking price?" John asked, willing to pay anything for the painting. "Well, I guess fifty sounds okay," Maggie said. She turned around. "That's the coffee. Excuse me." Maggie left the room and went into the kitchen. She returned with a tray on which sat the coffee pot, two cups, and some cubes of sugar in a bowl. John went over and sat down on the couch, taking a cup and pouring himself and Maggie some coffee. He put two sugar cubes in his coffee, while Maggie only put one. John handed a piece of paper to Maggie. "John, this is two hundred dollars! I only asked for fifty." "I thought the painting was much to good for that amount, so I decided two hundred was more reasonable," John said, taking a sip of his coffee. "John, are you sure?" Maggie asked, surprised at his generosity. "Maggie, if I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have written the check." "Would you like me to wrap the painting up for you?" Maggie asked, folding the check in half. "If it wouldn't be to much trouble. Thank you." "No trouble at all." Maggie got up from her seat and went down the hall. She opened the closet and reached up on the top shelf. She grabbed an old twin bed sheet. She then went into the kitchen and opened a junk drawer, grabbing scissors and twine out of it before closing it. Going back into the living room, she laid the sheet out on the floor and then laid the painting face down on the sheet. Wrapping the sheet around the painting, she turned and got the twine from beside her. Measuring two arm lengths and then cutting, Maggie then folded the twine in half and cut it at the middle. She wrapped one half vertically and the other horizontally around the painting before tying the two halves together in the back. Picking the painting up, she took it over and leaned it against the wall beside the door. Maggie then returned to her seat beside John. "Thank you." "Your welcome. There is a nice framing store down the street from the diner, just an FYI. I am sure you could find a frame there." "Well, I will have to check it out after I leave the diner tomorrow. Do you know what time they open?" "I think about 8 a.m." Maggie picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Good, that will be just right. I'll come into the diner, and then go to the frame store before my appointment at nine." John put down his coffee. "Thanks for the coffee Maggie. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, getting up and walking over to the door. Maggie put her coffee down and walked over to the door to. John put his coat on and picked up his painting. "Well, goodnight," he said. Maggie gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight," she said to him, opening the door and then shutting it when he was out.
The clock in the foyer of Collinwood chimed 10 p.m. David Collins paced the drawing room floor, drink in hand. He took a sip before setting it down on the table. Carolyn had come home earlier to tell everyone what was going on with Quentin, and to pick up a few things. She was up in her room packing a small bag of clothes so she could go back to the hospital later.
David walked out of the drawing room and into the kitchen. "Angelique, dear, would you mind going upstairs and telling Carolyn and father that I would like to speak to them in the drawing room? Thank you." David left the kitchen and returned to the drawing room. Minutes later, Angelique came into the drawing room followed by Carolyn and Roger, who was lugging his oxygen tank behind him. "This blasted thing. I just want to throw it at the wall," Roger said entering the drawing room. "Uncle Roger, you know you couldn't if you wanted to. You will have to get used to it," Carolyn told him in a tone that flatly said 'stop your complaining'. "I don't need you to tell me that kitten," Roger said, sitting down on the couch. Carolyn took a seat in a chair across from the couch. "I'll just leave you three to talk," Angelique said, turning to exit the room. "No, please stay dear. I want you to hear this to." David waited for her to come back in and sit down. He hesitated for a few minutes before telling them what they were here for. "I have called this meeting because of the ever increasing problem with the family money," David started, taking a swig. "As you all know, the money is running out and I have very few choices in the matter," David took a sip after saying this part. "So, for that reason, and my not wanting to unintentionally waste the money," David paused, "I have decided to......" "Spit it out son!" Roger said, growing impatient. "I have decided to close the business." David downed the whole glass.
Chapter 8
"WHAT!" Roger shrieked, jumping like the old man he was off the couch. "YOU CAN'T' DO THAT!!! I WORKED FOR YEARS TO BUILD THAT COMPANY TO WHAT IT WAS!!!!!" "Carolyn, Angelique, could you leave us?" "Certainly, dear. I'll be in our room," Angelique said, leaving the room. "Yes. I want to get back to the hospital." Carolyn walked out into the foyer, put her coat on and picking up her suitcase, left.
"Now father, I know you feel strongly about the company, but it is the only thing I can do." "IT CAN'T BE! LET ME LOOK OVER THE PAPERS! I WILL SAVE THE COMPANY!" Roger screamed, huffing and puffing. "Oh father, calm down. You're going to give yourself a heart attack." David went over to Roger and lifted his oxygen mask to his face. "There is no need for you to look over the papers. I have done it many times before making my decision. It is the only way to ensure that we will have money forever." "WELL! YOU'VE MISSED SOMETHING!" Roger exclaimed from behind his oxygen mask. Heaving air into and out of his lungs, Roger lowered the mask. "Son, I know you love the company as much as I do, and you are as brilliant a business man as I," Roger paused to take a gasp of the pure air, "but I won't allow you to shut the company down!" "You are not in charge anymore father, and while I appreciate your input, I cannot listen to it this time." David sat down on the couch. "You don't trust me! That's it.......isn't it? You don't trust me because," Roger stopped for a breath of the oxygen once more, "because I advised you to invest in that company that caused this mess." "No, father. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just......it's just that I only had a few choices, and the majority of them involved giving up more money than what I was willing to. I won't sit here and argue with you. The decision is final." "But what about the Swiss accounts?" "I've cleaned them out. I have put all of our money into one account. In about a month, I will reopen a Swiss account. The interest rates have dropped and are expected to rise again by that time." "You know I don't like this," Roger said, still breathing from his mask. "I know father, but you're going to have to accept it." David left his father sitting in the drawing room and headed up the stairs.
Maggie lied in bed, thinking of the nights events. John was very pleasant tonight, she thought to herself. She enjoyed her time with him and when he left, she felt sorry to see him go. Her mind filled with happy thoughts, she drifted off to sleep.
"Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and told hold. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?" "I do." Maggie smiled as she took her vows. "And do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and told hold. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?" "I do." John smiled as he took his vows as well. "The rings please," the Reverend said. Maggie had had reservations about using this man for her wedding. He reminded her of an evil man she had met once. A man by the name of Trask. The resemblance was striking. "Repeat after me, John. With this ring, I thee wed." "With this ring, I thee wed," John repeated. After placing the rings on each others fingers, they both turned towards the priest. "Join hands." The reverend said. Maggie looked down and put her hand in his. "NOOOOO!!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Maggie screamed. She looked in horror at Johns hands, his red hands. She then looked at hers. Her red hands. "NOOO!!!! It wasn't me! It wasn't me I swear! I just found the clothes in my closet! The bloody clothes in my closet!!!" Maggie frantically tried to wipe the blood off on her wedding gown. She turned and ran down the aisle and came to a screeching stop at the doors. "You didn't kill me? Stop lying! You did! Stop lying!" Andrea Browns bloody corpse stood in the door way. She had bruises all over her face and her clothes were tattered and torn. Blood was running down her cheek out of her eyes, and from a cut on her neck. "STOP LYING!" the ghost shrieked. "Yes, do stop lying. Everyone knows you killed us both, Maggie Evans. YOU KILLED US BOTH, MAGGIE EVANS!" Leslie Warrington, the second girl murdered stepped into the door. She held up her hands. The ring finger was missing from her left hand, and her shirt and pants were bloody. A great patch of hair was missing from her head, and her nose was severely bent out of shape. Blood was dripping from her mouth. "I didn't kill either of you! I swear! I SWEAR I KILLED NO ONE! SOME ONE IS TRYING TO FRAME ME! PLEASE BELIEVE ME!" Maggie yelled. Both women, hands outstretched, started walking towards her. Maggie started backing up, and quickly. They chased her all the way to the stage, where John was standing. She bumped into the reverend and knocked him over and fell down herself. The women bent down. Andrea grabbed her throat, and Leslie grabbed her by the shoulders. Andrea started choking her and Leslie began to violently shake her. Both the reverend and John started laughing hysterically. Maggie tried to yell, but she could only mouth 'Help me!'
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "Maggie, Maggie, calm down! It was only a dream!" Maggie opened her eyes to see Debby sitting on her bed. She had her hands on Maggie's shoulders, apparently shaking her to wake her up. Maggie hand her hands around her own throat, just as she had in the dream, trying to save herself. "Debby! What are you doing here?!?!" "I came by to slip a note under your door to tell you I was going on vacation with my boyfriend! We're eloping! Can you believe it?!?!" Debby told her boss, excitedly. "I tried calling, but you have no answering machine. I was going to slip the note into your screen door, but then I heard you screaming, no, shrieking was more like it. I used my credit card to get in through your French doors. That must've been some dream." "It was. It was horrible! Dead people chasing after me at my wedding, and blood on my hands!" "You were screaming that you didn't kill them and that you found bloody clothes in your closet. What was that about?" "Ooh...that was just uh.......another thing in the dream." Maggie lied. She tried to sit up, but was still shaking. "Would you like me to stay here with you?" "No, no. I'll be find. I just have to clam down." "Are you sure?" "Yes. Please go. Congratulations. Have fun. Call me in a few days." "I can stay if you want me to. It's no trouble, really. Our flight doesn't leave until 8 a.m." "No, no. Please. Just go. I'll be fine, I promise." "Okay, but I'm calling you tomorrow." "Have fun," Maggie faked a smile. Debby went over and closed the French doors that she came in through, and went out of Maggie's room. Moments later, Maggie heard the door close.
Maggie sat in bed for a few minutes and tried to calm herself down. She needed someone to be with her now. John! She would call John! Maggie reached over to her bedside table and picked up the receiver of the phone. "7830," Maggie said aloud as she dialed. The phone ringed once, twice. Maggie hung the phone up. She realized that she couldn't call John. What would he think of her if she told him her dream? Or, worse yet, what if he was the killer and he felt that she knew to much? Maggie dreaded the thoughts she was thinking now. She had had such a good time with John tonight, how could she go on thinking that he was the murderer?
Maggie got up and walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She reached up to a cabinet, opened it, and took out a bottle. She twisted the bottle open and then dropped it, spilling the pills all over the floor. She bent down and picked one up. Putting it in her mouth, she went over to the sink and filled a glass with water. Drinking the water to wash down the pill, she put the glass down and went back into her room. In a few minutes, she was asleep.
At the hospital, Carolyn was entering Quentin's room. She put her suitcase down beside a cot that she had asked the doctors to set up in Quentin's room. She sat down on the cot and opened her suitcase. She took out a brush and started brushing her hair. It was early in the morning before she finally laid down for some rest.
Carolyn woke with a start. The doctors had come in and were unhooking Quentin from the machines. "What happened? What's going on?" Carolyn asked, frantically. She got up and quickly walked over. "Everything's fine Ms. Stoddard. We're just taking Quentin up to the OR for his surgery. We've found a kidney for him!" "That's wonderful! How long will it take?" "Not long at all. We'll be back before you know it." Dr. Adams got at the head end of the bed and started pushing Quentin out of the room.
Carolyn was excited. She couldn't believe they had found a kidney so fast. She went over to where Quentin's bed once had been and picked up the phone on a table. She dialed Collinwood. The phone rang three times before someone picked up. "Hello, this is Carolyn." "Hello Carolyn, how is Quentin?" came Angelique's voice from the other end. "He's just gone into surgery. They've found a kidney for him. I'll call you back when he gets out." "That's good news. I'll tell David and Roger. Goodbye." Angelique hung up. Carolyn did as well.
Rinnnnnngggggggg. Riiiiinnnnngggggg. Riiinnnnnggggggg. Riiinnnngggggggg. Riiiinnnnnggggg. Riiiiinnnnggggg. Maggie groggily opened her eyes. She reached out a hand to her night stand and felt around for the phone. She picked it up. "Hel...hello?" "Maggie, are you all right?" "Who, who is this?" Maggie rubbed her eyes. "It's John. I'm at the Inn. I expected to see you here this morning." "John, I will be there, but not until 7," Maggie answered stretching her legs and digging her head into her pillow. "Maggie, dear, it's 9." "What?!?!" Maggie shot straight up. "Thank you, John. I be there in a jiff." Maggie hung up. She started racing around her house, trying to get ready for work. By 9:30 she was leaving the house.
Arriving at the Inn, she went into the diner and began to open up. John was sitting at a table. "I was wondering what was wrong with you, Maggie. It's not like you to be this late." "I know. I just didn't sleep well last night so I took a sleeping pill," Maggie said, making some coffee. "I didn't mean to over sleep." "Well, we all do it now and then. I went to the framing shop earlier and bought a very nice silver frame for the painting." "That's good." Maggie poured herself a cup of coffee and downed it in one gulp. Then she poured another and drank half of it before starting to rush around behind the counter. "Geez, slow down why don't ya," John said. "I can't. I've got to wake up. Do you want anything?" "No, no. I'm fine, thanks. Did you hear about the murder?" "There was another one?" Maggie asked, with much interest. "Yes, someone by the name of....hold on it'll come to me......" "Kimberly Kasslehoffan." Maggie realized what had just happened. She hadn't read a news paper this morning. How did she know who it was? How? "Yes, that's it ,but how did you know?" "I...I must've seen it on a newspaper when I came in this morning." Maggie looked at the ground and pretended to bend down and pick something up so John wouldn't notice she was lying. "I cannot believe that they still haven't caught that evil person who is doing all of this," John said, brushing a bit of hair out of his face. "I know. You would think that the police would have found him by now," Maggie said, not looking up from the counter. "Unless, unless the person is a professional." "What do you mean?" "I mean that he's done this before. That's why they haven't caught him. No clues have been left behind, and no DNA evidence has been found in any of the houses or on any of the bodies. I think this guy has been doing it for a while now." "How long he has been doing it doesn't really matter does it? All that matter is that the police catch that bastard." "I agree. Well, I'll be off. I have another appointment at 10." "I thought you said you had one at 9." "I did, but she canceled." John left. Maggie continued to get things together. She went over to the window and flipped the sign over to show that the diner was now open.
At Collinwood, David was sitting at his desk in the study. He was going over the business papers, hoping to see anything that might help him to find a way to keep the business open. There was nothing so far. Everything he thought of and double checked, didn't work out in the end. He wanted to start q new company but he new that he ran the risk of loosing all the money his ancestors had worked for over the many years. There was a knock at the door. "Come in," David said, throwing the piece of paper his was looking at onto the desk.
"Are you still looking over the papers from the company?" Angelique asked her husband, walking into the room. "No. I've just finished." "Only on my account. Am I right?" "No. I really have finished. I have checked and double checked the numbers and the ideas I've had to fix things and they all would have a great chance of my loosing the fortune." "I really wish you wouldn't fret over these issues. You have made your decision. Stand by it. If you don't, no one else will. And you know I support whatever decision you make." "I know. I just can't stop thinking about all the employees. What will they do?" "You leave that to them. It's not your problem to think about, it's theirs." "Isn't that insensitive?" "No. It's not. Whether or not they get work is THEIR problem, not yours. You have enough to worry about as it is. You don't need to be worrying about them. They will survive. There are other shipping companies, you know." "I know. I just don't want to tell them all that I will be closing the business. What reason would I give them for it?" "Tell them the truth. You don't want to waste anymore money in the business because it is going to fail anyway." "I can't say that." "Why not? It's the truth." "Because. I don't want the whole town to know that the Collins family has money issues." "Once again, family pride and the family name get in the way," Angelique said, taking a sit in a chair on the opposite side of the desk. "I'll think of something to tell them." "David, dear, I wonder if you would be willing to do something." "What?" "Come away with me. Lets leave here and go away. At least for a week, maybe a few days even. Anything to get away from the troubles we have here." "They would just be waiting for us when we get back." "That doesn't matter. We could forget all about them while we are gone." "But where would we go?" "To an island. Some tropical island where it is warm and sunny." "There are so many." "So!? We could travel them all!" "That would take forever." "If you don't want to go, why don't you just come out and say so!" Angelique shouted, getting frustrated at David's short and negative answers. "Honey, it's not that I don't want to go.." "Yes it is. Well, that's just fine. If you want to stay here and wallow in your sorrows then you do that, but I am leaving!" Angelique rose from her chair and stormed out of the room. David got up and ran down the hall after her. "Angelique, you know I want to go. I just don't feel right leaving father here by himself." "Carolyn will be here." "No she won't, she is staying at the hospital." "We could get someone to come and stay with him." "Like who?" "Maggie Evans. She doesn't have much to do these days. I am sure she will be more than happy to come up here and stay with your father. "I'll tell you what. If you can convince Maggie to come up here and look after father, I we can go on the trip." "Oh David! She will come up here, I know it!" Angelique leaned in and kissed David and then ran off down the hall to call Maggie.