Chapter 8

Police are police. The repetitive questions are the same. The endless waiting between each session of questions is the same. The dangling of the hope that it was almost over only to have them request (demand) that you come down to the station was the same. And finally, the taking of fingerprints just so they can rule you out' was the same. I enjoyed their confusion over what to do with my paws. Their answer was the same as other police agencies in the past. They gave up. I was a talking dog. That was a unique enough identifier.

Then we were separated and questioned independently. All of it by the book. After the initial breakdown, Marcie had regained her composure. If her face had not been covered in dirt and the dirt and make-up streaked down her cheeks by the tears, no one would have known that moments before she had been a wreck. After fully unearthing Reggie's face, Velma had moved next to Marcie and put her arm around her shoulders. Marcie had lashed out with her hand and knocked Velma back a foot. Velma immediately moved back next to Marcie and held her more closely. Within a moment, Marcie and Velma were hugging tightly and Marcie's tears were soaking the shoulder of Velma's cloak.

That was all in the past now and Marcie seemed emotionless and spoke in even tones. Her initial statements were clear and to the point. We were led into different rooms one at a time for interrogation. Mine was short since the police translator couldn't understand me. In frustration, she gave up and I was sent back out to the lobby to wait. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Once they had confirmed that we had been two continents and one ocean away until two days before, they let us go. Of the four of us, Kasia was clearly the worst for the wear. Being able to speak with her without a translator as a witness, had allowed them to grill her harder. My experience with police in the past was that the fact that she knew nothing would have frustrated them and made them push all the harder. She was the last to make it to the lobby and she was crying.

Her first words as we left the building explained her situation, "I am not allowed to leave Poland. I will lose my job in Germany."

Marcie shook her head, "I'll speak with Frida. If they fire you, then I'll hire you. You'll have a job when this is over."

That seemed to make her feel better and she dried her eyes, "Thank you."

Marcie then turned to me and Velma, "You have done everything I asked and found Reggie. I will probably have a day or so of legalities to deal with but we should be able to get you home tomorrow."

To me, this was good news but Velma volunteered, "Marcie, you shouldn't be alone right now. I'll stay with you."

"But the case is closed."

"I'll take a vacation day or two." This was news to me. Velma didn't have any vacation accrued. She used it as fast as she earned it to keep up with school. But they were having a moment, so I kept my mouth shut.

I had a couple of things that were still bugging me, "Rye'll stay, too."

Marcie looked back and forth between us, "I can't pay you after today."

Velma nodded, "We understand that."

I also nodded, "Raveling arone is a pain in rye ass."

That made Marcie smile, "Okay. I'll appreciate the company." There was no love lost between Marcie and me, so I assumed she meant Velma's company.

Velma reached out and took Marcie's hand, "You should eat something."

Marcie shook her head back and forth violently, "No way. Maybe in the morning but not now. I think I'm going to go to my room and request a bottle of anything alcoholic from room service."

Kasia perked up, "I will get you something from the Alkohole store. What do you want?"

Marcie pulled three 100-zloty banknotes out of her pocket and handed them over, "One of everything."

Velma put on a fake smile, "You want some help with that?"

Marcie nodded, "Oh hell yeah. When was the last time that you and I just got shitfaced together?"

"I think that would be never."

"Then it's about time!" Her shouted statement didn't match with her tired and broken body language. Marcie's fiancé had left her for another woman and then been killed before she had a chance to either reconcile or get even. There was no take on this where Marcie wasn't the loser. And all of my memories of her revolved around the fact that she hated being the loser.

Velma and Marcie went up to Marcie's room and Kasia headed out to the alcohol store which left me alone. And that is exactly what I wanted to be. Food was definitely on my mind, but it had to wait. Yes, that surprises me as much as it surprises you, but something was really bugging me. The route out to Aleksandra Andrysiak's family's apartment was easy to remember and about a three-mile walk. I took at a light trot and was there in just under twenty minutes. Being a dog is like a superpower sometimes.

There was still a police car parked at the front entrance, so I waited another thirty minutes until two policemen came out of the building, got in the car and drove away. The walk had been comfortable. The waiting was cold. I went to the exterior door of the building and was about to try and hit the buzzer when the door opened and someone stepped out. I grabbed the door and said, "Rank roo," which brought about a very funny look. Hadn't they ever seen a talking dog before? I climbed the steps back to the door of the apartment and knocked. There was the same scurrying of feet before the door opened.

The same woman answered the door and I spoke slowly, knowing she would not understand the English but hoping that she would understand the intent, "Rye rould rike to speak rith Aleksandra."

The woman's words started with 'Aleksandra' and then Polish words were machine-gunned at me. She tried to shut the door and I stuck out my forepaw. I looked past the mother and at the younger girl, "Rye know rour sister is here. Rye can speak rith her or Rye can tell the rolice."

The girl looked at her mother and said some words and then her mother looked at me and stepped back from the door, she motioned me in and shut the door behind me. The father remained in his chair. I had not yet seen him participate. The young woman from the picture stepped out from a back room and looked at me, clearly terrified. "You are Scooby Doo, like the cartoon?"

Every part of me wanted to say something that would assuage the fear I saw in the woman's face but right now a little fear might be a good thing, "Rye'm rot a cartoon." I dropped my voice as low as I could get it and it almost turned into a growl." I almost scared myself.

She took a step back, "I'm sorry."

Seeing her react to me that way made me feel terrible and I knew I couldn't keep this up for long, "Rye are roo hiding?"

Her English appeared excellent and she understood me, "Because I do not want to die."

"Roo are roo afraid of?"

She had a little trouble understanding my question but then got it, "Pawel"

"Rour Ex?"

She tilted her head, "My ex? Oh. Ex-boyfriend. Yes. My ex."

"Rid ree threaten roo?"

"Yes. He called me on the telephone two weeks ago and said that he was going to find Reggie and I and kill us both. He said if he could not have me, then no one could."

"Ras this rormal?"

Her head tilted again, "Rormal? Normal? Oh. No, it was not normal. Pawel never acted that way and he had a new girlfriend. It made no sense and it frightened me."

"You're sure rhat it was Ravewoo roo called?"

"Yes. I know his voice but it was odd. He sounded very upset but not angry."

"Ras Reggie still here when he made the threats?"

"Yes. He went out that same day to get our train tickets and never came back. I have been hiding ever since."

"In rour rarents apartment?"

"I was afraid to leave."

"Did Ravewoo called again?"

"No. That was the last time."

"Rid roo talk rith the rolice?"

"No. Pawel has friends in the police. I cannot speak with them. If you tell them about me, then I will be killed."

I looked around the apartment and there was something about the boxes that didn't seem right. It had been bothering me since our first visit. "Rhat does rour father roo?"

"I'm sorry. I don't understand."

"Rhat is rour father's job?"

"My father? His job is…" She was searching for the English word and couldn't find it, "He picks up leaves, cuts trees, and plants flowers."

"A randscaper?"

She thought for a moment, "A… landscaper. I do not know that word but it sounds right."

"Rid Reggie speak Polish?"

"No. Not at all. We spoke in English."

"And he never asked arout rour father's job?"

The fear in her face intensified, "No. He did not. I do not know why." She was now wary. I wasn't going to get any more and everything I had gotten was confusing.

"Rye rill not tell anyrone arout roo. But roo will have to romeday go out."

"I know. And I will face that day when it comes."

"Rank roo for rour assistance. Rorry to have rothered roo."

I left.

The walk back to the hotel gave me time to think. I was planning on spending it thinking about how cold I was but I decided to focus instead on how hungry I was. And then the magical sniffer sniffed… McDonalds. I followed my nose and found the hallowed golden arches. And it was computerized so there was no worry about English. I chose what I wanted by pictures and just kept pressing buttons and more buttons and more buttons. My order blossomed into a wonder to behold and the total price was about half what I would have paid back home. Poland was growing on me.

The machine spit out a ticket and I took it up to a cashier who took my money and then I waited for my number to pop up on the screen. As the pile on the counter kept growing, my spirits began to lift. I was warm and indoors and about to eat. I turned that one over to the dog half and enjoyed the simple pleasures. When the Mt. Everest of fast food was testing the structure of the counter, I considered climbing to the top and planting a flag but chose instead to gather up the entire structure and sway my way back to a table keeping the teetering mass in balance. Fifteen minutes later, with my paws resting on my stomach that had increased in size fourfold (another reason I don't wear clothes). I belched and received a smattering of applause and two or three variations on the Polish version of 'Ewwwww'. But I was feeling like me again.

Now, as I walked back to the hotel, I could focus all of my thoughts on how cold it was. Maybe I should have looked at a map. Northern Poland is on the same latitude as Quebec. Quebec! Like, polar bears and penguins and stuff live up there. These people were tall, blond Eskimos. But I made it back and stopped in at a Zabka store to grab a few things for a midnight snack.

I was making my way down the hallway of the hotel with my bags and noticed that Marcie's door was open and Marcie's voice was coming out of it and carrying quite a way down the hall.

"No. Really! I'm not making any of this shit up. It's all true. Every word. Unless I say 'aint'. Cause 'aint' aint a word." And Marcie laughed uproariously.

Their evening plans appeared to be well under way. I tried to tiptoe past and maybe I could get…

"Scooby! Dooby! Damn Doo. How the hell are you?" No such luck. It was Marcie.

I stopped and turned. Marcie was sitting on the bed and Velma was squeezed into the chair that was squeezed into the tiny room. Marcie's arms and legs were splayed about except for her left arm which cradled a pillow.

I really hadn't thought about their plans until just this second, "Rarcie, should roo be rinking?"

Marcie pointed at me with her free right hand, "Well, now that you bring it up, I probably shouldn't. The baby's mother is never going to marry his father, so I guess the little bastard is going to be a lush."

Since when am I the mature one? "Rarcie, prease stop rinking."

She looked at the glass in her hand which was three quarters empty and poured the rest on the floor. There goes the damage deposit. "You are right. I will drink no more. To this point, I have been drinking for two. V, now you have to take up the mantle and drink for three."

Velma's eyes were completely glazed and her face devoid of all emotion, "She slowly reached out a hand, grabbed the glass from the small table next to her and drained it, "I am up to the task, m'lady." Velma was tanked.

"Relma, raybe roo might want to slow down, too?"

"Well Scooby… Dooby… Doo, I seem to remember not all that long ago when you and The Gang were all about trying to get me to tie one on. For old times' sake. Well… better late… than never." She poured herself some more, "But Scooby… Dooby… Doo, as long as you are here, I may need your help. My old friend Marcie has been regaling me with torrid details about her sex life with Reggie. At least when he could squeeze her in between porn binges…"

Marcie laughed loudly before the laugh turned into a belch. She put her right hand over her mouth, "Exsqueeze me."

Velma flailed her hand at Marcie like she was swatting at a fly, "As I was saying. Marcie has given me details regarding size, duration, and aim… if you get my drift." I didn't. "And now she wants me to tell her similar details of my sex life with Shaggy. I think that is crass. My question to you is… what would my mother say."

Velma's mother was a nutball. She was a sweet, wonderful, giving person, and cooked like a champion. But a nutball just the same. She was an aging hippy who was born in 1965. Her experiences in the sixties didn't even include kindergarten. But she would talk at length about free love and the legalization of psychedelic drugs and the end of the establishment. She had been married to Velma's father since she was 21 and she ran a nick-nack and souvenir store. If there was anyone that I would not quote to Velma in this condition, it would be her mother.

"Rye don't know rut roo are going to be a very unrappy camper in the rorning."

Velma shook her head, "But this is a special occasion. How often does your bestest, oldest friend find out that her fiancé has been murdered?"

Marcie was now laying back on the bed. By the way she was gripping the edge, it was probably spinning, "Yeah, aint that a kick in the goddamn ass." She then jerked upright, fell off the bed to the floor, and crawled into the bathroom. She did not shut the door which gave us ringside seats to the first round of tossing chunks.

"Rye rink rhat is our signal to leave."

"You're probably right." Velma's first effort at standing failed so I walked over to her so she could steady herself against my back. "Scooby… Dooby… Doo, can I ride you? I mean, I don't weigh very much and you're kind of like a horse."

If I had a nickel for every time I had had this conversation, "Roe, Rye am not a rorse and roo cannot ride me."

"I just thought I'd ask. It's something I always wondered about." She kept her hand on my back as we took the few steps down the hall to her room, "I guess that's something else I beat her at." No sooner had the words left her mouth before they were joined by her lunch. She made a 'whump' sound and then heaved right there in the hallway. I leapt away, she lost the support of my back and she fell forward, following her vomit to the ground and then laying in it. Velma's finest hour.

Velma and I have been friends for most of our lives and our relationship was founded on a bond of trust forged in the fires of adversity. Yes, I took her picture with my phone and uploaded it. I mean… I had to.

Within fifteen seconds, a text came in from Shaggy, Delete that. NOW! Party pooper. So, I would delete it, but my paws didn't have a lot of dexterity and it might take a few minutes. After about two minutes, Daphne replied to the post with a string of smiling emojis and a thumbs up. My paws were probably nimble enough now and I deleted it.

Velma had managed to get her key out of her pocket before she went down and I removed it from her hand and opened her door. If you picture a dog's physique, you will realize that we don't have a lot of leverage for lifting things and people straight up. We just weren't built that way. But I pushed and struggled and finally I bothered her enough that she made it to her hands and knees and crawled into her room. I followed her in and played sheepdog, herding her to the shower. She got in and laid down on the floor. I turned on the water which prompted her to flap around on the floor of the shower like a landed fish for a few moments until she settled down and fell asleep, fully clothed, with water spraying onto her face. I turned off the water. She would wake up wet and cold and probably sick. But she wouldn't smell like puke. My duty was done.

I went back to Marcie's room and checked on her. Unsurprisingly, she was laying on her back on the bathroom floor. "Are roo rokay?"

She fanned her hand at me without opening her eyes, "I think I'll just sleep here tonight. It's comfortable."

"Rokay." And with that, I gathered up my bags of snacks and headed back to my room. The walls were not soundproof and I was able to enjoy the melody of Velma's barfs for another hour before things quieted down.

Marcie did not make it to breakfast. Velma, trooper that she is, met me in the dining room at 8:00. She was not wearing sunglasses but she asked me to move so that she could have her back to the window.

She laid down the law, "You will not eat anything disgusting this morning. If you do, then I am not responsible for the consequences."

"Define risgusting."

"Anything that isn't brown or yellow."

"Rexcuse me." I got up and went to the kitchen to completely change my order from one of everything to lots of eggs, toast, bacon, and coffee. This seemed to please them, and I saw them start putting away pots and pans that they had pulled out for the original order. Velma got unbuttered toast and coffee.

While she nibbled at the edges of her toast, guzzled coffee, and turned her head so that she was looking neither at the windows nor my eating, I updated her on my meeting with Aleksandra the night before.

She stared down at her plate, "She was threatened by her ex and then her fiancé disappeared and she didn't go to the police?"

"She said rhat she didn't trust the rolice."

"Maybe… So, she hid in her parent's back room for two weeks? Damnit! We're missing something. Everything else lines up so perfectly… so perfectly." I lost her as she climbed into her own brain to mull over the missing piece to the puzzle. I finished my breakfast in silence. Except for when I ordered seconds. And then thirds.

Velma went with Marcie as she worked through the paperwork necessary to ship Reggie's remains back to Portland, Oregon where he had grown up. The one thing I appreciated about Marcie was that she had handled calling his parents on her own. That is one thing that I wanted no part of. While Velma and Marcie did their thing, I was on my own. I killed time by walking around Slupsk and keeping my eye out for the mystery woman in case she tried to sneak up on me again.

I was in the older area of town near the big city hall and was standing next to a stationary trolly car while considering getting a kabob or a hamburger or Mexican food. There was a Mexican restaurant as well as Lebanese. I could do okay here. The mystery woman rounded a corner and walked directly toward me. She made no effort to hide herself or disguise her identity. She stopped right in front of me.

"Rerro. No gun rhis rime?"

"No. No gun. I just came by to say thank you. My mystery is solved. But I believe that yours is not." She turned and walked away.

I called after her, "Rhat the rell does rhat mean?"

She turned the corner and was gone.

When my phone rang at a little before 2:00, I was sitting in the Mexican restaurant and just gearing up for the post-meal belch which I had to hold in to speak with Velma.

"Scooby, Marcie's all done and her people have us booked on a flight at 6:00 AM tomorrow out of Gdansk. She has a shuttle booked for 4:00 this afternoon to take us to the airport hotel there. We need to get back to the hotel and pack."

"Ro problem." I hung up and released the belch. It was worth the wait.

The rest of the trip was uncomfortable. The shuttle for the two-hour drive to Gdansk was overheated. I snuck in a Marcie-free conversation with Velma at the hotel about what the mystery woman had said which seemed to perplex Velma further. The following day, we got up at 3:00 AM and walked across the parking lot between the hotel and the airport at 4:00 for our flight. Purchasing the plane tickets one day before the flight resulted in us being in economy, in the middle seat, and unable to sit together. Finally, at the end of a very long day, we were landing at Riley at 10:00 PM the following night.