Part 12 (1/2)
”Yes, Sir. What do you need?” said the a.s.sistant manager.
”I wanted to buy the large container of liquid Cheer, but it's on the bottom shelf, and I just can't get down that low to pick it up. Bad knees.”
Poor old guy, thought the a.s.sistant manager. ”Okay, I'll be happy to get it for you.”
The man led him to the aisle and the a.s.sistant manager squatted down to pick up the large plastic bottle. ”This one?” He turned his head to look at the old man. But all he saw was something black flying toward his face.
The old man examined the a.s.sistant manager lying on the floor. He appeared to be out cold. He returned the gun to the holster underneath his jacket and pulled out a roll of duct tape. He wound it around the wrists and ankles very slowly to avoid making the familiar screeching sound. Then one last piece for the mouth.
Now he would deal with the pharmacist.
”Ma'am? Could I ask you a question?”
”Yes, Sir,” said the young female pharmacist. ”How can I help you?”
”I need something for my back. An over-the-counter cream. The strongest thing you've got.”
”Okay. That would be capsaicin-the extra strength version. It's on that aisle right there.” She pointed to it.
”Okay. Thanks.”
He walked to the aisle and looked for it. After a minute or so, he went back to the pharmacy counter. ”Ma'am, I can't seem to find it.”
”Okay. Just a second and I will help you,” she said as she counted out pills and poured them into a bottle.” She glanced at the weird old man walking back to the pain reliever aisle. He walks like a girl, she thought.
When the pharmacist met him on the aisle, he stepped back to give her room to locate the cream.
She wondered why he hadn't been able to find it-right there in front of him. She picked up the box and turned to him. ”Here it is.”
But her polite smile vanished when she saw the gun pointed at her chest. She automatically raised her hands.
”Put them down! Now turn around and put your hands behind you.”
The old man holstered his weapon, taped her wrists, and told her to lie on the floor, face down.
He taped her ankles and then he flipped up her skirt, revealing her pink panties. ”You're a s.e.xy thing, aren't you?” But there was no time for pleasure. He had a job to do. He rolled her to her side, ripped off a piece of tape and stretched it tightly across her quivering mouth and around her head.
He whispered into her ear, ”Lie still-if you want to live.” Then he jammed ear plugs into her ears.
The old man quickly moved behind the counter, found a stool and sat down at one of the computers, slumped down so he could not be seen from the street. He keyed in a search for every customer who had filled a prescription for v.i.a.g.r.a in the past 60 days. Then he did a similar search on Prozac, Namenda and several other drugs. He printed out the results of each search. When he was finished, he grabbed the printouts and slipped out the back door.
The a.s.sistant manager and pharmacist would be found in the morning. They would give their statements to the police, describing the scary old man. But the police would never find that old man. Because he had worn latex gloves. And because he had disguised his appearance and his voice.
And because he was nota man.
”h.e.l.lo?”
”Hi, Baby. I miss you already,” said Carsie.
”Hi, Sweetie. Me too. How's it going there?” said Elmo.
”Okay, I guess. Grandma is about to show me how to make cherry divinity.”
”I don't think I've ever tasted the cherrykind. I do like the white divinity. Hadley makes it at Christmas time.”
”Oh, but this is much better. I'll bring you some when I come back.”
”Okay.”
”Are you still working? It's getting late. And I'm sure you've been sitting at that computer all day long.”
”Yes, but I'm in the middle of something and I just don't want to stop right now.”
”Okay, Honey. But don't stay up too late. I love you.”
”Love you too. Bye.”
Grandma walked into the kitchen as Carsie was closing her cell phone. ”Talking to Elmo?”
”Yes, Ma'am.”
”Don't worry, Sweetie. The wedding will be back on before you know it.”
”I hope so.”
”You did a great job snagging him, by the way. You looked so cute that day-he never stood a chance.”
”Yeah. But I really do love him.”
”Well, that's fine, as long as you don't forget what this is all about.”
”I don't want to think about that.”
”But you've got to come through for us.”
”I will. But after that I just want to live my life with Elmo.”
”Happily ever after, huh? You can try. But he might find it hard to believe you weren't in on the deal.”
”He'll believe me. He loves me.”
”Yeah.”
”He willbelieve me as long as you and Carnie don't let on.”