Part 20 (1/2)
”The Mobley house is empty today. n.o.body will be home until late tonight.”
”I see,” said Jake as he poured a cup of coffee.
”So this is the perfect time to go out and get volunteers for our clinical trial. We'll wait until dark and then go over to the Wal-Mart parking lot. It'll be easy to round up four old women.”
”Hang on, Carnie. If I walk up close to an old lady in the parking lot at night, she's likely to scream.”
”You're right. That's why I'mgonna do it,” said Carnie. ”I'll smile and be polite until I get close enough. Then I'll show them the knife. All you have to do is drive and hold a gun on the ladies until I've got them all in the van. That's easy enough, huh?”
”I guess. Wait. What van?”
”Don't worry-I'll get us a van.”
There must be some way out of this, he thought. Think harder, Jake.
He picked up the main section of the paper and read the headline.
Elderly woman brutally murdered.
Then he read the details of how Nancie Jo Gristel had been stabbed to death in her own home. And that no valuables were taken. And that the police were clueless as to the killer's motive. ”This is awful.”
”What's that?” she said without lowering her paper.
”This old woman who was murdered.”
”Oh, yeah-I read that story. Terrible shame.”
Jake's body felt heavier by the second, as though he and his chair would soon sink down through the floor. He didn't even have to ask. He knew Carnie had killed the woman.
”Did they really love us, Grandma?” said Carsie. She was standing in her grandmother's living room, looking at pictures on the mantel. Sometimes she seemed more like a child than a 30 year-old.
Her grandmother looked up from her crossword puzzle. ”Of course they did. Why do you always ask that?”
”But if they had been home with us that night instead of...”
”I know. But they weren't, and what's done is done.”
Sylvia Slitherstone had been babysitting her grandchildren when her son and daughter-in-law were killed in a car crash. The girls were both under five years old when she became their new mother.
Their parents knew they were taking a chance every time they went out in that old Ford station wagon. The power steering had grown erratic and the brakes were weak. Otherwise, they might have been able to avoid the dump truck that veered into their lane that rainy night. Sylvia knew that if her family had been wealthy, like the Mobleys, her son and daughter-in-law would still be alive. She was sure of it.
”Were Mama and Daddy happy? I mean, you know-were they madly in love?” said Carsie.
”They were crazy about each other. And about you girls. Y'all were a picture perfect family.”
Carsie turned back to the pictures on the mantel.
”Yes, we were, Grandma. We were picture perfect. We look so happy.”
”And now you'll have you chance for happiness with Elmo.”
”Yeah, if he can ever learn to deal with the fact that his mother is dying. But Carnie thinks he's coming around. I just hope she's right.”
”Carnie is determined to get you two married. And you know Carnie. She always gets what she wants.”
Carsie smiled as she thought about it. ”That's right. Carnie doesalways get what she wants. How does she do that?”
”She just never takes 'No' for an answer. That's just the way she is.”
Carsie walked over and sat on the sofa, slid her shoes off and stretched her legs out across the cus.h.i.+ons. So, what's going to happen after we get married? How are you going to get the money? Am I going to just write you and Carnie a check?”
”Something like that. But we have to wait until you've been married a few months to avoid the possibility of an annulment. Then, if Elmo gives you any trouble over the money, you'll simply divorce him and take your half.”
”But I don't want to divorce him.”
”Well then you'll just have to get him to cooperate. You're sure you never signed a prenup?”
”I haven't signed anything.”
”Good. Don't.”
”Grandma, I really love Elmo.”
”I know you do.”
”And I don't want anything to hurt our marriage.”
”I understand. But don't forget you agreed to follow the plan. Without it, you never would have met Elmo in the first place.”
”I know. But I did, and I fell in love with him.”
”Falling in love was notpart of the plan.”
”I couldn't help it. He's wonderful. And I don't want to lose him.”
”Maybe you won't have to.”
”So, this is your best spot, huh?” said Hadley.
”Yes, it is,” said Horatio.
”I don't know, Horry. We haven't even had a nibble, and we've been sitting here for nearly two hours.”
Horatio sat up straight, faking an air of dignity. ”Sir, do you dare question the validity of my Catfishery proficiency?”