Part 11 (2/2)
She bent to pick up the stuff she'd dropped and I quickly stooped to help her, handing her stacks of folders, an office stapler, et in trouble, Freda I just want to ask a couple of questions”
She looked up atinto a panic-stricken squeak ”You have to go now! I' the police”
”Coht? You know I didn't kill Kip”
”I don't knohat I think anymore,” she whi kids for their lunchpat, but she jerked away
”Don't touch me, you-you convict!”
I should have been used to it by now, but it still hurt ”All right, fine, I'll leave Just one tiny question” I held up the wad of receipts ”These were in with Kip's things Do you know anything about-”
”Those are co them out of et the drop onmy prison reflexes ”No, they're Kip's personal stuff Look at the to point out the proof, but Freda backed away
”Don't corab the receipts back, but hesitated, worried that an aggressiveover the edge Which just goes to shohat happens when you try to do the decent thing: Fate jumps on you with steel-toed boots
Freda's arm suddenly shot out and she ram to ain, jabbing, vicious as a hornet Furious atsuckered twice, I pivoted around Freda, sidestepped out of the closet, and slammed the door in her face, then turned the key in the lock
”Help! Police!” Freda started pounding on the door, screa But the solid old door muffled sound No one looked up as I hurried out of Freda's office It was the hour when ea their fantasy football tea down for the day Eventually soo check it out, I thought, tossing the closet key onto a desk as I passed Didn't want Freda's death by suffocation onmy head bent over my clipboard as I returned to the lobby, I scurried past the nosy security guard at a brisk,he wouldn't notice h the revolving doors Outside, I retrieved my toolbox fro and tongue lolling, his o well,” I told hi the staple out of my cheek Jesus, that hurt!
to hear police sirens any second A delayed reaction body twitch set in, and I couldn't get ether If I had, I would have strangled myself for my stupidity Had I actually believed that Freda Scherer to help me? Yes, as a ood atmyself believe what I wanted to believe This would be a lesson to me No more ridiculous risks
I needed time to think I needed a place where I could sit down and sort out everything I'd learned so far I needed a shoulder to cry on There was only one person in the world who could provide all those things, and he'd never failed me yet
I just had to find him before the police found htier than the ht us to Wisconsin Avenue, the h don Milwaukee I halted in front of a chunky skyscraper surfaced in bright blue tiles the exact shade of the Phillips' laxative bottle Its official na, but locals call it the Milk of Magnesia Building It houses the IRS, the ihtet to the elevators you have to pass through uards, and body cavity searches Okay, uards can do some nasty stuff with electronic wands The home office of Stanford T Brenner, United States Senator, was here on the tenth story I stood across the street, clipboard clutched to et to hih the front and I'd be nabbed by a sharp-eyed security guard faster than you could say dangerous escaped fugitive Instead, I sidled around to the rear Bingo! Security here was as porous as Swiss cheese Construction trucks were blocking the alley and work ladders, tools, and other equipment in and out of the propped-open service doors My all-purpose navy blue unifor off nonexistent violations on uy in deni rolls of insulation on his shoulder Scah the door with me,kicked up by a rinder
No one questionedeveryone's lifethe coot in,in by a tail hair just as the doors closed He was flagging; the long walk had worn hirit in his fur I scooped him up and set him in my toolbox, where he iot out on the tenth floor Since I'd been up here once before, I knew the layout The senator's office was on the east side of the building, with a crow's nest view of Lake Michigan Toolbox in hand, I hustled down the hall Just as I approached the receptionist's desk, a security guard strutted around a corner, shoulder epaulets flashi+ng, gun holstered at hip I dived into the woed frouys who pee in city parks
”Checking for radon,” I said in a gruff voice, swiftly backing out The guard and the receptionist were now carrying on a conversation I ducked into thethe ladies' roo, I lockedout the graffiti on the stall wall Mens'-roo than woarette butts in toilet, a sign sternly warned Below that soht As I was pulling up my Jockey shorts, someone entered the bathroom, strode to the urinal and noisily did his business I peeked out through the crack in the door
Stanford ”Bear” Brenner, United States Senator, stood five feet away, zipping his Act of Congress back into his trousers
”Bear,” I whispered
He jerked as though I were a terrorist about to lob a grenade at his private parts
I opened the door and stepped out
”Mazie?” His voice cracked in disbelief ”How did you-I don't believe it!” His face split into a grin He was a big guy, two hundred pounds on a six-two frame He had hazel eyes, short brown hair touched with senatorial silver, a golf-course tan, and a spattering of precancerous buht blue shi+rt, a tie slung around his neck like a noose, and the most wonderful sirl!”
His hug felt wonderful For the first ties I felt waruy sweat This man had been hout the whole ordeal of le instant that I'd murdered Kip He'd paid for my lawyer, protected me from the worst media abuses, and even after I was sentenced to prison had never abandoned me He phoned whenever he could take time out of his frantically busy schedule and always re brother, taking the place of the pathetic excuses for siblings who shared my DNA but who rarely bothered to visit or phone
”How co a bra?” he whispered inheld felt fabulous
”I want to hear every word of it My God, Mazie-you're a folk hero, you're Bonnie Parker and Bambi Bembenek rolled into one”
”Bear-listen! That video, the nanny ca-”
”Aunt Van phonedabout you kidnapping her dogs, holding a gun on her-”
”She is insane, Bear! She tried to electrocutethere? You know Vanessa is-”
”Missing a few buttons on her remote control? Yeah, but I wanted the nanny ca own, it's three days earlier and-”
”Whoa! Mazie, baby, you know I love ya, but you're sounding a little-”
”Wacko I know” I laughed ”But with this video I can get a new trial-”
He held me a little away from him, hands on my shoulders so he could look directly atyou need to do is turn yourself in I'll arrange everything We can call froht Maybe I should give myself up With Bear behind me, it wouldn't be too bad
Girl, are you on crack? Suddenly I was channeling Liza Loonsfoot, Taycheedah'sfifteen years for killing her abusive stepfather, Liza had earned a ree froal system than most Supreme Court justices
Once they toss you back in the can they'll let you rot! Liza yelled at ets around to considering the paperwork you filed Even then you got no guarantee they'll believe that hairy toes and soive you an evidentiary hearing They'll say you monkeyed with the film They'll ask who besides yourself had a motive to kill Kip and you'll be forced to answer you don't know
”I' myself in,” I said
I took a deep breath Then I said the words out loud for the first ti but hadn't dared utter until now ”I' to find who really killed Kip”
Bear sht?”
”Actually, I was thinking Doctor Richard Kiave me a blank look