Chapter 44
The reports on Melinda’s banking account give a more definite time frame. Her account slowly began to decline, until she barely had enough to keep up with the cost of living. David was not only draining my money well, he was draining Melinda’s as well. According to Agent Corbin, David was placing bets and losing terribly. The gambling association didn’t like it and they sent out a few threats, warning David to pay the debt. It was a steep debt. Agent Corbin said he owed over $50,000. But I knew this, as David had mentioned it to me during our struggles.
Since he couldn’t find me, David worked his charm on Melinda, promising her the world if she could find a way to get the money. That’s when the half-baked plan of suing Perry for mental abuse was created. She was to show Perry some legal documents that her lawyer had written and then work out an out-of-court deal. But I was at the Irish Pirate and sparks were flying between Perry and me, causing Melinda, who felt them the instant she saw us together, to get sidetracked with jealousy. She had to find out who I was, because I threatened her position with Perry. Although to Perry none existed. In Melinda’s twisted mind, Perry was hers even if she didn’t want him.
During all this time, Agent Corbin was trailing David, but lost his trail. They weren’t sure where David was hiding, so they tried to put surveillance on me, only I was missing too. The FBI sent Agent Corbin to work at Wine and Roses publishing house and stay close to Gene’s office incase I came in or called. One day he found the imprint of a phone number on a note pad and called it in the middle of the night. He figured if he asked for me while whoever answered was half-asleep that the person would answer truthfully. Agent Corbin was my mystery caller. When I demanded that he tell me who was calling, it answered his question. From then on, he stayed close to Gene. He failed to catch David lurking around, though. But it didn’t matter, because the FBI traced the phone number and knew exactly where I was.
David was right about some things. He did cover his tracks very well in some instances, like his affair with Melinda. Not one of the FBI agents had caught them together. If they had, maybe they could have prevented her death. They knew he owed a large amount of money to the gambling establishment. Their goal was to follow him until he made the money exchange and then bust all of them.
A couple of agents were sent to watch the Irish Pirate. One followed me the day I went for the walk towards the pier. The other was cruising around the island, keeping an eye out for David. If one of them had stayed to watch the house, he would have seen David and Melinda when they drove up. The FBI figure that after David killed Melinda, he drove back towards the pier where they originally met. He had stopped at the convenient mart for some unknown reason and it was there that I ran into him. The agent that had been following me saw David and I struggle outside the car. He called his partner with the information of what David was driving and in what direction we went. It was their car that bumped David’s. The first time was a mistake. David had deliberately slowed down, so they would bump him. He had a tendency to get lost in road rage. With his nerves standing on thin ice, it didn’t take much for it to happen. When they bumped him back on purpose, David thought it was the henchmen of the people he owed money to and so he panicked. The FBI agents were worried that something was going to happen to me and thought that if they scared David, he would panic and pull over. They raced past us in an attempt to cut us off up ahead, and accidentally they caused a minor traffic accident. But in a way it worked, because I got away.
When Melinda was discovered murdered at the Pirate, many fingers pointed to Perry and some pointed to me, but the official explanation was that she had surprised a burglary in progress. Chief Nettles didn’t tell Perry or me that the FBI was also investigating the murder. When Gene decided to come to vacation with me, Agent Corbin came to the island as a vacationing Danny Russell. By this time, David was under suspicion of murder. His fingerprints had been found in her car. No one told me about it; because they weren’t sure what part I played in David’s game. The FBI couldn’t find him for questioning and since he had contacted me—by phone and in person, it was reasoned that he would return soon for another visit.
Danny’s showing up at the diner wasn’t by accident. The agents had heard that David was given a deadline to pay his debt by midnight the following evening and they felt that he would contact me. When I failed to show up with Gene that night, Agent Corbin almost panicked. I was supposed to be there, so he could keep an eye on me. His plan was to swing an invite back to the Pirate for a nightcap and then say he was too drunk to drive back to his motel room. This way, he could keep a close eye on me. Then a report was made that David’s car was found at a small motel close to the pier. He was seen going into his room, after getting some ice. An agent was posted to keep an eye on him. Then the storm struck. Somehow during the bad weather, the agent assigned to watch David missed him leave.
Agent Corbin and Gene played pool for an hour or so, then Danny pretended to be too drunk to play anymore, so they both left. All eyes were watching David and none were on the Irish Pirate. Off the record, Agent Corbin admitted to me that the FBI had made some crucial mistakes in surveillance. I wasn’t angry, because we all made mistakes when it came to David. Agent Corbin drove over to the motel where David was hiding out to get with the other agents, so they could work out plan B, because I screwed up plan A when I failed to show up at the sports bar. It was at this time that the agent realized I was alone at the Irish Pirate. Intuition told him to have the desk clerk call David’s room. It was no surprise that he didn’t answer the room. Under a fake excuse, the desk clerk used his key to enter David’s room. It was empty.
Luck continued to be against the FBI. Tropical Storm David was in full force, knocking down power lines and utility poles across the road, stranding them but also isolating me. When the FBI did show up, they took down David, ending his $50,000 debt with a single shot. Agent Corbin told me later that David had fired the last shot. He knew the gun was empty and that his gig was up. He took the coward’s way out, by getting the agent to shoot and kill him.
Gene was barely alive. He had tried to remain conscious through the struggle between David and I on the roof. Somehow he had managed to crawl to the broken sliding glass door, but he passed out briefly. When he regained consciousness he witnessed David’s death. The medics arrived but he refused treatment until he could see with his own eyes that I was alive.
Agent Corbin escorted me over to where Gene lay on the gurney. I almost fainted when I saw how white his face was. It looked as if carved from ashen marble. But when he opened his eyes and I looked into them, I saw a spark that was the Gene I knew. He said, “Hey chickie, you beat the asshole.” Then he motioned for me to lean closer so he could whisper in my ear. “Make sure they tie the back of my hospital gown, will you? If the nurses see my fine ass, they’ll want to marry me.” I kissed his hand.
I rode with him to the hospital and kept my heart light shining for him. In a sense he was my only family. When he woke on the third morning to find me sleeping in the chair beside him, he called my name until I woke up and said, “What’s wrong with your own bed? Don’t tell me you couldn’t afford a hospital room? So the budget package here is a chair in someone else’s room?” and so it continued. I knew he was out of danger then. My heart sighed a relief while I bantered back with a happy smile.
Since he couldn’t find me, David worked his charm on Melinda, promising her the world if she could find a way to get the money. That’s when the half-baked plan of suing Perry for mental abuse was created. She was to show Perry some legal documents that her lawyer had written and then work out an out-of-court deal. But I was at the Irish Pirate and sparks were flying between Perry and me, causing Melinda, who felt them the instant she saw us together, to get sidetracked with jealousy. She had to find out who I was, because I threatened her position with Perry. Although to Perry none existed. In Melinda’s twisted mind, Perry was hers even if she didn’t want him.
During all this time, Agent Corbin was trailing David, but lost his trail. They weren’t sure where David was hiding, so they tried to put surveillance on me, only I was missing too. The FBI sent Agent Corbin to work at Wine and Roses publishing house and stay close to Gene’s office incase I came in or called. One day he found the imprint of a phone number on a note pad and called it in the middle of the night. He figured if he asked for me while whoever answered was half-asleep that the person would answer truthfully. Agent Corbin was my mystery caller. When I demanded that he tell me who was calling, it answered his question. From then on, he stayed close to Gene. He failed to catch David lurking around, though. But it didn’t matter, because the FBI traced the phone number and knew exactly where I was.
David was right about some things. He did cover his tracks very well in some instances, like his affair with Melinda. Not one of the FBI agents had caught them together. If they had, maybe they could have prevented her death. They knew he owed a large amount of money to the gambling establishment. Their goal was to follow him until he made the money exchange and then bust all of them.
A couple of agents were sent to watch the Irish Pirate. One followed me the day I went for the walk towards the pier. The other was cruising around the island, keeping an eye out for David. If one of them had stayed to watch the house, he would have seen David and Melinda when they drove up. The FBI figure that after David killed Melinda, he drove back towards the pier where they originally met. He had stopped at the convenient mart for some unknown reason and it was there that I ran into him. The agent that had been following me saw David and I struggle outside the car. He called his partner with the information of what David was driving and in what direction we went. It was their car that bumped David’s. The first time was a mistake. David had deliberately slowed down, so they would bump him. He had a tendency to get lost in road rage. With his nerves standing on thin ice, it didn’t take much for it to happen. When they bumped him back on purpose, David thought it was the henchmen of the people he owed money to and so he panicked. The FBI agents were worried that something was going to happen to me and thought that if they scared David, he would panic and pull over. They raced past us in an attempt to cut us off up ahead, and accidentally they caused a minor traffic accident. But in a way it worked, because I got away.
When Melinda was discovered murdered at the Pirate, many fingers pointed to Perry and some pointed to me, but the official explanation was that she had surprised a burglary in progress. Chief Nettles didn’t tell Perry or me that the FBI was also investigating the murder. When Gene decided to come to vacation with me, Agent Corbin came to the island as a vacationing Danny Russell. By this time, David was under suspicion of murder. His fingerprints had been found in her car. No one told me about it; because they weren’t sure what part I played in David’s game. The FBI couldn’t find him for questioning and since he had contacted me—by phone and in person, it was reasoned that he would return soon for another visit.
Danny’s showing up at the diner wasn’t by accident. The agents had heard that David was given a deadline to pay his debt by midnight the following evening and they felt that he would contact me. When I failed to show up with Gene that night, Agent Corbin almost panicked. I was supposed to be there, so he could keep an eye on me. His plan was to swing an invite back to the Pirate for a nightcap and then say he was too drunk to drive back to his motel room. This way, he could keep a close eye on me. Then a report was made that David’s car was found at a small motel close to the pier. He was seen going into his room, after getting some ice. An agent was posted to keep an eye on him. Then the storm struck. Somehow during the bad weather, the agent assigned to watch David missed him leave.
Agent Corbin and Gene played pool for an hour or so, then Danny pretended to be too drunk to play anymore, so they both left. All eyes were watching David and none were on the Irish Pirate. Off the record, Agent Corbin admitted to me that the FBI had made some crucial mistakes in surveillance. I wasn’t angry, because we all made mistakes when it came to David. Agent Corbin drove over to the motel where David was hiding out to get with the other agents, so they could work out plan B, because I screwed up plan A when I failed to show up at the sports bar. It was at this time that the agent realized I was alone at the Irish Pirate. Intuition told him to have the desk clerk call David’s room. It was no surprise that he didn’t answer the room. Under a fake excuse, the desk clerk used his key to enter David’s room. It was empty.
Luck continued to be against the FBI. Tropical Storm David was in full force, knocking down power lines and utility poles across the road, stranding them but also isolating me. When the FBI did show up, they took down David, ending his $50,000 debt with a single shot. Agent Corbin told me later that David had fired the last shot. He knew the gun was empty and that his gig was up. He took the coward’s way out, by getting the agent to shoot and kill him.
Gene was barely alive. He had tried to remain conscious through the struggle between David and I on the roof. Somehow he had managed to crawl to the broken sliding glass door, but he passed out briefly. When he regained consciousness he witnessed David’s death. The medics arrived but he refused treatment until he could see with his own eyes that I was alive.
Agent Corbin escorted me over to where Gene lay on the gurney. I almost fainted when I saw how white his face was. It looked as if carved from ashen marble. But when he opened his eyes and I looked into them, I saw a spark that was the Gene I knew. He said, “Hey chickie, you beat the asshole.” Then he motioned for me to lean closer so he could whisper in my ear. “Make sure they tie the back of my hospital gown, will you? If the nurses see my fine ass, they’ll want to marry me.” I kissed his hand.
I rode with him to the hospital and kept my heart light shining for him. In a sense he was my only family. When he woke on the third morning to find me sleeping in the chair beside him, he called my name until I woke up and said, “What’s wrong with your own bed? Don’t tell me you couldn’t afford a hospital room? So the budget package here is a chair in someone else’s room?” and so it continued. I knew he was out of danger then. My heart sighed a relief while I bantered back with a happy smile.
penned by Painter Lady at 4:09 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home