All was quiet on Beaumont Street and had been ever since the gray Nissan rolled to the curb and sat parked there for almost an hour now. Traffic had been sparse with only a few cars passing by. Only two cars from the neighborhood had pulled out from driveways and had driven off and none had returned home. Watchful eyes peered through the windshield, watching the house on the corner. A woman on a red motorcycle had ridden away shortly after the car had been parked. There had been no other activity since. No one seemed to be stirring and the watcher was not sure if anyone was home. Wait a while longer, the watcher thought. Patience. Wait another car was coming down the street.
A black and white police car appeared in the rear view mirror. The watcher slumped low in the seat as the car went around and passed by. It turned into the driveway of the corner house. A big man in a policeman’s uniform stepped out, slammed the car door, strode up to the front door stoop and rang the bell. He waited for a few moments, then, rang again. This time the door opened immediately as if the occupant had been almost to the door when the cop rang the second time.
A tall middle aged woman filled the doorway. She was wearing a robe and leaning on a cane. The policeman and the lady were apparently exchanging greetings. The storm door swung wide open and the officer stepped inside. The storm door and the entrance door, both, closed behind him.
“You always did make good coffee, Liz,” Ben MacCready said. He was sitting at the kitchen table across from her. His cup was still steaming.” I had forgotten. Sorry I haven’t seen much of you in recent years since Joe. . .”
“No need for apologies, Mac,” Liz said.” I know I must have made you feel uncomfortable about taking over Joe’s job. It was hard for me to accept it at first.
“I’m sorry about that. You’ve been good to Tom, letting him stay on with you. I appreciate that.”
“Oh, no, no. Tom’s a good man. I’m glad he stayed with me.” He took a sip of his brew and said,” How is Joe, theses days?”
“Nothing’s really changed much. He still doesn’t know much about what’s going on around him. He hasn’t recognized me in years. His physical health is fine, though and the doctor’s say there is a chance that he may recover one day. But I don’t hold out much hope for that anymore.”
“Well, here’s hoping the doctors are right.” He raised his cup and took a sip.
“I read about you in the paper this morning, Mac. That accident up on route seven.”
Ben only nodded as he sipped his coffee.” A young woman, the paper said and you don’t know who she is?” Liz continued.
“Well we can’t reveal that until we notify next of kin.”
“So, she wasn’t from around here, then?”
Ben shook his head no, taking another sip from his coffee. It had cooled some. He took a gulp this time.
“It’s a shame, though,” Liz continued.” Someone so young.”
“I’ve been reading about you in the papers too,” the policeman said, lowering his cup and changing the subject.” What happened at the hospital must have been upsetting to you.”
“Well, the treatments did seem to be helping me and now I can’t continue them until the investigation is over.” Then added as an afterthought,” Listen to me, going on about my problem,” she said.” I mean, it’s not that I don’t feel sorry for that poor woman that died getting my drug by mistake. Oh, I guess I don’t really know what I feel.”
“So what is happening with the investigation?” He set his cup down on the saucer and pushed it away.
“I don’t know. So far, no one’s bothered me about it. But I’m sure they will. Probably when I’m not feeling well. Seems like every time something important comes up and I have to do something, whether I want to or not, this damn MS gets a hold of me and makes everything worse.”
“You’re not getting any better, then?” The concern in Ben’s voice seemed to be genuine.
“It’s not something that gets better, Mac. The best I can do is, have occasional respites from it. The drug seemed to have given me some better days, but now I’m afraid, there’s no benefits left from the treatment. I was completely catatonic, last night when I saw the intruder.”
“You saw, him?” MacCready said more than asking.
“Just in shadow. My vision was blurred too.”
“Did you recognize him?”
“No. It was too dark and like I say, my vision wasn’t good and I was so frightened.”
“So you couldn’t recognize him if you saw him again?”
“Sorry, Mac. No, I couldn’t.”
“Do you think he meant you harm? I mean, do you think he was just a burglar or do you think he had some reason to hurt you.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was probably just a burglar. Especially after the break in at the Drum’s yesterday morning. It was probably the same guy working the neighborhood.”
Ben nodded as if in agreement. But something seemed to be bothering him. His dark eyes seemed to turn shades darker.” I don’t want to alarm you, but there is a possibility that the break in at the house next door was just a mistake.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was nothing taken from them and that seems odd to me. It could be the intruder meant to break into your house in the first place.”
“That would have been foolish. It was broad daylight and I’m usually home at that time. If I had been home, I could have seen him. That is if I was awake. I do sleep a lot you know. Different than most people. Usually four hours awake and four hours asleep. It just happened that I was out yesterday morning.
“Besides, I haven’t got anything worth stealing. The Drum’s have more than I do. He’d’ve been better off with their house.”
“That is, if robbery was the intention, in the first place,” MacCready said. His face was grim and the lines around his eyes seemed to deepen.
Liz stared back at him, a bit perplexed.
“Is there any reason that anyone would want to harm you, Liz?”
Liz flushed and shook her head from side to side.” No, of course not. I’m nobody. Who would want to harm me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe your relationship with Vincent Porelli.”
“You still think we are part of my brother in law’s business, don’t you?” Liz was starting to get a little hostile.
“Calm down, Liz. I never said that. It’s just that you are family and you did work for Michael for awhile. Maybe someone thinks you know something you shouldn’t. Or, maybe there’s someone harboring a grudge, who might want to send them a message. I don’t know.”
“Ben MacCready,” Liz protested.” Vinnie never cared much about me anyways. He wouldn’t care what happened to me.”
“What about Michael?”
“I know you don’t believe it, but Michael isn’t like his father. Yes, he gets his old man out of trouble from time to time, but the majority of his law practice is totally legit. I was never involved with any cases that involved Vinnie.”
“Maybe it concerns Joe,” Ben’s gaze was level.
“You still think Joe was involved with his brother don’t you?”
“I’m not saying that. It’s just that some people wonder how you afford the nursing home and your own med. . .”
“That’s nobody’s business but mine. I told you many times before where the money came from. You didn’t believe me then and I guess you still don’t. Maybe that’s why we haven’t been in touch over the years. Maybe that’s why I haven’t wanted to see you. Maybe it’s time you should go.”
“Now Liz,” he said imploringly.” That’s not what I meant. And I do believe you. I’m just saying, there are those who may not.”
Liz said nothing. She waited for the policeman to continue.
“But I am wondering if what happened here last night actually did have something to do with Joe. Maybe somebody from the past with a grudge.”
“And take it out on me? I don’t think so Mac.” Liz had composed herself and s
oftened.” Joe never had any enemies.”
“He had one,” MacCready said flatly.
Liz’s face paled more than it’s usual pallor, she was remembering that day so long ago when Joe was found near death in that awful abandoned quarry. The attacker had never been found.” After all these years? Why now? Besides, whoever did it has been long gone.”
“Maybe not.” The policeman’s tone was so low as if not really wanting Liz to hear the response.
Liz started to ask what he meant, but Ben just continued.” Is there any chance that what happened at the hospital wasn’t just an accident?”
“Of course not. They simply mixed up the infusion bags. I always wondered how they kept it all straight. She got mine and I got hers. Fortunately, I only got b12 which wouldn’t hurt me at all. She must have had some intolerance to the drug I was on. Besides, if it were intentional, I don’t know why. I don’t know anyone there. No one there would have had any reason.” Then she said as an afterthought.” Is there something you know about, that I don’t?”
“Of course not. I’m just asking. And I agree with you. It wouldn’t make sense. I guess I’ve been a policeman too long. I start seeing shadows where there aren’t any.”
“I didn’t think you had that kind of police business around here.”
“Thank God,” Ben said.” But I had enough of it in New York City and Buffalo before I came here. Guess I never shook my suspicious nature.” He was interrupted by the phone ringing.
“Excuse me a moment, Mac.” She turned and reached for a hand held phone that was sitting in its cradle on the counter. It was close enough that she didn’t have to get up.
Ben started to get up,” I’ve got to get going any how.”
Liz raised a finger, indicating she wanted him to wait.” Oh, hi Jimmy,” Liz said cheerfully to the caller. She didn’t even bother to cover the mouthpiece as she said to MacCready.” It’s my son, Jimmy.” Then to Jimmy, she said.” Just hold on a minute Jimmy, Ben MacCready is here.”
“I’ll let myself out, Liz,” he said starting for the door.” Don’t worry. We’ll have extra patrols out.”
She nodded, her attention to the phone.” No. No, Jimmy. Everything’s fine. Yes, yes I’m okay.”
MacCready glanced into the living room as he opened the front door. Sissy Boom Boom was lying in her chair watching TV. Her eyes rolled toward the big policeman and her skin wriggled nervously. She turned her attention back to the TV when he closed the door behind him.
“I suppose it’s all over town by now,” Liz said.
The voice on the other end of the line said,” Well, Mom, it is hard to keep something like that a secret in a small town like this.”
“Yes, I know. Especially when Deb is out there on the loose.”
*****
Chapter Ten