The Battered Body

EIGHTEEN

Lucy broke eye contact with James and flew for the door leading out of the fellowship hall. As she moved, James saw her reach into her purse for her radio. By the time she brought the device to her lips, Deputy Truett was already reacting. He had noticed her abrupt departure and was following closely on her heels.

Milla and Jackson had left their table in order to say goodnight to their guests. Several women, who were both Milla’s friends and members of the church, were collecting the heavy-duty plastic dinner plates and taking them into the kitchen to be rinsed and placed in the recycling bin.

James found that he was frozen into a state of inaction. He had no idea what to do, and there was such a sudden flurry of movement in the room that he couldn’t concentrate enough to come up with a plan. Between the guests making preparations to leave, the women cleaning up, the removal of the food trays, and the music pulsing in the background, the cacophony prevented him from having a single intelligent thought.

“Think! Think!” he muttered under his breath. “I’m sure the deputies have the outside covered, but what if Chloe’s still somewhere in the building? We need to split up and search. Yes! Splitting up is key.”

Hustling toward Chloe’s seat, James noticed that her purse still hung from the back of her chair. Aunt Wheezie was standing by the punch table, ladling herself a serving of the spiked version. James noted that the old woman did not seem disturbed, but he’d need to ask her if she knew where Chloe went before he went running around the rest of the church. He picked up Chloe’s bag and headed toward Wheezie, but Lindy and Luis jumped out of their chairs and blocked his path.

“This has been the best party ever!” Lindy beamed and took her man’s hand in her own. “Luis and I-”

“Listen!” James interrupted crisply. “Chloe’s gone. Can you check both restrooms? If she’s not there, try every closet, every door, every pew in this building.”

“Oh, Lord!” Lindy’s hands flew to her cheeks. “I completely forgot about her! When we were dancing I just…”

James touched her arm. “We were all distracted, but hurry up now.”

Gillian and Bennett were observant enough to know something was amiss. They intercepted James, and Gillian reached out and took Chloe’s purse from his hands. She inspected the contents and frowned.

“Her wallet’s in here and the keys to her rental car,” Gillian’s lips formed a thin line of worry. “What would have coaxed her from the room without her purse? Women rarely leave their valuables unattended, even in a place of worship.” Her eyes traveled toward the kitchen. “There’s a back door off the kitchen, right?”

“But Donovan can see that exit from his car,” James replied argumentatively. “She couldn’t have been taken that way. Keep Chloe’s bag for me. I’m going to talk to Wheezie. Maybe she knows something.”

“We’ll check out that back exit,” Bennett grabbed Gillian by the elbow. “With all this snow, Chloe would’ve left a trail of footprints even Dummy Donovan could follow.”

People tried to stop James on his way to the punch table to congratulate him on a wonderful party, but he only cast brief smiles their way and did not pause to speak or shake hands with anyone. He left a wake of bewildered guests as he traversed the room.

Wheezie was placidly refilling her cup by the time he finally reached her. When she turned to look at James, he saw a mad glint to her eyes that sent a shiver up his neck. She knew about Chloe, he was certain of it. She knew and didn’t seem to care.

“Aunt Wheezie. Are you okay?” he asked, studying her carefully.

“’Course. Why wouldn’t I be? It’s such a nice party and I love balloons. And cupcakes. Yummy.”

And punch¸ James thought ungraciously. “Have you seen Chloe?”

The old woman shrugged and used the ladle to push around the orange slices floating on the surface of the crimson punch. “Nope. I’m sure she’s around and about.”

“She left her purse on her chair and the party’s breaking up,” he pointed out impatiently. “We should find her so you two can head back to the hotel. You both have early flights tomorrow, right?”

Wheezie moved to take a sip of punch, but before her lips closed around the rim, James could have sworn he saw them form a grin. “Up with the rooster. Cock-a-doodle-do!”

“How are you going to get to the airport?” James inquired flatly, though anger was flaring within him. “Is Russ DuPont going to drive you? Or will the two of you forget about flying and just take his car back to Natchez?”

“Oh! Smart boy!” Wheezie replied with a crooked smile and poked him on the chest.

Repelled by her yellow teeth, which were partially stained pink by punch, James backed away from her a fraction. “You’ve been involved all along,” he whispered in mounting horror. “You and Russ have worked together from day one, haven’t you?”

Wheezie sipped her punch and hummed “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

James recalled the old woman’s warped eulogy at Paulette’s memorial service. “You weren’t kidding about dancing on your sister’s grave. You were never honestly interested in forgiveness. Your visit was all about revenge, and you got it.” Wheezie’s face was impassive. “And Russ DuPont got his too, didn’t he? Did you know his grandmother?”

“Sure did. Delightful woman. Poor as a church mouse when she passed.” She held out a glass of punch to James, and he reached for it without being aware that he did so. “Patty wrecked that whole family, same as she ruined ours. But it’s all done now. All done!” She clinked her cup against James’s and some punch sloshed onto her white blouse, blemishing the fabric with red.

Spurred by a righteous fury, James ripped the cup from her hand and tossed it on the table. “Where is Chloe, Wheezie?”

“In heaven maybe,” the old woman answered. “Or maybe not. Don’t really know the girl.”

“And you?” he hissed at her. “People are never too old to go to prison. You could make things better for yourself if you help me save her! She did nothing to you, Wheezie,” he pleaded. “She’s an innocent.”

“That dirty money would’ve turned her into Patty sooner or later. Look at that miserable son of hers. Breakin’ the hearts of his wife and kids. Patty’s bad blood flowed in him and in the daughter. Now the girl’ll go to the Lord without bein’ tainted.”

“And how will you and Russ go to Him?” James snarled, pointing at the cross in the nearest stained glass window.

“I reckon we’ve suffered enough and the wrongs done against us will show up in heaven’s book. There’s bound to be a scale to measure such things.” Wheezie picked up her glass again. “Reckon I’ll know soon enough anyhow. See, dear boy, that nasty, nasty cancer runs in our family. Daddy had it in his lungs, Mama had it in her womb, and I’ve got it up here.” She tapped the side of her head and issued another twisted smile. “Not much longer left for me now. They can put me in a cell, a hospital bed, down a hole… it don’t matter. My hourglass is runnin’ dry.”

“What about…?” James searched his memory for a name, desperate to find something, anything that would convict Wheezie to tell him where Russ had taken Chloe. “Alberto!” He shouted. “Won’t Alberto be upset when he learns you let an innocent young woman die!”

Wheezie’s mask slipped and all traces of her joker smile vanished. “Al’s gone.”

“So you were never together? That was all a lie?”

The old woman’s face crumpled. “He got married when I was about twenty-two. Had a bunch of kids and lived right down the street and I loved him the whole time. Once I gave him my heart, it was his.” Her eyes were filled with pain. “Not long ago, he moved away. I had nothin’ left to live for. Not even the sight of him walkin’ outside to collect his mail.”

Her suffering was palpable. Even though he struggled against the feelings of pity that rose within him, he couldn’t help but wish Wheezie’s life had turned out differently. Betrayed by her own sister, she had lived out the rest of her days as a lonely, bitter woman, and during her time in Natchez, she had somehow made a connection with another victim of Paulette Martin’s duplicity. Perhaps Wheezie’s discovery that she had a terminal form of brain cancer came at the same time as Milla’s invitation to join her in Quincy’s Gap to celebrate her wedding. The old woman probably viewed the situation as providential, and she and Russ had acted immediately, obtaining him a position at the goat farm so that he might create bacteria-laden chicken eggs.

“How did you make sure Russ and Milla would cross paths?” he asked.

“Russ talked to her outside the grocery store. He’d worked on a bunch of farms in Mississippi and knew his stuff. Made some goat’s milk samples and handed ’em out when Milla went shoppin’. He knew she’d be there ’cause he followed her.” Wheezie snorted. “I just love her purple van. So, so pretty. And makin’ bad eggs is easy. Start with bad hens, let the eggs sit in poop, and smear on some turtle dung for extra measure.”

James recalled the website’s warning about reptiles carrying the salmonella bacteria. The image of the pair of turtle shells resting on the wood pile outside the cabin at the Cornflower Goat Farm made him shiver.

Yet Wheezie’s mention of her youngest sister gave James an idea, a definitive line of attack. “What about Milla? Your sweet, lovable sister, who has done nothing to harm you or Russ, is bearing the brunt of your selfish actions. Sure, Paulette hurt you. No one could argue that she did you a great wrong, but you’re destroying Milla’s happiness because you’re hell-bent on revenge.” Pointing at Milla as she hugged one of her students, James growled, “Does she deserve this misery?”

Wheezie waved decisively in her sister’s direction. “Milla was always sugar and spice and everything nice . I can’t help that she wanted to be friends with Patty or that these things had to be tidied up durin’ her weddin’.” She sighed heavily. “I’m wore out, boy. No more talkin’ now. I’m gonna sit back in my chair until they come for me.”

And with that, she shuffled back to her seat, looking older than she had at the beginning of the party. There was a sickly, almost greenish tinge to her skin, and the loose skin below her eyes seemed almost bruised.

Once again, James’s feet seemed glued to the floor.

“James!” Lucy yelled as she rushed back into the hall. “We’ve got Chloe! She’s all right!”

Running toward his friend, James gripped her by the hand. “What happened?”

Lucy breathed in a deep draught of air and then expelled it. “Russ was hiding in Milla’s van. Someone must have taken the keys from her purse and hid them somewhere where he could get them. Chloe believed she was needed to carry a wedding gift to the van, but when she opened the rear doors, Russ pulled her inside, tied her up, and drove off.”

“What was Donovan doing?” James spluttered. “Taking a nap?”

“Chasing a red herring,” Lucy answered. “Russ gave a teenage boy fifty bucks to wear a hooded sweatshirt and slink around the perimeter of the church. Donovan was on him like sugar on a donut.”

Cocking his head at the odd expression, James momentarily lost his train of thought.

“So Russ made his getaway, but he didn’t get far.” Lucy seemed reluctant to deliver a more explicit explanation.

“Why not?” James demanded.

“Lottie heard Donovan screaming into his radio and, thinking she’d heard a future headline coming across her scanner, jumped in her car and headed over here like an Indy driver on uppers.” Lucy edged her way to the punch bowl. “We got lucky, because her maniacal driving caused her to crash into the van. Not hard, mind you, but with enough force to send Russ into a ditch. The sheriff heard the noise, radioed us, and we got there in time to apprehend our murderer. Donovan actually got to perform a piledriver on the guy.”

Absurdly, James looked out the nearest window, but couldn’t see a thing through the tinted glass. “Where is Russ now?”

Lucy scowled. “With Huckabee. The sheriff wants to play the hero this time. It’s an election year, after all.” Serving herself some virgin punch, she drank down a cupful in several thirsty swallows. “Of course Donovan’s there too.”

James pulled a chair over to the table, sank into it, and served himself a full glass of spiked punch. “You’ve still got a major role to perform, Lucy. Huckabee’s only got one of two guilty parties down at the station.” He quickly explained Wheezie’s role in the killings.

“Some dying wish,” Lucy mumbled when he was through. “Her sister invited her to a wedding and she came to seek out revenge? Aren’t people supposed to live their last days giving to charities, jumping out of airplanes, and making peace with enemies?”

“In a perfect world, yes.” James slurped more punch, welcoming the warmth the champagne and brandy were creating in his stomach. A third glass should knock out the jitters, he thought and poured again.

Lucy placed her hand on James’s shoulder. “This will be the hardest arrest I’ve ever made.”

James was surprised by this statement. “Why? She’s expecting it. I doubt she’s going to struggle or make a dash for the back door.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Lucy’s blue eyes were sorrowful. “I’ve got to bring an old, dying woman to jail. A woman who’s wasted her life because of some man .” She removed her hand from James’s arm. “That’ll never be me, I tell you. My life belongs to nobody else but me.”

James watched her walk away. He reflected that he couldn’t agree with Lucy’s sentiment, as he wanted nothing more than to belong with someone and to have that person belong with him. He wanted to need someone, to love someone so completely that he wasn’t fulfilled without that person nearby.

Eliot’s sweet face rose in his mind, and James felt revitalized by the mere thought of him.

Searching for Jackson and Milla, James saw them standing near the doorway, speaking to Lindy, Gillian, and Bennett.

“My family,” he whispered. “I’d be nothing without them. Nothing at all.”

As he didn’t want Milla to see Lucy take Wheezie away, James slapped his cup on the table and hurried over to his parents. Handing his father the keys to the Bronco, he ordered them to go straight home.

“Russ has been caught and Chloe’s just fine,” he told Milla when she began to protest. “I’ll check on her right away, and then I’ll call and tell you what I know.”

“All I know is my darling van’s been in an accident! But your friends are telling me that reporter girl actually saved my niece’s life by crashing into it.” She rubbed her eyes wearily. “Jackson, honey. I had no idea that living in Quincy’s Gap was going to be so… so exhausting!”

“Take Milla home, Pop. I’ll take care of everything here.”

With his parents gone, James relaxed a little. Lucy had thoughtfully waited for them to drive off before helping Wheezie into her coat and leading her by the arm to the Jeep. Anyone observing the two of them would simply believe Lucy was kindly chauffeuring an old and rather inebriated woman back to her hotel. In fact, most of the guests left the party without having the slightest clue that something other than the celebration of wedding nuptials had occurred.

“Is there anything we can do?” Lindy asked James once all the guests were gone. “The twins left to look after Lottie, and we can take down the decorations tomorrow…”

“You should all get some rest.” James embraced Lindy and Gillian and slapped Bennett on the back. “I’ll go down to the station because Wheezie confessed to me, and if she’s gone quiet all of a sudden, I’ll be able to fill them in on how she and Russ DuPont killed Paulette and Chase.” He rubbed his tired eyes. “Besides, I think I’ll bring Chloe to my parent’s house to sleep. My old room still has a bed in it and she might not want to be alone tonight.”

“The poor girl must have been terrified!” Gillian exclaimed. “She’ll need to be completely cleansed of this experience. Perhaps I should drop by early in the morning with some incense and tea.”

“Pop wouldn’t let you in bearing those items,” James said with a smile, and he then felt a wave of affection for his friends sweep over him. “Before you all go, I want to say thank you. Not just for throwing this party, but for always being there for me. You’re the best friends a guy could have.”

Lindy’s eyes grew wet with tears. “And this is what friends do, James! We support each other, protect one another, and stick together no matter what.” She put her arm around his waist. “This investigation’s had an ugly ending, but we’ll get through it. If you or Milla or Chloe need anything, remember that we’re just a phone call away.”

On their way out the door, James saw Gillian walk over and lay a hand on the cold glass of the stained window depicting a lion and a lamb. The animals were resting on their bellies with their heads bent toward one another.

“What a tragedy,” he heard her say. “Revenge could never have brought them peace. Only forgiveness can do that. And now the ripples of violence have spread out across the surface of our little pond.”

“Woman, there ain’t gonna be no more ripples,” Bennett declared firmly. “What there’s gonna be is more snow. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

Home is all James wanted too. The only furniture he could afford in his new bedroom was a bed and a single nightstand, but he had slept soundly for the past two nights and would like nothing more than to crawl between his soft sheets and roll himself like an enchilada inside his down comforter. Instead, he took the stuffed trash bags out of the kitchen and placed them in cans outside the back door, turned the lights off, and headed to the jail.

Deputy Glenn Truett directed him to a small office, recorded his statement, and gave him a few papers to sign. Knowing that James would ask, Glenn told him that Lucy, Donovan, and Huckabee were busy interviewing Wheezie and Russ DuPont.

“I’ve never even seen this guy,” James muttered darkly as he handed Glenn the forms. “That makes everything that’s happened to us since before Christmas feel unresolved. I mean, Russ DuPont’s murdered two members of Milla’s family, yet he’s still a total stranger to me. To all of us.”

Glenn stood and escorted James toward the station’s front door. “You’re not gonna see him now either.” His mouth formed a conspiratorial smile. “I will tell you that he’s a nasty piece of work. He’s back there rantin’ away with Donovan and Huckabee. Shoutin’ and carryin’ on somethin’ fierce.” He opened the door for James and gestured for him to leave. “So you can see him all you want at the trial, though it’s gonna be a short one. Twelve kindergartners could pronounce that boy guilty in about five minutes.”

“And Wheezie?” James couldn’t help himself, but he hated to think of the old woman lying in a jail cell, her body aching and her mind addled.

“I imagine she’ll be in some kind of hospital by tomorrow. She ain’t well, and we can’t give her any of the drugs she says she needs.” Glenn held out his hand, allowing a cluster of snowflakes to fall like confetti on his palm. “It’s right hard to see the state the old lady’s in, but if you take up a sword against justice, you gotta pay the price.”

Eyeing Glenn with interest, James also reached out into the snow. “I’d like to take Chloe to my parents’ house. Can’t I at least wait for her?”

Glenn shook his head. “She’s gonna be a while, but I’ll run her over there myself. You have my word on that. Goodnight, Professor.”

James drove home through empty, slick streets. His body was beyond tired and it felt good to slip off his clothes and put on a pair of flannel pajamas, but his mind was too unsettled for sleep. Knowing what Gillian would recommend, he boiled some water and, after fixing himself a cup of chamomile tea, sat down at the kitchen table. He turned off all the lights and sipped his tea while gazing out the window at the snow.

“Tomorrow, everything will look fresh again,” he whispered, knowing that the picturesque scene he and his friends and family would wake to might serve as a slight restorative, but the days and weeks ahead would be filled with pushy reporters, questioning neighbors, and court dates.

Normally, James would have trudged to bed feeling gloomy at the thought of such challenges, but the clouds on the horizon were silver-lined. Milla would hurt, but she had Jackson to comfort her. Lindy had Luis, and Bennett, Gillian. Lucy claimed to be completely fulfilled by her job and if that were truly the case, then her February would be both busy and rewarding.

And I have a new mother, four best friends, and Jane and Eliot to see me through, he thought, wrapping himself in the knowledge that he was loved by such a remarkable group of individuals.

As their precious faces floated through his mind, sleep sneaked into James’s room and carried him away.