Where Are You Now?

64

L il and Gus Kramer sat nervously rigid in Captain Larry Ahearn’s office. Ahearn eyed them carefully, figuring out his approach to them. It was obvious when Gaylor ushered them in that Lil Kramer was on the verge of a total breakdown. Her hands were trembling. There was a distinct twitch at the side of her mouth. She was on the brink of tears. Start gently, or let her have it? He decided on the rough approach.

“Lil, you didn’t let on to us that you spent two years in prison for jewelry theft,” he snapped.

It was as if he had punched her in the mouth. She gasped, her eyes widened, and she began to moan. Gus jumped to his feet. “You shut up,” he yelled at Ahearn. “Look up that case. She was a young girl from Idaho, without a family, caring for an old lady night and day. She never touched that jewelry! The old lady’s cousins were the only ones who had the combination of the safe in her house. They framed Lil so that they not only had the jewelry but the insurance, may they rot in hell.”

“I never met anyone who went to prison who wasn’t framed,” Ahearn said brusquely. “Sit down, Mr. Kramer.” He turned back to Lil. “Did Mack ever accuse you of stealing anything?”

“Lil, don’t say a word. These people are trying to frame you again.”

Lil Kramer’s shoulders sagged. “I can’t help it if they do. No one will believe me. Just before he disappeared, Mack asked about his new watch, if I had seen it. I knew he was hinting that I had taken it. I got so upset, I yelled at him. I said the three of you in that apartment are all so careless, then when you can’t find something you blame it on me.”

“Who else blamed you?” Ahearn demanded.

“That nasty Bruce Galbraith. He couldn’t find his college ring, as if I would have anything to do with taking it. What would I do with it? Then, a week later, he said he had found it in the pocket of his slacks. No apology, of course. No, ‘I’m sorry, Mrs. Kramer.’” She was weeping now, tired, hopeless tears.

Ahearn and Gaylor looked at each other, knowing they were thinking the same thing: That would be easy to check.

“Then you don’t know if Mack found his watch before he disappeared?”

“No, I don’t. And that’s why I’m so afraid that when he comes back, he’ll accuse me again.” Lil Kramer began to wail. “And that’s why when I thought I saw him in church that day-”

“You thought you saw him in church!” Ahearn interrupted. “You told us you were certain you saw him there.”

“I saw someone about his size, then when I heard he had dropped the note, I was sure, but then I wasn’t sure, and I guess I’m sure now, but-”

“Why did you suddenly decide to move to Pennsylvania?” Gaylor interrupted.

“Because Mr. Olsen’s nephew, Steve Hockney, overheard Mack asking me about the watch, and now Steve is holding that over my head,” she screamed. “Because he wants us to complain about Howie to his uncle and get him fired and…and…I can’t…take…it…anymore. I just want to die. I want to die…”

Lil Kramer leaned forward and covered her face with her hands. Her thin shoulders shook as she sobbed. Gus knelt beside her and put his arms around her. “It’s all right, Lil,” he said, “it’s all right. We’re going home now.”

He looked up, first at Ahearn, and then at Gaylor. “This is what I think of you two,” he said, and spat on the carpet.