Valerie Wolzien - Death In Duplicate

“So you have seen him,” Sally said quietly.

Penny hesitated before deciding to answer. “Yes, but I don’t know where he is now.”

“When did you see him last?” Sally asked.

“And where?” Susan added.

“Just a few days ago. He was here, but I don’t know where he is now and I don’t know how to get in touch with him.”

“Doesn’t he have a cell phone?” Kathleen asked.

“He does. But I don’t know the number. I never knew the number. We saw each other here and… and I didn’t ever think of phoning him.”

All three of the older women knew she was lying, but only Sally spoke up. “Sometimes men get nervous when they think their… uh, their women can reach them at any time.”

Penny nodded eagerly. “That’s sort of what Mike said. He said he needed his freedom and that I should trust him and believe in him and… and let him be the one to contact me.”

“So he refused to give you the number of his cell phone?” Sally came to the point.

“Yes… I… To tell the truth, I think he may have been seeing someone else while we were”-Penny paused before finishing the sentence-“together.”

Sally didn’t hold back. “He was two-timing you while he was working here. Is that it?”

“Maybe. Probably. Yes.”

“Which is it?” Susan asked gently.

“He was. I knew he was. The other girl… woman… she gave him the cell phone as a gift. And that’s why I didn’t have the number.” She looked down at the floor. “I suppose I shouldn’t have put up with that. Should have told him that I wasn’t willing to share him with another woman.”

“Do you have any idea who this other woman is?” Susan asked.

“No. Someone rich.”

“Why do you think she was rich?” Sally asked.

“He said that’s why he liked her, that she could buy him anything he wanted and that he was making so little money here.” Penny looked up from the floor. “He wasn’t used to this you know. He had grown up with money and he always thought he would have money. Living on the pittance he was paid here was very difficult for him. And I love him so I understand.” She jutted her chin up a bit.

Susan, who didn’t think that a change in lifestyle justified taking up with any woman just for her money and suspected her companions would agree with her, tried to ask the next question without sounding judgmental. “Do you think he’s with her, the other woman, now?”

“Oh, no, I’m sure he’s not!”

“How do you know that?” Kathleen spoke up for the first time.

“She’s… well, she’s…”

“She’s married, isn’t she?” Kathleen continued.

“Yes. And Mike isn’t the first… or the only… man she’s been involved with! He said she’s had lots of lovers, that she only stays with her husband because he’s rich.”

Susan was beginning to think this woman and Mike probably deserved each other when Sally asked another question.

“Then you do know where he is right now?”

“I know he spent some time on the island. There are lots of empty houses this time of the year and Mike liked to… to explore them. I know this sounds bad, but he didn’t steal things or damage anything. He just liked to look around. But the police were looking for him and had started checking out some of the empty properties, so he left and I don’t know where he is now. Really,” she ended sadly.

“When was the last time you heard from him?”

“He was here and then that’s the last time. I’ve been so worried. If something has happened, if he’s been arrested or something, don’t you think I would have heard?”

“I’m sure you would have,” Susan said.

“Probably,” Sally said more abruptly. “But you know there are other men in the world.”

“Oh, not for me. I’ll always love Mike,” Penny protested. “We’re going to get married!”

“If you hear from him, will you let me know?” Sally asked. “Ask him to talk to me if that would be easier for you. I don’t believe he killed anyone, but he does need help. Running away wasn’t a very smart thing for him to do, you know.”

“I do. I do know that. I’ll try to talk him into talking to you. Mike always said you were the best of the… of the residents. He likes you.”

“I’m flattered.”

Susan thought Penny missed the sarcasm in Sally’s comment. “I think we’d better be going,” she said to Kathleen. “We don’t want to miss the ferry.”

“And I’d better get back to work,” Penny said. “The two o’clock ferry usually brings over some visitors. I need to get this chair back to the living room.”

“And I have a date with a jigsaw puzzle,” Sally said, standing up.

The four women parted. Penny picked up the chair and headed for the living room. Susan and Kathleen paused to say good-bye to Sally.

“Poor girl. She really loves him,” Kathleen said, looking down the hallway.

“She’s young. She’ll get over it,” Sally said.

“Are you surprised at what she said about Mike?” Susan asked.

“Not surprised. Sad, but not surprised. I’m afraid that young man has a tendency to get in over his head. I hope he grows up before he gets in serious trouble.”

“This is my phone number.” Susan handed a small slip of paper to Sally. “Will you call me if you hear anything else about him? If I’m not at home, you can always leave a message.”

“Of course. And will you do the same? Of course, you won’t have to leave a message. I’ll be here. I’m always here,” Sally ended with a rueful smile.

HE WAS SCREWED AND HE KNEW IT. THIS PLACE MADE Perry Island Care Center look like Canyon Ranch. The pay was rotten, the staff incompetent, the management only interested in making a profit. The residents… He couldn’t help himself; he woke up in the middle of the night worrying about the residents. Not that they were worth it. Poor and old and boring. Maybe they’d be better off dead. He sure hoped he didn’t end up like them, all alone in a rotten nursing home.

Susan stopped at Kathleen’s house only long enough to say hello to Jerry’s parents before heading straight home. Chrissy was walking out the door as she turned into the driveway.

“Have to run, Mom,” her daughter called out without slowing down. “I’m meeting Erika and I’m fifteen minutes late!” She climbed into her car and had the key in the ignition before her mother could protest.

“Where are the twins? And Shannon?”

“The babies are in the nursery and Shannon is in the kitchen. Everything’s fine.” Chrissy waved out of the window of her car and backed down the driveway.

Susan parked her car in the garage and used the connecting door to enter the house. Shannon was, in fact, in the kitchen, skimming through one of Susan’s favorite cookbooks as she ate her lunch. The baby monitor sat on the table next to an almost empty soup bowl.

Shannon looked up when Susan entered the room. “Hi. There’s still some tomato soup left if you would like some.”

“No, thanks. I’ve already eaten.” Susan wasn’t sure whether to mention P.I.C.C. or not.

“The babies are both bathed and are sleeping. Chrissy and I didn’t know if you had any plans, but we thought I could make dinner tonight. I do a wonderful chicken and chickpea tagine that she and Stephen like. Except for couscous and chicken thighs, you had all the ingredients here. I dashed out earlier and got what I needed. I hope it’s okay with you.”

Susan smiled. “I don’t know a single woman who wouldn’t be thrilled to have someone cook dinner for her. Perhaps I could whip up something for dessert.”

“Sounds great to me, but Chrissy is trying to lose weight.”