Camilla MacPhee Mysteries 6-Book Bundle. Mary Jane Maffini

phone.”

      The water must have drowned the ring. “I was in the bath.”

      “Nevertheless, you must hear about this. They've interrupting regular programming…”

      “It's Benning, isn't it?” My knees felt deboned. I leaned over and steadied myself on Mrs. Parnell's walker.

      “Yes.”

      “Has he found Lindsay?”

      “He slipped past the police guard and kidnapped his wife.”

      “Oh, no.”

      “They don't know yet where the wife is, as far as I can tell.”

      * * *

      “Yeah, yeah. I heard.” Merv couldn't keep the tension from his voice.

      “Are the cops still around?”

      “Of course they are.”

      “I'm just making sure. How many?”

      “Still three.”

      “No one can figure out how he sneaked past the police guard to snatch his wife.”

      “Holy shit. It's like the bastard can walk through walls.”

      “Told you so. I'm on my way. The more people in the house, the less chance he can get Lindsay.”

      I hung up and collided with Mrs. Parnell's walker.

      “When do we leave?” she said.

      “We do not leave at all. I leave on the double.”

      “I am magnificent in an emergency. As I think you know, Ms. MacPhee.” She likes to play that card.

      “True enough. But this isn't your kind of emergency, Mrs. P. It will be a long night of waiting.”

      “I'm nearly seventy-eight years old. Do you think I don't know about waiting?”

      “I'm sure you do.”

      “These ears are sharp. I hope you don't think they're for decoration.” Mrs. Parnell's ears and the word decoration do not even belong in the same sentence.

      “Absolutely not.”

      “And, consider this, I have a perfectly serviceable vehicle available in our own parking garage which is more than we can say for you. Plus I have a pair of Sorel boots, lined, waterproof, never been worn, which I will give you in return for a piece of the action.”

      I put up a token argument. “If he does show up, it could get dangerous. Who knows what could happen to you.”

      “You forget, Ms. MacPhee, that I'm dying.”

      “What?”

      “Of boredom. Let's hit the road.”

      * * *

      Thirty minutes later, Mrs. Parnell and I pulled up outside Lindsay's place on Echo Drive. Mrs. Parnell's perfectly serviceable vehicle shuddered to a halt. The unmarked cop car still idled across the street.

      By the time I had hoisted the walker from the back seat, an officer had ambled over to greet us. Nice as pie, his hand on his holster. The other officer was also out of the cruiser. Maybe they needed a stretch. Maybe they thought we looked suspicious. Maybe it had been a while since they'd seen a 1975 Ford LTD.

      Mrs. Parnell clutched her two metal-pronged back-up canes. She opened her mouth to speak.

      “Don't be a smartass,” I told her. “Evening,” I nodded to the cop. I recognized him from court.

      He, on the other hand, did not recognize me.

      It took longer to talk our way into Lindsay's town house than to cross town. In part this was because I was dressed in Mrs. Parnell's thirty-year old beaver coat with the matching hat. I looked like her evil twin, although I did think the neon yellow laces and trim on the Sorels were a nice contemporary touch. Both cops squinted at my picture ID for long enough to make a point.

      I was glad of the Sorels, because we stood and waited while the officer poked through our overnight cases, sniffed Mrs. Parnell's bottle of Harvey's Bristol Cream, inspected the walker for hidden hazards, and checked out Mrs. Parnell's ID. Then he put me on the phone with my brother-in-law-to-be, Conn McCracken, to make extra sure. I even had to hand the phone to Mrs. Parnell so Conn could confirm her identity.

      “Resist the urge to be cute,” I told Conn as I handed the receiver back to the officer. “It's cold out here.”

      It took long enough, but we passed the test and scurried through the door. Merv seemed almost glad to see us, although I wouldn't want to stretch it. He settled Mrs. Parnell into an oversized armchair with a glass of sherry and her David Lloyd George biography. I perched on the ottoman. He continued to pace, long legs stretching out over the distance from kitchen to living room, living room to kitchen. Lindsay didn't even lift her head off the sofa. She lay with her eyes closed, her hair cascading over one of the large cushions.

      “I think it's hitting her. He's holding Rina and is totally out of control,” Merv said.

      We all went quiet. I think Rina's situation was sinking in with everyone.

      “I thought he didn't know where this young lady lived,” Mrs. Parnell said after a while. “And that is why we took my car and why Ms. MacPhee wore some of my outerwear. To throw him off the scent in case he was tracking her.”

      Merv met my eyes. The police had placed a heavy guard around Rina too. We both knew Benning would be after Lindsay regardless. Just a matter of time. Question was, would he find her before the police found him? And would we be able to stop him?

      * * *

      The doorbell pealed, loud and musical. Merv snapped to attention. Mrs. Parnell struggled to her feet. Lindsay lifted her head from the sofa. We gawked in the direction of the front door. I ran behind Merv to the foyer.

      “You guard the back door in case he tries to distract us and kick his way in,” Merv said.

      I thought I heard a small cry from Lindsay. I would have chewed Merv out, but he'd heard the cry too, and he was chewing himself out.

      “I'll watch the rear door.” Mrs. Parnell was already lurching toward the back of the house, moving her walker menacingly.

      The doorbell rang again. I don't think anyone in the room had even exhaled at this point.

      “Who is it?” Merv pressed the button on the intercom. He didn't sound his tough old Mountie self. Lindsay was weeping softly in the background.

      “It's me. Alvin.”

      “Alvin?” I said.

      “That's right, it's Alvin”

      “No need to be peevish.”

      “Well, what part of ‘Alvin' don't you understand, Camilla?”

      “Be civil.”

      “I'll be civil when I get inside.”

      “Well, you'd better try before. By the way, it's nice and warm in here.”

      “I never complain about the cold. You know I like this weather. It's the company I don't care for.” At least I think that's what he said. It was hard to tell with his teeth chattering.

      “Okay, let him in, Merv.”

      “How do we know the little peckerhead's alone?”

      “What?”

      “Benning could be right behind him, using him as a ploy to push his way in.”

      I thought I heard another gasp from the sofa.

      “Nevertheless, I'm ready for him if he does.” Mrs. Parnell had made her way back from the back door.

      Lindsay raised her head from the cushion. “Press the button