Woke Up Dead Read online

  Maxine tried to swallow, but a large lump in her throat prohibited it. “Does James know about this?”

  “No. And he’s not going to either. I take care of him, kind of like a guardian angel. If someone makes him unhappy, I get rid of them. Simple.”

  “Like your mother?” Maxine still found this whole thing unreal, though the fear pulsing through her felt real enough. So did that gun.

  “Mommy was the worst of them, putting James down and ignoring him like he was some dog. Less than a dog. If you would have seen how her digs affected James, you’d have done anything to take away the pain, too.”

  “Maybe,” she said, trying to gain a sense of trust in Sally. She remembered in the movies how people in these situations would say, ‘Let me get you some help.’ That never seemed to work. “Let’s go have a cup of coffee and talk about it.”

  The sound of the front door opening shot relief through Maxine. Until she saw James walk in and look around the dim room.

  “Don’t say a word,” Sally muttered, pushing the gun into Maxine’s back. “I’ll kill you before you can say the second word. Don’t forget, I’ve had practice.” Her face lightened in a smile that bore no resemblance to the sinister expression Sally had had on her face earlier. “Hi, James.”

  He rubbed his neck, taking in both women standing close together. “What are you doing here?” he asked Maxine.

  “Oh, Sally invited me over for coffee,” Maxine answered, her voice unnaturally high. Not that James would care enough to notice.

  “Did you have a good day?” Sally asked with a hopeful expression. The gun pressed harder against her back.

  “No. When I wanted this job, I thought Dad would be training me. Being thrown in like this sucks. Besides all the questions I have to answer about why he went crazy.” He leveled a glare at Maxine, while she gave him an imploring look. He ignored it, shifting his gaze back to Sally. “How was your day?”

  “All right. You know, same old, same old.”

  “The police were here,” Maxine said, giving him a lifted eyebrow at the emphasized word.

  James glanced back at Sally. “They were?”

  Sally looked rather bored. “Yeah, but it was nothing. Just some routine questions about Daddy’s behavior.”

  James nodded. “You’d better go get your coffee. Maxine seems to be having some kind of caffeine fit.”

  Sally shoved the gun in harder against Maxine’s spine, eliciting an oof from her. She tried to lamely cover it with a cough.

  “Yes, we’re going to some new coffee shop down the street. Maxine says it’s great. I’ll see you later?”

  “Sure.”

  “James, you can do anything. Remember that.” Sally’s voice was filled with love. Perhaps she had taken on a motherly role, because their relationship didn’t seem sexual.

  “Would you like to come with us, James?” Maxine asked as they moved to the door.

  He narrowed his eyes at her expression of fear. Just as Maxine thought he suspected something was strange, he said, “No, thanks. I’m going to sleep. I’m beat. Have fun, girls.”

  He walked up those stairs and disappeared, making Maxine whimper. He really didn’t know about Sally’s machinations. Sally shoved her toward the door with the gun.

  “Nice try. Don’t you dare drag him into this. He’s been through enough.”

  “It doesn’t have to be this way, Sally. We can forget this whole thing right now. I won’t say a word to anyone about it.” Maxine remembered that saying being ineffectual in the movies, too.

  “What’s done is done.” Sally urged her to her own car, and Maxine took the wheel as Sally slid in next to her, gun at the ready. “Suddenly I’m not in the mood for a coffee shop. Too bright, too crowded, don’t you think? I have somewhere else in mind. Somewhere quieter.”

  “Sally, if…something happens to me, James will be a witness that you were the last one to see me…alive.” She swallowed hard.

  “I know. I was hoping we could get out of there before he got home. I’ll figure something else out.” She took a quick breath, as if it was only a small bother. “Besides, James won’t say anything. We stick together. I’ll just tell him we nixed the coffee idea and you went home. I’ll ask him not to mention you were even out here because I don’t want the police to be suspicious. He’ll believe I’m innocent.”

  “Sam knows I was here,” Maxine said triumphantly, watching Sally’s confidence crumble.

  “You told him?”

  “Yes.” The only problem with that was he wouldn’t be missing her anytime soon. Especially if he flew out to Florida in the morning. Unless Gabrielle thought to call him when she noted Maxine’s absence, but she might think Maxine had stayed with Sam. It could be days before anyone knew she was really gone. Fear pulsed through her again, infringing on her vision as she drove down the driveway.

  “Then I’ll have to take care of him, too. I was afraid he might do some more snooping anyway.”

  Maxine’s fingers clamped around the wheel. “No. No, you can’t do anything to Sam. He doesn’t know where I went. I swear, I was just bluffing you.”

  Sally ran the side of the gun’s barrel over her lips in thought. “I don’t believe you. I think you were telling the truth the first time. Think of it this way: you and your honey will be together in Heaven. What a lovely thought, very romantic. Keep driving,” she ordered when Maxine had come to a stop in her fright. “Take a right up there, then a left.”

  They left the faint security of the fancy, lit homes and drove for miles into a different neighborhood that became more sparse toward the back.

  “Where are we going?” Maxine hesitantly asked.

  Sally smiled. “Right here.”

  A large house sat back from the road a distance. There were no other houses around it, only a dark thicket of trees. The windows were dark eyes of shattered glass staring out of a charred exterior. The smell of smoke filtered into the car through the air conditioner vents.

  “James and I followed an ambulance here one time, just to see where it went. Two people died in the fire. Flames were creeping out of every window, and a crowd of people stood around and watched with morbid fascination. Someday when they find you, they’ll probably do the same thing. They’ll string up that yellow tape, and reporters will flock around to get a glimpse of your decomposed body. Get out of the car.”

  Maxine surveyed the surrounding area and wondered how far she’d get before getting mowed down by bullets if she made a run for it. No, she still had a chance to overpower the woman later without risking a wild bullet.

  “Do you have a flashlight?” Sally asked.

  “No.”

  “Oh, come on, don’t be so uncooperative. Let’s look in your trunk.”

  Maxine popped open the trunk, not sure if she did have a flashlight in there or not.

  “Oh no, you don’t,” Sally said as Maxine started to feel around for something that might work as a weapon. “I’ll get it.” Sally held the gun at her and pulled out a thin flashlight.

  Maxine was prodded by the gun over the flagstones that sprouted weeds to the stench and horror of the burned-out house. She glanced around to see if anyone was in sight, but the darkness swallowed up everything. They walked through the door, and Sally played the flashlight over the wiry skeleton of a couch and the black walls. The floor was soft and mushy beneath her feet. Maxine’s heart was a dull thud inside her, pressing an aching pain throughout her body with each beat.

  “I know exactly what I’m going to do,” Sally was saying as though they were old friends discussing a mutual problem. “Since someone’s been after you anyway, I’ll just say that as we were going to a coffee shop, someone crawled out of the back seat of your car and hijacked us. He drove out here and threw me out of the car. He wanted you,” she said in a sinister voice. “I was only a nuisance, trying to save our lives from the masked villain. I could even say it was Sam. Hmm, that’s an interesting twist. I’ll work that out later.” She coug
hed as the ashes rose up in a vile dust that choked their throats. “Nasty place to die.”

  “I know, I know. You hate doing this, right?”

  “Of course. But everything’s going to work out just fine once you’re gone. You’ll probably be happier up there anyway. The world’s a vicious place to live anymore.”

  Maxine stepped over some unidentifiable objects, sure they’d probably taken out the bodies by then. She could almost feel the heat of the fire as the smell of smoke insinuated itself inside her. Her legs were wobbly, and she almost lost her balance. She grabbed the side of a wall, then pulled her hand back at the gritty feel of soot.

  “There it is, just as I remembered. I came back here later, when the yellow tape was gone. Okay, I admit it; I’m one of those morbidly curious people. I never thought in a million years it would come in this handy.

  Maxine’s bleary gaze took in the refrigerator, its doors hanging open to a yellowed interior. Her throat closed up as her eyes widened. “No, I won’t go in there,” she said on a raspy breath.

  “Oh yes, you will,” Sally answered, sticking the gun against her spine again. “Either you go in willingly or I shoot you someplace that will disable you and then put you in to die a slow, painful death.”

  Some choice. Maxine looked at the coffin, trying not to breathe in the acrid smell of melted plastic. No one would find her in there, not in time. And who would be looking, anyway? Her breathing was already growing heavy at the thought of sucking her last breath in only to find there were no more.

  “Take the racks out,” Sally ordered. “Come on, I want to get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”

  Maxine walked slowly forward and grabbed onto the rack in the middle. With one hand, she pulled, and with the other, she pushed. She made the appropriate sounds, but the rack didn’t budge.

  “What’s the problem?” Sally said, irritation lacing her voice. “What are you, a weakling?”

  “I’m too terrified to be strong,” Maxine said, watching from her side vision as Sally walked closer. She had one chance to make a grab for the gun. Once Sally realized what was happening, it would be easy for her to pull the trigger. One chance.

  Sally set the flashlight down. “It’s probably melted on there,” she said, holding the gun in one hand and pulling on the rack with the other. Now Maxine pushed with both hands, and Sally pulled harder. Maxine let go, and Sally jerked backwards with the change of power. Maxine lunged for the gun, falling on top of Sally and creating a black dust storm with their struggle. The flashlight casted an eerie glow across the floor.

  “Give me th—” Sally pulled the gun away, trying to aim it at Maxine.

  Maxine didn’t have a good grip on the barrel, but she managed to press Sally’s arm against the floor so she couldn’t move it. The gun dropped to the floor. Just as Maxine was about to grab it, Sally shoved her away. Maxine landed against the front of an oven, grimacing with the pain that ripped along her back and head. Sally’s breath was heaving as she stood in front of Maxine, gun aimed at her nose.

  “Nice try,” she said.

  “I thought so.” Maxine felt all hope drain away as she stared at Sally’s wild face in the dim light. She sucked in deep breaths of her own, wasting it on the ashes that swirled in the air around them.

  “Get in the refrigerator. Now. I don’t care if that metal rack doesn’t move. You’ll have to fold yourself in half.”

  Maxine slowly twisted the racks until they broke away from the brittle plastic. She took one last look at Sally, hoping for…what? Some kind of regret or tenderness on her blackened expression? Another chance to grab the gun that was now pointed at her face?

  Even more slowly, she curled into the bottom half of the refrigerator. Sally wasted no time in slamming the door shut. Maxine closed her eyes, willing herself to stay calm and not use up any more precious air than necessary. Maybe when Sally was gone, she could kick the door open again.

  Then her whole world tilted as the refrigerator fell face down. Maxine’s shoulder ached where she landed hard against the grooved shelves in the door. Her nose was pressed up against the egg holder. She let out a yelp, but it was drowned out by the sound of something being pulled across the floor. Then she heard a muffled thump as another object was shoved against the refrigerator.

  She could hear her heart beating in her ears, drumming away like the rattle of a snake fighting for its life. Beyond that, she could hear nothing else. Already it seemed the air was dwindling, and she again willed herself to calm down. For what, she didn’t know.

  Training her ears, she could hear the faraway rumble of an engine. Her car, perhaps. Sally leaving. Maxine was sideways, and she rolled around so that her feet were braced against the back of the fridge, now her roof. She shoved hard, hearing herself grunt with the exertion. Again. And again. It didn’t even budge.

  “No, no, no. This can’t be happening. I didn’t come back only to die again!”

  She shoved again, fear washing over her and pushing her on. Nothing moved. Not even a tiny movement to spur on her hopes. She started pushing on the walls around her, hoping for a weakness, a crack to work on. It was sealed tight, like a coffin. Her coffin.

  With all her pushing and panicking, she now sucked in one huge breath after another, not getting enough oxygen in any of them. It was over. And she’d lost Sam again. She closed her eyes, feeling dizzy and faint. Her second chance was over, and she still hadn’t told Sam she loved him. She’d gotten closer this time, but not close enough.

  She slipped the gold band from her right finger to the one on her left hand. Maybe that would tell him, if and when they found her body. That was all she could do now.

  CHAPTER 14

  SAM WAS lying on his back on the couch, his feet propped up on the back. He tossed the racquetball up and down, up and down. The sensual sounds of saxophone filled the room, the lights were dim, and a glass of wine sat on the coffee table beside him. This was what Sam called a perfect moment, and even when he was really caught up in a messy case, he could drift from there and put it aside for a while. Except he wasn’t on any case. And he was as restless as a hungry tiger.

  It was the same kind of restlessness that had permeated him before Jennie’s death, and it had started again after Maxine had left. It had really kicked in after talking to her. So maybe it was a sexual restlessness then. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts.

  Jennie appeared in his vision.

  How could one man get so mixed up? There was Jennie, and there was Maxine. Two totally different women. One he had loved and divorced, knowing there was no future for them. One he hadn’t even realized he loved, and now there was no future for them either.

  “Ah, Jennie,” he muttered. “I was a damned fool. Knowing you was the best thing I’d ever had. Maybe I couldn’t have made you happy either, but I could have at least tried.” He could see Jennie in his mind, encouraging him, impressed by how he’d handled some of his cases. She’d always believed in him.

  There was Maxine. He could see her at his parents’ house defending him, saying how proud she was of him. He shook his head. Now he could see why he kept getting them confused. Maxine had somehow taken on some of those sweet traits and innocence Jennie had. Both women made him feel like a man worthy of love, worthy of them. It still didn’t make it any easier for him to forgive himself for seeing one woman when he was making love to another.

  Jennie’s face filled his vision again, but not that soft smile he usually pictured her with. Her expression was pure terror, enough to send him upright with his heart beating wildly. The racquetball bounced across the wood floor. Sam turned to Romeo, who also couldn’t seem to relax tonight. He paced near the door, pausing to look at his master.

  “Something’s not right. Even you’re restless, and you’re the easiest going dog I ever knew.”

  He walked over to the phone on the counter. The cool, smooth plastic felt good against his hand, but hot needles pricked his insides. “That p
hone call wasn’t right.” He dialed Maxine’s number, but Gabriel’s soft, recorded voice was all he got. “Maxine, this is Sam. Call me when you get back. I don’t care how late it is, just call me. Thanks.”

  She should be all right, with Armand in some psychiatric ward somewhere. He knew his buddy at the station would have told him if they’d released him.

  The fire needles increased. What if it wasn’t Armand who was after her? Maybe it was James after all. This was why he didn’t handle cases he was personally involved with. He was so anxious to send Maxine off so he could get his head straight, he was more than willing to believe Armand had been behind it.

  He dialed the number at the station and asked for Dave. “Hey, this is Sam,” he said when Dave answered.

  “Hey, Sam, how’s it going?”

  “I don’t know, you tell me. What’s going on with the Santini thing?”

  “Not a thing. He won’t say a word, still in an almost catatonic state. Won’t eat, drink, or anything. He’s not going anywhere, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Sam didn’t feel any relief from the needles. “Why are your people out at the Santinis tonight? Maxine said they wanted her to drive out there and talk to them.”

  Silence. “I don’t think anyone’s out there. Let me check.” Sam heard him yell across a noisy room and ask someone who was obviously handling the case. “Nope, no action out there. Something wrong?”

  “Maybe nothing. I don’t know, maybe the Santini daughter just needed someone to talk to. I’ll call down there and make sure everything’s all right. Thanks for your help.”

  “Oh, Sam. One more thing. The DNA tests came back: doesn’t look like Armand Santini went anywhere near Floyd’s place.” When Sam went silent, Dave added, “Maybe the murder had nothing to do with your case.”