Some Day Somebody (48 page)

Sam thanked the officer for her. “How soon do you think we’ll know something, Heath?”

“If there are any toxins in his system, it could take a couple of days, depending on what...Was used,” he finished.

“Toxins...” Carrie said, choking on the word. “That’s a pretty way to say ‘poison’ isn’t it?” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue again. “If you rule out natural causes, it won’t matter what he used on him,” she said, turning toward Sam to muffle her sob on his chest.

The officer stood up. “The identity of the poison may be used as evidence when we catch this guy. It could help us put him away or even link him to any other unsolved crimes.”

Carrie nodded and crouched over her dog, giving his thick, white coat one last rub. “Good boy,” she whispered, before straightening. She backed into the kitchen and closed the door, then turned to face the one officer remaining in her living room. “Did Sam tell you why we suspect he’s been in the house?”

“No, ma’am, I was waiting...until you were ready.” He pulled out a pad to take notes as both Carrie and Sam explained her reason for suspecting the stalker had been in her home. When Cody asked if he could check out her bedroom, she and Sam led him there. He opened the closet door and studied the inside before leaning over to pick up something up against the edge of the wall. He straightened, holding out a single, un-smoked cigarette.

“You were right,” Cody told them.

“That’s him, that’s what he smokes,” Sam told him.

They did a quick check of the other rooms in the house and ended up back in her living room. Cody made some notes then tucked his notepad into his shirt pocket. “If this guy’s got the nerve, as well as the ability to do this, he’s one dangerous son of a gun. We’ll need to call in the troops on this one.” He walked to the front door then paused and turned to Sam. “I wouldn’t lose sight of her until we resolve this situation.”

Sam closed the door then pulled Carrie to him for a hug.

“I should trust my instincts more, Sam. I knew something was wrong in that bedroom.” She closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of being watched...remembered facing away from the windows and toward the closet. “Oh God, I undressed in front of him, Sam.” Carrie shuddered visibly, feeling violated and dirty.

“You want me to call the office for you?” he asked.

She turned to walk into her bathroom. “Yeah, go ahead and call for me. Report the cut line to the phone company, while you’re at it.”

Sam watched the door close then heard the shower running. He stepped onto the front porch and went to Doug’s place across the street. He asked him to keep an eye on Carrie’s home while he made the phone calls.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned to Carrie’s. She sat curled up on the sofa, wearing jeans and a different sweater from last night.

“I called the office, and J.C.’s the only one there. He said he hopes we catch the bastard, and to give you this.” He reached over and gave her a hug.

She hugged Sam back, imagining what her friend would have had to say. “I bet he said worse than that.”

“He did,” Sam agreed. “But I was trying not to be as vile as he was.”

Carrie gave him a bleak smile, remembering the string of curses that had come from his mouth earlier. “I want you to sit and listen to something I came up with.” She explained her plan, in detail, and watched as Sam’s face revealed his mixed emotions. “It’ll work, Babe.”

He stood and paced the floor. “It’s too damned dangerous.”

“No more dangerous than having him lurk around here while we’re all asleep and completely defenseless,” she answered. “This is bullshit, Sam, and you know it. I won’t be his victim and I damn sure won’t sit back and let my kids, or your son, or you be his victims either.” She pressed her hands to her stomach. “When I think what could have happened while I slept, totally clueless that he was walking around in here...Oh God, I get sick inside.”

Sam dropped his head and groaned, in acceptance of the inevitable, knowing she’d do this regardless of what he said. “Okay,” he finally agreed. “But I have a few suggestions...with your safety in mind.”

She nodded when he finished speaking. “I have to admit, I’d feel better if you were a part of this.”

By eight a.m. the phone company had reconnected Carrie’s phone line. With Sam by her side, she called Dave and told him she was bringing the girls home later that morning, then broke the news about Toto.

Dave was quiet for a moment. “You told the girls yet?”

“No,” she said, covering her eyes with one hand. “And I dread it more than anything I’ve ever done in my life. Is Grant awake yet?”

“You’re kidding, right? Don’t worry, I’ll wake his lazy butt up around ten and tell him.”

Carrie cringed. “Look, when you tell him, do you think you could do it without being so...” she stopped herself, searching for some word that fit the situation. “
Crass?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Okay...a word he knows the meaning of.
“Insensitive,” she said, shaking her head as Sam tried to cover a smile. “Try not to be
insensitive
when you tell him. Our kids grew up with that dog, Dave. Grant’s going to be hurting.”

“Hey, I’m hurting too, you know,” he huffed, sounding insulted. “I liked that dog as much as you did, even if he didn’t earn his keep around here like
my
dog does.”

“Toto was free. You paid big bucks for Lucas, and we spent another two hundred on...oh forget it, it doesn’t matter. I love your dog too, you...jerk...” she said, sobbing into the phone.

Sam turned different shades of red, obviously furious at Dave. When he reached for the phone, Carrie put her hand up and shook her head.

“Thanks, but I can handle this,” she whispered, regaining her composure.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Dave said, his own voice breaking over the phone line. “I’m just pissed that he died that way. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“It’s okay, I understand.”

“No! No, it’s not okay. I apologize for being a jerk. But that son of a bitch needs to pay for doing that to our dog.”

“I know he does,” she said quietly, nodding to Sam. “And I’ve got a plan that can make that happen. Sam is letting me use his truck to bring the girls home, because I need to borrow something from you. It’s a lot to ask, I know, but I believe it may make the difference.” After she explained what she need from him and how it fit into her plans, he balked, but finally agreed.

“Thanks Dave. Are you sure you don’t want me to tell Grant when I get there?”

“No, you’ll have your hands full telling the girls. I’ll do it...
sensitively
...I promise.”

“Thank you,” she said. “We’ll be there in a couple of hours. Tell
no one
about this, okay? Not even Grant. It’s important that we have the element of surprise on our side. We think he’s someone from around that area.”

Once Dave agreed, she ended the call and rubbed at her forehead before facing Sam. “It’s time to tell the girls.”

Sam nodded. “You want me to go in there with you?”

“I think I should do this by myself, but thanks for the offer anyway.” She walked into the room where her daughters slept, and closed the door behind her.

Carrie sat on Gretchen’s bed and held her daughters to her, one in each arm. She cried along with them as they mourned the loss of their beloved Toto. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so very sorry.” She rocked them, ached for them, while wishing she could take away their pain. Her eyes focused on a tiny spot on the bedroom door, as she told herself that Sam was out there, and waiting to help if she needed him. That thought gave her the strength she needed to comfort her children.

Gretchen was the first to calm and pull away from her mother. She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her pajama top and sniffed loudly. “If that stupid
cigarette
man
poisoned our dog,” she said, her voice filled with anger and bitterness, “I hope we get to meet up with him one day.” She narrowed her eyes at her mother. “I’d sure like to beat the crap out of him.”

Carrie couldn’t help but smile at her daughter’s determination and drive. “Sweetie, everyone feels the same way, even the local police. Don’t worry, we’ll get him, but we’ll always have good memories of Toto. He was such a character, wasn’t he?”

Gretchen gave her mom a tearful smile. “You remember how we’d clean him up so he could stay in the house when it was cold outside?”

Lauren joined the conversation. “Yeah, he’d fart and stink up the house. Remember the face he’d make?”

Carrie chuckled. “He’d hang his head, almost like he was ashamed.” Before long, all three of them were laughing over other memories of Toto.

Carrie reached out to smooth her daughters’ curls. “He’s not gone as long as we remember him.”

“I’ll always remember him, but he is gone,” Gretchen groaned. “And I’d still like the chance to beat the crap of that guy.”

“I’d like somebody to hold him down so we could all beat the crap out of him,” Lauren added.

Carrie smiled, hugging her girls to her, and prayed they’d end up with men who wouldn’t try to take that spark away from them. “I need to bring you back to your dad’s this morning. Until this is settled, I have to know you’re all safe. Are either of you hungry?”

She patted their hands when they said no. “Get your stuff together and make the bed, please.”

Sam and Nick stood in the kitchen talking quietly when Carrie exited the bedroom.

Nick walked over to hug her and shook his head. “That’s messed up, Carrie. What kind of person does something like that?”

“The
kind
of person who’ll get the crap beaten out of them if those girls have anything to say about it,” she said, taking the tissue Sam offered.

“I’d like to be in on that,” Nick said.

“And me,” Sam added.

The girls came out the bedroom, fully dressed, eyes red-rimmed from crying. Carrie sniffed, her heart bursting with gratefulness, as they migrated straight to Sam. She watched as he held her daughters, whispering words of comfort. They moved to Nick, who enveloped them both in a consoling hug.

“Nick,” Sam spoke softly after giving them several moments. “Take the girls over to our place until we get back. Carrie and I have to make a run to the police station.”

Nick nodded and herded the girls out the door as Carrie and Sam prepared to leave.

Ten minutes later, they sat in Chief Charlie Walker’s office, discussing Carrie’s plan. It took another thirty minutes to work out the details. As they got up to leave, Carrie held her hand out to Charlie Walker. “Thanks for your help, Chief Walker.”