The Devil's Dwelling (11 page)

“Okay, I’m handing Linda the paperwork on Lester Long as we speak. I‘m on my way.”

Mona tossed the phone to Linda and was out the door with donut and coffee in hand.

Mona pulled up to the curb. I opened the door, threw my bag in and jumped in to ride shotgun.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Mona said as she pulled away from the curb.

“I think we should find the masseuse we met at Maxine’s.”

Mona turned the Blazer toward the shady side of town.  We drove past a few massage parlors and parked the Blazer in front of Sheila‘s Massage Parlor. I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.  I knocked on the door and waited forever for someone to answer. A voice came over the intercom. It startled me and I almost crapped my pants.

“We don’t open till 2. You needin’ a massage? Leave your name and number on the pad and someone will call you.”

I looked around for a pen and pad. A small table was pushed back in the corner with ivy vines spilling over it. I found a wet pad from the morning dew and a pencil with wood around it’s end giving me barely enough lead to write. I scribbled down Tiffany, and my cell number.

I hopped back in the Blazer and instructed Mona to drive to the next parlor.   We hit three parlors by noon and no one had heard of our masseuse.

“Let’s get lunch before we hit another parlor. My belly feels like my throat has been slit.” Mona said rubbing her belly.

“There, there’s another parlor and ‘Burger in a Box’ right next door.” 

We ordered lunch and found a booth in the back.  Mona made her way to the ladies room and I cleared the table. I asked the man at the counter if someone might wash the table.

“What do you think this is a five star restaurant? Wash it yourself.” He pulled a wet rag from under the counter and tossed it to me. Water splashed on my shirt and made me mad.

“You sorry fool you got water all over my nice top.” I immediately threw the towel back and he threw it back at me.  I started to throw the towel back when he reached under the cash register and came across the counter with gun in hand yelling. “Get outta my Burger Box.” I headed for the door with bullets dancing at my ass. I didn’t have a chance to get my Glock out of my bag.  I made it to the Blazer, started her up and headed out the parking lot. I circled the block just as Mona came running from the Burger Box with 38 cocked, her handbag and a ’Burger in a Box’ bag in hand. She jumped in the Blazer firing shots in the air as I put the pedal to the metal speeding away.

“I heard shots and ran out the bathroom in time to see the owner firing off at you. I grabbed my 38 and shoved it in his ribs and demanded he drop the gun. He dropped his gun and reluctantly gave me our lunch but not before I cocked my 38.”

We hit Sassy’s Massage Parlor, the next one on the list.  A woman in her sixties with red hair in perfect big curls stacked high on her head answered the door. 

“Are you Sassy?”

“Yeah, you got an appointment?” She stood behind the door looking toward the street and then to each side. “Who you got waiting in the rig?”

“That’s my girlfriend.” I said making her believe she was ‘my girlfriend’. 

“No, I don’t have an appointment. I’m looking for a masseuse named Natasha. She has long red hair. Is she one of your girls?”

“She was tell last week when I caught her doing drugs with a customer. I fired her butt and sent her on her way.”

I knew we hit pay dirt and didn’t want to do anything to mess up this lead. “I understand your feelings. A ladies got to keep her business clean.”

“You wanna come in and I can give you some info on her? I should of called the cops.”

I graciously entered thanking her with every breath. She took me inside a dark room and flicked on a small lamp on her desk. The walls were painted purple with white trim around the windows. Silk flower bouquets were setting on every table and her desk. She fumbled through papers and came up with a file folder.

She started to hand me the file. But hastily pulled it back. She ripped a sheet from her notepad and pushed the head of the pen on her desk flipping out the writing point, jotted down the name, and last known address. The social security number was covered with tape.

“Here’s the info I have on her. I don’t give out social security numbers. You know it’s easy for people to steal another’s identity.”

“You are certainly right. I appreciate the information. Maybe she’s the girl we are looking for.”

“I did right in giving you the information, didn’t I?  I don’t want any trouble.”

“You did right. Thanks.”  I stuffed the sheet in my bag and headed out noticing the light flicker off as I closed the door. I felt weird while in that room. Maybe she’s an axe murder or maybe she’s a witch. There are really witches out there. I shrugged off my weird feeling and hopped in the Blazer.

“Wahoo! I yelled as I jumped in the Blazer. We hit pay dirt. I have the name and address of our masseuse.”

I pulled the paper from my bag and read.  “Natasha McGuire.”

“Natasha McGuire, that must be the McGuire’s daughter.  Her address is in Texas.”

“Well, that’s not going to help us.”  I slapped the steering wheel. 

FOURTEEN

I called Thompson Funeral Chapel and Boris answered the phone in his spooky deep voice. Chills ran up and down my spine as I managed to speak.  “May I speak to Mr. Thompson?”

“Mr. Thompson is not available.”

“What? Is he in the embalming room again?”

“I can’t divulge that information. May I help you?”

“Yeah, you can help me. When will the Martin funeral take place and where will the burial be?”

I could hear Boris thumbing through papers. “Yes, here it is.  Maxine Martin’s service will be held tomorrow at two pm in the chapel. And interment will follow immediately at Bell’s Chapel Cemetery. Visitation is this evening at seven. Can I help you with anything else?”

“No, no thank you.”

A few were gathered in front of Thompson Mortuary. Maxine Martin was laid out in the chapel. Mona and I parked across the street watching for Marty to visit his wife’s body. “What are we doing out front Marty would enter from the rear.” 

I started up the Blazer and headed for the back alley.  Marty came out the back door darting his head from side to side.  Mona jumped from the Blazer and yelled at Marty to stop. Marty hit the pavement running down the alley. Mona kept on his heels. A dark maroon Chrysler was sitting in the alley. Marty jumped in the sedan just as Mona was about to grab him. Mona fell on her face and the maroon Chrysler sped away. 

The following days forecast was for showers in the afternoon.

“Great, it’s gonna rain on us. I don’t have an umbrella.” Mona blurted out.

I stopped off at the ’Five n’ Dime’ for Mona to purchase an umbrella.  She came out twirling a hot pink umbrella above her head..

“Hot pink umbrella for a funeral?”

“Yep, this is it. They didn’t have a black one so it was hot pink or animal print. I choose hot pink, it‘ll go with some of my outfits.”

If Marty attends the funeral we can nab him at the cemetery. I don’t think he’s that crazy but you never know. We arrived a few minutes early for the two o’clock service.  Mona was dressed in a black micro mini skirt,  black top with big white polka dots, mesh stockings and black stiletto heels. She looked Mafia hooker from the get go. I wore black slacks with a black button down blouse and heels. We looked well put together except for Mona’s bag. It looks like a flower garden.  I didn’t want to bring attention to ourselves but with Mona attention is always on her.

We stood in line waiting to be greeted and sign the registration book. Mona was getting the eye from the men.

I nudged Mona. “Don’t sign your true name on the registration.” Mona turned around startled with pen in hand.

“What, how can the guys call me if they don’t know my name?”

“We aren’t here to hook up with someone.”

“You’re right.” She turned and wrote down some weird name and handed me the pen.

I had a brain freeze and couldn’t think of a name to sign. My sister’s name came in my head and I signed her name.  My brain defrosted and I wanted to scribble it out but with a line waiting I dropped the pen. The lady behind me picked it up and nudged me to the side.

Boris the man in black was standing at the door handing out leaflets. The twenty third Psalms was on the front with a picture of trees and a flowing stream. On the inside was all of Maxine Martin s particulars. Age, date of birth and date of death and Marty Martin her husband listed  as next of kin. And the minister’s name who was officiating at the service. 

“Good afternoon ladies.” Boris fingered a leaflet out for each of us. We headed for the pews nearest the back when an usher curled his finger at us. I looked at him and mouthed, “What, come up there?” He nodded his head, yes. I pushed Mona toward him and she tripped over her stiletto’s.  In an effort not to fall she grabbed for the man in front of her, missed his jacket tail and fell flat on her butt in the middle of the aisle. The usher rushed past the mourners and helped her to her feet. Her skirt was around her belly, she tried desperately to pull it down but she wasn’t able to get a grip on the spandex skirt. You could hear a roar go through the chapel. I offered my assistance and pulled her skirt down to cover her tush. Mona stood straight, put her nose in the air and walked to the seat the usher had reserved for us.

“Why the hell are we in the front row?” Mona muttered to me.

“The front row is empty.  I guess Marty is her only family.”

Soon others joined us on the front row.

The service began with prayer.

Mona nudged me. “She sure looks better than when we saw her in the closet.”

“Shhhhhhhh,’ came from the pew behind us.

“Her make-up is a little light. I could have done a better job on the make-up and the color of her dress does not go with her season. She’s a Spring and should be wearing pastel teal blue or soft pink.”

The man in the pew behind us tapped Mona on the shoulder and leaned forward.

“Maybe, you should get a job putting make-up on dead people, but for now shut your trap.”

Mona jumped to her feet, turned and crawled over the pew. Again her micro mini skirt was around her belly. She grabbed a lock of the man’s hair shaking his head back and forth.

“You shut your trap.” She pushed him to the floor between the pews and set down in his pew keeping her foot to his back. Every time he moved she buried her stiletto heel deeper in his back.

The lady singing gasp and fainted.  Boris was at the organ and began pounding the cords to, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.

People were turning and standing trying to see what the commotion was all about.  Myself, I sat quietly as if it wasn’t out of the ordinary for someone go off at a funeral.

The minister said a few words keeping his eye on Mona.  Mona continued to smile and bury her heel.

Mr. Thompson concluded the service and the ushers escorted the procession of guests  past the casket. The front pews were last to join the procession. Mona pulled the sucker off the floor, straightened his jacket that now had a hole in the back and told him to get going he was holding up the procession. He didn’t look back and continued walking looking straight ahead as Mona had instructed.  He got to the casket with Mona at his side. She grabbed his shoulder.

“Now see don’t you think she should have been worn pastel teal blue or pink?” He shook his head yes. And turned running toward the nearest exit.

The drive to the cemetery was uneventful. The procession consisted of the hearse a van with the flowers and about ten cars.  There wasn’t a family car. Mona and I waited for everyone to settle around the grave. The rain started to drizzle, we got out of the Blazer and Mona popped her hot pink umbrella open and me my black umbrella.  We were standing at the back of the crowd looking around for Marty when I noticed Mona nudging her way to the front. Her pink umbrella blocked the view of most. Some guy from the back yelled.

“Close that damn pink umbrella.”

Mona turned on her heel. “Are you talking to me?”

“That’s right sister.” A young man in a black suit yelled out.

Mona stomped toward the back of the crowd pushing people aside making a path. She closed the umbrella.  She looked in his face. “As you wish sir.”