The Devil's Dwelling (35 page)

FORTY

We were in front of Donna Dugan’s Massage Parlor.  The street light was out in front of the house.  We drove to the back and parked in the alley.  I took my Glock from the bag and Mona fashionably had her 38 in her hand.

“We need to find something on Natasha McGuire in this place.”

Mona tried the backdoor and it was locked. “The Sheriff’s deputies locked this place up tight.”

“Stand back I’ll blow the lock off.”  I aimed the Glock and fired. The locked door flew open.  In this neighborhood people are used to gunfire or cars backfiring.  They won’t pay much attention to the loud bang from the shot.

I fetched the flashlight from the Honda. Mona stepped in the house and I followed close behind.  I shined the light around the house room by room.  We didn’t find an office or a desk to search for a file of her employees.  We open chest and dresser drawers. There were no files to be found.

“It doesn’t look like Donna keep records of her employees.”  We looked around as we made out way toward the kitchen door.

“Wait a minute.” Mona said pointing to the kitchen table.  “There’s a file cabinet under the table.”

I shined the light toward the table and there set a two drawer file cabinet hiding under the kitchen table.  The top drawer easily pulled open.  I fingered through the files while Mona shined the flashlight.

“Nothing here about her masseuse.”  I tried to open the bottom drawer.  It was locked.

“Step back.”  I aimed my Glock at the lock and fired.  The drawer slowly slide open.  I fingered through the files and found Natasha McGuire’ file with her picture attached.

“I got it. Let’s get outta here. Cut the light.” I told Mona. 

“There’s a car slowly driving past.”  We made our way to the back door stumbling over tables and chairs.

“It’s a deputy checking out the place.’  I peeked around the corner of the house. “ Okay, he drove past get in the rig. We have to get outta here before he makes it around to the alley.” We ran to the rig jumped in and I made hay getting outta there.

Saturday’s night are usually busy at the Oasis Bar and this was no exception.  Mona and I dressed in disquise and set in a corner sipping on a beer.  Marty and Curly sat in the back booth where Curly does his business.  We watched a couple of guys go over to the booth to exchange a few words.  I recognized them from being a couple of guys that frequent the back door of the bar.  Marty slid out of the booth and made his way through the swinging door to the street.  Mona and I followed. 

“Marty!” I yelled. 

Marty took off like a rabbit.  Mona was on his heels with her 38 in hand.

“Stop, or I’ll shoot your sorry ass.” She yelled firing a shot in the air.

Marty didn’t loose a step.  He ran around the corner and disappeared. 

I was right behind Mona.  We stopped and looked to each side.

“Where did that sucker go.”  Mona was gasping for her breath and wiping her brow with the butt of the gun.

I noticed a garbage can with legs down the street.  The can was slowly backing away from us.  I pointed to the can and for Mona to stay quiet.  I inched toward the can. When I got within reach of the can Marty jumped up and ran.  Mona had ran around behind him and he ran into her arms.  He was wiggling desperately trying to free himself from Mona.

“It’s no use Marty.  You are going to jail.”  I told him as I cuffed him and pulled him to his feet.

“Where’d you get her for a partner?  She almost killed me when she landed on me. I have a mind to sue her.”  Marty walked to the Honda twisting as I tried to control him.

I opened the door.  “Get in the Honda and no funny stuff.”  I gave him a heave ho shove and he was sitting up in the back seat waiting for his ride to jail.

We made the short drive to the jail, got the papers signed and headed to Stan’s Diner for some vittles.

Monday morning Randy called and wanted Mona and I to come in to his office.

“What’s up?”  I asked.

“I need to talk with you two.”  His  phone call was short.  I knew he had something serious on his mind.

The deputy walked to Sheriff Reagan’s office when we arrived.

“Sheriff Reagan will see you in a few minutes.”

“Thank you.”  I walked over to the row of chairs and had a seat. Mona was flipping thorugh the GQ magazine.

“Look here, Tiffany. Aren’t these guys good lookin’?”

I glanced at the page of men in posing positions.  “Yeah, if you say so but for me they are way to skinny.”

Randy stepped from his office and invited us in.

“Morning ladies.”  Randy had his professional hat on.

“Morning.” In unison came from each of us.

“Sophia seems to be coming out of her coma.  The doctor’s expect her to be able to talk with the authorities in the next few days.”

“That’s good. Maybe the serial  killer can be caught with the information she will give you.”  I told Randy.  “I’m a little confused why you are giving us this information.”  I looked at Randy waiting for a reason to come from his mouth.

“I think Gayle Perkins aka Natasha McGuire is the murderer.  I need any information you might have on her.”  He looked at me as if I had a boat load of info on her.

“Randy, we’ve been trying to find her but every time we locate where she’s been working she has been fired and the massage parlor owner has been murdered.” 

“If we learn anything about her we will call you.”  I stood up and motioned for Mona to join me exiting the office.

“Thanks.”  Randy stood up and walked us to the door.

Randy and I have a personal relationship and a business relationship and he doesn’t let the two intertwine. 

Mona and I looked at each other. 

“What now?”  Mona asked buckling her belt.

“We head for massage row and find Natasha.”

“The next massage parlor on the list is Gertie’s Massage Parlor. Her parlor is off the beaten path about five miles up the road.”

We drove through Conway on Main Street.  The road took us about five miles out of town.  An old house set about a quarter of a mile off the main road.  The sign just off the highway was weathered and leaning on one post.  It read Gertie’s Massage Parlor.  I drove up the lane and parked to the side of the house.  The driveway went around the house. A couple of geese were in the front yard.  I assumed the masuese and maybe Gertie parked in the back.  We walked across the overgrown lawn maneuvering our steps around the goose poop, up the steps and rang the buzzer.  No one answered our buzz.  Mona walked to the back of the house and shortly returned.  There’s two cars in the back.  I think one is the Mini Cooper we saw Natasha McGuire driving.  I pushed the buzzer again and knocked on the door.  “Ms. Gertie are you home.”  No answer.

We heard tires spinning and looked in time to see Natasha McGuire flying around the corner of the house and down the driveway.

I flipped my phone open and as Mona and I ran for the Honda.  I jumped in my rig and sped after Natasha.  I tossed the phone to Mona and told her to call Randy.

“Randy, we are leaving Gertie’s Massage Parlor chasing a red Mini Cooper.  Natasha is driving it. We are going north from the parlor.”

“I’ll get back to you.” Randy said and the phone went dead.

My phone rang back.  It was Randy.  “Tiffany, try to keep the Mini Cooper in your sights but when you see the deputy back off. And let him take over.  I’ll have other deputies in the area to cut her off.”  Randy hung up.

I continued to follow the Mini Cooper.

“There’s the deputy.”  Mona pointed at a patrol car spinning and throwing rocks onto the highway with his light flashing and his siren blaring.

I dropped back.  In moments the deputy was out of sight. 

Mona and I came upon three patrol cars.  The Mini Cooper was in a ditch on the side of the road.  Natasha McGuire was handcuffed with a deputy walking her to his patrol car.

Randy drove up. 

“How’d you ladies find her?”  He asked.

“We’ve been checking out massage parlors and Gertie’s was one of the last parlor’s on our list.”  Mona told him.

“I think we’ve got the right person.  That is if the murder’s stop.”  Randy said as he opened the door to his SUV, seated himself and pulled the seat belt across his lap.

“Good work ladies.  I would be lucky enough to have you as deputies.”  He smiled and winked at me.

Gayle Perkins was arraigned and the bail was set too high for her to post bail.  Randy informed the Texas authorities of Gayle Perkins being in custody.  Arkansas was holding her for the murder of the massage parlor owners and identity theft.  Arkansas would not allow Texas to extradite her.

FORTY-ONE

My phone rang it was Sheriff Reagan. 

“Tiffany, Ms. Sophia came out of her coma and I’m going over to show her a few pictures of ladies in hopes she fingers Gayle Perkins.  Would you like to meet me at the hospital?”

“Of course, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”  I closed the phone and headed for the hospital.

Randy was waiting out front when I drove up.  He helped me from the Honda.  We walked into the hospital.  Randy told the receptionist we were there to see Ms. Sophia.  She walked us to Sophia’s room.  Setting next to the door was one of Randy’s deputies.  Sophia had been under guard since being shot in her massage parlor.

Randy introduced himself to Sophia.  “This is my friend Tiffany.”

“Nice to meet you both.”  She said in a weak voice.  “I guess I’m a fighter or I wouldn’t be here.”

“That you are.”  Randy said.

“Do you know who shot you?”  Randy asked.

“No, I’d never seen the woman before.”  She said looking frightened.

“She came in the parlor and shot me. The woman said, You and all massage owners shall die.  I don’t know what she was talking about.” 

Randy pulled a few pictures from his pocket.  “Would you mind looking at a few pictures and tell me if any one of them might be the person who shot you?”

One by one Randy showed Ms. Sophia the pictures.  She shook her head no to each picture.  When Randy came to Gayle Perkins picture.  Ms. Sophia frowned.  “She’s not a good person.  I had bad feelings when she came around. I fired her and she was so mad when she left in her little red car.  Shortly after Natasha left the woman showed up and shot me. I‘d never seen her before.

We excused ourselves and headed for the parking lot.

“I don’t understand, I was sure Gayle Perkins was the murderer.” 

“That makes two of us.  I guess I can allow Texas to extradite her. 

Randy called Texas authorities and they were pleased Arkansas was releasing Gayle Perkins.  They told Randy, Gayle Perkins was wanted for identity theft and the murder of Natasha McGuire.  The Texas authorities said they will be meeting with the McGuire’s to let them know they have located their daughter’s body when they come for Gayle Perkins.

Mona and I picked up the chest and trunk from my folks basement.  Between giggles we managed to carry it to the Honda and then to the elevator.  We laughed while trying to get it out of the elevator and into the apartment.  The trunk looked lost in the big room with nothing else.

“Okay, let’s go shopping.  I need a few things.

We made our way to the furniture store and I purchased the necessary items.  Such as a sofa, end table, big oversized reclining chair, TV, two lamps one for the living room and one for the bedroom.  I also purchased a nice queen size bed.