Chapter 34

⇐ ПредыдущаяСтр 36 из 41Следующая ⇒

‘Looks like we’re the first here, ’ Doons said. He slowed, made a U-turn, and parked in front of the Sherwood house.

‘Oh, I don’t know, ’ Marjorie said.

‘You see any other cars? How many? Nine? Ten? ’

‘Lay off her, Phil. ’

‘When I need your advice, I’ll ask for it. ’

‘Tough guy, ’ Thelma said.

‘Damn right. ’

‘Let’s not argue, ’ said Marjorie. ‘This is Halloween. We’re supposed to have fun. ’

Thelma snorted. ‘I just hope there’re some decent men at this thing. ’

‘Oh, I’m sure there will. It’ll be fun. I’ve always wanted to see inside the old place, haven’t you? ’

‘Hardly. ’

Doons climbed out of the car, and opened its rear door. Thelma scooted out first, reaching up a hand for assistance. He gave her a pull.

‘What a dear, ’ she said.

‘I know it. ’ He helped Marjorie out. ‘Will that be all ladies? ’

‘Oh Phillip. ’

‘He’s pissed ’cause he had to sit alone. ’

‘I should’ve come dressed as a chauffeur. ’

‘You look fine, darling. ’

‘I feel like an ass. ’ He jammed his hands into the pockets of his bib overalls. Marjorie had rushed out to buy them after he phoned about the party. She’d bought similar overalls for herself and Thelma.

Thank God, Doons thought, she couldn’t find anyplace selling straw hats.

Three fuckin’ hayseeds.

‘You have to dress up, ’ Marjorie had insisted. ‘It’s a costume party. ’

‘The place looks deserted, ’ Thelma said, interrupting his thoughts.

‘That’s what I said. ’

They started across the front yard, walking through its high weeds.

‘You know what? ’ Thelma asked. Her voice was quiet and missing its usual sarcasm. ‘I saw Dexter go in this place the other night. ’

Marjorie gaped. ‘Really? ’

‘Yeah. The night he was killed, in fact. ’

‘Oh my goodness! ’

Doons snorted. ‘How’d you happen to see that? Or shouldn’t I ask? ’

Thelma ignored him. ‘I saw him go in the back door. And he didn’t come out. ’

Doons stopped near the veranda. He turned to Thelma. ‘What are you, trying to scare us? ’

‘I just wanted to mention it. ’

‘You don’t think …’ Marjorie started.

‘I don’t know, ’ said Thelma. ‘I told that cop about it, and he seemed awfully interested. He was so interested, in fact, that he didn’t bother to pull me in. ’

Doons blew air through his gritted teeth. ‘Jesus Christ, Thelma, what’re we doing here? ’

‘Going to a party. ’

In a calm voice, Marjorie added, ‘You’re the one who suggested it, Phil. ’

‘Well Jeezus, nobody told me this is where Boyanski got his ticket cancelled. ’

‘Don’t worry about it, ’ Thelma said. ‘It probably didn’t happen here, anyway. Let’s go in and have a good time. ’

‘Sure. ’ Doons didn’t move.

With a smirk, Thelma hooked her thumbs into her overall pockets and climbed the front steps.

‘This is crazy, ’ Doons said.

‘Don’t be a spoilsport, ’ Marjorie said. She took Doons’s hand. Together, they followed Thelma up the steps to the front door.

‘You planning to make me open it? ’ Thelma asked.

He reached for the knob. As his fingers curved around it, the door flew open. He jumped with alarm. Thelma gasped. Marjorie yelped and clutched his arm.

Inside stood a woman dressed in a long white gown. She held a lighted candle. Her face was in shadows. ‘Phil? ’ she asked.

He managed not to sigh with relief as he recognized the voice. ‘Barbara? ’

‘Boy, am I glad to see you. This place was giving me the willies. ’

‘Barbara, you’ve met my wife Marjorie. This is her sister, Thelma. Thelma, this is Barbara Major, one of the teachers from school. ’

‘Hello, ’ Thelma said.

‘Nice to meet you. Come on in. ’

‘Anybody else here yet? ’ Doons asked as he stepped inside.

‘See for yourself. ’

The women entered and he shut the door. The foyer was dark except for Barbara’s candle. They walked slowly over the hardwood floor, and passed through the entryway to the living room.

‘Jesus Christ, ’ Doons muttered.

The candlelit room was deserted except for three gorillas hanging by their arms from wrought-iron window grates.

‘Are they real? ’ Marjorie whispered.

‘They’re costumes, ’ said Barbara.

‘Anyone in them? ’ Thelma asked,

Barbara shrugged. ‘I haven’t gone close enough to find out. They don’t move, though. I think they’re just stuffed. They sure give me the willies, though. I was about to leave when you guys came along. ’

‘Let’s have a look, ’ Doons said.

‘You look, ’ said Thelma. ‘I’m getting a drink. ’ She started across the room toward a table at the far end.

‘Not a bad idea. ’ Doons followed her, flanked by Marjorie and Barbara. He realized that he was walking strangely, rolling from heel to toe in an effort to quiet his footfalls. His stomach muscles felt tight. He kept his eyes on the gorillas.

They hung several yards apart along the left-hand wall, each in front of a different window. Their wrists seemed to be bound to the upper crossbars, suspending them well above the floor. Doons could stand on a chair, he decided, and pull off the headgear to see who – if anyone – was inside. But there were no chairs in the room. Only the table.

Thelma was already there. Doons flinched at the sudden noise she made dumping a handful of ice cubes into a plastic glass. ‘Gilby’s Vodka, ’ she announced. ‘Whoever’s throwing this bash has decent taste. ’

‘Eric Prince, ’ Barbara said.

‘His mother must’ve bought the booze, ’ Doons said.

‘Where is everyone? ’ Marjorie asked.

As Doons pulled three glasses from the stack, Barbara said, ‘Eric told me he’d invited a whole bunch of people. ’

‘And we’re the only ones dumb enough to come. ’ Doons quietly filled the glasses with ice from a plastic bag.

‘It’s early yet, ’ said Thelma.

Marjorie frowned. ‘You’d think the host, at least, would be here. ’

‘You’re right. ’ Doons turned around, eyeing each of the gorillas. ‘He’s probably in one of those monkey suits. Hey Eric! ’ he called out. No answer came. None of the gorillas moved. ‘Bet he is. ’

‘Wouldn’t surprise me, ’ Barbara whispered. ‘He’s a spooky little kid. ’

‘What’ll you have? ’

‘Bourbon and Seven. ’

He poured Barbara’s drink. ‘How about you, honey? ’

‘Scotch and soda. ’

He made it for her, and poured scotch for himself. He sipped it, and immediately felt more relaxed. Comforting, he thought, to have a familiar drink in your hand. ‘Well, shall we have a look at our three silent friends? ’

‘Help yourself, ’ said Thelma. ‘I’m staying here at the comfort station. ’

A dozen lighted candles stood on the floor along the wall. Doons crouched over one near the center gorilla. It clung to the floor with dripped wax. He pulled it free, and stood. Holding it high, he studied the gorilla’s face. He was too low to see into the sunken eyeholes.

‘Hello? ’ he asked.

No answer.

‘Anybody home? Eric? ’ He pressed the thick, black fur of its leg. ‘Feels like someone’s in there. ’ He jabbed his fingers against it. ‘Yoo-hooo. Hello in there. Speak now or forever hold your peace. ’

Marjorie took a step backward. ‘Maybe we should leave it alone. ’

/> ‘Bullshit. ’ Doons reached up to the gorilla’s groin and goosed it.

‘Phil! ’

Barbara laughed.

The gorilla didn’t move.

Doons shrugged and took a sip of scotch. ‘Hell with it, ’ he muttered. ‘Let’s have a look at …’

A blast of rock music hit his ears. He swung around and saw Thelma on her knees beneath the table. The volume lowered. She got up and looked around. ‘Radio, ’ she explained. She stepped aside and Doons saw a radio the size of a briefcase under the table. ‘Now all we need are a couple of men. How about the monkeys? ’ Holding her drink high, she pursed her lips and danced toward the nearest gorilla.

Doons shook his head. ‘You’ve always had a fondness for big apes. ’

She made a loud, sucking kiss in his direction and continued to dance toward the gorilla at the last window. Doons watched. She looked ridiculous – vaguely repellent – shaking her shoulders and ass.

‘What a sight, ’ he muttered.

Barbara smiled at him, as if sharing his opinion. For the first time tonight, he looked closely at her. She wore a red corsage above one breast. Her straps were red velvet, the rest of her dress white.

‘Cinderella? ’ Doons asked.

‘This is my old prom dress. Thought I’d come disguised as a kid. ’

‘You look beautiful, ’ Marjorie said.

‘Nice, ’ Doons agreed. If enough people would show up, he planned to get her alone in one of the upstairs rooms. They’d do it on the floor or up against a wall. He’d ruck up her dress. She wouldn’t have underwear on – she never did. It’d make the damned party worth the bother.

‘Get on down, ’ Thelma said, tugging the leg of the far gorilla. ‘Come on, hon. Get on down and boogie. ’

It dropped from the window bars. Its feet thudded the floor. It stood in front of Thelma, crouching, arms out. A short length of rope hung from each wrist.

‘Well well! ’ she said. She downed the rest of her vodka, tossed the glass over her shoulder, and stepped into the arms of the gorilla.

It lifted Thelma off her feet.

‘My kind of guy! ’ she announced.

It carried her down the center of the room. She hung on, one arm hooked around the back of its neck, and waved as she passed Doons.

‘Phil! ’ Marjorie whispered.

He looked at her and shrugged.

‘Find out who it is. ’

He didn’t want to. But he couldn’t let himself look like a coward in front of Barbara. ‘Hey you, ’ he called.

The gorilla stopped. It stood near the opening to the foyer. All of Thelma but her dangling legs was blocked by the gorilla’s broad, hairy back.

‘Who are you? ’ Doons demanded.

‘He’s my gorgeous hunk, ’ said Thelma. ‘Bug off. ’ In a softer voice, she said, ‘Come on, hon. Take me to your tree. Bet you’ve got a banana for me, huh? ’

The gorilla carried her from the room.

Doons heard her husky laughter in the foyer.

‘Phil! ’

‘She’s got what she wants. Why fight it? ’

Marjorie hissed through her nose. ‘I’m seeing where they go. ’

‘Oh, for …’ He stopped himself. If Marjorie followed the two, he would have a few minutes alone with Barbara. ‘Go ahead, if you want. ’

She hurried on tiptoes toward the front of the room, back hunched, arms flapping like a crazed tightrope artist about to fall.

Doons winked at Barbara. She took a small step closer.

Marjorie stopped at the wall and peered around it.

Barbara patted Doons’s rump.

Marjorie looked back. She pointed upward.

‘They’re going upstairs? ’

She nodded.

‘You gonna follow them? ’

Shaking her head, she pointed at Doons.

‘You want me to follow them? ’

She nodded and waved him forward.

He turned to Barbara. ‘Want to come along? ’

‘Sure. ’

They walked over to Marjorie. ‘You really want me to go upstairs? ’

‘I’m worried, Phil. Heaven only knows who might be inside that suit. ’ She turned her eyes to the two gorillas still suspended from the window bars. ‘Or in those. ’

‘I guess we’d better all go up together. I’m warning you, though, Marjorie – Thelma’s gonna be plenty pissed if we interrupt her in the middle of a good … an intimate moment. ’

‘We’ll be quiet. ’

Doons grinned at Barbara. ‘My wife’s a closet voyeur. ’

‘So am I. ’

Doons led the way. He walked slowly up the stairs, lowering each foot with great care. In spite of his caution, every stair squeaked and groaned under his weight.

They were halfway to the top of the stairs when the front door swung open. Doons gripped the bannister and looked down. Aleshia Barnes, dressed in tights and a tutu, stood in the doorway grinning at them.

‘Trick-or-treat, everyone! ’

Doons pressed a finger to his lips.

Eddie Ryker came in behind her, followed by a group of kids in costume. ‘Mr Doons? ’ Eddie asked. ‘What’s going on? ’

‘We just have to check on something. You kids go ahead and have fun. ’

‘Anything we can help you with? ’

Doons pictured the whole bunch walking in on Thelma as she lay on the floor rutting with the gorilla. ‘No, ’ he said. ‘We’ll take care of it. You all go ahead and start the party. We’ll be down in a minute. ’

⇐ Предыдущая 31 32 33 34 353637 38 39 40 Следующая ⇒