More Poison in Your Coffee?

Chapter 21

            “Hang up the phone.” Earl whispered quietly. “Tell him you’re calling the police, and then hang up.”

            I thought about my options. Earl was about ten feet away, the gun pointing deliberately at my chest. The Conway’s bedroom was large but closed off; the only exit was to go around Earl. I could try to run at him but he’d probably shot me before I got there. I was completely defenseless. I swallowed hard.

            “Okay,” I said weakly into the phone. “I’ll hang up and call the cops.”

            “And tell him not to worry about it either.” Earl continued.

            “Don’t worry, everything’s cool.”

            “Evie!-“ I clicked the phone abruptly off then faced my attacker.

            Earl smiled at me. “You’re a little too smart for your own good, Miss Evelyn.” 

            He waved the gun, a motion for me to come closer. Fearfully I obliged, slowly walking toward him. When I was close enough he reached forward and snatched the phone from my hand.

            “You won’t be needing this anymore.” He threw it forcefully on the ground. I watched as my only lifeline shattered to pieces. “Why couldn’t you just mind your own business?”

            “Just nosy I guess.”

            “Nosy is right. It was perfect, after years of scratching and climbing to make ends meet I’d finally found the break I ‘d been looking for.”

            “Bo’s book.”

            “Exactly. The idiot had written his life’s story in that stinking pile of literary garbage. Do you know how long I’ve been trying to get taken seriously in the publishing world? Probably longer than you been born. Bo could do it just because he was Bo.” He scoffed at this, disgusted. “Anyway, Bo wrote about everything. Including all the money his grandfather had left him and the fact that he had put a good lot of it in savings.”

            “When I met him and Karalyn, the perfect idea came to me. Surely his wife had access to his accounts. All I had to do was a little sweet talking here and there; get her to trust me and then ask her to move the money. It was as simple as buying the poison, then shaking it over the cake that day when no one was looking.”

            He took a quick glimpse at Karalyn before looking back at me. Shaking his head he continued.

            “Woman was so desperate for a little positive attention that she jumped at the chance all too easily. It was a little pathetic.” He grimaced. “And at times disgusting. Do you know how long I’ve been romancing that cow?”

            “I’d say a little over a year.”

            “You are smart, aren’t you. After all that she finally got enough of the money in an account that we share. It was genius. Why don’t you tell me about it, since you’re such a smart girl and all?”

            “You planned to poison the cake Karalyn was sure to eat. Then you’d disappear into the night. Probably fly to Cancun or something.”

            “Exactly, except I was thinking Venezuela. It would have worked great, she would be dead, Bo would be arrested for murder, and I’d be on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun. I couldn’t have anticipated that cousin of yours.”

            “Few people do.”

            “I almost pissed myself that day when Bo demanded a piece of the cake. But then to my utter relief, your cousin happened to have a very extensive criminal record.”

            “It was perfect. Like you said when I asked, you had no good reason to kill Bo.”

            “Bo wasn’t stupid, either. After a while he noticed his money was dwindling, so that sneaky old bastard took Karalyn off the account and made sure the money went to Helen after death. He was in the process of filing for divorce.”

            So Bo actually had good reason to be pissed at Karalyn that day, since he knew she had taken the money already.

             “The only problem left was Karalyn.” He continued. “She was talking about marriage! There was no goddamn way I was taking her with me to Mexico. And I couldn’t just leave her be in case she got vindictive and wanted to go blabbing to the cops. In fact I tried to give her a cherry pie laced with poison, but the woman had started some stupid diet. Said she was turning her life around, getting into shape. I had to resort to more hasty methods.” He nodded to the gun.

            “Now I only got one loose end left to tie up.” He toyed with the gun some more. “You.”

            “You could always let me go.” I offered.

            “Nice try. I tried leaving those messages, but they didn’t scare you. The funny part is, I had no intention of actually hurting you. But now that I know how much you know, I don’t have much choice do I.”

          He raised the gun higher until it was level with my head then with a slight chortle he shrugged and said:

            “Sorry.”

            I sucked in a breath, said a prayer, and closed my eyes. Then the gun went off.