Pity and a Shame

Chapter 21

Mickey stopped the car at the junction of the middle and north roads. He knew if he went left he'd be heading toward Paynter's place and that was not on. A right turn would take him past the courthouse and a short hop to the city limits, a much better choice. He gunned the car around the corner and raced down the road and by the schoolhouse.

Wegman had positioned his car between the courthouse and the bakery, allowing for a clear view of the intersection. If the car came his way, he would see it in plenty of time to block the roadway. He wound down the window to let the brisk air keep him alert and as he kept his attention on the road he caught a glimpse of the restaurant way down on the bend.

Gilly had listened with polite resignation until he reached the part about his own feelings and then she began to sob. She had no idea that Art Wegman was remotely interested in her back in those days, she thought his attention was because he was mad about her dating his partner. Later, when he ran out on a call after being with her, Art's partner's head was not in his work, and consequently had it blown off by a bad guy.

Art took him down, but before the shooting investigation began, he let Gilly know that it was her fault, except that he was now telling her that it was a case of blind jealousy that made him so angry.

He rubbed his face and swore at the windshield. Why didn't he leave well enough alone? The woman was married for Christ's sake! And even if she weren't, why would she give him the time of day after the way he acted? Gilly listened to his tale with tear stained eyes and when he finished, she touched his arm, thanked him and told him never to speak to her about it again.

The sudden appearance of the car stopping at the highway intersection snapped him out of his daydream. He hit his phone button and yelled to Brian that he had him then Art waited until he was certain the man was turning his way and he gunned the engine and screeched out onto the highway, blocking his path.

Mickey smelled police instantly and jammed on the brakes, cranking the wheel and sending the car spinning up onto the grass verge in front of the service station. Wegman poured on the gas and sped down the road, jumping the shallow ditch and following Mickey.

They both raced together across the lot in a spray of gravel, Mickey trying to get back to the middle road and Wegman trying to stop him. The cars met in a grinding screech that sent Wegman steering wildly into another ditch – this one deeper – and Mickey careening into the corner of a large dumpster beside the garage.

George ran from the service station office to the dumpster carrying a tire iron just as Brian screeched onto the lot in another shower of gravel. He leapt out of the car and screamed at George to get back as he drew his gun and approached the wrecked car in a cautious crouch.

George dashed over to Wegman's car where the older detective was struggling to climb out the passenger side. A splotch of blood on the side of Art's head sent George into a flurry of arms and legs, completely unable to assist.

Brian peered in the driver's window and slowly lowered his gun, backing away as he did. Mickey sat straight up in the seat, his face looking out the side window while a large chunk of rusty rebar that speared through the windshield from the dumpster pinned his neck to the seat back. Brian gulped in some air and turned away to see about Wegman.

"You okay?"

The detective staggered upright, holding his head and nodding. "I'm gonna need a little help with this, it's too deep for a band-aid."

Brian hollered to the frantic George to calm down and fetch the Doc from his office then he led Wegman over to a bench in front of the garage and sat him down.

"What about him?" Wegman asked.

"He's gone. Messy, very messy. I hope we haven't created a bad situation here."

"Don't sweat it. Why run if you aren't guilty? Trust me, this is our perp. When I get patched up we'll give him a good look."

Doc lumbered across the lot carrying his battered medical bag, a cigarette drooping from the corner of his mouth.

"Jesus, Doc. Cigarettes again?"

"Move aside Brian, please, I have work to do here." He set the bag on the bench beside Wegman and began tenderly probing the injury. "I can stitch it right here or we can get you back to my office and take care of it... there's some alcoholic medicine that might ease the situation."

Brian slapped his sides and did a turn. "Doc, you are really tempting the fates."

"Why stop after a lifetime?" He winked and coughed, wincing as he did. "C'mon, detective." Doc helped the other man up, grabbed his bag and the two of them shuffled across the lot and up the street to the courthouse.

"Get your truck and haul that car out of the ditch, George. See what shape it's in, but don't touch the other one or anything around it, okay? And keep any sightseers away too. I'll be back shortly."

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"What do you think is going on?" Carol stood at the salon window peering up the highway. "Brian took off like a shot."

"Want to go see? We can come back and do your hair later." Janet clasped her hands gleefully.

"I don't . . ."

"Oh c'mon, excitement in Split Oaks is a cause to celebrate, we shouldn't miss it, besides, you'll have something to tell your folks back home." She headed for the door, nudging Carol along in front. Gwen swore under her breath and followed along reluctantly.

Carol pulled off the highway onto the middle road and parked. The three women watched as George carefully towed Wegman's car out of the ditch and over to his service bay, gaping at the wreckage of Mickey's rental car by the dumpster. Gwen gasped and poked Carol, nodding toward the car.

"What?" Janet asked, noting the byplay.

"Uh, nothing. Do you think the driver's dead?" Carol bit her nail.

Janet gave the two women a strange look and opened the car door. "There comes Brian, I'll go and ask what happened."

"We'll wait." Gwen said with a suspicious finality.

Janet crossed the lot and called to Brian who broke into a jog and steered her away from the dumpster.

"Sorry Babe, crime scene. No civilians." He directed her back toward the car.

"Crime scene? It just looks like a car accident to me."

"That's why I'm the sheriff and you're the town hairdresser. Now let's go."

"At least tell me what it's about."

Brian sighed. "We think this is the guy that killed Paynter and maybe Monty at the Riverview."

"Really? Who is he?"

"When the investigation is all done you can read about in the Ingersol Herald. The car. Please." He walked her to the car and saw the other two women sitting in the front. "Hello Mrs. Tzajke, you part of Janet's snoop patrol?" He smiled pleasantly at Gwen at the same time and waited.

"Oh, this is Beth, my uh... cousin. From out of town."

"Pleasure, Beth," Brian said, glancing at Janet. "I've just told Janet that this area will be off limits for a while so ah- if you can all be patient..." He smiled again, squeezed Janet's arm and waited until they drove off then walked back to the garage.

Gwen sat staring at Mickey's car. From where they had parked, she could see his face looking out the side window but little else. What she did see, quite clearly, was that Mickey was not moving at all. Carol let out a long hissing sigh and covered her face with her hands.

"Let's go back to the shop, I'll put on some fresh coffee and you can both relax." Janet patted Carol's back reassuringly.

"I think I'd rather go home. I'll drop you off."

"What about Beth's hair?"

"We can do that another time," Gwen said. "I'd better look after Carol, she seems kind of upset."

"Whatever you think." Janet sat back and stared at the two women.