So far, Miranda Jessup Buckley has been jilted, fired and left to take care of her ex-lover's child.   She exposed Missy Toblerone for the cold blooded killer she is.  But Miranda has to face her again, to get Missy to cooperate with police.

 

 

 

 

 

 

             *********************

 

By the fourth day out of the hospital, I am pronounced fit to return to work.  The nurse who is filling out the discharge papers even goes so far as to give me makeup tips to help cover the purple and yellow remnants of bruising.

 

Momma drives me to the Little Eagle so I can give Matt the good news.  She pulls up to the door, let's me out,then backs out of her spot to go park in the shade.

 

I can't help but look around.  I've really never been scared here.  Even those late nights working by myself, I rarely got my hackles up.

 

Rita squeals before I even get the door open all the way.

 

"Yay.  You're back.  Are you here, I mean for the day?"

 

"Not today, but I am going to tell Matt to put me back on the schedule."

 

Rita looks towards the back of the store.  "Don't tell him I told you, but Matt cried like a baby after we left the hospital."

 

"That secret is safe with me."

 

I let her hug me before I walk to the office.

 

My hand is hovering over the door  but it opens before I can follow through with a knock.

 

Matt stands up and ushers me in. "Saw you on the cameras.  You coming to put in your notice?"

 

"Actually, I was coming to tell you to put me back on the schedule."

 

He studies me.  "You aren't afraid to come back?"

 

"They got her, Matt.  I'm okay."

 

"I'll put you on ...starting Monday.  And, I've hired my daughter's boyfriend to work a few nights a week.  I figure it won't hurt to have an extra employee around."

 

"You haven't been being mean to Rita, have you?"

 

"Nooo.  I've been taking my wife's Xanax.  That stuff works like a charm."

 

Matt looks at the monitor.  "Your number one fan is here."  He points to the monitor.  

 

Mitch has pulled into the parking lot, one space from my momma.

 

"Let me get out there before those two start talking about me."

 

                   *****************

 

"Are you following me?" I call as I get close to where they are parked.

 

"Looking for you.  First, how was your checkup?"

 

"I'm good to go."

 

"Second, are you up for coming to the station and talking to Missy?"

 

I look over at Momma.  She knows better than to try and tell me what to do, but she's a lot like me.  She can't disguise what her face is saying.  And, her face is saying, "Don't, you've done your part."

 

"Can I ride with you?"

 

"Certainly," Mitch says.  He looks over at my momma.  "I'm sorry, but your daughter might be our only shot."

 

She doesn't smile or even nod.  She starts her car and stares straight ahead.  "Anything happens to Miranda, and I'm holding you responsible."

 

 

               ********************

 

The drive to the station is quiet.  He pulls up in front and turns to me.  "Ready?"

 

"I'd like to say I was born ready, but I don't guess anyone is born ready for this."

 

I'm seated at a table in a large room.  There are bars on the door and clear windows sandwiched between sheets of plexiglass.

 

"I didn't think you'd come."  Missy shuffles into the room, guided by a female deputy.  Her wrists are cuffed and a chain goes from there to her ankles.  She has no makeup on, her hair lies lifeless on her head.  She looks like a blank canvas.

 

"I did."

 

She sits across from me, smiling like we're meeting for coffee.  "Wow.  I did a number on your face."

 

"Where's Dougie?"

 

"He's around."

 

"Where is he?"

 

She smiles, eyes twinkling like she knows the answer to a riddle.  "I wasn't going to kill you that night.  You're my friend.  Friends don't kill each other."

 

"I would have killed you,"  I say.  "I wouldn't have hesitated a second."

 

"No.  You wouldn't have.  You are a healer, Miranda.  People go to you because you give them hope and grace.  I always envied you because of that."

 

"Right."

 

"I did you a favor.  Ed was going to make trouble for you.  I just couldn't let that happen.  I told him to let it go.  You know what that vile man did?  He tried to blackmail me.  Told me to meet him at Haynes Pond.  Asked me to hire some fancy lawyer so he could sue you, and when I said no, thats when he told me the washing machine was down there.  He was supposed to get rid of it.  Toss it in the swamp.  But, no,  that bastard put it there.  Out where anyone could find it.  Said it was his insurance policy "

 

"So, you killed him."

 

"Damn right I did."  She smiles proudly.  

 

"What about Tyler?"

 

"He was so gullible.   I do like a young stupid man.  After I shot at the store that night, the sheriff made you his number one priority.   I needed someone on the inside.  He's a very sweet guy.  Easy to play with, if you know what I mean.  I told him all about your little vendetta against me.  He ate that shit up."  Missy laughs.  "I told him I just wanted to talk to you, clear up any misunderstanding we had.  But, just like always, he took your side."

 

I think about his stunned look after she shot him.  

 

"I'm gonna go, Missy.  Cause that's what a free woman can do."

 

"You can't leave.  I'm not done."

 

"Where is Dougie?" I ask, sliding my chair backwards from the table.

 

"What do you care?  He dumped you.  Don't you have any pride?"

 

"Goodbye, Missy.   Have fun making friends in prison."

 

"Sit down.  You can't just leave."

 

"A decent person would tell where Dougie is, or at least if he's alive or dead.  But we both know, there is nothing decent about you."

 

She flings herself forward, slamming her forehead on the table.  "You'll never find him.  If you leave now, I'll take that info to the grave.  And that kid you love so much, he'll always wonder.  It'll keep you up at night.  Knowing you could have found out.  That's on you, Miranda."

 

I stand up.  Silently, I walk to the door.

 

"I'm done." 

 

The deputy, unlocks the door.

 

"When I get out of here, there'll be payback "  Missy hollers after me as I walk down the hall.  "I'll get off.  Pretty girls always go free.  I'll come after your momma first.  I'll hunt down everyone that you love."

 

Her words echo after me.  She wasn't going to tell me where Dougie is.  It's her last piece of leverage.  But I'm done playing games with her.  

 

Where she's going, she's going to have to learn a new game.

 

Mitch pulls me into his arms.  "You did good, Tiger.  I know it wasn't easy."

 

"It's never easy to stand up to the devil."  I shiver.  "Take me home.  I just want to go home."

 

If there's one thing I've learned through all of this,  it's that sometimes not all your questions get answered.   Sometimes the loose ends don't get all tied up nicely in a big bow.  But, life goes on despite the unanswered questions.  And I have to wonder, if I'm really supposed to know the answers.

 

 

The End