Black Butterfly Read online

  “There’s something you’re not telling us, isn’t there?” Chris asked.

  “Not now, Chris. Let me look through the rest of the box.”

  Mary set the scarf aside and lifted out a small jewelry box, the type that might hold a ring. Opening it, she had a quick intake of breath and tears ran down her cheeks. She closed it without showing us what was inside.

  She wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her blouse and took a deep breath.

  Next out of the box was a neatly folded pale yellow dress. “Mer’s favorite color was yellow. She said it made her feel cheerful, like the sun was shining on her.”

  She shook the dress out and stood, holding it up to herself.

  “I remember Mer wearing this dress. It was her favorite. I can’t believe it lasted all these years.”

  “There’s a brown stain on it.” I noticed it was near the waistline.

  “Yes,” Mary said, but she didn’t elaborate.

  She set it aside and returned to the box, pulling out a small book. It looked like a diary or journal. She set it on her lap and reverently placed her hands on top.

  Chris leaned forward on the couch and spoke softly. “Mary, what’s going on? What aren’t you telling us? Someone – “

  “Let me go through the rest of the box and then we’ll talk. I have a lot to tell you.”

  She stood and walked to the front window.

  “Who are those women out front?”

  “Those are the Church Ladies I told you about and they’re guarding your house,” I explained. “They mean well.”

  She turned and smiled. “I’m sure they do. Honestly? For the moment they’re making me feel kind of special. I haven’t felt that way in a very long time.”

  I stood and walked to the window to stand next to her, putting my arm around her shoulders, trying to be comforting. There was obviously something stirring in her that made her uncomfortable. She made me feel like she was remembering something traumatic. I couldn’t explain the feeling, but there it was.

  She reached up and patted my hand. “I’d better go through the rest of the box so we can talk. I think I made a mistake by dragging you and Chris into this, but it might be too late to back out now.” Cryptic words if I’d ever heard them.

  She returned to the couch and sat down, leaning over the box to look inside. She pulled out a larger jewelry case and opened it.

  Inside I could see an expensive diamond necklace. It was breathtaking. My mouth was starting to drop open as often as I rolled my eyes.

  I heard scratching at the front door and Mikey’s voice.

  Now what? I walked to the front door and found my son standing with Sherlock and Watson, holding their collars. Someone must have left the front door open when we left the house.

  “Mikey, take the dogs home, please.”

  “No, wait,” Mary said. “Bring the dogs in. They make me feel safe, too.”

  I shrugged and said, come to the dogs.

  “Me, too?” Mikey asked.

  “Ace, please wait outside. We’ll call you when you can come in.” Chris made a shooing motion with his hand.

  I glanced at the women. They stood like statues, arms still crossed and in formation. If they had their way, no one would get past them.

  Mikey grudgingly pulled the door closed and returned to the porch steps.

  Mary patted the dogs’ heads and told them to sit, which they did.

  The rest of the things in the box seemed to be mementos, like a flyer for a show at a Las Vegas casino, a bar napkin with something written on it, and lastly, there was an envelope.

  She fingered the envelope as though debating whether or not to open it. She finally made up her mind and set it aside.

  I had a feeling she’d rather be alone when she opened it.

  Mary looked first at Chris, and then at me, before unbuttoning the top two buttons of her blouse.

  What the heck? I thought, biting my lip.

  She pulled her shirt off her shoulder and turned her back to us.

  “Mary!” I leaped up from the couch.

  There was a slightly faded tattoo of a black butterfly on her shoulder.

  “I’m not Mary. She passed away a few years ago. My name is Meredith Lunsford and I’m not a killer. I’m a victim of circumstance who’s been hiding out since the 1950s, and apparently not doing a very good job of it.”

  Chris didn’t look surprised in the least.

  I swallowed wrong and choked.

  “I’ll get you a glass of water,” Mary said, pulling her blouse back into place and buttoning it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mary, or Meredith or whatever her name was, returned with a glass of water, but by then I’d stopped coughing.

  “Talk about dropping a bombshell,” I said. “Mary… I mean Meredith – “

  “Keep calling me Mary. Maybe I’ll be able to convince others that I’m not Meredith. What’s that old saying about weaving tangled webs? I’m afraid that’s what I’ve done.”

  Chris scooted forward on the couch. “Mary, tell us what this is all about. You need to deep six all the stories and tell us what’s really going on if you want our help.”

  “I know, and I apologize. I knew something was headed my way, but I never imagined this.” She placed her hand on the box and stalled for time while she replaced its contents.

  I glanced at Chris and he shook his head slightly, letting me know I needed to remain patient.

  It wasn’t an issue.

  Mary placed the lid back on the box and looked at each of us in turn.

  “Many years ago I really was a wild child. I thought I knew everything there was to know about life. I guess I was pretty full of myself. Mary knew it, too, and she tried to give me advice about calming down and taking life in my stride, but no, I knew better. Or I thought I did.

  “My aunt and uncle were so good to me, but I was bored. I left home at nineteen and headed for Chicago, where I met the wrong people. They were having fun, and that’s what I was looking for; fun.”

  She shook her head slowly and closed her eyes before continuing with her story.

  “I found myself getting in over my head with those people. I knew I had to make a change, and I needed to make it fast. So a friend loaned me some money and suggested I move to Las Vegas. He even gave me the names of a few people whom he thought would help me get a fresh start.”

  Chris looked deep into Mary’s eyes. “It turned out that you walked into more of the same, right?”

  “Wait a minute,” I said. “The same what? What did you walk into?”

  “To put it bluntly, the Las Vegas mob. I was… Let me think. I know there’s a term for it today. Oh, yes, I was arm candy. I prettied up the scenery. They didn’t think I was too bright, and I let them think whatever they wanted. I just wanted to have that fun I was talking about.”

  She let out a short burst of laughter, but there was no humor in it.

  “It wasn’t long before I met Gabriel. He was a good man, or at least as good as he could be considering his lifestyle. We hit it off and he let everyone know I was with him. They didn’t care, as long as I stuck around. Gabe was in on everything, and yet he managed to stay on the peripheral edge of things.”

  I noticed that Mary’s hand was shaking. Were all of these memories too much for her?

  “Mary,” I said, “do you want to continue this conversation later?”

  “No. I want to get it all out now, but I’ll try to just hit the high points. Or maybe they’re really the low points.”

  Chris sat quietly, not saying a word, which was unusual for him.

  “I’d been there about six months when Gabe told me he loved me. He said he wanted to marry me and make our lives real. I was nuts about him, and as happy as I’d ever been. He was going to buy me a ring to make things official. I wasn’t looking for a good time anymore. I’d found my good time in him.

  “Then things took a turn. Two things happened. We were at a club in a cas
ino one night and Gabe disappeared. I went looking for him, but it was just like a ‘B’ movie. I walked back toward the boss’s office and walked in on a murder in progress. I’d barely opened the door when I saw what was happening. I gently closed it, hoping no one had seen me, and ran like they were after me. The door opened and they saw me, and yes, they were after me. I ran through the casino, hiding behind crowds and slot machines.”

  She stopped talking. I could see the fear on her face. I figured she was reliving those moments of terror.

  “I’ve never been so scared in my life. I saw Gabe coming in the side door and turned to run the other way. After all, he was one of them. He saw me and ran after me, catching up to me near the other side door. I tried to break away from him, but I couldn’t. I was about to scream when he dragged me outside and ran down the street with me. We ducked into another casino.

  “I said that two things happened. That was the night I learned that Gabe was an undercover copper. He walked out of the casino while I waited, and looked back toward the other casino. He saw the men coming for me and he acted like he knew what was going on and shook his head, making them think he hadn’t found me. He saved my life. When we were around them, he treated me like that arm candy I mentioned. When we were alone, he treated me like a duchess, and that’s what he called me.”

  She looked thunderstruck for a moment, as though finally realizing what had happened.

  “He actually saved my life. When things were clear, he took me to a small, out-of-the way coffee shop and had me wait in a booth near the back of the place. Then he left and went to my apartment. He told me when he got there the place was crawling with bad guys. They were still looking for me. When they left he went back and grabbed a few of my things before coming back to the diner.”

  “Mary, take a deep breath before you say anything else. You’re shaking and pale. I’ll get you a glass of water,” I said.

  She leaned back and took a couple of deep breaths while I got her a drink.

  “Whiskey would be better,” she said, “but water will do. I don’t have any whiskey anyway.”

  She gulped down some of the water.

  “Let’s go sit outside.” Mary stood up. “I need some fresh air.”

  We followed her through the kitchen where she stopped and pulled a pack of cigarettes and an ashtray out of a drawer. I’d never seen her smoke and I was surprised.

  She glanced at me, then the cigarettes, and back at me. “Old habits die hard, especially in times of stress. I don’t smoke in the house.”

  We followed her out the back door and sat down at a patio table.

  She lit up and inhaled, blowing the smoke out slowly.

  “Gabe came back to the diner in a car I’d never seen before. He told me to drive it to Los Angeles and get rid of it. He said, ‘You can lose yourself in Los Angeles. It’s a big place with lots of people. Lay low and they’ll never find you, but I will, as soon as I can.’ I never saw him again.”

  Chris asked the question that was uppermost in my mind. “Did you know the man they killed?”

  “Oh, yes. He was an accountant who handled their money. I guess he did something wrong. Maybe he skimmed some for himself. He was kind of a sleazy guy and I could see him doing that.”

  “Is there more to the story?” I asked.

  “Sure, but those are the highlights. I contacted Mary and she drove out to Los Angeles. She was my rock. We got an apartment, and we did what we could to change our appearance. She passed on, like I said, a few years ago. We’d just bought this house but she was gone before we could move in. I thought it was clear sailing until this joker started contacting me and watching the house.”

  She took another puff of her cigarette. It was weird to watch an older woman smoke. Maybe it was because I’d never seen her do it before.

  Chris watched her, fascinated. “Do you have any idea why this thug is coming around?”

  “I didn’t, but I have some ideas now. That box? Those were all things that Gabe would have had, not the mob. I don’t know if he’s dead or alive, but somehow he’s the lynchpin here. I know it. And now that I’ve had time to think about it, the thug as you called him, does have a slight resemblance to him.

  “If he found me, anyone could. I knew I shouldn’t have let them put my picture in the newspaper. Gangsters carry grudges, you know. Even after all these years, they could still come after me.”

  “Oh, I don’t think – “

  “Trust me, Pamela, once you’ve been on the inside, you’re never off the hook, especially if you saw something like a murder. Maybe I’d better move on again.”

  “Why do people think you were a hit lady?” Curious minds wanted to know, and I’m a most curious woman.

  “Since they couldn’t find me, they framed me for the accountant’s death, and for a few other crimes they didn’t want to be connected to.”

  “Mary, do you really want to move on, bum rap or not? Wouldn’t you like this all to end?” Chris was onto something. I could see it in his eyes.

  “Chris,” I said, “we can’t get involved with the mob. We’ve got a son to think about. And a home and dogs, for crying out loud.”

  “I know that. Just give me a little time to think this through. I’ve already got a couple of ideas.”

  The Bogey Man was on the job, which was somehow reassuring. It shouldn’t be, but it was.

  Then he dropped the bomb.

  “And it’s time to drag my mother into this,” he added.

  “No! Not really, right? You’re joking, right?”

  Chapter Twelve

  “We’re going to need all the help we can get, and my mother and the Church Ladies can be formidable women when they want to be, Pamela. Besides, I want to pick their brains more than I want to involve them.”

  I chuckled nervously. “We’ve got two good brains between us. We don’t need more input.”

  “Yeah, we kinda do. We’re in territory we’ve never dealt with before, and who knows what these women might know? I was also thinking about Ace.”

  “What about Ace? Uh, I mean Mikey. We’re not letting him anywhere near this situation. We’re talking about the mob, which could be dangerous. I guess that’s an understatement.”

  “I know. That’s why I want Ace to stay with my parents for a while.”

  I glanced at Mary. “I’m really sorry, but maybe we shouldn’t get involved in this case. You’d understand, right?”

  “Of course, I would,” she said. “I never should have come to see you in the first place.” The look on her face was one of resignation, mixed with a little sadness. Or was it fear? Maybe both.

  We all sat quietly for a minute – sixty very long seconds.

  I made up my mind. “No, we can’t leave you alone in this. Like someone said earlier, there’s safety in numbers. I guess we should call in the troops.”

  Chris laughed. “They are kind of like troops, aren’t they? I wouldn’t want to face them alone, especially if we include my mother. We have to make it clear that they’re only included as researchers and advisors.”

  It was my turn to laugh. “Do you honestly think they’ll agree to that? Every one of them will want to be included in the action. Oh, Lord, I hope there’s no action. I hope it passes quietly.”

  Chris smiled indulgently. “We don’t even know what ‘it’ is yet. We don’t know what this gunsel is after. Why would he start leaving notes for Mary? Why would he leave a package containing her past on the porch?”

  “And why does he look like Gabriel?” Mary added. “That part confuses me.”

  “Me, too,” I said. “Maybe he’s a relative?”

  “I have no idea.” Mary leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.

  I stood up and motioned for Chris to do the same. “Come on, let’s go home. We can call your mother and tell her we’re on a new case. She’ll break all the speed limits to get here.”

  We quietly left Mary’s house, locking the door behind us, and stood on
her porch discussing the future and our plans.

  “I think we should tell Ace some of the story, too,” Chris said. “He needs to keep his eyes open for anything suspicious.”

  “But, Chris, he’s just a kid.”

  “He’s our kid. He’s learned a lot about life, even at his young age. We simply have to emphasize that if he sees anything suspicious, he’s to come directly to us. He needs to understand how dangerous this could be and that he cannot get involved. He needs to keep those peepers open and he’s got to remain alert.”

  “I thought we’d seen it all when we got involved with spies last year, but this is outrageous. And how do you think we’re going to keep him from telling his friend, Danny, about this?”

  “We’ll have to depend on his mature side. He has got one, hasn’t he?” Chris smiled, trying to lighten my mood.

  “I swore I’d never get my son – our son – involved in anything dangerous again.”

  “We’re already too far into this to walk away. The goon saw you with Mary last night at the restaurant, and he saw me at her house today.”

  I sighed. “He could be watching us right now.”

  As if on cue, we each casually looked around the neighborhood.

  All I really noticed was that Mikey was now standing with the Church Ladies who were watching us intently, still with their arms folded across their chests. I smiled when I saw my son lean forward and glance from lady to lady before crossing his own arms.

  Chris and I sauntered down the walkway, meeting the ladies on the sidewalk.

  My husband tipped his head and studied the women. “Come with us. We have a lot to talk about. Don’t ask any questions until my mother joins us.”

  Mikey turned a confused look on his father.

  “Yes, Ace, Grandma Judy is going to be part of the plan. And so are you.”

  “What – “ Addie started to ask.

  May lightly punched Addie’s arm.

  “Shhhh,” Lila said, before clamping her lips together.

  Jasmine made a zipping motion across her lips.

  Chris hurried ahead of us, apparently to call his mother.