Toured to Death, page 27
It took every ounce of Amy’s nerve to pivot slowly and face her. It wasn’t so bad, after all, she discovered. Once she forced herself to actually turn and face her killer . . . it was actually quite a relief.
“Police. Drop the weapon.”
Amy watched as Frank Loyola marched down the side of the hill, toward the pond, his service revolver drawn. Jolynn swiveled and a second later recovered her balance.
“Frankie, darling,” she said in the mock-Bronx accent that she had used on him throughout the tour. “Fancy finding you here.”
“Put down the gun, Jolynn.”
She smiled, biting her lip and thinking. “The name’s not Jolynn. It’s Nardo.”
Frank tried not to look confused. “Nardo?”
“Leonardo Gray. Amy must’ve told you.”
“Nardo?” Frank glanced at Amy, then back. “The cook’s son?”
“Yes, the cook’s son. What’s the matter?”
“You’re not Nardo.”
“That’s the name I was born with.”
“But you’re a married woman.”
“What’s wrong, Frankie? I saw how you used to look at me. Don’t think I didn’t notice.” And she clucked her tongue. “Tch, tch, tch.”
Amy sneaked a step forward. A twig snapped under her weight, and she stepped back.
“Shame on you. Want to feel my titties?” Jolynn shoved her chest forward, as if to fill the twenty yards still between them. “They’re really real.” And she raised her gun.
“Whoever you are . . . whatever your name is . . .” The lumbering patrolman kept the revolver pointed and kept coming.
“My husband doesn’t even know.”
“This is your last warning. Drop the gun.”
“I had my penis cut off, Frankie. Imagine having your penis cut off!” A millisecond later came the same breathy pop as before.
Frank collapsed to his knees, his own weapon falling into the leaves. He grabbed at his chest with both hands as Jolynn turned back to face the shed.
For Amy, the shot was like a starter pistol. With no more thought of consequences—damn the consequences—she was sprinting. Jolynn had just recovered and turned, her gun raised to shoot again, when Amy squeezed shut her eyes and leaped. She hit Jolynn squarely in the chest, throwing her eyes open as the two of them tumbled, Amy forward, Jolynn back, the .22 pistol lodged between them.
Amy spread herself on top of the small, writhing woman. She clutched at the gun barrel, then let go. “Ow. Damn. Ow.” It was searing hot. But she forced herself to grab again, and this time her hand found the cooler silencer. Gripping it with both hands, Amy pulled the gun off to one side. She was significantly stronger than Jolynn, and it would be just a matter of time before . . .
Jolynn concentrated all her strength on twisting the pistol sideways in a circle. At first Amy thought this was an attempt to aim it at her or wrench it out of her grasp. It wasn’t until Jolynn had twisted it a full revolution and the silencer began to wobble in Amy’s hands that she realized what Jolynn was doing. She was unscrewing it.
Jolynn smiled now. Short of letting go, there was nothing Amy could do. It was happening so fast. A second full twist.
Amy let go with one hand, then grabbed the barrel again. The shock of the heat sapped her strength just enough to allow Jolynn to turn the whole mechanism, pistol and wobbly silencer, away from the empty air and toward Amy’s chest. It was at that same instant that the silencer snapped off, throwing Amy to one side and letting Jolynn start to wriggle out from under, the weapon now completely hers.
A second later and Amy found herself facing the muzzle, just inches from her face. She could see the hammer cocking back, as if in slow motion. Instinctively, she shut her eyes.
“Don’t move!”
Amy stopped moving.
“I’ve got a gun.”
Yes, of course she had a gun. And then Amy recognized the voice.
When she snapped open her eyes, Marcus was directly over them, legs spread on either side of their heads. He was wobbly on his feet and his left arm hung useless, dripping blood from the shoulder. In his right hand he held Frank’s service revolver, aiming it straight down. Amy rolled away, leaving him an unobstructed target.
“You so much as twitch and I’ll pull it. I’m not Frank. Don’t think you can psyche me with penis talk.”
Jolynn paused, considered her options, and slowly let go of the gun.
Marcus smiled.
So did Amy. “Penis talk?”
CHAPTER 38
“I thought those magic Kevlar vests protected you.”
“Just because it didn’t pierce the skin . . .” Frank was slurring his words. “Ain’t you ever heard of trauma?”
“I live with my mother. I know trauma very well.”
Frank lay back on his pillows and looked Amy in the eyes. “And I live with my dad. Nothing wrong with that.” He managed a smile. At last they’d found a connection, one perhaps large enough to build a truce on. “Real heroes, that’s what they’re calling us. Did you hear?”
Amy didn’t know what to say. Instead, she looked around for a vase. There were two of them in the private room, both filled with floral tributes from the PBAs of New Jersey and New York. It had been only a few hours since the shooting, and Amy was impressed by police efficiency, at least their florists’ efficiency. She placed her own modest bouquet on Frank’s meal tray. “These should get put in water.”
“What’s the matter, Abel? Don’t like being a hero?”
Amy shrugged. “You and Marcus, maybe. I was just in the way.”
“What’re you saying? Marcus told me everything. Rambling on in the ambulance. How you blocked the shed with your body. You were ready to take a bullet.”
“Jolynn shot anyway.”
“Yeah. But those extra seconds. He was using them to squeeze out the back. If you’d have moved when Jolynn told you, he’d be dead. That’s how he sees it.”
“Really?” Amy mulled it over, trying hard to believe it. “Nah. I couldn’t have moved if I wanted. I was too scared.”
“Like the rest of us weren’t. And then the way you jumped on her?”
“I distracted her while someone else got the gun.”
“What’re you talking? If it wasn’t for that distraction . . .” Another wince forced Frank back into his pillows. “Have it your way. But I’m telling you, the press likes things nice and simple. We’re heroes, and the bad guy is in jail. Bad girl,” he corrected himself. “Jeez.”
“Nice and simple.”
“You see that kind of thing on talk shows, but you never expect. . . jeez.” Frank squirmed. The angle of his neck looked uncomfortable. Amy gently lifted the officer’s head and stuffed another pillow under it. “Thanks,” Frank said. “Wanna be a real hero? Get me out of here.”
“I’ll do my best.”
The first thing Amy saw when she left Frank’s room was her mother pacing in the hall. In an instant she was being hugged, the short arms fiercely encircling her waist and cutting off her air.
“Are you all right?” Fanny let go her grip, then stepped back and examined her face. “You look pale.”
“Oxygen deprivation,” she wheezed. “I’m fine, really. Frank and Marcus, on the other hand . . .”
“I heard. They’re letting Marcus see visitors. That’s what I hear.” Fanny grabbed Amy’s hand and led her down the corridor. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
“How did you get out here?”
“The sergeant drove me. You know this is only fifteen minutes out of the city?”
“I’ve been told.”
“Sergeant Rawlings was very comforting. He explained as much as he could, which was awkward since I knew more than he did.”
“That must have galled.”
“It’s a good lesson for the man. The next time Fanny and Amy Abel get involved in a murder, he should take us seriously.”
“Next time? Mom, there wasn’t a last time. There won’t be a next.”
“You never know. Travel can be very dangerous. Come on. We’re going to see Marcus.”
Amy stopped. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea.”
“Sure it is.” Fanny dragged her daughter forward, expertly changing the subject as they walked. “The sergeant asked me about the tour.”
“So he finally sees the connection.”
“ ‘Did Jolynn come on the tour, planning to kill someone?’ he asked me.”
Amy had thought about this. “Well, she did follow us and throw the rock. At that point she had no idea what Marcus knew or didn’t. But at the first dinner, when Jolynn saw the menu . . . You can imagine. Nardo’s little prank, right there for everyone to eat.”
“Yes, yes,” Fanny said. “But she wasn’t in any real danger.”
“She didn’t know that. I remember walking into my room one night and smelling lilacs. I didn’t connect it to Jolynn. But I’m sure she broke in regularly, checking the next day’s game. That’s how she found out about Elba.”
“Right. She’s the one who tried to have the rooms robbed.”
“Her mother came from Elba. I imagine Jolynn got in touch with some relatives. She was hoping the robberies would make us cancel the game.”
“And then Georgina finally remembered. Hey!” They stepped aside just in time as a pair of boys sped by in their wheelchairs. Fanny’s eyes crinkled, and she was reminded of a world of more innocent pleasures. “When you had your tonsils out, you were the best wheelchair racer on the floor.”
“I was nineteen.”
“You never give yourself permission to feel proud. That’s your problem.”
Fanny had stopped at the door to room 426. There was no name penciled in on the sliding tag, no indication of the current occupant. “You stay on your best behavior. Remember, the two of you saved each other’s lives. That’s a bond.”
Amy focused on the blank tag. “How did you know the room number? You were here? You already talked to him? Before you came to see me?”
“You were busy, and they said he could have visitors.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“Do what feels right. But you can’t use the excuse of him being a killer.”
“You don’t waste any time, do you?”
“Amy, dear. I never make you do anything you don’t want to. Eventually.”
“Eventually.”
“C’mon.” Fanny had already pushed open the door and was ushering her daughter inside. “Look who’s here,” she called out in a sweet whisper. “Marcus, wake up.” And with one more little push, Amy was in.
Fanny remained out in the hall and let the door swing gently shut.
FANNY’S FORTY FAVORITE TRAVEL TIPS
I know my daughter is the travel expert. But I’ve traveled a bit myself. Plus, I’m a true expert in giving advice. But please, you don’t have to listen to any of my opinions if you don’t want to. I’m just a mother with a lifetime of experience. Feel free to ignore me. That’s all right.
1. Do a home exchange. I’ve never personally done this, but my sister-in-law Emily loves it. The concept is that you trade your home for someone else’s home for a week or two. No money changes hands, but you get to live like a native rent-free while someone else lives like you in your home. There are several websites that show you photos and give you all the information and help you need to arrange a swap: homeexchange.com; onefinestay.com; and homeswap.com, to name a few. It’s the only way Emily travels anymore. And it’s not just because she’s cheap.
2. Take along a power strip. Have you ever arrived at the airport only to find your phone battery low and all the electrical outlets being used by other travelers? Well, go right up to that nice businessman and ask if you can borrow his outlet and plug him into your power strip instead. You’ll make a lot of instant friends. And the power strip will be useful in your hotel room. You can never have too many outlets.
3. Always pack a hat. Even if you’re not a hat person, it will come in handy. You’ll wind up using it for sun protection and light drizzles and—in Amy’s case, not mine—the occasional bad-hair day.
4. Make a packing list. I know this sounds boring and anal. But once you do it, you’ll never have to do it again. Then, as you’re unpacking at the end of each trip, add items to the list that you wish you’d taken and cross off items that you took and never used. You can store your packing list in your empty suitcase until the next time.
5. Take only clothes that go together. Everything you pack should be in the same general palate. If not, you’ll wind up with one clean blouse (a print) and one clean skirt (a contrasting print), and you’ll wish you’d listened to me. My rule is bring all solid colors for bottoms and colorful ones for tops.
6. Bring at least two books to read on the plane. No matter how many online reviews you read, one of your books is going to be a clunker. Just give it away and start on the second. Or better, bring an e-reader. And don’t forget your e-reader charger.
7. Bring a bag for dirty laundry. I know it sounds like a waste of packing space, but it beats sniffing through your underwear every morning. If your hotel has placed a plastic laundry bag in your room, you can steal it. They won’t mind.
8. Use a weekly pill container for your jewelry. Earrings, little bracelets and necklaces, they can all fit inside the compartments of a pill container. This way, they’ll all stay organized and untangled.
9. Bring hand sanitizer and duct tape. This is really two tips, but I felt guilty about listing two such obvious things, so I lumped them together. You can have a perfectly fine time without either one. But if you remember to bring them, you’ll be surprised how often you use them—especially the duct tape.
10. Don’t pack that second dress-up outfit. First, no one at that fancy Paris bistro is going to care that you wore the same outfit last week to the theatre in London. And second, travel is a lot more casual than it used to be. Be sure to pack a stain stick, just in case.
11. Don’t pack anything you haven’t worn before. Those new shoes you couldn’t resist or that last-minute sweater purchase can turn out to be disappointing. The shoes will pinch and the sweater will wind up draping all wrong and make you look ten pounds heavier. Take only what you know is comfortable and looks good on you.
12. Buy a hanging toiletry kit. This is Amy’s favorite, a real lifesaver, she says. These bags unzip, fold out and can be hung from a shower door or a hook or any doorframe. You don’t ever have to unpack the contents, just use your toiletries and return them to the bag. Given the size of most hotel bathrooms, a hanging kit keeps you organized and cuts down on bathroom clutter. Go online and check out “hanging toiletry kits,” and you’ll see what I mean.
13. Roll up your clothes instead of folding them. I don’t know why a rolled up shirt takes up less space in a suitcase than a folded shirt, but it does. Rolling your clothes also cuts down on fold marks and wrinkles.
14. Use plastic wrap for liquid containers. If you’ve ever placed liquids in your checked luggage, you know there’s the possibility that the caps will leak and your favorite pashmina will get covered in your favorite shampoo. To avoid this, unscrew the lid, place a layer of plastic wrap over the mouth, then screw or snap the cap back on. No leaks!
15. Take plenty of zip-lock bags. Amy says these sealable plastic baggies are perfect for preserving crime scene evidence. But they also have a thousand other uses, from packing a wet swimsuit to keep your extra batteries dry.
16. Use a shower cap on your shoes. When you pack your shoes, cover the soles with a shower cap to keep the rest of your things clean. A lot of hotels still give away shower caps. Take them.
17. Add a dryer sheet for freshness. Always unfold a fresh dryer sheet in the bottom of your bag. It takes up no room. And it leaves your clothes smelling clean, with fewer wrinkles.
18. Lost luggage. Take a selfie standing beside your luggage. It’s next to no effort, and if your bag gets lost on a flight, you’ll have a picture to share with the person in charge. Include yourself in the photo in order to show scale—and to remind them how sweet and desperate you are.
19. Bring an empty water bottle in your carry-on. You can fill it once you pass security and avoid having to buy one at that overpriced airport store with the rude service.
20. Ask to buy a last-minute upgrade. I do this at the ticket counter as I’m checking in. If the flight has any leftover business class seats, the agent is authorized to sell them at a steep discount. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
21. Fragile luggage. Amy says I shouldn’t mention this one, but she’s way too stodgy. Whenever I know I’m going to be in a rush at my destination city, I ask the nice people at check-in to mark my luggage with a big red “fragile” sticker. The bag actually does get better treatment, and they put it on top of the pile when they unload the plane. That means it comes out earlier on the conveyor belt.
22. Try for extra elbow room. If you’re traveling with a friend, book an aisle and a window seat, with an empty seat in-between. This will discourage anyone else from booking the dreaded middle seat and give you some extra elbow room. If the flight is full and someone winds up sitting there, you can always lay on the charm and ask them to switch, so you and your friend can sit together.
23. Forgot the charger for your electronics? Before you spend half a day trying to buy a new charger, ask at your hotel’s front desk. They will often have a box full of orphan chargers that previous guests have left behind.
24. Alert your credit card company. The banks are a lot more vigilant about fraud than they used to be, even a few years ago. The moment they see an ATM withdrawal in Valparaiso, they will freeze your account and you’ll have to spend an hour of your valuable vacation on the phone trying to undo it. To avoid this, call them before leaving and let them know your destination.
25. Bring at least two credit cards. And be sure to keep one of them in your luggage. This can help prevent a whole slew of disasters, from an ATM eating your only card, to losing it if your wallet is lost or stolen.
26. Wear something dark on the plane. You will spill food on yourself in those cramped spaces. Guaranteed. And then you’ll be stuck carrying around a stained white blouse for the entire trip.
