Classmate Murders - Bob Moats (ready player one ebook .txt) 📗

"Us old people aren't nice." Then went to the family room. She came in and went to the kitchen, I followed.

"Just where a woman should be, in the kitchen. Take your shoes off, you should be barefoot, too." I laughed.

She threw a plastic cup at my head, I ducked.

She pulled a package of smoked sausages out of the fridge and told me to tell everyone, who may be hungry, that she was nuking sausages, in the microwave and serving with the rest of the potato salad.

All those who responded came and ate. Then Buck, Penny and I went to the family room again to sit and watch James Bond on DVD. Buck just stretched out on the recliner and said he was going to nap.

I looked at Buck and then said to Penny, "Gee, dear, aren't you so proud of our son? Just look how big he has grown." Penny laughed.

Buck lifted his head from the recliner and raised a finger in salute.

"Hey, young man, don't you go giving the finger to your father!" Penny scolded.

Buck raised both fingers in reply.

We just laughed.

The phone rang and Penny got up to answer. She handed the phone to me.

"Hello?"

"Richards, it's Trapper, got some bad news, I got a call from the chief of police and was informed we don't have the man power to keep four men on protection. I explained that an attempt was already made and would happen again. He was sympathetic, but we are short handed on the roads. Since the last millage didn't pass, we had to cut our staff. He said I could keep one man on, but the rest have to go back to duty. Sorry, man, nothing more I can do."

"Crap, that's just fine. They need to write tickets, but not to save lives." I said bitterly.

"Jim, I understand how you feel. My hands are tied. I have to pull three back, let them decide who stays. Worse yet, I can't put anyone on Grolich. Chief feels the Birmingham police should shoulder the burden. If either woman gets killed, I'm going to rub it in his face. Subtlety, but it will be a rub. Watch yourselves." He hung up.

"Shit." I very rarely swear out loud, but this was a good reason. Penny asked what was wrong. Buck raised the chair and waited. I told them what Trapper said, Buck cursed, but Penny took it in stride.

"I've still got you two strong men to watch me. Wasn't it the two of you who protected me last night?"

If she was trying to make me feel better, it wasn't working.

Deacon came into the house just then, and said they got the call on the car radio. He said that he had volunteered to stay on. The others were leaving.

We went out to thank them and say good-bye. We just stood in the front yard, I looked at Buck, wondering what now.

Buck spoke first, "Can't let this get us down. We can do it, just have to be a bit more watchful, but we can do it."

"I have every bit of confidence in the three of you to save my skin," Penny smiled. She was still such a little cheerleader, even now.

She continued, "Let's just get through this night. I'm going to call the studio and tell them I'm coming back to work tomorrow. I need the change. Besides there are more people there who can be on watch. I'll just have to level with them."

I had to agree with that. We would stick close and with everybody watching, she would probably be safe then.

"OK, it's a plan, but we'll have to figure something different for tomorrow night. Different place maybe." I said. "Deacon, that OK with you?"

"I always wanted to watch a TV show being made, I like it," he grinned.

Buck went to his van and took a small case out of the back. He handed it to me and I opened it to find an army .45, in excellent shape. I closed the box and said I would take good care of it.

We went in and after going around turning on all the lights in the house, and out of the house, we all sat in the family room talking. I suggested to Penny that her and I should be in the guest room tonight to throw off any attempts by the killer. Buck said he'd take the master bedroom, but wouldn't sleep, just sit by the door with his .38. I told him to sit his chair up against the door, so he could sleep but if someone attempts to come in, he'd know. He liked that idea. I said that we could just all sit in the family room all night partying, but we'd be miserable in the morning. Everyone agreed on the group party. Penny leaned over to me whispering that we'd have to pass on sex tonight, if we did that. I looked at her and said I thought we could manage for one night. We'd just have to make up for it later.

For the next six hours, Buck and Deacon took turns looking out windows. Everyone was on edge and was ready for a sneak attack. Buck had his gun tucked in his belt. I had the .45 tucked behind me, in my belt. I made Penny lay down on the couch to sleep, she had to look good for the camera tomorrow. She argued but gave in, she was tired. I prowled from front room to kitchen and back. Buck said we should maybe sleep in shifts, telling me to go first. I was really wasted by now, it was 3 A.M. and so I stretched out on the recliner. I told Buck to wake me in an hour. He didn't.

I woke by 7:30 and scolded Buck for not waking me, he just grinned. Penny was already up and in the bathroom getting ready. We all piled into Buck's van, it was the only vehicle that would support both Buck and Deacon. We headed down the I-94 freeway, to I-696, then down the Southfield Freeway, to the TV studio.

Penny guided us through the gate guard, who was glad to see her back. We went in the studio entrance, Penny using her passcard. Penny was greeted by her gaggle of helpers, assistants and make-up people. She asked the floor manager to call everyone to sit in the audience seats, she had to say something. The floor manager looked from me up to Buck, then up to Deacon, and back down to Deacon's big gun. He went off calling people. After a couple minutes everyone was seated and Penny came up front.

"Thank you all for your patience. I have to ask everyone to be on their toes today. My life has been threatened and the killer was here the other day, during my last show. These two men and the officer are my body guards," she smiled at me, "but it would really help if you could be on the look out for suspicious activity or people doing what they shouldn't be doing. Besides, if you keep me alive then Phil won't be doing my show anymore." The crew all cheered at that and Phil gave everyone the finger, but smiled.

I interrupted, "Please be on the look out for any audience member moving away from the group, or someone you don't know wandering the building. If you do, call security and keep the person in sight, but do not attempt to stop them. This person has already murdered four women." The group murmured, then Penny spoke.

"Ok, everyone, we have a show to get on tape. Stay alert, but go about your business." She headed back to her dressing room as we stuck close. She was so commanding, I felt turned on. I whispered it to her, she said she'd deal with me later.

She went to the dressing table and sat quietly, while her hair and make-up people did their magic. The hair stylist was making eyes at Deacon, he turned red. Everyone was so deathly quiet otherwise. The floor manager stopped in, giving Penny her guest sheet and question cards. Penny looked at the sheet and smiled.

She looked at me, and said, "Today we have the director of the "Detroit Light House", a shelter for battered women. Isn't that ironic? I will ask him if he knows of Julia Waters."

I took the sheet and read the bio on the guy. He had worked mostly around Michigan at various shelters, but it didn't say anything about his connections. He was a person of interest as the police would say.

"He may be of interest to talk to, after the show. Maybe fill us in on Julia." I said.

The call came in for ten minutes till taping. Penny headed out with her groupies following, we followed the groupies.

She went to the stage and greeted Benjamin Brooks, the director of Light House. She told him to sit in the guest chair and explained how things worked. He just sat nodding his head and then the lights went on, to warm up to full power. The audience was already in their seats, I scanned the group looking for anyone suspicious. Buck went around the other side of the stage and planted himself on a stool. Deacon went behind the set and watched from the stage crew's monitor of the set. The crew greeted him and explained what went on back stage. I made a walk around the set, checking all the nooks and crannies to see if there was a way anyone could attack Penny, without being seen. The show was starting.

The floor manager became the floor director now and called for all cameras to take their marks. He went to the audience and prompted them as to how to watch the applause signs and respond. He ran them through a couple of tests and was satisfied.

He called up to the control booth and turned it over to them. The sound engineer tested and adjusted all the mics. He was satisfied. The opening music came up and the opening credits rolled on the monitor. A short montage of shots, of Penny, around the Detroit area ran, then it went live to her.

"Good afternoon, Metro Detroit, I'm Penny Wickens, welcome to "Penny for Your Thoughts." Penny shouted.

The applause sign lit and the audience responded.

"Today we have as our guest, Benjamin Brooks, director of the Detroit Light House, a non-profit shelter for abused women." Applause again.

"Welcome, Mr. Brooks," she smiled.

"Please call me, Ben, my father was Mr. Brooks," he smiled back.

"Well, call me Penny. Ben, please tell us the purpose of the Light House."

For the next half hour, Ben went on about his aspirations for Light House, sounding a bit pompous. He definitely was in it for the glory. Penny finally broke the ice.

"Ben, do you know of Julia Waters, and her work in Chicago, with battered and abused women?"

He seemed to be thrown by the question for a brief moment, he recovered, then flashed his expensive teeth and replied, "Why, yes, I know of her work. She is an inspiration to all shelters around the country. She has helped establish important legislation, in regards to spousal abuse," he paused.

Before he could say anything more, I heard a small screeching noise and looked up to where it came