The Lake

He was tense, alert. Listening. But not to Leigh.

He whirled around. Grabbed Mattie’s hand, the one holding the gun. He twisted it up. The gun pointed skyward.

“Yo! Gotcha, Mattie baby. Can’t cheat ol’ Mace. Should know that by now!”

“Oh no?” Mattie’s left leg shot out in a karate kick to the groin. He dropped her arm, danced back, and came up with a sideways chop to her neck. Mattie gasped, whirled away, but dropped her gun. Leigh sprang forward, snatched it up, and jabbed it against Mace’s head.

Mattie dove into her back pocket, opened a pair of cuffs, and snapped them around his wrists. Grabbing the gun from Leigh, she swiped the handle end across Mace’s head.

A short “Uhhhh” burst from his lips as he folded to the floor. He collapsed in a heap.

Mattie grabbed Leigh’s arm and they both made for the door. They heard Mace groan, turned, and saw him shake his head. They didn’t wait; they bolted, disappeared down the hallway, and raced out into the street.

Driving back to Del Mar, Mattie said, “So what is it with you and Mace? Care to tell me?”

Leigh hesitated, then said, “It’s a long story, Mattie.”

God, my life’s one procession of “long stories.”

She took a deep breath. “Here goes. When I was eighteen, I went to visit an aunt and uncle in Milwaukee. Out in Lake Country…” She told her tale, briefly and to the point, ending with Charlie’s death and how she’d found herself pregnant.

There was a long silence.

Then:

“Wow,” Mattie said with a low whistle. “That’s one helluva story…” She paused. “So now Mace has this thing about dark-haired girls…”

Looking at each other, the same thought occurred to them both.

“But all the time,” Mattie went on, “Mace is really searching for Tania. Meanwhile, he can’t find her, so any dark-haired girl will do.”

In her mind, Leigh saw the gruesome pictures in Mace’s scrapbook. “Don’t, Mattie, please,” she whispered. “I don’t want to think about it…”

“Leigh. We gotta get to Deana. Fast.”

“Oh my God,” Leigh breathed, her eyes filling up. Her mind raced, considering the awful possibilities if Mace got there first. She felt trapped. Helpless. This was one helluva nightmare, all right.

If Deana was a target.

Maybe she wasn’t.

Maybe Tania’d show up.

Like that’s gonna happen…

Mattie changed gear, making a right into Del Mar. Driving up toward Leigh’s house, she wondered how she was going to deal with this one. They had no positive proof Mace was involved in murder. Without it, she knew the department would never believe her. So he saves gruesome pictures. Could be the scrapbook’s something he picked up someplace.

No accounting for taste.

She’d have it out with Mace…Oh yeah? She grimaced. She could see it now. Mace saying, “Gee, thanks, Mattie, that was some slug you threw back there…Guess I owe you one for that.”

For a moment, she saw herself lying at his feet, her lifeblood spilling out, soaking the carpet…Maybe dead.

Hell no. It wouldn’t be like that.

Mace was no killer. He had a temper and a weird taste in pictures, but they were buddies, weren’t they? They could always talk things through. She’d suggest he take time off, she’d cover for him…She’d wheedle the truth out of him. What he intended to do…

“Mattie.”

“Uh-huh?”

“Why d’you call people Charlie?”

Mattie gave a hoot of laughter. “Why do I call people Charlie, huh? I guess that holds a little resonance for you right now. Yes?”

“You could say that.”

“Well, it’s like this, Leigh. Remember little ol’ Yellow Bend? Like I told you, where I came from?”

Leigh nodded.

“S’far as I remember, seemed like everybody was called Charlie in that goddamn town. So, talk to a person whose name you didn’t know—I reckoned if you called ’em Charlie, you’d be right on the nose!”

“Makes sense. I think.”

“So you thought I knew about your Charlie, did ya?”

“It’s possible Mace could’ve told you!”

“Huh!” Mattie snorted. Then: “Okay, Charlie. You’re home.” Showing her even white teeth in a broad smile, she turned into the driveway. The battered Ford rumbled to a halt at the front stoop. Leigh got out of the car, closed the door, turned, and leaned in through the open window. Mattie liked the window open. Cleared out the fumes, she’d told her.

“Thanks a lot, Mattie. Looks like, between us, we brought matters to a head. Mace-wise that is. You gonna be okay?”

“Sure.” Mattie grinned. “Leave Mace to me, I can handle him. Just watch out for that daughter of yours.”

Leigh wondered if Mattie could handle Mace. After all, things had taken a turn for the worse—he could get nasty. She hesitated, then asked a question she’d thought about for a long time. “Mattie. Have you and Mace ever…”

“Nope.” Mattie smiled back. “Wasn’t that kinda relationship. Tried it on a coupla times, but he wasn’t having any. At the time, I guessed he must’ve been ‘funny’ that way. Y’know? As in gay? Turned out I was wrong. He fell for you all right, Leigh!”

“You think so?”

“I know so. ’Bye. Take extra care, you and Deana. I’ll keep you posted.”