Page 106 of Exposed

“How do you know? Did you ask him? You’re the master planner. Or did you make sure that mine was the only gun? So we had to use mine—”

“No, I didn’t!”

“So, did you ask him if he was bringin’ his gun?”

“No, I didn’t have to! He keeps it in the truck!”

Mary heard the conversation go from tense to heated. Ernie and Ray were starting to yell at each other. She hoped the shouting would hide whatever noise she made if the phone dropped. She had to wait for the moment. She held her breath. She had to make the right move. If she blew it, they would come in and kill her. Her head pounded hard. So did her heart.

“Ernie, what the hell are you trying to say? What is yourproblem?”

“Okay, you want to know what I’m sayin’? I’m sayin’ that I don’t know if I trust you anymore, pal!”

“What are you talking about? We’ve worked together fifteen years!”

“But we never killed nobody! I’m startin’ to see you using me! You’re treatin’ me like garbage! Like I do your dirty work and you’re the puppet master!”

“How?”

“You and Mo are family, I’m on the outs! I started to think, what if I kill these women and wedon’tall drive home together? What if you two decide to off me and go your merry way?”

“Why would we do that?”

“It solves all your problems, doesn’t it? Somehow you stage the scene so you frame me for murderin’ the women and you guys are gone! You’ll never have to worry about me spillin’ thebeans! You guys are brothers! Lookin’ out for each other! You always have!”

“Since when?”

Mary lay on the floor, blinking her eyes, trying to keep them clear of blood. Suddenly she spotted a phone wire running down the side of the night table. It was only six inches away. She went toward it, dolphining to the side of the night table.

“Since forever! That’s how we got into this in the first place! You and Mo usin’ the cheap wiring! The cheap drywall, too. The units wouldn’ta burned so fast if you used the five-eighths of an inch! The burn rate’s slower in the good stuff, but he’s paddin’ the bottom line at PowerPlus and you’re gettin’ a cut!”

“Don’t get high and mighty! You kept your mouth shut! We paid you fair and square!”

“Soyousay! What’s a fair cut? I don’t know if what you’re tellin’ me is true! You and Mo are thick as thieves!”

“Ernie, calm down! What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense! Mo is on the way with the lye! We’re going to shoot these bitches, bury the bodies, and be done with it! We’re a yard from the end zone here!”

“How doIknow he’s bringin’ lye? I don’t think he’s bringin’ anylye! I think you’re just waitin’ for him! I thinkthat’syour plan! Then he comes up, you shoot me, and you leave DiNunzio’s car in the driveway with my car! You two go home in his truck, after I’mdead!”

“Ernie, you’re out of your mind! There’s no way! We’re in this together! He’s bringing the lye! That much we planned! The details about which gun we use, fine, whatever, we’ll use his gun if that’s what you want!”

“That’s what I want! I want to use his gun!”

“Fine, we will!”

Mary got her face right next to the wire and tried to grab it with her lips behind the gag. She got it on the third try, struggling to breathe. She waited for the right moment to pull thephone off the table. She remembered that landlines used to be heavy and noisy. If the shouting kept up, she had a fighting chance. Then all she had to do was press 911 with her nose. For the first time in her life, she thanked God she had a big nose.

“And I wanthimto shoot the women, Ray! I don’t want to shoot the women! You say it doesn’t matter? It matters to me! I don’t shootwomen!”

“Okay, he’ll do it! Sheesh! Just sit down! Let’s sit down! Get out of my face! I feel like you’re coming at me!”

“I’m tellin’ you, I don’t like this, Ray! It stinks to high heaven!”

“Ernie, sit down. Let’s sit down. You need to calm down. Cool down. You want a beer? I’ll get you beer.”

“No, I don’t want a beer.” Ernie huffed loudly.

“Good, sit down. Take a breath. Geez, this is getting out of control.”