Page 71
CHAPTER 71
MARPLE CAUGHT A few hours of rest and a quick shower at headquarters before the next available flight back to New York—and slept throughout that as well, for once—but it was still nearly noon the next day before she landed at JFK. PC Dodgett had driven Marple to Heathrow himself. He had proven to be as solid as his literary namesake—hardworking and loyal—but Marple couldn’t wait to reunite with her true partners.
“Miss Marple! Over here!” a voice called out from the throng in the waiting area as she exited Terminal 4 at JFK. “Welcome back!”
It was Virginia. Black leggings. Denim jacket. Tinted hair.
Marple waved. “Where’s Holmes?” she asked as she neared. “And Poe?”
“Downtown at police headquarters,” said Virginia. “New development.”
“Take me there,” said Marple.
“That’s the plan,” said Virginia.
As they pushed through the door to the loading zone, Marple spotted a rakish two-door parked at the curb. Poe’s treasured Trans Am. A uniformed baggage attendant was sitting in the driver’s seat.
“Fantastic ride,” said Virginia. “I can’t believe Mr. Poe let me borrow it.” She moved quickly around to the driver side. She pressed a folded bill into the baggage handler’s palm as they traded places. Marple slid in on the passenger side.
“Strap in, Miss Marple,” said Virginia, wrapping her fingers around the shift knob. “This thing’s got balls.”
The tires screeched as Virginia pulled the car away from the curb. She quickly wound her way down the access road and onto the Belt Parkway. In no time, she had the Pontiac up to 75. Margaret realized this was the first time she’d ever seen Virginia behind the wheel.
“Is this how they drive in rural Pennsylvania?” Marple asked as Virginia swung past a delivery van, missing its bumper by inches. She wondered if Poe would approve.
“Can I tell you a secret?” said Virginia, eyes firmly on the road. “I did a little street racing in high school.”
“I see,” said Marple. “It shows.” She grabbed the armrest and held on tight, bringing her focus back to the message from Holmes. “What’s going on, Virginia?” she asked. “Holmes said somebody was about to be killed.”
“Oliver Paul,” said Virginia, her voice rising over the engine roar.
“Who would want to kill Oliver Paul?” asked Marple.
“No. Sorry,” said Virginia, banking into a turn. “He’s the killer . Mr. Holmes says Oliver Paul is going to kill somebody. And it’s going to happen tomorrow!”
The little watchmaker? A killer?
“Mr. Holmes says he’s sure of it. But he doesn’t know who the victim will be. Not yet.”
Marple’s mind was spinning. London. New York. Kidnappings. Murder. For a moment, her usually sharp multitasking faculties were slightly overwhelmed. She closed her eyes, losing track of time and distance as the Pontiac blasted past signs for Brighton Beach and Luna Park. The next thing she felt was a jolt from the transmission. Virginia downshifted as they approached the entrance to the Battery Park tunnel. A few minutes later, as they glided through the long tube under the East River toward the Manhattan side, Virginia glanced over at Marple. “He missed the hell out of you,” she said.
“Who did?”
“Mr. Holmes.”
Marple felt a slight burn in her cheeks. “Did he tell you that?”
Virginia sped up as she spotted the end of the tunnel. “He didn’t have to,” she said. “I pick up things.”
Marple heard a buzz near her feet. She looked down. Her purse had toppled off the seat and into the footwell. She reached down and pulled her phone out of the side pouch. She glanced at the screen. International call.
“Hello?”
“Margaret, it’s Ben. Ben Dodgett.”
Marple smiled. Apparently, the lovestruck PC was going to be a hard man to shake.
“It’s Rebecca Tran,” said Dodgett. “She’s dead.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71 (Reading here)
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96