Saint Patrick's Day - The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club Part III: A Dark Comedy Cozy Mystery With A Twist by Duncan Whitehead Page A
Authors: Duncan Whitehead
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her authority. She was letting the help know exactly where she stood. Heidi was letting Betty Jenkins know that she was her superior, and better than her. If she couldn’t fight Meredith Keyes that evening, she would take it out on Betty.
“I’m sorry, I must have misheard,” replied Betty, who knew that she had not misheard a word.
“Take it away,” demanded Heidi, “I am going upstairs, so do not disturb me. I want to be alone.”
Betty Jenkins inhaled sharply. She was angry. No one had ever talked down to her in this way before, even growing up as a child when not everything was as equal as it was meant to be. Betty returned to the kitchen and her cooking.
Heidi reached the top of the stairs and fumbled in her pocket for the key to her private room. At least there, she could be alone. She could be with her memories, maybe even seek inspiration, and devise a plan of action. What would he have done? He would have struck back quickly and decisively. He would never have tolerated the likes of Meredith Keyes and her rag-tag group of misfits and mongrel dogs.
Thirty minutes later, after browsing through her artifacts and watching old movie reels, reading her collection of propaganda, and finally saluting the flag, Heidi felt revitalized. She felt young, ready to fight back. She was superior. It was her right to police the park, and it was her duty to deal with that horrible girl. It was also her right to have Elliott killed…and it was her right to speak to Betty Jenkins any way she wanted to.
Heidi locked the door, proceeded to the top of the stairs, and called for Betty.
Betty rolled her eyes, her hands covered in flour. What did she want now? There was always something, and Betty was reaching her breaking point.
“Betty,” said Heidi as her housekeeper reached the second floor of the spacious and elegant home. “I’ve noticed that you have not dusted here today. Look,” said Heidi as she ran her hand over the bannister, “Dust. It is filthy. Come on, buck up! Everyone can be replaced, you do know that? There are hundreds of ‘Bettys’ out there who would jump at the chance to work for me.”
Betty nodded her agreement, though of course she did not agree. She just could not find any words because she was so livid that she couldn’t even speak. As she nodded, Heidi turned her back to her, standing atop the stairs while Betty began wiping dust from the bannister.
“I don’t understand you, Betty. I give you a job. I give you money. I let you drive my car. It seems to me that you are extremely ungrateful, bordering on lazy. Your job is to do. My job is to tell you what to do. It is simple as, well, black and white.”
Betty turned her head sharply to face the back of Heidi’s head. She could feel the rage inside her growing. What did she just say? What did she just say? Still with her back to Betty, Heidi spoke again.
“There is a place for people. There is a reason why some people are superior to others. You do know Betty that only a few years ago I wouldn’t even have needed to pay you? That I would literally own you? You do know that? You people should count yourselves lucky that people like me give you work.t I owe you nothing. In fact, dear Betty, you owe me. There is an order to this world, a food chain. I am at the top, and you are at the bottom.”
Betty Jenkins was furious. How dare this woman speak to her like that? Her son had died, laid down his life for people like Heidi Launer. People like Heidi Launer started wars, started wars that the children of people like Betty had to fight. Betty Jenkins knew what was beyond the door to Heidi’s ‘secret’ room. She knew what she was. She had ignored it. But this was too much. Never before had Heidi insulted her race. Never before had Heidi acted like the Nazi she was, not in front of Betty at least. The stupid old woman. Betty knew her secret, how many times had Heidi left that door unlocked? How many times had Heidi seen the flags, the
“I’m sorry, I must have misheard,” replied Betty, who knew that she had not misheard a word.
“Take it away,” demanded Heidi, “I am going upstairs, so do not disturb me. I want to be alone.”
Betty Jenkins inhaled sharply. She was angry. No one had ever talked down to her in this way before, even growing up as a child when not everything was as equal as it was meant to be. Betty returned to the kitchen and her cooking.
Heidi reached the top of the stairs and fumbled in her pocket for the key to her private room. At least there, she could be alone. She could be with her memories, maybe even seek inspiration, and devise a plan of action. What would he have done? He would have struck back quickly and decisively. He would never have tolerated the likes of Meredith Keyes and her rag-tag group of misfits and mongrel dogs.
Thirty minutes later, after browsing through her artifacts and watching old movie reels, reading her collection of propaganda, and finally saluting the flag, Heidi felt revitalized. She felt young, ready to fight back. She was superior. It was her right to police the park, and it was her duty to deal with that horrible girl. It was also her right to have Elliott killed…and it was her right to speak to Betty Jenkins any way she wanted to.
Heidi locked the door, proceeded to the top of the stairs, and called for Betty.
Betty rolled her eyes, her hands covered in flour. What did she want now? There was always something, and Betty was reaching her breaking point.
“Betty,” said Heidi as her housekeeper reached the second floor of the spacious and elegant home. “I’ve noticed that you have not dusted here today. Look,” said Heidi as she ran her hand over the bannister, “Dust. It is filthy. Come on, buck up! Everyone can be replaced, you do know that? There are hundreds of ‘Bettys’ out there who would jump at the chance to work for me.”
Betty nodded her agreement, though of course she did not agree. She just could not find any words because she was so livid that she couldn’t even speak. As she nodded, Heidi turned her back to her, standing atop the stairs while Betty began wiping dust from the bannister.
“I don’t understand you, Betty. I give you a job. I give you money. I let you drive my car. It seems to me that you are extremely ungrateful, bordering on lazy. Your job is to do. My job is to tell you what to do. It is simple as, well, black and white.”
Betty turned her head sharply to face the back of Heidi’s head. She could feel the rage inside her growing. What did she just say? What did she just say? Still with her back to Betty, Heidi spoke again.
“There is a place for people. There is a reason why some people are superior to others. You do know Betty that only a few years ago I wouldn’t even have needed to pay you? That I would literally own you? You do know that? You people should count yourselves lucky that people like me give you work.t I owe you nothing. In fact, dear Betty, you owe me. There is an order to this world, a food chain. I am at the top, and you are at the bottom.”
Betty Jenkins was furious. How dare this woman speak to her like that? Her son had died, laid down his life for people like Heidi Launer. People like Heidi Launer started wars, started wars that the children of people like Betty had to fight. Betty Jenkins knew what was beyond the door to Heidi’s ‘secret’ room. She knew what she was. She had ignored it. But this was too much. Never before had Heidi insulted her race. Never before had Heidi acted like the Nazi she was, not in front of Betty at least. The stupid old woman. Betty knew her secret, how many times had Heidi left that door unlocked? How many times had Heidi seen the flags, the
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