Saint Patrick's Day - The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club Part III: A Dark Comedy Cozy Mystery With A Twist by Duncan Whitehead Page B
Authors: Duncan Whitehead
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books, and the evil behind the locked door? Betty Jenkins, after months of abuse, had finally had enough.
“I am going to dine,” said Heidi, “Do straighten up Betty,” she said as she descended the stair case, “I mean, like I said, you can easily be replaced, remember tha….”
Heidi did not finish her sentence. Unable to her control herself any longer, Betty snapped, turning quickly and rushing towards Heidi. She shoved the old lady in the back and watched as she tumbled down the stairs, banging her head several times before finally landing in a crumpled heap at the foot of the stairs, blood pouring from her head.
For a few seconds, though it seemed like an age to Betty, she just stood atop the staircase staring trance like at the crumpled body of Heidi Launer. She raised a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God, oh my God, what have I done?” she whispered to herself. Betty was now shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. She slumped onto the top step of the stairwell and began to sob. Fuchsl, alerted by the commotion, sat by Heidi’s body, whimpering gently. His whimpers, mixed with the sobs of Betty echoed eerily throughout the otherwise empty house.
Chapter 13
She was in shock. She wasn’t a violent woman and she had never condoned physical confrontation of any kind. Betty Jenkins was now sobbing uncontrollably and rocked to and forth, where she sat top of the staircase. She inhaled sharply. Pull yourself together Betty, she told herself , you need to think. She rose and stared down at the crumpled and still body of Heidi Launer.
Betty ran down the stairs as fast as she could, almost tripping herself in her haste to reach the fallen Heidi. She shooed Fuchsl away from the old lady’s prone body and bent over her to feel for a pulse. Betty could not locate one.
“Heidi, Heidi, can you hear me?” whispered Betty gently into her employee’s ear. Heidi did not stir. Betty couldn’t tell if Heidi was breathing or not. She was not going to go jail for the murder of Heidi Launer and Betty knew she had to act quickly. She had pushed Heidi down the stairs, that was true, but the years of pretending not to know about Heidi’s secret room, and the recent abuse had pushed Betty too far…leading to one final push…
Betty was an intelligent woman. This had to look like an accident and as Betty calmed herself and surveyed the scene she realized that it did. Immediately, she formulated a plan. Heidi had simply tripped from the top of the stairs and fallen. Betty had heard the commotion and come rushing from the kitchen, where she had been preparing dinner, only to discover Heidi dead from the fall. There were no witnesses and no motive.
Betty had seen enough TV shows to realize that forensics, 911 calls, and time of death were all linked, and she knew the first thing she should do was call for an ambulance. She took her cellphone from her apron pocket and punched in three numbers.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“Hello, yes, I need an ambulance. My boss has fallen down the stairs. She’s bleeding from the head and isn’t breathing. I can’t find a pulse. She is very old. Can you come quickly? Please.”
Ladies and Gentleman, this year’s Oscar for best actress goes to…. Betty Jenkins. After giving her name, Heidi’s name, and the address, Betty hung up the phone. It was perfect. There would be no way that call could be ever construed as anything other than a concerned employee reporting a tragic accident.
Betty hadn’t planned this. It had been an instinctive response to Heidi’s comments. A reflex reaction. She had never considered that the old woman would tumble down the stairs to her death. She had just momentarily lost her temper, and she had been overwhelmed and angry. Her judgment was clouded by a fog of instant rage.
Despite this, Betty was surprised that she felt neither remorse nor guilt. Her only concern was not getting caught. In a way, she was glad it was
“I am going to dine,” said Heidi, “Do straighten up Betty,” she said as she descended the stair case, “I mean, like I said, you can easily be replaced, remember tha….”
Heidi did not finish her sentence. Unable to her control herself any longer, Betty snapped, turning quickly and rushing towards Heidi. She shoved the old lady in the back and watched as she tumbled down the stairs, banging her head several times before finally landing in a crumpled heap at the foot of the stairs, blood pouring from her head.
For a few seconds, though it seemed like an age to Betty, she just stood atop the staircase staring trance like at the crumpled body of Heidi Launer. She raised a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God, oh my God, what have I done?” she whispered to herself. Betty was now shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. She slumped onto the top step of the stairwell and began to sob. Fuchsl, alerted by the commotion, sat by Heidi’s body, whimpering gently. His whimpers, mixed with the sobs of Betty echoed eerily throughout the otherwise empty house.
Chapter 13
She was in shock. She wasn’t a violent woman and she had never condoned physical confrontation of any kind. Betty Jenkins was now sobbing uncontrollably and rocked to and forth, where she sat top of the staircase. She inhaled sharply. Pull yourself together Betty, she told herself , you need to think. She rose and stared down at the crumpled and still body of Heidi Launer.
Betty ran down the stairs as fast as she could, almost tripping herself in her haste to reach the fallen Heidi. She shooed Fuchsl away from the old lady’s prone body and bent over her to feel for a pulse. Betty could not locate one.
“Heidi, Heidi, can you hear me?” whispered Betty gently into her employee’s ear. Heidi did not stir. Betty couldn’t tell if Heidi was breathing or not. She was not going to go jail for the murder of Heidi Launer and Betty knew she had to act quickly. She had pushed Heidi down the stairs, that was true, but the years of pretending not to know about Heidi’s secret room, and the recent abuse had pushed Betty too far…leading to one final push…
Betty was an intelligent woman. This had to look like an accident and as Betty calmed herself and surveyed the scene she realized that it did. Immediately, she formulated a plan. Heidi had simply tripped from the top of the stairs and fallen. Betty had heard the commotion and come rushing from the kitchen, where she had been preparing dinner, only to discover Heidi dead from the fall. There were no witnesses and no motive.
Betty had seen enough TV shows to realize that forensics, 911 calls, and time of death were all linked, and she knew the first thing she should do was call for an ambulance. She took her cellphone from her apron pocket and punched in three numbers.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“Hello, yes, I need an ambulance. My boss has fallen down the stairs. She’s bleeding from the head and isn’t breathing. I can’t find a pulse. She is very old. Can you come quickly? Please.”
Ladies and Gentleman, this year’s Oscar for best actress goes to…. Betty Jenkins. After giving her name, Heidi’s name, and the address, Betty hung up the phone. It was perfect. There would be no way that call could be ever construed as anything other than a concerned employee reporting a tragic accident.
Betty hadn’t planned this. It had been an instinctive response to Heidi’s comments. A reflex reaction. She had never considered that the old woman would tumble down the stairs to her death. She had just momentarily lost her temper, and she had been overwhelmed and angry. Her judgment was clouded by a fog of instant rage.
Despite this, Betty was surprised that she felt neither remorse nor guilt. Her only concern was not getting caught. In a way, she was glad it was
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