The Coach House (35 page)

“Karen, you’ve got to let go…”

“I know, but I can’t. I
have
to understand things. It’s my nature.” She let out a sigh. “I have to prove to myself I’m not a failure at figuring things out, that it wasn’t my fault the answer went to his grave with him.”

“It’s not your fault, Karen. His taking his own life, I mean. But I think you know that.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Maybe we both need to work on getting our lives back.”

Marie left Karen’s home without having seen much of
The Toast of the Town.

* * *

It was June 28, her birthday, the perfect day for a change. Marie made an appointment at the local hair salon. When she went in, her hair was shoulder length, dark brown, almost black, and wavy. She came out with close-cropped light brown curls, a style that was all the rage in Paris. While it took some getting used to, Marie liked her new look and felt it went well with her new beginning. And while she wasn’t proud of it, it made her look even more “white.”

Marie and Karen formed a quick close friendship and shared many of the same interests—going to the movies, rummaging through antique stores, and going out to dinner. They enjoyed local activities such as going to the men’s softball games, volunteering at local charity events and attending free concerts in the park. After such activities, they went to one of their homes and had a glass of wine or two, talking about everything from local gossip to world politics.

On one such evening, the two young women went back to Marie’s apartment after having seen
Key Largo.
Well into their second bottle of Merlot, Karen asked what Marie knew was an inevitable question.

“I hope you think of me as a good friend, Marie. I know I do of you. And you know I care about you. I really do, and that’s why I’m asking you this, not because I’m nosy, well maybe I am a bit nosy, but in addition to that, I really do care about you.” The effect of the wine on her was apparent.

“I do consider you to be a good friend. I don’t know what I would have done without you that first week I came to town. Ask me anything you want.”

Karen leaned in closer toward Marie. Her words were slurred. “What exactly is it you’re running from? I know it’s something. But if you don’t want to tell me, I’ll understand. Maybe it’s none of my business. Maybe it’s nothing at all and…uh…well, maybe it’s all in my imagination.” Her voice trailed off. “You don’t have to tell me, you know.”

“Karen, if I tell you, you have to promise me you won’t repeat it to anyone. And I mean anyone, not even your dog.”

“Marie, I don’t have a dog. What makes you think I have a dog? But if I did, have a dog that is, I wouldn’t tell him. The dog I mean. I promise.” She made a clumsy cross with her hand over her heart.

“Karen, I know you don’t have a dog. I was just trying to make a point.”

“Oh.”

“You’re right. I did run away from something, and I came here to hopefully start a new life. I was…I mean, I
am
married to a man named Richard Marchetti. Costa is my maiden name. We were married for a little over two years when I discovered he was mixed up with the wrong people.” She hadn’t realized what a relief it was going to be to finally confide in someone.

Apparently sobered up by the seriousness of the story, Karen listened attentively.

“Right before coming here, I had walked in on Richard when some kind of dirty deal was going on in our home.”

Karen’s eyes went wide. “What kind of deal?”

“I don’t know, but there were mobsters in my home on that day, so whatever it was had to be illegal. Anyway, he flew into a rage when I walked in on them. He pushed me down the basement stairs and then locked the door.”

“What!?”

“Yeah, I know. Anyway, I crept up the stairs and heard someone say, ‘She knows too much. You need to off her.’”

“Offer what?” Karen interrupted.

“No—
off
her.”

“Off her what? I don’t get it.”

“Karen, listen to me. He said ‘you need to off her’…as in kill her.”

“What? Oh my God. What on earth did you do? You must have been scared to death!”

“Oh, I was. Especially when my husband said he’d take care of it.”

“So what
did
you do?”

“I climbed out the basement window and ran. I didn’t know where I was going, just that I needed to get away from him.”

“So the day you came into my store for the first time was right after you ran away?”

“Less than a week later.”

“Did you call the police?”

“No.”

“Why not? He can’t get away with that.”

“Karen, Chicago police are corrupt. Maybe not all of them, but a good many of them. Three of them were in my home that day.”

“Egads.”

“He’s mixed up with cops on all sorts of shady deals. Going to the police would be like going right back to him.”

“Did all this come out of the blue, or did you know for a while it was going on?” The wide-eyed gaze froze on Karen’s face. “Did he ever hit you before?”

Marie thought back to the good times. “In the beginning, he was wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a more loving, attentive husband. But looking back, while there was no clear-cut beginning of his bad behavior, there were signs all along.” Marie thought about it for a moment. “The thing is, each one in itself didn’t seem so bad to me, and it wasn’t until about a year or so into our marriage that I realized the seriousness of what he was doing.”

“Why did you stay after that?”

Marie sighed and rolled her eyes. “I loved him…and I accepted his apologies and his promise to change. And I desperately wanted to have a family with him. I didn’t want to be alone. Understand that Richard was the nicest, most generous man you’d ever want to meet. And he swept me off my feet like I never believed anyone could. We’d go to New York for long weekends. Other places, too. He was always buying me gifts, expensive gifts, or flowers.”

“Love will conquer all?”

“Something like that.”

“Marie, you don’t still have feelings for him, do you?”

“As bad as it was in the end, Karen, I can’t completely forget the good times, because they were
so good.
And in that conniving mind of his, I think he truly believed what he was doing was okay. He did it for us, he would tell me.” She could still hear him saying those words. “And you know something…I truly believe he loved me, I mean
really
loved me.” Her voice and her thoughts trailed off.

“It sounds like Richard would do anything for money, even hurt the one he loved.”

“Yeah. You’re right. He wasn’t able to handle both of his loves. That’s for sure.”

“Why did you come here of all places?”

Marie filled her in on that part of her story, leaving out the part about breaking into Lillian’s house.

“That’s amazing. What are you going to do now?”

“I’ll tell you what I
wish
I could do, and that’s turn back the clock and get out sooner…in a much different way. I left with so little. But since I can’t do that, I’m going to stay hidden from him as best I can and try to just live a normal life.”

“Do you think he’ll find you here?”

Marie shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Marie, I’m afraid for you.” Karen looked deep into Marie’s eyes. “Why don’t you go to the police here?”

“What for?”

“To let them know what happened and that you’re afraid he might come after you.”

“I don’t know. What could they do? They can’t put up roadblocks to keep him out.”

“No, but at least they’d be aware of your situation in case something did happen, or if you needed help in a hurry, well, you wouldn’t have to spend time telling them your story.”

“I’ll think about it.” She paused. “Karen, you can’t tell anyone about this. Are you clear on that?”

“You have my word, Marie.” She got up to give her a big hug. “Is that why you changed your hairdo, by the way? Really does make you look like a different person.”

“Mm-hm.”

Karen didn’t sit back down. “Look, it’s getting late, and I have to work tomorrow.” She headed toward the door. “You know you can count on me. Anytime you want to talk, or if you ever need anything, do
not
hesitate to call on me. That’s what friends are for.”

“Thank you, and you don’t know how much better I feel having my story out in the open—but with just you, remember?”

“Got it.”

“Hey, before you go, there
is
something you could help me with. Would you go with me to Chicago one day so I can pawn my wedding rings?”

“You want to go
back,
there?”

“I really need the money.”

“We have a pawn shop here.”

“I can try them, but I think I’ll get a better deal in a big city. The pawn shop in Libertyville offered me a hundred dollars, and I know Richard paid over $1,500 for them.”

Karen’s face lit up. “No kidding! That’s a lot of money.”

“I know. What do you say? Will you go with me?”

“Sure. Count me in.”

After Karen left, Marie settled into a chair on the porch. The cool evening air that swept through the shutters caressed her face. She remembered her mother telling her as a child it was the angels dancing that caused gentle breezes.
I could use an angel right about now.

* * *

As Marie suspected, the Atchison pawn broker’s offer to buy her wedding rings was nowhere near what she thought she could get at a Chicago jewelry store, so she and Karen made plans to visit Marie’s home town.

When they met at the local bus stop the following week, Karen jumped a foot backwards when she saw Marie. “What on earth do you have on your face?” she asked her.

“Keep your voice down, will you?”

“You look like an Indian!” Karen whispered. “Almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Good. That was my goal.”

“You’re serious.”

“Dead serious.”

“What did you use?”

“I put brown food coloring in some of my foundation.”

“So you won’t be recognized by anyone?”

“Mm-hm.”

They boarded the train in Kansas City, and as soon as it reached Union Station, Marie donned a wide brimmed hat. Karen gave her a sidelong look. “You’re scaring me, Marie. That’s really necessary?”

The two women walked from the train station to the city’s business district where they checked into a cheap hotel. Along the way, Karen’s eyes were focused mainly up at the tall buildings. Marie held her arm to keep her from bumping into people and walking into moving traffic. She hadn’t foreseen having to deal with a tourist.

The next morning they went to McGregor’s Pawn Shop. The man behind the counter looked at the engagement ring under his magnifying glass. “I’ll give you two hundred dollars for the pair.”

“That’s not anywhere near what they’re worth,” Marie argued.

“That’s all I can give you for them. They’ll be hard for me to sell.”

Marie thanked him and walked out of the store.

“Now what?” Karen asked.

“I’m going to try a couple jewelry stores.” The two women walked down State Street toward Jewelers Row. Marie guided Karen to the corner where it would be safer to cross the street.

“Karen!” the man shouted. “Karen! Cumeer, darlin’.”

They turned their attention to the man in the crème-colored suit with slicked back hair calling out Karen’s name. The sight of him caused Marie to shiver.

“Peanuts!” Karen called out to him before she walked into his arms for a hug. “We completely lost track of you! Where have you been hiding?”

“Right here, baby. Right here in Chicago.” He looked Marie up and down. “Hey, who’s your friend?”

“Oh, this is Marie…”

Before Karen could finish, Marie held out her hand and said, “Maria. Maria Martin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Karen and Peanuts exchanged phone numbers and agreed to stay in touch. He gave Marie a hard look before leaving.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Marie whispered under her breath.

Karen shrugged and gave Marie a bewildered look.

Marie took Karen’s arm and led her into an alley behind a large dumpster. “Who
was
that?”

“My cousin, Ted.”

“The mobster.”

“The what?”

“Karen, he’s obviously a mobster. Didn’t you see how he was dressed? And why did you call him Peanuts?”

“I don’t know. It’s some kind of nickname.”

Marie’s eyes darted toward the sidewalk. “Street name, you mean. That he’s had since when?”

“First time I heard it may have been a few years ago. What’s wrong?”

The blood rose up Marie’s neck. “What’s wrong? Are you kidding, Karen? You have a mobster for a cousin and you were about to introduce me to him! What were you thinking?”