Too Little, Too Late (25 page)

“No, we can’t.”

“I mean I just don’t get where she’s coming from,” Karen complained. “Mom says
I’m
unreasonable but the other day she goes totally spastic when some guy takes our picture while we we’re stopped at a red light. I thought she was going to get out and hit the guy over the head or something.”

“That’s because your mother blames the paparazzi for her friend Cherry’s death.”

“Isn’t that the girl who played Mom’s sister in her TV show?”

Kate nodded. “Photographers took pictures of the girl as she overdosed and nobody did anything to save her. They just wanted their pictures.”

“That’s pretty cold.”

Kate gave her granddaughter’s hand a quick squeeze. “It’s your parents’ job to stop you from making bad choices. You’ve got to cut them some slack.”

“I get what you’re telling me, Grams,” Karen retorted bitterly, “but all I’m trying to do is figure out what happened with that woman and your mailbox.”

“What difference does it make at this point?”

“A lot since it pisses me off that no one seems to believe me.”

“I believe you.” Kate put her arm around her granddaughter’s shoulder as they got off the Ferris wheel. “It’ll all work out. Just give it some time.”

Karen laughed bitterly. “Do you know what’s really weird about all of this? Suddenly Mom and Dad are talking all the time. I mean, they’re only talking about me, but at least it’s a start, right?”

Kate hesitated, reluctant to add to her granddaughter’s miseries. “There’s something you need to know.”

“What?”

“Your father and Brooke flew to Vegas this morning and got married.”

***

Liz marched towards Delaney’s office, ignoring the subdued greetings from many of her co-workers. At any other time, she would have stopped to chat with them, but right now, she didn’t dare stop in case she lost her nerve. Clutching the now-wrinkled letter in her fist, she gave Delaney’s door a perfunctory knock before opening it and going inside. Her boss was on the phone but when he saw her, he quickly finished his conversation and hung up.

“Isn’t it polite to wait until you’re asked to come in?” He leaned back in his chair, waiting expectantly.

“Funny, I didn’t think your letter was all that polite,” she snapped, throwing the offending piece of paper on his desk. "Especially the part about how I had until Monday morning at nine to report for work otherwise I could start looking for another job."

Delaney looked at her sympathetically. "How are you feeling, Liz?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're asking me that."

"The letter had nothing to do with my opinion of you as a person and I was hoping you wouldn't take it personally."

She glared at him, trying to put things into perspective. "I've never called in sick, I never minded being called in on my days off, I was always here on time and I always put in a fair day’s work.”

“And I, more than anyone, appreciate your excellent work ethic.”

She pointed to the offending letter. “You have a funny way of showing it."

"My hands are tied on this, Liz. I've given you as much time off as I can."

"But I only asked for a few more weeks," she argued.

"Sorry, Liz.” His tone was businesslike. “You know yourself that this is the busy tourist season. I have a business to run."

There was a brief knock on the door before Otis stuck his head inside. "The guys mentioned Liz was here." He looked at her anxiously. "Is everything all right?"

"It will be in a minute," Liz told him, her voice curt.

Delaney stood up. "I think we’re about finished here."

Otis ignored Delaney, becoming aware of Liz’s distress. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong."

Delaney turned his attention back to Liz. "I’ll see you on Monday."

"I guess you don't leave me any choice," said Liz. In that split second, she made up her mind. "I quit."

"Quit!" Otis blurted out.

"That's ridiculous!" Delaney shouted at her.

“Consider this my official notice and last day of work," Liz told him quietly before picking up her purse and calmly walking out of Delaney's office.

Otis caught up with her by the elevator. He spun her around, his eyes blazing in fury. "What the hell was that all about?"

She gave him a defiant look. "I did what I had to do. Delaney didn't give me any other choice."

"Maybe you should go to a doctor, get a note for severe clinical depression or something." He stared at her in desperation. "You can't just quit like that. What're you going to do?"

"I told you I had some savings," she reminded him.

"And how long do you think that's going to last you?" he shot back. "A month, maybe two, and then what?"

"I'll worry about that when the time comes."

"No you won't," he argued. "You'll still be playing detective, trying to figure out the supposed conspiracy around your mom’s life."

The mention of her mother was like a physical blow, filling Liz’s eyes with tears. When the elevator door opened, she ignored it. "You'd do the same thing if you were in my shoes."

"No, I wouldn't," he denied vehemently. "And you want to know why? Because I'm too fucking practical, that’s why. I’d be trying to figure out where my next meal was coming from."

She couldn't resist the barb. "From my kitchen, that's where!" Almost as soon as her words came out, she wished she could take them back. She knew Otis cared for her and was only trying to help, but there was no going back now.

Otis gently took Liz's arm. "Look, let's go back and talk to Delaney again. Tell him you had a change of heart and that you'll be in on Monday." His eyes spoke volumes. "Please, Liz."

She shook her head. "I can't, Ote." She looked at her watch. "You'd better go back before Delaney declares war on you, too.”

The bell heralded the arrival of another elevator. This time, Liz got on, blowing Otis a kiss as the doors closed. When the elevator stopped on the ground floor, Liz got out and made her way across the lobby, out onto Hollywood Boulevard. Her insides were quaking and she wanted to throw up now that the gravity of her actions had actually started to sink in. Otis was right about one thing. It wouldn't take long for her savings to run out. But what was done was done. There was no turning back.

Getting into her old Mustang, she turned onto Highland Avenue. She didn’t realize she was heading for Laurel Canyon until she saw the piano-shaped mailbox. 
It was because of this mailbox that her mother had died.
 

Pulling off to the side of the road a little further down from the house, Liz parked her car and got out for a closer look. She went up to the mailbox, gently lifting the lid. The police had told her that her mother had broken the top off the mailbox but it seemed to be working now. It had probably been repaired since the accident. The sun was starting to set, casting shadows among the tall trees that partially obscured the house behind the gate. It was an attractive house, but not ostentatious compared to some of the others on the street. In fact, everything about the house seemed so normal, so ordinary. 
What was it about this house that had made her mother come here?
 

Before she had a chance to look around any further, Liz was startled by the blast from a siren and the flashing lights of the police cruiser that had pulled up silently behind her. Two police officers, partially hidden behind their doors, had their service revolvers pointed directly at her.

"This is the LAPD. Put your hands in the air!"
 

“Studying is for the birds. I’m going to dump my books and head on over to the gym,” Ashley told Karen as they headed for the student parking lot. “Why don’t you come with me?”

“I wish I could.” Karen’s eyed her friend glumly. “But if I fail this math test, I’m pretty well screwed for the rest of the semester.”

“Since when did you become a slave to math?” Ashley teased her.

“Since my mother’s been on my case about everything lately. Besides, not all of us are gifted in math, you know.”

Ashley giggled. “Freaky how I’m good in math but none of my other subjects, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, sure.” Karen gave her a pained look. “Anyway, you go on without me. Give me a call when you get home.”

“You’re no fun.” She looked annoyed. “Maybe I’ll see if Heather Markham wants to come with me.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“You know I’d never be caught dead with that skank. I just wanted to see the look on your face, that’s all. See ya!”

Karen got to her car and threw her books on the passenger seat. Looking at the pile of books without enthusiasm, she suddenly realized that her math book was missing. That meant a trip back to her locker. Slamming her car door shut, she almost collided with a young woman who’d been standing quietly beside the hood of Karen’s Beemer.

“Hi.” When the woman didn’t respond, Karen finally asked, “Did you want something?”

“I guess you could say I’m curious.”

“About what?” Karen asked guardedly.

“About the type of person who would go around throwing rocks at a defenseless woman,” she replied.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Karen’s heartbeat quickened. There was something creepy about the way the woman just stood there, staring at Karen. “Who exactly are you anyway?”

“I should be asking you the same thing,” she told Karen quietly. “You think you have the right to throw a rock at someone the minute they’re in your face, is that it?”

Karen’s eyes darted around the parking lot, hoping to see one of her friends, but the lot was virtually empty. She and Ashley had been late coming out of last class and everyone had pretty well gone home already. Maybe this woman was a nut job. Karen felt a stab of panic but forced herself to stay calm. “Look, I don’t know who you are or what you want, but you’d better leave me alone.”

“Why?” she taunted Karen. “Will you get your friends to throw rocks at me, too?”

Karen slowly inched her way towards her car door. “What do you want from me?”

For a moment, a terrible tortured look came over the young woman’s face before she composed herself. “I want you to tell me what my mother did to make your friend throw rocks at her.”

“
Your mother?
” Karen stared at the young woman, her face becoming ashen. “That was your mother?”

Liz nodded.

Karen took a step towards her. “Look, what happened to your mother wasn’t my fault.”

“Then how did her head get bashed open by a rock?”

“That was a mistake,” Karen told her, suddenly anxious to explain what had happened. “Your mother was going nuts. She damaged my grandmother’s mailbox. We told her to stop but she wouldn’t listen.”

“Why would she damage a mailbox?”

“She was kicking it,” Karen admitted, “and she was going on about some tit’s milk or something.”

“Excuse me?”

“I know it sounds weird, but that’s what she said.”

“
So you and your friends hit her with a rock
?”

“I tried to get my friend to stop but it was too late. She was already hurt.” Karen looked away, too ashamed to face the accusation in the woman’s eyes. “I tried to stop her from taking off but she took off anyway and then that car came out of nowhere and ran her over.” Karen’s eyes filled with tears. She was barely able to choke out the words. “I tried to save her but I was too late. You’ve got to believe me.”

“I don’t have to believe anything you say.” Liz regarded Karen coldly. “You and your friends thought you’d get your kicks by beating up on a defenseless woman and things got out of hand. Why don’t you just admit it?”

“It wasn’t like that at all!” Karen yelled back at her. “It was your mother who attacked one of my friends first.”

“So that made it okay for the three of you to gang up on her?” Her tone was derisive.

Tears coursed down Karen’s cheeks. “Think whatever you want. It’s obvious you’re not going to believe me anyway.”

“Don’t worry. I’m going to find out what really happened,” Liz told her, “and when I do, not Mommy or Daddy or even their high-priced attorney is going to be able to stop you from getting exactly what you deserve, you little bitch!”

With that, Liz turned on her heels and walked away, leaving a devastated Karen in her wake.

***

“Are you sure this is the right address?” asked Kate dubiously.

The number printed on the apartment building canopy matched the number on the piece of paper in Eve’s hand. “It certainly looks like it.”

“Well, I for one don’t mind telling you that I feel ridiculous in this get up,” Kate informed her.

Eve sighed in frustration. “Need I remind you that the last thing we need right now is more publicity. Can you imagine the headlines tomorrow?”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Look, Mom, why don’t you just stay in the car and let me deal with this,” Eve suggested.

“Nothing doing,” Kate told her firmly. “I’m not letting you go in there alone. I’m your material witness in case she tries to attack you.”

Eve gave her mother a pained look as they got out of the car and took the elevator to the second floor. Getting out, they went down the hall, stopping at the last door on their left.

“10B.”

“This is it,” Eve confirmed. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she knocked on the door and waited.

“Maybe there’s no one at home,” her mother remarked.

Eve knocked again. A minute later, the door opened and a young woman of average height with long dark hair stood in the doorway.

“Yes?” she asked.

“Are you Liz Farrell?”

The woman’s eyes darted nervously from Kate to her daughter, before settling on Kate once again. “Who wants to know?”

“I’m Kate Stanton and this is my daughter, Eve,” Kate told her. “We were wondering if we could come in and talk to you for a minute.”

“I have nothing to say to you,” Liz told them coldly.

“Then how about letting us do the talking,” Kate suggested gently.

After a moment’s hesitation, Liz motioned the two women inside. Kate surveyed the neat apartment with a professional eye, from the attractively arranged furniture to the nice wood floors to the newspaper lying open on the coffee table.