Bouquet of Lies Part 40

Here is Lacey. Here is Dar.

Darla looked at her sister again. "Where did he go?"

"He didn't say."

"It's up to me," Darla said.

"What's up to you?"

"I'm supposed to stop you."

"Stop me from doing what?"

"You know."

"I don't know. What're you talking about? Tell me." Lacey stepped closer and spotted the gun. "What do you need that for?"

Darla looked down at the weapon.

"Darla, what are you doing with that gun?"

"I have to stop you from going into your room."

"Why? What's in my room?"

"Proof."

"Proof?"

"That you killed Father and Grandfather."

"You think I killed them?"

"Randy said you killed them. He said it wasn't me."

"He's right about that. It wasn't you."

Darla put her fingers to her mouth. "Then it was . . . ? You don't have blond hair."

"Darla, neither of us killed anyone."

"I killed Mom."

"No. Our mother is alive."

What had she just heard Lacey say? No, she couldn't believe that. If she believed that, if she didn't do what she was supposed to, she'd have to go back to the hospital. Her body shook.

"I don't want to go to the hospital."

"Who said anything about the hospital? You're not going to any hospital." Lacey took another step.

"I'm not?"

"I won't let anyone put you in the hospital."

"Promise?"

"I promise. I love you."

"Randy loves me. I'm married. Did you come here to kill me? Does money mean that much? Randy says . . ." She swallowed.

"I could never hurt you. You know that. Down deep I know you know that. It isn't me you need to worry about. It's Randy."

Anger exploded in Darla like an old fas.h.i.+oned flashbulb. She raised the gun, the barrel aimed at Lacey's head. "Don't say that."

Lacey put a hand up. "I won't. I won't. Be careful."

Darla gripped the gun. A thousand thoughts ripped through her brain. Finally the song became dominant. Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

She began to sing aloud. "Here is Lacey. Here is Dar. Up above the world so high. Watching children from the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star. Here we are. Here we are."

Lacey stepped even closer despite the gun. "That's right. Twinkle, twinkle, little star. You heard me."

"Randy wants me to shoot you." She aimed the gun. A couple of seconds pa.s.sed in silence. "But I can't." Darla turned the gun on herself.

"No, Darla." Lacey raced to her and put her hands on Darla's hands.

Jake paced the living room and occasionally looked out the window. Miss Priss. Why did she have to be so cryptic? He wanted to go to the mansion and pound on the door and make her explain. But he didn't. She had her reasons for doing whatever it was she was doing and he didn't want to mess things up.

Ten minutes pa.s.sed. Fifteen. Twenty. Twenty-two. He heard the motor of a car and looked out. Randy was pulling in. He called Lacey just like she'd asked. He let it ring twice and hung up.

Five seconds later he heard a gunshot and jumped out of his skin. What the h.e.l.l? She'd told him not to worry if he heard a bang. But that was more than a bang!

He ran outside and down the stairs and saw Randy taking his sweet time walking toward the back door.

"Did you hear that?" Jake shouted at him.

"I did. I'm just going to check."

"Yeah? Next week?"

"I thought I told you to get the h.e.l.l out of here. You're trespa.s.sing," Randy snarled.

"I don't care what you told me. Something's going on. Something's happened."

Randy put his key in the lock. "Whatever it is, I'll take care of it."

"I'm calling the police."

"You do that." He slipped inside.

Seated on the stairs, Darla kept one arm stretched over Lacey who lay face down on her lap. Red liquid soaked her slacks and white blouse. She rocked back and forth singing, "Twinkle, twinkle. Twinkle, twinkle . . ." Her other hand rested on the stair, the gun loosely in its grip.

Randy appeared in the foyer below. He looked up at her.

"Darla."

She stared at him. "Are you proud of me?"

"Darla, what happened?" He ran up several steps and paused.

"I did what you said."

Randy climbed the rest of the way. He reached for Lacey's pulse. "Well. Not quite." He took the gun and stood erect. He aimed and calmly fired at Lacey's head.

Darla screamed and fell over her sister's body, hugging her tight.

"But you tried." Randy sighed. "Your pal should have already called 911. But just to be sure." He took out his cell phone, pressed 911 and sounded excited. "There's been a shooting. I don't know. I don't know what happened exactly. It looks like my wife has killed her sister. Yes, hurry."

Still hugging Lacey, the side of her face against Lacey's back, Darla felt Randy take her hand and put the gun in it. He reached for Lacey and she pulled her away from him. "No! Don't touch her!"

He stood erect. "All right."

Darla raised her head and watched Randy walk past. She heard the pipes and knew he was was.h.i.+ng his hands in the hall bathroom. Tears wet her face and she wiped them away, streaking her cheeks red.

Twinkle, twinkle. Twinkle, twinkle . . .

The call over the radio said that shots had been fired. And when Dan heard the address, his heart bolted like a racecar at the starting gun.

"Lacey," he said.

His uncle was at the wheel. He glanced at him. "We're almost there."

Dan had talked Uncle Carrick into swinging by Lacey's house before heading to the station. The way she'd been acting all morning bothered him. And now what he'd heard from dispatch . . . "Do you think she shot him?" Dan's heart pounded.

"As in better safe than sorry."

"As in I'll sacrifice my life for my sister."

Of course, he could have shot her. He stopped himself from thinking about that.

They were the first to arrive. The front door was unlocked and when they walked in they saw Randy two steps below the stair where Darla sat with Lacey draped across her lap. His hand was outstretched and his voice begged, "Give me the gun, Darla. Give me the gun."

Darla was shaking her head.

"Lacey!" Dan made a dash for the stairs.

"She has a gun," Randy warned. "I wouldn't make any sudden moves."

Dan froze. Terror flowed through his veins. Not because of the gun, but because of the way Lacey was lying there, limp and motionless.

"Darla!"

Dan looked behind him. Jake had entered the front door. Uncle Carrick had a hand on Jake's arm, keeping him from running to her.

"Mr. Barber. Why don't you come down here and stand beside me," his uncle said.

Dan locked eyes with Randy. "Yes. Why don't you do that?"

"Darla will listen to me. I don't want anyone else to get shot," Randy said.

Dan kept the urge to punch Randy in check. "Downstairs."

"Here, Mr. Barber."

Reluctantly Randy stepped toward the big detective. "I have to say I didn't expect the two of you, but I'm glad you're here."

"Lacey. Lacey, I'm scared," Darla said.

Dan moved closer. Was Darla off her rocker or could Lacey possibly be able to hear her? He put out a hand. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

Darla stared at him. He'd never actually looked into those pale green eyes. They were filled with heartache.

"Be careful," Randy called. "She isn't stable."

Darla looked at her husband and then she looked back at Dan.

Dan put out a hand. "I'd like the gun. Can you give me the gun, Darla?"

A tear trickled down the girl's cheek. She looked like a waif. Frail. Scared. Dan kept his hand extended.

Darla didn't make a move. Dan thought about s.n.a.t.c.hing the weapon, but nixed the idea. No point in getting himself shot. Precious seconds were ticking away though. If Lacey was alive they needed to get her to a hospital.

"If your sister is alive, Darla, we need to get help. Every second counts. Give me the gun. Give me the gun."

It took what seemed like an eternity, but finally Darla reached out with the firearm. Gently, Dan took it.

He heard the police arrive as he knelt down to Lacey to feel for a pulse.

Her eyes opened and he jerked with a start. She mouthed a "Shh."

"Is she alive?" his uncle asked.

"I'm dead," Lacey mouthed.

"No need for an ambulance," Dan called. He gave Lacey his dirtiest look. She could have told him what she was planning-if this was planned. He looked at Darla. Was she together enough to have helped with something like this?

Lacey closed her eyes. Dan looked down at the group in the foyer.