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Well, that was unexpected! The policemen aren't real policemen at all but... See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. J Ray Lamb is back this week, give him a proper welcome! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Bad Karma and the Family Plan #68 (14.3)
Caroline St. Clair—for it was indeed none other than
the Wicked Witch of Hollywood herself—was grinning broadly, like the proverbial
feline who had just consumed an avian snack. She took another gracious bow for
her imaginary audience and then began to throw out kisses. No doubt she was
visualizing the invisible members of the Academy as they conferred upon her an
equally imaginary Oscar.
Seriously, what was wrong with that woman?
“I had you going, didn’t I?” the actress chortled.
“You never knew it was me, did you? It’s been me this whole time.”
Whole time…what?
Troy had reached her by that time and demanded the
surrender of the handcuff key, although in far nicer tones than I would have
used. She didn’t even argue or fuss, as though all of that meant nothing to her
any more. He wasted no time in releasing Ethan, who rubbed his wrists as he
quickly strode to my side.
“I’m fine, Vinnie,” he reassured me as he hugged me,
before I even had a chance to ask. Told you, he knows me very well.
“Carrie, why are you even here? What’s going on?”
Troy sounded both sad and exasperated. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
She was his friend, even if she was utterly cuckoo.
Sarah edged up to us, little Alex on her hip. Even
he seemed speechless, as he tried to absorb what was happening around him. “Is
that who I think it is?” she asked in an incredulous voice.
“I’m afraid so,” Ethan replied.
Ethan’s parents quickly joined us. Maureen’s “Are
you okay, Ethan?” was echoed by the minister’s query of “Are you all right,
son?” He reassured them he was fine.
In the meantime, the other agents were looking to us
for some sort of explanation.
“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” Carlos
asked.
I pointed
toward St. Clair with one hand and drew a circle by my head with the other.
“She’s nuts,” I replied, although that wasn’t really an adequate explanation,
was it? I turned my attention back to the curious tableau before us. The other
person in the scenario, the one she’d addressed as Helen, had taken a
protective stance by her side.
“What do you mean, audition?” Troy was saying.
The actress giggled, suddenly distracted by
Brendan’s presence at Troy’s side. “Hi
Brendan!” She waved at him, and he managed a wave back. It occurred to me that
perhaps he’d accompanied Troy to visit her, so she was undoubtedly aware of who
he was.
“Carrie,” Troy attempted to get her to focus on his
words. “Please tell me why you’re even here. And why did Marlene take your
place in rehab?” He took one of her hands in his, as if to ground her.
“You know how this business is,” she said in a
chipper voice. “Out of sight, out of mind. People forget you exist, and try
getting any good roles then! I didn’t want to become a has-been, did I? And I
was just languishing there, doing nothing, when I needed to be out there, working…”
Her voice trailed away as she glanced around her.
Everyone was staring at her, for obvious reasons. Her glance lighted on me and
she began to smile, even as she waved.
“Vinnie! I got you good, didn’t it? Admit it! You
thought that Mangler guy was after you again, didn’t you? I scared the bejesus
out of you, and you never knew it was me.”
I never wanted to hit someone as badly as I wanted
to deck her, but my mother didn’t raise me to hit women. But my mouth sometimes
worked faster than my brain, as I spat out, “You bitch!”
I was starting to believe she was indeed responsible
for our ills, at least some of them. But her explanation was just not making
sense.
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