A Hunting We Shall Go: Wendel

"I DID NOT!!"

Marilyn jumps out of her chair and goes to throw her arms around Dave. "Leave him alone! You have no right to persecute him!"

Linda looks up and says, "hic, You tell em, hic"

"Well, that brings us around to Linda. How about it, kid, did you poison Wendel?"

"Nope!"

"Well Marilyn, where'd you get the mushrooms to poison him with?

John looks startled and says, pointing at his wife, "The barn! You got them from the barn. Oh my God! Marilyn? You?"

"Shut up, you old fool. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He's drunk! He's talking about some old toadstools that grew out by the barn. I got rid of them a long time ago."

"John, be careful what you say and think before you answer. Were they red on top and about the size of a jar top?"

John ponders and Marilyn gets up and goes to him. "He's too drunk to answer, aren't you John? You better let me take you to bed, honey. Here, let me help you up."

"John! Answer me! Were they red mushrooms?"

He grins sloppily and says, "Yeah, they were red. Funniest things you ever saw."

Marilyn swings on Mike, "You! Your making him say this crap to make me look guilty. He's too drunk to know what he's saying and you put the idea in his head. I want you out of my house now. All of you! Get out! Get out!"

"Be careful, Marilyn. Your acting like a woman scorned. Did he tell you he was discarding you? Did he not have any further use for you? Well?"

"That son of a bitch. I slaved for him and he promised me an Associate's position in the new store. I did everything for him. I even sucked his cock that night and he told me to get lost. He said I was a nice piece of ass but he didn't want me anymore. He said he had paid off her lover and he was going to marry Carol." She breaks down and starts crying. Everyone is silent watching her. Then she starts up and looks wildly around. She gets an evil look on her face and she spits on John.

"This stupid bastard put him out of his misery. I planned it so he would die slowly over a period of weeks and I saw him that night, drunk by the bathrooms, pain was wracking his body and I stood by my camper and laughed at him. Then you went and ruined it all!" She kicks John. "The great hunter of men ruined my revenge! Look at him cringing there before me. What are you all looking at me for?"

Mike says to Trudy, "Take her into the bedroom to lie down. I'll call the police. Carol, will you give Trudy a hand?"

They lead her away and she's in a stupor, flinging her head at one moment then needing to be carried at the next. Mike uses his cell phone to call the police then checks the recorder to make sure it caught her words.

Wayne touches his elbow and says, "I got to hand it to you, Mike. Your rough but you got the job done. I can hardly believe what I heard. Are we still friends?" He extends his hand. Mike shakes it and says, "I wish it could have been easier. Friends!"

After the police arrive and take Marilyn into custody, Mike sees Carol crying by Wayne's truck. He goes over and says, "Now it's over, Carol. No more doubts or fears."

"He was going to marry me. He wasn't lying; he really wanted to start over. Oh Mike, I misjudged him so much."

"He lived by a cruel creed, Carol, and that was the way he had to end. What he did to Marilyn, she maybe asked for, but still he did it. Don't morn for him too long and miss the guy who really cares for you now."

"No, I won't." She uses her hand to wipe her eyes and says, "Thank you for digging and finding out the truth. Now we know."

Mike collects Trudy and their equipment and they head back to her place. "When did you suspect her, Mike?"

"You know, I should have figured it out a long time ago. I saw Marilyn by her camper that night and Wendel was clutching his gut by the washroom. I thought he was drunk and she was going to meet him for a rendezvous. Then another time I mentioned his actions that night and she clamed up. I should have suspected right then. How about you? When did you figure it out?"

"Oh, long ago. That's why I arranged to have Carol and John there today. I knew it would out." She giggles.

He reaches to pinch her and says, "You didn't know either, you rascal."

"Neither did you." They laugh together.

"What a team!"

EPILOG

It's early spring and evening mists float in off the lake not too far from Field. Marlene and Trudy sit by the crackling campfire talking. Trudy moves her hips to get a little more comfortable and puts her hands under her belly to lift it a bit. She says, "I was so glad to hear Nina gave safe delivery of the children. When Mike got back he looked so excited. Imagine, she was carrying two sets of identical twins. It's such a shame she lost one. I guess it was the will of God."

"She sure has her hands full. Jeff is learning to be a father, too. It looks good on him. Maybe it'll take some of the starch out of his collar." She grins.

"When you guys went down there, did you... well, did Jeff and you, ...you know what I mean."

"We did. It was nice with him again. I bitch about what a bore he is but he's a nice bore. And he's learning to satisfy a woman. Someday he might get as good as ...well, never mind."

"Mike! No, he'll never be that good, will he?"

"I wasn't thinking of Mike. Of course he won't ever equal Mike."

"Who were you going to say?"

"Promise me you will never breath a word to Mike."

"I promise."

"I was thinking of Ken. Did you ever meet him? He's with the Matsqui Police."

"Ken Drydon? You slept with Ken Drydon? He's quite a hunk but he's married. You mean he runs around on his wife?"

"No. It was a long time ago when we were in school. Ken played football and I was a cheer leader. We used to meet under the bleachers after every game. I thought I loved him and we went all the way. It was terrific! Then I met Mike and I found out what terrific really was."

"Was Ken your first?"

"No, silly, but don't tell Mike."

"He's the best I've ever known."

"When was your first?"

"It was a long time ago."

"It couldn't have been that long ago. Your only twenty two."

"It was that long ago!"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to pry. Oh, listen?"

A faint skirl rolls out across the lake and echoes from the mountains in the mist. A dirge it seems at times and then again a lighter refrain.

"What is it?"

"You mean, who is it? It's my love playing his bagpipes."

"Oh, how beautiful they sound and the echo makes of them, many. But why does he play out there?"

"He's on a rocky outcropping overlooking the mist and water dreaming of Scotland. He's never seen it in real life but he dreams of going one day. You can hear it in his music. I love the sounds he makes."

Trudy pats her belly and whispers; "Daddy's making a lullaby for his little one. Hush and hear his song."

***

You won't want to miss the next thrilling, titillating detective story of Mike Claymore, entitled: Pauline.