The Butterfly Conspiracy (22 page)

“Oh, that?
 
It’s a crow.
 
That other stuff is my taxidermy tools.
 
I sent away for a home study course and I’m learning how to stuff birds and small animals.”

Paulie said, “What!”

 
“Don’t laugh.
 
It’s a lot harder than I thought.
 
Once I get the hang of it, I can make some good money around here as a certified taxidermist.”

“Listen here, Norman Bates junior, I got a notion to stuff you for bringing me into this filthy garbage pit!”

Moon ignored Paulie’s rant and continued to scurry around the room straightening things.

Paulie got up from the chair and walked around the room.
 

“Where’s the bedrooms?”

“There ain’t none.
 
This is a rooming house and I only got one room.
 
The couch pulls out and you can sleep there.”

“With you?” Paulie asked. “I ain’t sleeping with you.”

“No, you get the bed and I’ll sleep on a sleeping bag over there on the floor.”

“Where’s the bathroom?”

“It’s down the hall.
 
I share it with the other
 
people who live on this floor.”

Paulie shook his head.
 
He needed to grab the kid as soon as possible and get the hell out of this dump.
 
 

Moon tossed a pile of papers into a can under the sink.
 

“Why don’t you get settled in?
 
You can hang up your clothes in my closet.
 
I’m gonna run up to the store and pick up some beer and cigarettes.”

Once Moon left, Paulie took the opportunity to examine Moon’s small, cluttered room more closely.
 
He could hear a television set playing from the next room and a radio was on a few doors away.

Paulie walked over to the table near the window and looked at the dead bird and taxidermy tools.
 
He bent over the table and saw there were actually three bird corpses. All appeared to be failed attempts to be stuffed into any recognizable forms.
 
Piles of cotton and stiff wires were sticking out of them.
 
They were twisted in grotesque shapes and one appeared to be turned inside out. Paulie stepped back and coughed.
 
There was a strong chemical smell combined with a whiff like the birds were starting to decay.
 

Paulie noticed a phone mounted on the wall by a small refrigerator.
 
Maybe he better check in with Al.
 

“Al, Paulie here.” There was silence.
 
“Al, you there?”

Al growled into the phone.
 
“You got the kid, right?” Paulie could tell Al was not happy.

“Well, I had the kid…”

“Had the kid?
 
What the hell’s going on Paulie, the boys…”

 
Paulie interrupted.
 
“Yea, I had the damn kid but his pals busted him out.
 
I shot a guy and the heats on.
 
I had to find a new place to stay.
 
That’s why I’m calling.
 
We, I mean, there’s a new plan and I should have him back by tomorrow or the next day.”

The phone was silent for a moment then Paulie could hear Al breathing.
 

“Look, Paulie.
 
The man’s getting tired of waiting.
 
You need to show up here with that kid now.
 
I’m getting heat for sending you, after all your screw ups.
 
If you don’t grab that kid, I’d suggest you don’t come back at all.
 
You might just want to stay wherever you’re at permanently.”

“No, Al, it’s okay.
 
I got a plan and I’m headed out soon.
 
Believe me, I can’t wait to get back. Everything’s gonna be great.”

“Don’t mess this up. You got three days, no more.” Al slammed down the phone.

Chapter 27

    
The next morning, Stephen woke up and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was almost
nine o
’clock.
 
No wonder it was so light in his room.
  
He stretched and felt muscles pull in his legs and back, instantly reminding him of what had happened.
 

Stephen snuggled down deeper into the covers.
 
He caught a whiff of Britt’s perfume on his face.
 
Stephen breathed a sigh of relief that he was back in the safety of the mansion.
 
He fell back to sleep.
 

At twenty minutes after nine, Stephen woke again and got out of bed.
 
He showered and put on some sweat pants and a sweat shirt.
 
It always seemed cold in the mansion in the morning, no matter what the weather was like outside.

Jeanette was eating breakfast alone in the dining room.
 
Stephen helped himself to the breakfast buffet Cora had set out in the kitchen and joined Jeanette.

“Did Uncle Philip get off okay this morning?” Stephen asked.

“Yes, the car service picked him up bright and early at
six thirty
.
 
This is a very important meeting for him.
 
I hope all goes well.”

“I wonder if I should just go back home,” Stephen stated.

Jeanette seemed startled. “Why would you say that?”

“Well, look what a bother I’ve been.
 
My uncle’s girlfriend keeps flirting with me.
 
Someone pushes me over a cliff and then I’m kidnapped.
 
I meet some new friends and one of them gets shot and is in the hospital.
 

Uncle Phillip has a business to run.
 
If you and the guys hadn’t been able to rescue me, he would have had to stay here and miss his important meeting.
 
Look at the worry I’ve put him through the last few days.” Stephen said, toying with his food.

“It seems that your uncle is going to take care of the issue that caused all those troubles, so things should be just fine from now on.
 
By the way, Scott called while you were sleeping.
 
Joe’s going to be fine.
 
He will have his arm in a sling for awhile, but it should heal just like new.”

“That’s good.” Stephen said, with relief.

“Oh, and Scott suggested that you don’t try and see Joe.”

“Really! Because it would be too dangerous?”

“No.” Jeanette laughed.
 
“Because there were too many girls in his room.
 
Scott tried see Joe but the room was packed.
 
He had to leave and come back later.”

Jeanette watched as Stephen started to laugh.

“You just need to relax, forget about what happened and start enjoying life at the mansion.
 
You have the whole summer to look forward to.”

“Yes, I guess you’re right.”

“So what are your plans for today?” Jeanette asked.

“The first thing on my plate is thanking you for putting yourself in danger and coming to my rescue.”

Stephen leaned over and gave Jeanette a long hug.
 
He closed his eyes and marveled at how good she felt in his arms.
 
Jeanette did not pull away.
 
Her body felt good next to him.
 
After several moments, he released her.
 
She looked into his eyes and he could see a tear running down her cheek.

“What’s wrong?”

She dabbed at her cheek with her napkin and broke into a soft laugh.

“Oh, nothing’s wrong.
 
Nothing at all.
 
I’m just so glad you’re back.”
 
She paused, “Well, that was a great start to your day.
 
Now, what else do you have planned?”

“I thought I would spend the day exploring the library.
 
It looks like you could spend a lifetime up there and still not uncover everything.
 
It would be nice if you could join me.”

“I’ve got a few things to do this morning, but how about if I meet you up there early afternoon?”

“That would be perfect.”

Stephen went to his room and took his drawing pad and charcoals to the library.
 
He found some art books featuring the old masters and began sketching.
 
He lost himself in his drawings until pangs of hunger made him pause.
 
He glanced at the library clock across from his uncle’s oil portrait.
 
It was nearly
one o’clock
.
 
No wonder he was hungry.
 
Stephen headed down to the dining room.
 
The room was empty, so he walked down the hall to Jeanette’s office.
 

“Lunch time?”

She was busy at her desk and looked up when she heard him.
 

“Is it that time already?
 
Yes, I’m hungry.”

Jeanette and Stephen walked to the kitchen.
 
Cora was busy pulling pies out of the oven.
 

“What delicious treat do you have for lunch today, Cora?” Jeanette asked.

Cora looked up from the oven, her glasses covered with steam.
 
She said, “Italian beef sandwiches with a salad, picked fresh from the garden, and a fresh strawberry/rhubarb pie that just came out of the oven.”

“Wonderful!” Stephen exclaimed.

During lunch, Jeanette asked Stephen what he had occupied his time with up in the library.
 
He explained he had been sketching pictures from the old masters.
 
Jeanette mentioned that she had a few more things to do, but it looked like she could join him around three, if that was alright.