The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer (20 page)

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Sarah peered at Klonsky from beneath her hand. He disappeared from view behind a stack of papers, but she could hear him pacing in front of the staircase leading to the second floor.

“Lon,” D.W. whimpered, walking over to where Lon marched.

“Shut up, and let me think.”

He continued pacing,growing more agitated with each step.

“Where's the knife?” the crooked cop demanded, stopping with an abrupt turn and peering over a stack of papers.

“Relax, I've got it right here in my backpack,” Scott said.

“Give it to me.” He walked around the papers and stood in front of the teens with his hand out.

Scott reached into his backpack and pulled out the knife. It was bundled in a rag. Klonsky snatched it from Scott's hand, and quickly opened the bundle to see for himself.

Scott and Sarah exchanged an apprehensive glance.

“All right.” Klonsky expelled a deep breath.

“What now, Lon?” D.W. asked.

“Shut up, and let me think.”

Sarah exhaled a deep sigh of relief.
The substitute knife worked. It bought us some time.
She sighed a second time, as the room grew silent and the tension thicker with each passing minute. Klonsky took up his pacing again, clenching and unclenching his hands.

Sarah tried to come up with a get-away plan, but the cop's constant movement
was driving her insane.
Sweat formed on Sarah's brow again. She didn't want to draw Klonsky's attention, so she let it run down her face. It dropped off the end of her chin onto her T-shirt.

She glanced at Scott. His face was shiny with sweat, and his eyes were wide with fear.

“What should we do?” Sarah whispered

“I don't know,” Scott answered.

“Lon,” D.W. whined.

“I know, I know.”

“We gots the knife…let's just get out of here.”

Leaving would be good. Sarah exchanged a glance with Scott and gave him a nudge.

“We can't do that, these kids know too much.”

Those words shot sparks of anxiety through Sarah's system. Her stomach clenched as a new fire of fear ignited. She squirmed in her seat. Scott put his hand on her arm and squeezed, telling her to be still.

“What do you mean?” D.W. asked.

“We'll have to make it look like an accident.”

“What?” D.W. protested. “What about the other two kids?”

“We'll be all right. I'm a cop. It'll be my word against theirs.”

Sarah heard the arrogance in his voice, and the bile rose in her throat. What a total creep. She swallowed, refusing to puke.

“I don't know,” D.W. wavered.

“Do you have a better plan?” Klonsky asked.

“No.”

“All right, then it's settled. We'll make it look like an accident.” The crooked cop strode around the stack of newspapers and stood before the teenagers, glaring at them.

Following, D.W. asked, “How are we gonna do that?”

Klonsky sighed. “I haven't got that far yet.”

“Lon, they's just kids.”

“I know, but they should've kept their noses out of my business.” He pivoted
and walked back toward the kitchen.

Fear wrapped its fingers around Sarah's throat, making it hard to breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest. The sound seemed deafening, and she couldn't believe no one else heard it.

“We've got to do something,” she whispered to Scott.

“Pepper spray,” Scott whispered back.

Sarah let out a strangled sob. Pepper spray! She'd forgotten about the can in her pocket.

“Hey,” she called out. “What are you going to do with us?”

Sarah heard Klonsky's heavy steps, and then he loomed over the stacks of paper glaring at the teens. “Shut your pie hole.”

He disappeared into the kitchen. Sarah could hear him rummaging around in the drawers.

“Make him come all the way in here,” Scott whispered.

Sarah nodded. She put her hand in her pocket and grasped the can of pepper spray.

“Why'd ya do it, Klonsky?” Sarah yelled out. Her voice sounded high and tinny. She cleared her throat and took several deep breaths. She could hear him coming into the living room. The house shook with his thundering steps. “Why'd you kill poor Mrs. Fedewa? What'd she ever do to you?”

Klonsky stood directly in front of her, glowering from above. She could hear D.W. shuffling into the room behind him.

“Lon, what'd she say?”

“Nothing.” He glared at Sarah. “Shut your pie hole.”

“Why'd you do it? Murder Mrs. Fedewa?”

“Lon…that lady…she has the same last name as me,” D.W. said.

D.W. is David Fedewa!

“Uh…uh…uh,” Lon stammered, turning toward his partner.

Now!
Sarah made her move. She sprang from her seat, bringing the pepper spray forward as she stepped toward the crooked cop. At the sound of her movement, Lon spun toward Sarah, and she sprayed the pepper spray in his face.

Stumbling back, he fell to his knees. His hands balled into fists, and rubbed his swelling eyes. He coughed uncontrollably, and tears streamed down his cheeks.

“Lon, are ya all right?” D.W. wailed.

“I can't see! Stop those kids!”

Screaming, Sarah rushed D.W., pushing him aside. He stumbled against a stack of newspapers. Scott lurched from his chair and slammed into D.W., knocking him to the floor. D.W. grabbed Scott's injured foot.

Sarah grabbed Scott's arm and tried to pull him toward the door.

“Stop them!” Klonsky bellowed.

“I gots his foot!” D.W. shrieked.

Scott pulled a can of pepper spray from his pocket and sprayed it in D.W.'s face. The criminal howled in pain and fell to the floor.

Sarah pulled Scott to the door. The teens burst through it, just as two police cruisers pulled up in front of the house.

“You kids get back behind the cruisers!” one officer yelled as he bolted toward the front door. Sarah and Scott hobbled behind the cruisers, both of them gasping for breath.

“I'm glad that's over,” Sarah gulped. She clenched her hands to stop them from shaking. She took huge gulps of air and kneeled down on the ground, hoping she wouldn't faint.

“Me too.” Scott's vo
ice sounded thin and far away.

“I didn't know you had another can of pepper spray.”

“I brought two. I always have a backup, just in case,” Scott said with a weak smile and leaned against the cruiser.

“We didn't get our confession, though.”

“Yeah.” Scott scuffed the pavement with his shoe. “I wonder how the cops knew we were here?”

“I'm guessing Jackie and Lacey had something to do with that.” Sarah stood and leaned against the cruiser next to Scott. She clasped her hands in front of her to stop the trembling.

“Where are they?”

Sarah and Scott searched the crowd forming around the cruisers. The flashing lights and sirens had disturbed their sleep, and they were gathered together, wearing pajamas and robes. She spotted Lacey and Jackie across the street behind the oak tree
in front of the church. Smiling, she hobbled across the street with Scott behind her.

“Thanks for calling the cops,” Sarah said with a quivering lip.

“We called Detective Swift. He called the cops,” Jackie said. She gave Sarah a quick squeeze. Sarah gave her a grateful smile. Her body relaxed, and tears of relief welled up in her eyes.

Just then another police cruiser pulled up in front of the Cat Lady's home. The door opened and out stepped Chief Johnson.

“There's my dad,” Scott said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Yep. I bet we're in a lot of trouble, aren't we?” Sarah asked.

“You could say that.”

“Yeah, especially since our plan didn't work.” Tears of frustration filled Sarah's eyes. She wiped them away, and Jackie gave her another squeeze. Grateful for her support, Sarah leaned on Jackie and sighed. “I think I figured out who Klonsky's sidekick is.”

Jackie twisted toward Sarah, her eyes widening. “Who is he?”

Before Sarah could reply Chief Johnson spotted them from across the street.

“You kids get over here!”

Sarah gulped. “Here we go.”

She reluctantly stepped out from behind the oak tree. The rest of the Super Spies followed her. They walked to the cruiser Chief Johnson had just exited.

“What do you kids think you're doing?”

“Dad, just listen to us.”

Chief Johnson glared at each individual Super Spy. His blazing gaze rested on Sarah the longest. She squirmed and avoided eye contact.

“I certainly will. You kids are coming downtown and giving us statements.” His frosty tone contrasted with the fire blazing in his eyes.

“Chief Johnson, Lon Klonsky murdered the Cat Lady,” Sarah blurted out.

“Yeah, where's your proof? Do you have a confession?” His sarcastic tone cut Sarah to the quick.

Her shoulders slumped. “No.”

“I didn't think so. You kids certainly made a mess of things. Now get in the car, you're going downtown.”

Just then, Klonsky and D.W. were led to another cruiser. The criminals wore handcuffs, and their eyes were swollen shut. Neither one could see. They stumbled down the stairs and would have fallen if not for the support of the officers.

“Chief? Are you there?” Klonsky asked.

Sarah noticed he resembled a schoolyard bully, rather than a raging hulk that committed a brutal murder.

“I'm here, Lon.”

“Chief, I'm innocent. I didn't do anything.”

“That's what all the criminals say.” Sarah spat the words at him, her body rigid with anger.

The chief turned toward the kids and gave Sarah a
menacing look. “Get. In. The. C
ar.”

“Chief, tell them to take the cuffs off.”

Spinning back toward Klonsky, he said, “Can't do that, Lon. You're riding in the back. Consider this an education.”

Sarah and the Super Spies climbed into the back of the cruiser, and for the third time that treacherous summer, they were on their way to the police station.

 

Sarah groaned as the cruiser pulled up to the station. She stared out at the parking lot and saw the lone parking light high on its pole. It cast an eerie shadow on the area below. Watching the bugs flit around the bulb, she c
ompared herself to the insects,
contemplating them as they flew close to the heat, and then fluttered away when it grew too hot.
I feel like a moth at
t
racted to a flame.
Going after Klonsky was a risk, she knew, but staying quiet would have been worse. Weighing the consequences in her mind, Sarah knew without a doubt she made the right choice.
Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she focused on the officer in the front seat.

She watched as he shut off the engine, and opened his door. “Okay, kids, out of the car.” He climbed out and opened the back door.

“Are you going to call our parents?” Jackie asked.

“Of course I am.”

Sarah sighed. “We're in deep on this one.”

Jackie nodded. “Yep.”

“Come on kids, you know the routine,” the policeman said.

They followed him into the station and were once again escorted to separate interrogation rooms.

Sarah sat in the metal folding chair and let out a weary sigh. She remembered the frigid air from her first visit and welcomed the chill after the humid stuffiness of the Cat Lady's house. At least in here, she could breathe.
Waiting for her uncle, she knew this time he wouldn't be so understanding.

The door opened, and Officer Wilson poked his head in. “Would you like something to drink before your parents get here?”

Sarah gave him a grateful smile and nodded.
He left, and then returned a few seconds later with a soda.

Grabbing it, Sarah popped the top and guzzled. “Ahh, that hit the spot.” Her voice echoed in the empty room, emphasizing her aloneness. She felt small in a big world.

Another fifteen minutes went by before the door opened and Sarah's uncle stormed in, his wispy hair standing on end. Chief Johnson and Officer Wilson followed him.
Uh-oh.
Sarah gulped as she realized she would be facing all three men at the same time.

“Uncle Walt,” Sarah faked a smile.

“What in the world have you girls gotten yourselves into?” he demanded.

Sarah groaned. “It's a long story.”

“I'm all ears.” He pulled the chair out, and sat down crossing his arms over his chest.

There was no sympathy from him this time. The officers sat across from Sarah. She noticed they were waiting for her uncle to stop talking.

“I am not happy. It's three o'clock in the morning.”

Sarah sighed and gazed down at the floor. “I know, I know.”

Officer Wilson cleared his throat. “Okay, Sarah, why don't you tell us what happened tonight?”

“Spit it out,” her uncle demanded.

Sarah told them the whole story. While she spilled her guts, Officer Wilson jotted furiously on his notepad. Uncle Walt, on the other hand, tugged on his hair so often she was positive he'd be bald by the time the story was finished. Chief Johnson hovered in the back of the room pacing and listening.

“That's how we ended up at the Cat Lady's,” Sarah finished.

Officer Wilson leaned in. “Did you ever get a confession?”

Sarah shook her head. “When I tried, I was told it was none of my concern.”

“Almost.” Officer Wilson glanced at the Chief.

Sarah didn't dare look at her uncle; she could tell by his agitated tugging, he was still angry.

“You mean to tell me you crawled through your bedroom window in the middle of the night?” Uncle Walt asked.

Sarah's shoulders sagged.
Here we go.
“Yes.”

“You even had the gall to drag your sister into this?”

“She wanted to come. She could've stayed home.”

“So, that's how you see it?” Uncle Walt muttered.

Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, Sarah noticed his face was a frightening shade of red. He stood and paced. Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed again. She had escaped his rage for the moment.

Officer Wilson glanced at her uncle before continuing. “At any time did Officer Klonsky say anything to incriminate himself?”

“What do you mean incriminate himself?”

“Did he say anything that only the killer would know?”

“No, but doesn't he incriminate himself just by showing up at the creek?” Sarah held her hands up at her sides with her palms facing up. “He did ask us for the knife.”

“Good question.” Officer Wilson winked. “It's circumstantial evidence. We'll have to see how the district attorney feels about it.”

The chief and her uncle finally sat down. Sarah felt outnumbered as she faced the
men. She slumped even further in her chair, wishing she could melt into the floor and get away.

“I know who Klonsky's sidekick is,” Sarah blurted out. She sat straighter in her chair, and suddenly she beamed.
Maybe, just maybe, I can get out of this mess.

“What?” Chief Johnson asked.

“I know who Klonsky's sidekick is,” Sarah repeated, sitting even straighter and leaning forward.

“Well, who is he?”

“He's David Fedewa,” Sarah proclaimed.

The three men stared at her in stunned silence.

“For real,” Sarah
raised her eyebrows and nodded
.

“What are you talking about?” Chief Johnson demanded.

“How do you know?” Officer Wilson asked.

“Because, when I asked Lon why he murdered Mrs. Fedewa, D.W. said she had the same last name as him.”

The chief lunged out of his chair, sending it to the floor. “Oh my…Are you sure?” He stared at Sarah as he returned his chair to an upright position.

“Yes, I'm sure.”

The chief strode to the door, pulled it open, and stormed down the hall. Sarah heard him holler at one of the detectives to hurry up with the prints.

Officer Wilson winked at Sarah. “When we get the prints back, we'll know for sure.”

“It's him. That's why Klonsky killed the Cat Lady.”

“I'm not following you.” Officer Wilson frowned.

Sarah sighed, but stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Klonsky killed the Cat Lady to get David's inheritance.”

“So, you think the Klonskys had David this whole time?” her uncle asked.

“Yeah, I think they kidnapped David and hid him.”

“We have to prove it,” Officer Wilson said.

“Why don't you ask David?”

Officer Wilson gave Sarah a rueful smile. “If it were only that simple.”

“I see it on detective shows all the time,” Sarah insisted. “They're always getting one of the partners to turn on the other.”

“Yes, they are.” Officer Wilson glanced at his notes briefly, and then rose from h
is chair
. “I'm going to go talk with the chief. I'll be right back.” He stepped out of the room, leaving Sarah alone with her uncle.

Sarah avoided eye contact with him, and the tension between the two of them grew thicker by the minute.

“You are grounded for the rest of your life.” Uncle Walt bristled, both of his hands
were tugging at his hair. Sarah cast a furtive glance down to the floor, looking for tufts of snow-white hair.

She expelled a weary sigh. “No time off for good behavior?”

“No!” he thundered. “Sneaking out of the house at night, and that's just the beginning. You broke the law!”

Sarah knew he was just warming up. “We didn't know we were breaking the law.”

“Oh, come on, Sarah.”

“For real, we didn't. Besides we didn't have a choice. Klonsky was trying to frame us for the Cat Lady's murder.”

“Breaking the law is never an option.” He pivoted toward Sarah and gave her a long look. “You trespassed on a crime scene and removed evidence. That's a felony! That's jail time!” He glared at her, his face red with anger.

The image of an overripe tomato danced through Sarah's mind. She remembered the tomatoes the Wykowski boys had hurled at the Cat Lady's house. Her uncle's face resembled one of those tomatoes just before it hit the old woman's siding. Sarah averted her gaze as a bubble of nervous laughter rose in her throat.
I always laugh at the worst times.

She took a couple of deep breaths and faced her uncle again. “Yes we did, but we didn't have any other choice. Klonsky was going to send us to jail.”

“Why didn't you come to me or go to someone in authority?”

“We did!” Sarah exclaimed. “The chief didn't believe us.”

“You went to the chief with what you found?” Uncle Walt asked, leaning forward in his chair.

“Yeah, we found Klonsky's service pin. The chief said he probably lost it during the investigation.”

“You could've come to me, Sarah; I would have helped you.”

“I didn't think of that at the time.” Sarah stared down at her hands and sighed. There was silence in the room as her uncle digested what she told him.

“So, the only way the police can prove their case is by getting David to talk.”

Sarah noticed her uncle sounded calmer, and his hands were trying to tame his wild hair.

“Yeah, our ‘get the confession plan' didn't work.” Sarah sighed again, relieved
she had diverted her uncle's focus for a little while.

She closed her eyes and laid her head on the table. Visions of the Cat Lady paraded through her mind. A deep sorrow coursed through her veins for the misunderstood woman and the tragedy she endured at the hands of the Klonsky family. The unfairness of it all hit Sarah like a punch in the stomach.

Officer Wilson walked back into the room, interrupting her thoughts. “We did get a hit on those prints, and it's a good probability he is David Fedewa.”

“No kidding?” Uncle Walt asked.

Officer Wilson nodded. “No kidding. Now all we have to do is get him talking. We're going to start the interrogations right away.”

“Did you have his prints on file, or something?” Sarah asked.

“Yes, when he was kidnapped the detectives lifted prints from his bedroom, for identification purposes.”

“I want to hear David's interview,” Sarah blurted out.

“You could probably sit in the observation area,” Officer Wilson said. He glanced at her uncle.

Uncle Walt sighed. “We'll talk about it. You're still grounded, though.”

“I know.”
Sarah clasped her hands again and laid her head down on them, turning away from her uncle. She concealed the smile bursting out on her face. Just by the way Uncle Walt answered the last question, she knew she was going to hear the police question David Fedewa. Sarah needed answers to the questions haunting her. She needed to know the whole story.

Chief Johnson walked back into the room. “All right, young lady, tomorrow morning I want you down here to discuss your punishment.”

“Punishment?” Sarah asked, raising her head.

“She'll be here,” her uncle answered, giving Sarah a stern look.

“Not only did you girls break the law, you put your lives in danger,” the chief ranted.

Sarah sighed. “I know, I know.”

“You meddled in a police investigation.”

“We were trying to help.” Sarah sat up straight in her chair and put her hands in her lap.

“Did I ask for your help?”

“No, but if we didn't help Klonsky would've gotten away with everything.”

“You don't know that.”

“Admit it, we helped put Klonsky away,” Sarah pushed.

“It's not over yet, young lady. Don't go counting your chickens before they're hatched.” The chief opened the door to leave the room. “Now, go home, and get some sleep.”

“Chief, she wants to listen to the interviews,” Officer Wilson said.

Chief Johnson looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “I guess it's all right. We're starting in a few minutes.”

Sarah's heart leapt at the reprieve.
Good, I'm sick of these lectures.

Uncle Walt stood, and Sarah followed his lead. Officer Wilson escorted them to the lobby.

Lacey and her aunt were waiting for them. Sarah saw the angry look on Aunt June's face, and she knew this wasn't over by a long shot. She squared her shoulders, steadying herself for another confrontation.

“You're in so much trouble,” Aunt June fumed.