1 A Paw-sible Theory (7 page)

“Happy owner, happy cat. Indifferent owner, reclusive cat.”

––
Chinese Proverb

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
 
Guilty Until Proven Innocent

“You’re joking, right?”

“I wish I was, but no; I’m not joking”

“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. That’s unbelievable. How did they arrive at that conclusion?”

“His lawyer, David Hunter, says the evidence against him is substantial.”

“I’m sorry; I’m having trouble processing what you’re saying. Did you say Ethan has been arrested for trying to kill me?”

They stopped talking when Maggie entered the room in a whirlwind and went straight to Alyx’s bedside. “He told you, didn’t he?”

The animosity was palpable between Bob and Maggie, as always. Bob said he had an appointment with Ethan’s lawyer and that he’d be back later to check on her and left in a hurry, almost stepping on my tail which was dangling a bit under the screen, as he stormed out of the room.

“He’s got a lot of nerve,” snarled Maggie.

“Maggie, it’s okay,” replied Alyx. “He said Ethan asked him to keep an eye on me.”

“I know; Ethan told me he was going to do that. He’s worried that since the police think they have their man, they’ve stopped looking and whoever wanted to hurt you is still out there.”

“Well, then give him a break, Maggie. I know you don’t like him. I know you think he’s a jackass for his emotional abandonment of Ethan, and I agree, but he’s trying to make up for it. After all, he did hire the attorney for Ethan’s defense. The ‘best in the county,’ meaning he didn’t come cheap.”

“Yeah, well…that wasn’t exactly his idea,” Maggie said in a hushed tone. “I knew you’d be mad when you found out,” then louder, “but that man has had an easy ride for too long.”

“He didn’t know I was struggling to make ends meet while Ethan finished college. I never asked him for financial support. And I’m not mad. You had no choice; you got stuck with the store, the clients, and the cats.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t want to talk about Bob anymore.”

“Okay, let’s not talk about Bob. What’s important is how you are?”

“They tell me I’m going to be all right; vision, hearing, and motor skills are a little sluggish, but are all working properly. I do have a horrible headache that they tell me will go away, eventually. Dr. Casey wants to keep me in the hospital for a few more days but I’m going to try to get him to discharge me tomorrow.”

Maggie didn’t comment.

“I had the strangest experience just before I opened my eyes.”

“You remember it? That’s incredible.”

“I found myself in a strange state of being. It was as if I was dreaming, but not exactly. There were split second occurrences when I felt my eyelids flicker as if given an electric charge. At first, it was just sparks of awareness, sparks that gradually spread to other areas of the brain. The sensation was that of falling asleep, that instant when consciousness gives way to unconsciousness, that place that I sometimes feel pulled to and fight to come back from, waking with a start––heart pounding.

I heard a voice and felt the warmth of a touch. Focusing on that sensation seemed to boost my ability to pull out of the darkness. Then, it ended, thrusting me into an odd twilight zone where I struggled to understand the nebulous images forming in my mind.

I saw myself as a young woman in my parents’ living room. There were colored lights and pleasant sounds. The sounds were familiar voices. The colored lights swimming in front of me organized into a continuous string wrapped around a Christmas tree.

The dream was pleasant and I didn’t want to wake up. I saw my brother with a movie camera; his wife was directing the action. She told everyone to get up and dance. “Try to look like you’re having fun,” she said. Everyone got up and pretended to dance, pretended because there was no music, and laughed for real.

That scene faded into darkness, and another picture emerged. It didn’t take as long to recognize the house that Bob and I lovingly renovated right after we got married. I was looking down at the beautiful, angelic face of a baby boy––our baby. Bob had his arm loosely draped around my shoulders, and cold as steel, his empty blue eyes cut through me to the core. I could feel my heart thudding. I fought to wake up from the nightmare, but descended into a deeper darkness instead. Suddenly, another scene emerged. This time, I was sitting on the couch with an arm around a ten-year-old boy who was crying softly while his father was trying to explain why he was moving somewhere else. Overcome with unbelievable sadness for the boy, I felt real tears streaming down my cheeks, the sadness turned to anger, and that’s when I woke-up.”

“You should write it all down before you forget it.”

“That’s why I told you. I learned that if I tell someone my dreams as soon as I wake up, I don’t forget them, and since you recorded it, I won’t forget for sure.”

“You gave us quite a scare, sweetie. I’m glad you’re going to be all right. I know Ethan will be happy to hear the news; he’s been worried about you.”

“And I’m worried about him. I didn’t see anyone or hear anything before I was hit in the head, Saturday morning,” she said, trying hard not to sound hopeless. “All I know is that I was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for you and Ethan, and the next thing, I’m in a hospital bed.” Her voice broke and she pulled a tissue from the box on her side table.

“Maggie,” Alyx said, “I’m sure Ethan didn’t do this. It’s so unfair. By keeping him in prison, they are punishing him without a trial. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

“I know what you mean. I guess the judge looked at the evidence and decided Ethan could be a threat to you, or could leave town or both.”

“Ethan wouldn’t have done either of those things because he’s innocent,” Alyx asserted in frustration.

Just then, a young man about Ethan’s age, wearing khakis, a black shirt and a striped blue, yellow and navy tie walked in.

“Ms. Hille, my name is Tony…Tony Mallory. I’m an investigator from the State Attorney’s office. I’d like to ask you some questions.”

Maggie got up to leave. Alyx put her hand out signaling her to stay. “Is it okay if my friend stays?”

“No problem, if that’s what you want.”

Maggie sat back down while Alyx told the young investigator the same story she had told Smarts and Maggie.

Then, the young man showed Alyx pictures of the pieces of pottery found on the kitchen floor. I stretched my head out from behind the screen, trying to catch a glimpse of the photos. “Just one more question, Ms. Hille. Here is a photograph of the presumed weapon used, the earthenware pot; do you recognize it? Do you remember where it was?”

“I’m sorry,” replied Alyx, “I still feel a little disoriented. I can’t quite picture it or where it might have been displayed.” She lay back on the hospital bed.

“Is this necessary? Can’t you come back tomorrow?” questioned Maggie.

“It’s all right, Maggie,” said Alyx, sitting up, “just let me focus for a moment. Ethan made several pots and I have them all over the house. Right now, I have no idea. All I see is pieces of a broken pot.” She shook her head in discouragement.

“Dogs have owners, cats have staff.”

––
Unknown

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
 
Sentimental Expressions

She couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for it, but Alyx agreed to Maggie’s offer to read her get-well cards and the gift tags on the flowers, no doubt to cheer her up, although, she didn’t say so.

I saw Alyx wipe away an errant tear. “Since I rarely hear from anyone, I’m surprised and touched by all the cards and flowers from my family. I was always the one to initiate contact, and when I stopped calling, no one else picked up the phone. At first, I excused it by telling myself they were just busy, caught up in their own lives and families, but I was busy too and somehow I managed to find the time. After a while, I just didn’t think about it at all. As you know, the only one that keeps in touch with me is my older sister, Kathy, and that’s only a few times a year, usually around the holidays.”

“I think they mean the sentiments expressed in these cards, don’t you?” Maggie asked.

“Yes, I do and when this mess is straightened out, I’m going home for a visit, and I’d like you to come. Ethan too, if he can take off work,” Alyx said with resolve.

“It’s a deal,” Maggie said as she picked up a colorful watering can filled with daisies. “I think these are my favorite. They’re so cheerful.”

“You know how much I love flowers; they’re all beautiful to me. Who sent those?”

“Charvette said they’re from Justin Marks, the dealer you met at the antique show in Georgia––the guy you never mentioned to me.”

“I never mentioned him because there was nothing to mention. We had coffee a couple of times and then we lost track of him. Why is he sending me flowers?” Alyx said.

Maggie opened the gift tag and looked up puzzled. “That’s weird; there’s no name on the card. How did Charvette know who sent them?” she questioned. “It just says ‘I wish you a peaceful rest.’ That’s a strange thing to say, don’t you think?”

Alyx wasn’t paying attention, didn’t answer her question, and asked one of her own instead, “Do they allow prisoners to make calls whenever they want?”

“Not whenever. They have certain times when they can make calls. I’m sure Ethan will call as soon as he can, once he knows you’re awake.”

“Can I call him?”

“No; they’re not allowed to receive calls and they can only make collect calls out.” Alyx looked around, dazed and leaned back on the bed. “Alyx, you’re starting to fade out. I’m going to take off so you can get some rest. Is there anything you want me to bring you from home when I come back?”

Alyx appeared to think about it, and then asked for a few things: toothbrush, hairbrush, lipstick and mascara, and some bedclothes that didn’t expose her to the world. She pulled the cover up to her neck while Maggie gathered her things and was asleep before Maggie left the room.

Maggie didn’t say where she was going, and if she went home and didn’t find me there, I’d have a big problem on my hands. I faced a dilemma. When Bob had left, he said he was going to see David Hunter, and I heard him on the phone out in the hall making an appointment to meet him at an outdoor coffee shop within walking distance of the hospital. It was important that I know exactly what was going on with Ethan from the lawyer’s point of view and also ascertain if Alyx was in any danger. I started to think maybe I’d made a mistake by thinking I could handle it all. I quickly dismissed that negative thought and decided to take a chance with Maggie. I still had an hour before Bob’s appointment with the lawyer and decided to stay where I was for the time being.

Alyx was lying with her back to the door, so she didn’t see anyone come in, and didn’t know anyone was in the room until she heard whispering. Her brother Tom and his wife Susan had entered and were at her side.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t know you were here.”

Tom squeezed her hand. “Glad to see you’re awake.”

“We thought you were sleeping and didn’t want to wake you,” chimed in Susan.

“I’ve been awake for a while. I was trying hard to remember anything that might shed some light on what happened. There’s something tickling the back of my mind and it just isn’t coming to the surface. How long have you been here?”

“We’ve been sitting out in the hall for about ten minutes or so.”

“We were here yesterday too,” said Susan as she leaned down to kiss Alyx’s cheek. “Anyway, how do you feel?”

“Physically, I’m fine. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go home tomorrow.”

“Ethan called and left a message but the message didn’t say much about what had happened and he didn’t have anything to add when we came to see you Saturday,” said Tom.

“I think he was embarrassed that we caught him holding your hand and talking to you when we walked in,” said Susan. I told him I thought it was a good idea, that maybe you could hear him and help you find your way home. He just gave me a tight-lipped smile.”

“So, what happened? Did you see who hit you?” asked Tom.

Susan interrupted, “What about the police, do they know who might have done this or why?” and at the same time, Tom wanted to know what she remembered.

Susan shook her head. “Very strange situation, if you ask me.”

Although they had moved to Florida a few years before Alyx’s divorce and only lived thirty miles away, they hadn’t been there for Alyx when she needed support nor had they played a big role in Ethan’s life while he was growing up. In fact, Alyx hardly ever saw them and her reaction to the intrusive and irritating rapid fire questioning, was what I expected.

“This is starting to sound like an inquisition,” and she quickly added, “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”

“Yes you did,” Tom stated, “and you’re right.” He turned to Susan, “We should go. She needs to rest,” he said as he took her hand.

Alyx followed their hesitant exit from the room, the sense of loss reflected in the expression on her face. I wondered if they knew that Ethan was in jail; they hadn’t mentioned it, so maybe they didn’t, but it didn’t matter; they probably wouldn’t visit him anyway.

Both Alyx and Ethan liked to bring me along when they went on their errands so I knew my way around downtown, logically more so my own neighborhood. The sidewalk café where Bob was to meet the defense attorney had several large potted plants to hide behind, one close enough for me to hear their conversation.

“She’s going behind Alyx’s back and using Ethan to boot,” were the first words out of Bob’s mouth.

“I’m glad you called with the information,” Hunter said after they shook hands.

“I knew she couldn’t be trusted. I told Alyx the first time I met her that she was too good to be true. ”

Hunter pulled out a notebook from his briefcase and placed it on the table. “What did you hear, exactly?”

“Maggie said that, no, she didn’t get a chance to talk to Alyx again about the offer, and she said that Alyx was still mad at her for even considering moving the store to another location.”

“What about Ethan, how is he involved?”

“Maggie said that she hadn’t asked Ethan if he’d discussed it with his mother.”

David Hunter leaned back in his chair, took a deep breath, and exhaled through pursed lips.

“I took this case because I believe Ethan is innocent. I knew from the start that it was going to be a challenge. We all hoped his mother could clear him but now you tell me she doesn’t remember anything.” He pinched the bridge on his nose. “I don’t suppose you have any aspirin, do you?”

“No, my wife usually carries that stuff in her purse.”

“As I said, I believe Ethan is innocent, the prosecutor believes it’s an open and shut case and the evidence supports it. I’m afraid nothing short of a miracle is going to keep that young man out of prison. At this point, the only defense is to emphasize the good relationship between Ethan and his mother. The jury has to be convinced that he could not have committed the crime.”

The server brought two iced coffees, placed them both in front of Hunter, and handed one to Bob.

“Frankly, I’m having a tough time finding anything positive for Ethan,” noted the lawyer, “and depending on what he has to say, what you’ve just told me may turn out to hurt him rather than help.”

Bob’s face registered confusion followed by disappointment. “How can it hurt him? It sounds to me like Maggie had a motive for wanting Alyx out of the way.”

“That’s true. She may have had a motive and opportunity, but so did Ethan, and it’s his prints on the pot,” he stated. “I’m sorry; I know that’s not what you want to hear.”

“No. I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand.”

“At any rate, I’m going to see Ethan some time today. I’ll discuss it with him and I’ll take it from there. I’ll also tell him the good news that his mother has regained consciousness, and then I have to tell him the bad news that she doesn’t know who hit her.”

David Hunter then told Bob that he was going to interview Alyx next, and in my zeal to get back to Alyx’s room before he did, I sprinted and accidently bumped into the next table, knocking an empty plastic cup off the table––I’m pretty sure Hunter saw me running away––if only my backside.