SUSPICIONS, PART FOURTEEN

"Oh, Hi, Remy." said Nick, unlocking his front door.

"I've got my x-rays and everything." said Remy, following him into the living room, "Now I can get that operation!"

"That's nice." Nick wasn't in the mood to care about other peoples' problems. He took the thick file folder she handed him and glanced through it.

"I'd like to go to New Orleans right away - tonight!" said Remy, "So, could you write me a cheque for - fifty thousand dollars?"

"What for?"

"Nick! You said you'd pay for my operation! Dr Baxley wants ten percent in advance. That's $50,000."

"He ought to operate on you for free!" said Nick, "You're gonna make medical history!"

"I am?"

"Yeah! You say your tumour is in the medulla oblongata?"

Remy nodded, not sure where this was leading.

"That's the brainstem - the part just above the back of your neck." said Nick, "But - according to these x-rays - the tumour is now at the side of your brain, not at the back. It must have moved, all by itself!"

"Uh-"

"Whose x-rays are these, really?"

"Mine!" said Remy, "I was wrong about where the tumour is! So? I'm not a doctor!"

"You must really think I'm stupid!" said Nick, "When I went to visit Sofia at the hospital, I saw Tito Banacek in the hallway. He was carrying something - this file, right? He stole it for you! The two of you are working together!"

He picked up the telephone.

"Who are you calling?"

"The police!"

"Nick, please, no!" said Remy, "Okay, I admit it! I tried to scam you! I really need the money! I've got to get away from Bay City! I'm still underage! If she finds out I'm here -"

"She?" said Nick. A little lightbulb went on over his head, metaphorically, "Margaret Allen! You're - Deodata! You're her daughter!"

"I'm not her daughter, I'm her lab rat!" said Remy (or Deodata), "You don't know the kind of life I had with 'my mother'. I was never allowed to go to school, or to play with 'ordinary children'. It was just one test after another - 'developing my psychic abilities'! Then, when I was fifteen - fifteen! - she introduced me to this slimy creep named Zack Wilder, and said I was supposed to have his baby!"

"What?"

"Yeah - he's psychic too, so our baby would be Twice as psychic! That was when I ran away!"

"I don't blame you." said Nick.

"I met Tito on the streets, and he taught me how to survive. We read in the paper about your father dying and leaving you a fortune, so we came to Bay City to scam you."

Nick sighed, took out a chequebook, and began to write.

"I'm probably falling for another scam." he said, "But I don't really want to send you to jail." He handed Remy the finished cheque.

"A thousand dollars?"

"Travelling money." said Nick, "Leave Bay City tonight. If I see you again, I'll turn you in. Go to Boca Raton, Florida."

"Why Boca Raton?"

"That's where the National Enquirer is published. They'd probably pay you $50,000 for your life story."

"I never thought of that! Thanks, Nick!"

****

"Good morning, my beautiful bride!" said Sergei, "I cook breakfast!"

"Just let me untie that feather boa first." said Felicia. (:-D)

****

Rachel had worked late in her studio, turning her sketch of Jordan Stark into a bust. It was rough but recognizable. She was contemplating it in the morning light when her cell-phone rang.

"Rachel? How are you today?"

"Mr Stark! How did you get this number?"

"I have mystical powers! I wanted to invite you to have lunch with me, at my office."

"Why?"

"I enjoy your company - and it will give us a chance to talk more about the Lumina Foundation's work."

"Very well," said Rachel, "Shall we say, one o'clock?"

Rachel put the phone away, took a long look at the sketch, then dug her fingers into the moist clay of the bust.

****

The most beautiful woman Sofia had ever seen was standing in the doorway of her hospital room: a cloud of raven hair framed a face with a complexion like the petals of a white rose -

"Hello Sofia." she said, in a voice that dripped magnolias and honey.

Good grief, It's Scarlett O'Hara! Sofia thought.

"Lila! What are you doing here?" said Paulina, entering the room.

"Ah jist wawned to tell Sofia how sorry Ah am 'bout whut happened."

"I think you'd better leave!"

With an apologetic look at Sofia, Lila exited.

"So, that's Lila!" said Sofia, "No wonder Matt slept with her! She's gorgeous!"

"There's nothing wrong with her looks." said Paulina, "Sofia, I'm sorry I didn't come to see you until now -"

"I'm surprised you came at all, after the way I treated you." said Sofia.

"Oh, I understand about that." said Paulina, "Joe told you I was still taking drugs, and it never occurred to you that your brother might be wrong! No, I just didn't want to run into Joe, now that I'm getting a divorce."

"Divorce?"

"It turns out that the whole time Joe was accusing me of being a junkie, he was sleeping with my sister!"

"Amanda - and Joey?"

"When I think how I used to humble myself before Joe's self-righteousness, I want to stick a fork in his eye!"

****

"Exterminators!"

The guard at the front desk of the Lumina Building looked up at the three men in coveralls - one bearded, one with lank blonde hair, and one short and stocky.

"Huh?" he said.

"We got a report of -" The short one consulted his clipboard, " -Cockroaches the size of silver dollars. We're here to send them to Roach Heaven."

"Nobody told me." said the guard, reaching for his phone, "I'll have to check."

"We can't wait around all day! You think you're the only ones with a roach problem? Our time is valuable! We were called in by - " He consulted his clipboard again, "Jordan Stark."

"Well, I guess it will be okay, then." said the guard.

"It always helps if your opponent hires mental midgets." Frohike muttered, as the Lone Gunmen got onto the elevator.

To be continued.