Oct 8, 2022
The Lady (and her husband) Vanishes Pt 3
A Panster Story (still continued)
Maria
By the time Rosie called me, I was already on my way to my car. I took a big chance leaving the house.
The neighbor has seen the old couple and maybe on to them. And may be on to me too.
I drove to the coffee house. Rosie was already waiting outside for me.
Jump in. Let’s get out of here.
“How did this happen?” Rosie asked out loud as she lit a cigarette and pulled her hair into a pony tail.
After that, neither one of us spoke for the remainder of the drive.
When we arrived back at the house, we entered the same way I left (through the garage that faces the alley behind the house).
Rosie got out first and walked quickly into the house. I remained in the car for a few minutes and thought about what to do next.
Do we leave? Do we stay? Do we warn them? Do we tell my neighbor the truth? Would anyone believe us?
I stepped out of the car and grabbed a Dr Pepper from the fridge in the garage. It’s my go-to when I am stressed.
“Ok”, I sighed as I sat across from Rosie at the kitchen table. I told her about the neighbor coming over with a French Press -not unlike she has done on other occasions. There was no need to be suspicious of her visit.
Then the neighbor started asking about “the old couple”.
I could not clear out the neighbor from house fast enough. In hasty exit, the neighbor left the precious French Press behind.
She was in a hurry to leave. That made me nervous.
Rosie showed no emotion. She was listened as she sucked on her Marlboro Red cigarette. The tip of her cigarette became a bright orange with each inhale and each inhale was longer than the last.
She’s nervous. That’s not good.
As I unchained my bike, I realized the front tire was flat. I walked my bike three blocks to the bike shop. I used this detour to get wrap my head around what I just saw.
Seeing Maria outside was confusing enough, but seeing her drive a car like a Fast and Furious stunt driver as she picked up Rosie was mind blowing.
Are they lovers? Are they spies? Are they criminals?
I Googled both women as I waited for the bike genius to fix my tire and checks the brakes and chains and gears. (He always does that. Sweet guy).
Neither women have an online presence. Not even the online English teacher.
Who really is Maria? And why isn’t Rosie anywhere on the internet?
Rosie
After a few hours, Maria broke the silence.
“Ok so we can use this breach to our advantage,” she said to me in her annoying monotone voice.
“We can recruit the neighbor. We have been looking to get some help.”
Although I agreed that they could use some help, I did not think the neighbor to be a solid recruit.
What choice do we have ?
Ok, I agreed. My reluctance was not lost on Maria. She ignored it and went on with her plan.
Maria
I explained to Rosie that we needed to get the neighbor on board. It was easier and more humane than the alternative.
I don’t want to kill anyone if I don’t have to.
So we will slowly explain and maybe we can have a volunteer recruit and not a dead body, I told Rosie.
She agreed with much caution. I’ll take it.
The next morning at 9:00am , Maria texted me a picture of my French Press with coffee in it with the caption “fresh brew. come over?”
At 9:10am I knocked on her door.
By 9:17am we were sitting at her kitchen table in full view of the sidewalk where the old couple was scheduled to appear.
The passed by her house at 9:18am. She looked straight at them, her eyes following them as they walked past. Then she turned to look at me.
Her eyes spoke volumes.
“I know you know I lied to you about seeing the old couple.”
No words on the matter were exchanged.
Maria took another sip of her coffee, slowly put her mug down and began to speak.
