“Ah,
Mrs. Botts. I’ve been expecting you. Come in. Join me by
the fire.”
A sudden sense of dread came over Bertha then, but she shook it
off as being a nervous reaction to the scene she had just witnessed
in the alley. Augustin was a true friend.
“What a trip I just had,” Bertha said as she sat in
a second easy chair. “Do you know that I just saw someone
being killed in your alley?”
“How horrible for you, my dear”. His face never changed
expression. “Could you recognize anyone?”
“No,” Bertha answered. “He had a hood over his
head. And of course, the victim was in no condition to sit up
so that I could see if it was a him or a her.”
Augustin leaned over and placed the cat on the hearth.
“Perhaps,” he smiled, “I should go out and see
if I can apprehend this person.”
Bertha voiced her opinion that it could be very dangerous, as
the man seemed to be very adept at using the knife. Deep inside
her however, she wanted to say, “Oh, Yes. Hurry. So we can
see more of the gore.”
Augustin
got up from the chair, walked over to his coat rack and slipping
his arms into a heavy topcoat, he turned to Bertha and said, “You
do not have to go with me, dear lady. I will only take a moment
to slip out the back way and look over the fence.”
Bertha felt cheated somewhat and with as innocent a voice as she
could muster, she said, “Oh, please, Augustin. Don’t
go out there alone. I will go with you and together perhaps we
can help that poor victim.”
Augustin shrugged his shoulders and with a wave of his arm, he
motioned for Bertha to precede him out the back door. “As
you wish, Madam. But, please be careful.”
It was a moonless night with the clouds low overhead as Bertha
stepped eagerly into Augustin’s yard. She always loved nights
that were dark and ominous. They had always managed to send chills
and a certain giddiness through her.
“Be very still,” Augustin whispered to her as they
approached the fence.
“I shan’t make a sound,” she purred softly,
all the while hoping that in the darkness, her excitement would
not be that obvious to him.
Augustin and Bertha both peered over the fence in the direction
of the street and could see nothing. The only movement was coming
from a few swirls of dust and other debris.
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