Death on a Deadline

staring at me intently. No doubt she knew exactly what I was thinking. I picked up the cup and drank. Black coffee. Yuck. But whatever she’d put in it was tasteless.
    “Did Hank know the coffee was drugged?”
    She shook her head. “He had no idea. A nice cup of fresh-brewed coffee—my little way of making it up to him for threatening to keep Marge away from me. The golf club wasn’t necessary, but it helped me feel better about him firing me from Dear Pru.”
    I gasped.
    She laughed. “You didn’t guess? See? I was good at it. If the golf pro hadn’t been such a big baby. . .” She shook her head and clucked her tongue. “Hank had to die.”
    “What about Brendan?”
    She looked at me and tilted her head.
    I faked a yawn and was rewarded with a big smile from her. “How’d you get him to drink coffee with you?” My words were slurred. Not too much, but enough to buy me some time.
    “I thought Brendan was different at first. One of those rare good men. He didn’t seem to have a problem, helping Marge with her pain medicine as long as the payments kept coming. But then he started figuring things out after Hank’s death. And you kept asking questions. So I held a gun on him and he wrote the note, then drank his coffee just like you are.” Her smile was gone. “Only he went out fast like your sister.”
    I shuddered and looked at Carly’s cup. Hers was barely touched. Mine was half gone. How much more could I take?
    “It was painless. He was unconscious when the fire started. Take another drink.” Her voice had changed and the smile was gone. Should I pretend to pass out on the table? Or was her idea of painless death to knock us out with drugs, then put a bullet through our skulls? I couldn’t chance it.
    I reached for my cup but missed on purpose and yawned again.
    She pushed to her feet. “Good. It’s finally kicking in.” She waved the gun at me and I braced myself for the shot. “Come on and help me with your sister while you can still stand.”
    She put one arm under Carly’s but I remained seated. No need to make it easy for her.
    The gun barrel shifted to Carly. “She’s dead weight anyway. Doesn’t matter to me if she’s just plain dead. Nobody will notice the gunshot by the time her body washes to shore.”
    I stood quickly, then remembered the drugs should be affecting me. I moved to Carly’s other side, stumbling as I went. “To shore?” I asked, slurring the words.
    “Yeah, you’re going to have another little car accident. Only this time your dear sister is going to drive you into the river.” She heaved Carly up and I helped. Our chances of getting away would surely be better outside. And had she forgotten I was a swimmer? It would be tough but I had a better than average chance of rescuing us. If the pills didn’t kick in.
    I knew from past experience that when the pills took effect, it would happen all at once. In my mind, I kept a stream of prayers going up, asking for that moment not to be too soon. Carly had conveniently parked the van facing straight toward the river bluff. Nothing would stop two sleepy sisters from plunging to their death. And how long would it be before anyone even knew we were missing?
    Too soon we were at the van and Lois leaned Carly against the side and opened the driver’s door.
    “Lois!”
    Startled, Lois turned. Marge stood there in the driveway. I threw myself against Lois. Her gun went flying and she tumbled to the ground with Carly and me in her wake. Thankfully Lois landed on bottom. I looked up to see Marge holding the gun.
    Lois scrambled to her feet, knocking Carly and me into the grass. “What are you going to do? Shoot me?” she taunted Marge.
    “Try me,” Marge said grimly. “Just try me.”
    Lois’s eyes widened. “Hank was going to keep us apart. He was so mad at me for helping you get pills. He said I’d never see you again.”
    “I wouldn’t have let that happen.” Tears trickled down Marge’s face, but the gun in her hand never wavered.
    “I did it for you, Marge. I did it all for you.”
    Sirens sounded in the distance.
    “Save it for the judge,” Marge said, then looked down at me. “You alright, honey?”
    “I’m sheep—sleepy.” I fought to get up but couldn’t lift my head.
    “It’s too late for her. She’s had enough roofies to kill a horse.” Lois laughed. “At least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing I took care of Miss Nosy before they got me.”
    The world was fading to black