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Continued from previous page…
“Belinda, there’s no conspiracy going on here,” said Kathy. “It’s not what you think.”
“Yeah, you’re imagining things, Babe,” added Gina.
“Am I? Am I, Gina? How could you two be so astonished at what I just said about the hospital visit if all of you knew everything already?” asked Belinda, pointing her finger at both Kathy and Jane. “How come? Huh?”
“Because I told you when we first got here that I just said that shit in the hospital to calm your nerves,” said Gina. “I just said that to get through the conversation at the time.. For Christ’s sake, we were about to escape from a mental institution! I didn’t have time to go through all your personal problems at the time! I had to prepare my plan!”
“Oh, bullshit, Gina. You didn’t seem surprised at all. I don’t care how prepared you had to be, that was pretty heavy stuff I told you.”
“Well, I had some suspicions.. But I didn’t realize it was that deep… And I certainly knew that Kathy and Jane didn’t know,” explained Gina.
“Yeah, Belinda.. I mean, come on. It’s not like we hang around with each other all the time,” Kathy added.
Belinda’s eyes widened as she made one of her classic, comical faces and aimed it at all three of her knucklehead friends.
“NOT LIKE WE HANG AROUND WITH EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME… THAT’S ALL WE DO IS HANG AROUND WITH EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME… In fact, we should be a little embarrassed about how much we hang around with each other at our ages!”
“Oh, come on, Belinda. I see Hollywood friends hang around with each other all the time,” said Jane. “It’s only natural.”
“Yeah, when they get in their seventies!! And they start to lose their minds and desperately need something to hold onto! We’re only in our thirties!”
“I’m not thirty yet,” Kathy reminded.
“Oh, give it a rest, Valentino,” said Belinda with her arms folded. “I hate it when you do that.”
“Do what?” asked Kathy with a smile on her face.
“Remind me of how you’re a whopping four months younger than me,” returned Belinda.
The girls couldn’t help but smile at Belinda’s theatrics, including Belinda herself. Not to mention, they were all well aware that Kathy had a tendency to pull that rabbit out of her hat whenever the opportunity arose. Including Kathy herself.
“Okay, as usual, we’re all getting off the subject here,” reminded Jane. “Come on, Belinda, you’re coming with me.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Jane approached Belinda and latched on to her arm near the elbow. She began speaking as she led—
“We’re going into the kitchen so you can call Myles.. We’re going to do what’s right.. and what’s important.. and what’s gonna get you off the hook.”
As Jane led Belinda away from the situation, Belinda looked back over her shoulder and got out the one, nagging subject matter that still resonated in her brain. The one, last thing that still bugged the shit out of her.
“Three months to prepare for a Pie-Eating Contest, and you guys couldn’t take a few seconds to talk about me?” she shouted-out.
Kathy and Gina smiled at each other as Belinda left the room. For the time being, it seemed as if things might be leveling-out for the gang.
“This is crazy,” Gina remarked.
“It’s more than just a little crazy, Bean… I don’t know who to believe anymore.”
“Do you believe all that stuff she said about Charlotte? All that stuff about her and Myles?”
“I don’t know, Gina… I never once heard Charlotte say anything about her feelings towards Myles… You’d think.. if she really still had feelings for him.. she would have said something… You know, even accidentally… Accidentally letting something slip out while we were talking… Something that I coulda’ caught onto… But, nothing… Never a word.”
“She’s pretty crafty,” Gina observed.
“Yeah, well, not as crafty as I am,” said Kathy. “In all the time we worked together… I would have caught on to something.”
Gina looked at Kathy and did not respond. She knew that Kathy would finish up her train of thoughts.
“Which leads me to only one conclusion,” said Kathy.
“And that is?” Gina inquired.
AUTHOR’S VISION:
Imaginary, spooky music begins to fill the imaginary scene.
“Either Belinda is imagining things… or Charlotte was somebody else when she entered that hospital room,” said Kathy with an eerie tone.
“That’s two,” Gina rebutted, silencing the imaginary movie score.
As the music comes to comical thud, Kathy crinkles her lips and addresses Gina like the wise-ass that she is—
“Two for one, Buttface… Like a coupon at the grocery store.”
Gina’s final facial expression officially ends the confrontation.
Before either one of them could utter another word, Kathy’s intercom system let out a blaring buzz sound that interrupted the silence and sent chills down everyone’s spine. The sound was even loud enough to alert Jane and Belinda from the other room. Gina and Kathy glared at each other with their mouths hanging wide open.
“Who’s that?” asked Gina.
“I don’t know,” answered Kathy.
The two of them were frozen solid until Gina came to an obvious conclusion.
“I guess we better find out,” she remarked.
“Yeah, I guess we should,” said Kathy as she started creeping towards the intercom.
Gina did not move a muscle. Kathy looked back at her.
“Aren’t you coming with?” she asked.
“No.. I like it right here,” said Gina. “I’ve always been comfortable in this spot.”
Kathy did not wait for Gina to say another word. She angrily reached over and grabbed Gina by the arm.
“You’re coming with,” she said.
“Alright, alright, you don’t have to pull my arm out of the socket,” complained Gina. “I’d have a pretty tough time playing the drums with…”
“Shut up,” said Kathy as they arrived at the intercom. “I oughta’ make you press the button and speak.”
“It’s your house!!” said Gina in a whispered shout.
Just like Gina before, Kathy did not move a muscle. She was too petrified.
“Well… go ahead,” said Gina.
“I’m tryin’ to think of what I should say,” said Kathy, trembling.
Gina had heard enough from her fellow rhythmist. She rolled her eyes around and offered an array of options—
“Well, let’s see… Oh, here’s one that’s never been said before— How about ‘hello?’ Or here’s one you might consider— Yes, Kathy Valentine’s residence? Or here’s one that I just invented— Who is it?”
As expected, Kathy glared-down her riotous friend with sarcastic contempt.
“Alright, smart-ass, I know what to say,” said Kathy as she reached up to press the ‘call’ button.
But saying and doing were two different things. Kathy thought of Gina’s options, then proceeded to screw them all up.
“Hello.. who is Kathy.. I mean.. this is residence… Hi, yes, this is Kathy…”
Kathy looked over at Gina with a desperate, pathetic look.
“What’s my last name?” she asked.
“Valentine,” Gina answered.
“Valentine… This is Kathy Valentine. Can I help you?”
Gina gave her the ‘okay’ thumb and forefinger symbol.
“Hello, this is the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department out at your front gate… I was wondering if we could have a few words with you,” said the voice.
Gina and Kathy glared at each other. Sure enough, it was the cops.
“Uhh.. now’s not a good time,” Kathy answered back.
There was a brief moment of silence as Kathy and Gina waited for a response.
“Could you open up the front gate, please?” said the deputy.
Kathy had no choice.
“Okay.. gimme a minute,” she mustered.
“Thank you,” said the deputy.
All of a sudden, Jane emerged from the kitchen and blurted out—
“Who is it?” she asked.
“It’s the cops! Belinda’s gonna have to turn herself in,” replied Gina as she looked at Kathy for support. “I guess I’ll have to, too.”
The three of them exchanged sorrowful looks at each other before Jane came to the obvious, painful conclusion.
“Alright… I’ll go get her,” she said, dejectedly.
While Jane left the room, Kathy reached up to buzz-in the occupants at the front gate. As soon as she finished the task, however, Kathy and Gina heard a scream come from the other room. They immediately glanced at each other, then bolted towards the kitchen. Unfortunately, they never made it all the way there. Jane stepped up and blocked their way just before the entranceway. She had a terrified, panic-stricken look on her face.
“What is it?” Kathy gasped.
“Belinda’s gone,” uttered Jane.
“What?!!” exclaimed Gina as she pushed her way past Jane and into the kitchen. Kathy followed right behind her.
Sure enough, the two of them looked over towards the telephone on the wall and saw the receiver hanging down by the chord towards the ground, spinning around in an ominous position. Then they followed their prospective glances towards the back door.
It was hanging open.
Belinda was gone.