The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag 00 - Skeletons in the Closet

bemusement.
    Oh shit, both my mother’s voice and my own inner monologue chorused. I had totally given him the wrong impression, pulling off a Don’t stand so close to me. I snatched my hand back and picked up on the not so subtle throat clearing coming from the doorway.
    The portly woman in the doorway was in her late sixties, and she didn’t bother to hide her distaste. It took me a minute to place her as the Kline’s cook.
    Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. You’ve really stepped in it this time….
    I did my best crustacean scuttle all the way home.

    * * * *
    I called a few of Marty’s friends, trying to track him down, but came up with squat. My brother had done his David Copperfield escape-from-the-jaws-of-commitment-and-then-disappeared-into-the-night routine. Kenny and Josh stepped off the bus, and I had a list of chores for each of them which I needed done over the weekend. Both boys are more computer savvy than I ever hope to be, and I’d assigned them to research the men who my mother-in-law had invited to Thanksgiving dinner.
    Neil had called her and attempted to change the venue to an upscale restaurant, but he reported it had been like trying to dislodge a giant sequoia with a plastic sand shovel. So I was stuck. Nothing new there.
    I’d finished my shopping list based on my mother-in-law’s menu when Neil arrived home. I dreaded telling him about my encounter with Mr. Kline, because no matter how I phrased it in my head, it sounded awful. There was no simple way to explain what had happened.
    “What’s up, sweets?” Neil gave me a peck on the cheek and stuck his head in the refrigerator. I wrung my hands and debated what to tell him.
    “I hit on Mr. Kline,” I blurted out.
    Neil emerged with a bowl of antipasto salad and a huge grin. “Do tell.”
    “Well, I uh, went to get my phone, ya know?” I looked up at him hopefully. He nodded, and I scoured my mind looking for the right words. “So, I was there, and he had my phone in his office, and there was this chastity belt….” I trailed off as Neil gagged on a piece of mozzarella. “Do you need me to do the Heimlich?”
    “No, I’m good. You just took me by surprise there. Maybe I should wait to eat anything until I hear this.”
    “Well, I found out that Mr. Kline knew, you know, about Mrs. Kline, and he didn’t seem as intimidating, more like depressed.”
    “So you thought you’d cheer him up,” Neil finished my thought.
    “Exactly!” I said, elated that Neil understood.
    “And you decided to hit on him.” Neil shook his head.
    “NO! I mean, I didn’t intend to hit on him, more like I was trying to bolster him up, you know? But he took it the wrong way, and that’s when the cook walked in….” I bit my lip, wondering if I could explain my way out of this.
    “What exactly did the cook walk in on, Maggie?” The words were dangerous, but amusement danced in his green gaze.
    I put my hands on my hips. “You’re having way too much fun with this.”
    “Gotta take it where I can get it.”
    I was about to tell him exactly where he should put it, when the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock. Almost eleven. I tromped down to the front door and turned on the outside light. And began hyperventilating at the sight of two police officers on our door step.
    Marty.
    I looked at Neil, who was about to open the door, and he studied me for a second before squeezing my hand. I knew he understood what I was afraid of.
    Oh, God . Please let my brother be all right.
    “Mrs. Margaret Phillips?” The taller of the two police officers stepped forward.
    I couldn’t speak. Neil answered for me. “This is Maggie.”
    “Ma’am, I’m afraid we need to ask you a few questions.”
    “Is he dead?” I practically shouted at the young officer, wishing he would get to the frigging point.
    The policeman exchanged glances with his stockier companion before answering. “No, ma’am, he’s fine, but we have him in custody. If we could come in for a few minutes—”
    “What’s he charged with?” I demanded. Marty arrested. Dear Lord, what had he gotten himself into now?
    Neil pulled me back from the doorway so that the policemen could come in. I pushed against his chest, but his hold was like a vice.
    “Officers, maybe you should start at the beginning.” Neil’s calm voice washed over me, but instead of calming me it upset me even more. He knew my brother needed me and he was standing there asking the officers to prolong the