Missy wilkinson, PI - the Early Year, the seventh chapter
Act Seven - the musical chapter
They were driving to a new location north of town. The police had just found the latest victim, and Missy wanted to get there quickly.
“Wait a second!” Missy yelled. “Pull over this car!”
The pulled over and everyone leapt out of the car. Missy looked frantic.
“What is it, Missy?” Mary asked.
“What did that say?” Missy asked, holding her hands out to stop everything.
“What?” Gary asked. “Did we miss a sign somewhere?”
“No, at the top of the page,” Missy asked. “What did it say?”
“I wasn’t paying attention,” Mary explained. “I was listening to Jose. He’s learned to say the cutest thing.”
“Chimichanga!” Jose called out.
“Isn’t it adorable? He’s such a cute pug. Aren’t you such a cute pug,” Mary said, kneeling down next to the dog.
“I think it said ‘the musical chapter’ at the top of the page,” Missy said. “Is that what I read?”
“Seriously? The musical chapter?” Mary asked.
“Oh… no no no no no no,” Missy muttered. “I refuse to deal with a musical chapter. That’s not in my contract.”
In actuality, it was in Missy’s contract. There was an entire clause regarding a musical chapter.
“I don’t believe that,” Missy argued, but she could not win this argument because while she had been investigating, all legalities had been checked and she was indeed now required to do a musical chapter.
“I hate this writer,” Missy said, eyes glaring.
“Who is the author?” Mary asked.
“I don’t know, but if I ever find out… There will be blood.”
A loud noise that sounded like a lot of piano keys being shattered echoed behind them. Missy sighed and turned, seeing the piano on top of their rental car.
“We’re going to need a new car,” Mary said as she pulled out her cell phone to call for a replacement.
The replacement drove up. It was a very large car. It was larger than any of them had ever seen before.
“Is that a Chrysler?” Missy asked. She shook her head. “Let’s just get in an head out. I have the directions to the place.
The car was so large that Mary was able to drive, Jose sat next to her, Gary sat next to the dog, and Missy sat next to Gary. They drove for a few minutes until a sign post was ahead of them. Mary slowed down to read it.
“What does that sign say?” Gary asked.
“It’s faded,” Missy replied. “Something about fifteen miles to…”
“I’ve got it!” Mary shouted. “If you see a faded sign by the side of the road that says fifteen miles to the Love Shack!”
“Love Shack?” Missy asked, “baby…”
“We’re headin’ down the Atlanta highway,” Gary said.
“No we’re not. This is the interstate and we’re not in Georgia,” Missy argued. “Wait… Are we looking for the love getaway.”
“Heading for the love getaway,” Gary replied. “Love getaway.”
“Okay, that’s just creepy,” Missy commented.
Mary was steering with her elbows. “I got me a car, it’s as big as a whale and we’re headin’ on down to the Love Shack!”
“She’s got her a Chrysler,” Missy said. “It seats about twenty!”
“So hurry up and bring your jukebox money!” Gary said.
“What jukebox?” Missy asked.
“At the Love Shack! It’s a little known place where… we can get together!” Mary announced.
“Love shack baby!” Gary said.
“Love Shack baby?” Missy asked.
Gary turned to look at her with very seductive eyes. “Love, baby, that’s where it’s at… Ooooh, love, baby, that’s where it’s at.”
“Never look at me like that again,” Missy snapped.
“Another sign!” Mary shouted. “Sign says… Wooo! Stay away fools! ‘Cause love rules at the Love Shack!”
They turned down a long dirt road.
“Well, it’s certainly set way back in the middle of a field,” Missy remarked. “It’s just a funky old shack… Oh, I gotta get back.”
“I’ll bet there’s glitter on the mattress,” Gary commented.
“There’s glitter on the highway,” Mary showed them.
“There’s glitter on the front porch?” Missy was shocked.
“Think there’s glitter on the hallway?” Gary asked.
“How much did all this glitter cost these people?” Missy asked.
“Oh, Missy… The Love Shack is a little old place where we can get together,” Mary told her.
“Love Shack baby,” Gary said.
Missy slapped him as the car came to a stop. “I said never look at me like that again.”
“Love Shack, that’s where it’s at!” Mary picked up Jose and rushed out of the car.
“Huggin’ and a kissin’,” Gary called out. “Dancin’ and a lovin’! Wearin’ next to nothing cause it’s hot as an oven.”
“If you remove your clothes, you’ll find yourself in a different story, Gary,” Missy snapped.
Mary screeched and pointed as the shack was rocking. “The whole shack shimmies! The whole shack shimmies when everybody’s movin’ around and around and around!”
The door opened and a man fell out. “Everybody’s moving! Everybody’s grovin’ baby!”
“There’re folks linin’ up outside just to get down,” Mary said.
The man on the ground lifted his head up. “Everybody’s moving! Everybody’s grovin’ baby!”
Missy held her nose. “Funky little shack!” She made a face. “Funky little shack!”
Mary pointed back at the car. “Hop in my Chrysler! It’s as big as a whale! It’s about to set sail!”
“She’s got her a car, and it seats about twenty,” Gary said as he was moving back to the car. “So hurry up and bring your jukebox money.”
Jose was over at the shack, knocking on the door. From inside, a man yelled, “Bang! Bang! Bang! On the door baby!”
Mary turned and saw Jose. “Knock a little louder, baby!”
From inside, the man yelled, “Bang! Bang! Bang! On the door baby!”
“I can’t hear you!” Mary yelled as she ran over, jumped up on the trampoline and landed on the roof.
“Mary!” Missy called out. “What are… You’re what?”
Mary pointed to the roof under her feet. “Tin roof! Rusted.”
Missy shook her head. “All right. I’m calling an end to this. That shack is nasty, and it’s not even where we need to go. Come on. Get back in this car and let’s go to the next crime scene.”
Mary grumbled but she leapt down from the roof, picked up Jose, and they climbed back into the car.
“It’s as big as a whale,” Mary said.
“Stop!” Missy snapped.
As Mary drove, Missy was looking at a document, totally engrossed in it.
“What are you reading, Missy?” Gary asked.
“My contract. If I can find a loophole to get out of this musical chapter…”
Mary leaned over and turned on the radio, scanning the dial.
“Choose a station, cousin,” Missy said.
She stopped on a station that was playing Spanish music. Jose perked up and tilted his head.
“Why are we listening to a Spanish station?” Gary asked.
“Jose likes it,” Mary replied. “Don’t you dare say anything bad about my dog.”
Gary, very intelligently, let it drop. Missy reached over and was about to change the channel, when she heard a voice. She instead turned it up.
“Does the dog really need it turned all the way up?” Gary asked.
Jose glared at him. “Taco…” he said threateningly.
Gary tried to slide away. “Okay then.”
Missy pushed him back. “Listen!” she shouted.
From the radio, a woman said, “I feel a hot wind on my shoulder, and the touch of a world that is older.”
“I know that voice,” Missy muttered.
“I turn the switch and check the number,” the woman on the radio said. “I leave it on when in bed I slumber. I hear the rhythms of the music.”
“I’ll bet she buys the products and never uses it,” Mary said.
“Can you hear the talking of the DJ?” Missy asked.
“Can’t understand just what does he say?” Gary asked, leaning close to the speaker.
The woman on the radio said, “I’m on a Mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican… whoah… radio.”
Mary leaned over and adjusted the volume. “I dial it in and turn the station.”
“Are they talking about the US inflation?” Missy asked.
Gary and Mary shrugged.
“I understand just a little,” Mary remarked.
“No comprende,” Gary said. “It’s a riddle.”
“I’m on a Mexican radio,” the woman on the radio said. “I’m on a Mexican, whoah, radio.” There was a short pause, and then she repeated, “I’m on a Mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoah, radio.”
“I wish I was in Tijuana,” Mary remarked.
“Eating barbecued iguana?” Missy asked her.
“No, that’s just disgusting,” Mary replied.
“I’d take requests on the telephone,” the woman on the radio said. “I’m on a wavelength far from home.”
“I feel a hot wind on my shoulder,” Mary said.
“Sorry, I turned up the heater,” Missy explained.
“I dial in from south of the border,” the woman on the radio told them. “I hear the talking of the DJ.”
“Can’t understand just what does he say?” Gary asked.
“Wait… this isn’t a Mexican radio,” Missy said. “I recognize this station. It’s being broadcasted from not far from here. Turn there.”
Mary did as Missy had said and they drove up to a radio station. As they came screeching to a halt, Mary put the emergency break on.
“I love this Chrysler. It seats about twenty,” Mary commented.
“NO!” Missy pulled out a newspaper, rolled it up and slapped Mary on the arm. “No!”
Walking into the station, they found it deserted. Gary became nervous, and pulled out a gun. He led them through the empty station to the broadcasting booth. As they approached, Missy snapped her fingers and rushed into the room.
“I knew it!” Missy called out. “Wendy!”
The woman spun her chair to face Missy. “Missy? What are you doing in Mexico?”
“We’re not in Mexico. You’re in a radio station.”
“Radio station? This isn’t a radio station. This is a radio station.”
“Missy, what’s wrong with Wendy?” Mary asked. “She’s frightening me.”
“Wendy, are you okay? How did you end up here?” Missy asked.
“I was minding my own business, when I called about my insurance,” Wendy told them.
“Wait, I saw your blog about that,” Missy told her. “You saved $252 by switching to…”
Wendy screamed loudly, flailing her arms around and running around the booth.
“Well, we know what set her off now,” Missy said.
Wendy was still running around the booth, screaming.
Mary pushed into the booth. “It’s okay everyone,” she called out. “Let’s surround Wendy.”
Missy nodded and pulled a straight jacket out of her bag. “Just make sure she doesn’t try to jump out a window or something like that.”
Gary almost asked why Missy was carrying a straight jacket, but reconsidered.
“Don’t worry,” Mary said, “Missy and I have seen this done many times… usually it’s being done on one of us or someone we know, she we can do this.”
They cornered Wendy, who was still screaming, and quickly put the straight jacket on her. As they got her into a chair, she began to calm down.
“I’m not comfortable with leaving her here alone. Where is everyone?” Missy asked.
“Hola,” a man said as he walked into the booth.
Everyone was startled.
“Who are you?” Missy asked.
“My name is Rehinal.”
“Reginald?” Gary asked.
“Rehinal,” he corrected, “without a ‘g’.” He looked at Missy. “And you are?”
“Melissa,” she replied, “also without a ‘g’.”
“You are spicy. I like that in my women,” Rehinal said.
“She’s not your woman,” Gary said as he moved between Rehinal and Missy. “REHINAL.”
“Oh, very spicy,” Rehinal said. “All of you are very… very… spicy.”
“I think we need to ask you a few things,” Gary said. “Where is everyone that mans this radio station?”
“It is yust me and Hhhhhhhhhhhjuanita at night.”
“Hhhhhhjuanita?” Missy asked.
“Si, but Hjjjjjuanita is not here. She ran off with Barry Minniear… He installs gabinets.”
“Gabinets?” Mary asked.
“Hhhhhjuanita’s gabinets are lush and cagnacy.”
“Missy… I’m more confused now than I was a couple of lines ago,” Mary commented.
“Hhhhhhhhhjuanita asked me to come enjoy her gabinets with her, but Juan wanted her to himself.”
“Okay…” Missy held up her hands. “I’m sure you believe this is all very interesting and important, but we are investigating a murder, and we need to get going. I came to help out my friend, Wendy.”
“HHHHHHHwendy is very spicy.”
“And that right there means I’m not leaving her here with you. Let’s get Wendy into the car. We need to get a move on.”
“Do not leave. I will be so alone and… vulnerable…”
Gary and Mary had Wendy into the car before Rehinal finished his sentence. Missy stayed behind.
“You are a spicy vixon…”
“I have one question,” Missy said. “Have you seen Duran Duran?”
“Choo mean the group?”
“Group?” Missy asked. “You mean there’s a group of him now? I’ll never get Chase back.”
As she turned away, Rehinal grabbed her arm. “Wait. Before you leave, please be spicy for me.”
“I’ll break your hand if you don’t remove it,” Missy told him.
Gary burst in. “No need.” He punched Rehinal.
Gary then led Missy out of the radio station.
“I’m glad you’re stalking me now, Gary.”
“I’m not stalking you!”
“Oh, you are so stalking her,” Wendy called out from the back seat, where the piano had barely scratched.
Mary was standing next to the car, when she suddenly spun and looked down the street. Edward was walking up the street, keeping to the shadows. He tripped over a rock, and fell to the ground. Mary ran over to him.
“Edward!” she called out as she helped him to his feet. “You fell.”
“Yes, I did,” he replied.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” she told him.
Edward held her hand and pulled her close to him, looking deep into her eyes.
“And I would do anything for love,” he told her. “I’d run right into hell and back.”
“Hey! We need to get going!” Gary called out.
“It’s too late,” Missy said with a sigh. “They’re in the middle of a love song.”
“I would do anything for love,” Edward said. “I’ll never lie to you and that’s a fact.” He wrapped an arm around her. “But I’ll never forget the way you feel right now.”
“Oh no. No way,” Mary said.
“And I would do anything for love,” Edward told her, “but I won’t do that… I won’t do that.”
“Anything for love?” Mary asked. “Would you do anything for love?”
“I would do anything for love,” Edward replied, “but I won’t do that. Oh, I won’t do that.”
“Some days it don’t come easy,” Gary called out, “and some days it don’t come hard.”
“Please don’t encourage them,” Missy told him.
“Some days it don’t come at all,” Wendy cried out, “and these are the days that never end!”
“Some nights you’re breathing fire,” Edward said, “and some nights you’re carved in ice. Some nights you’re like nothing I’ve ever seen before or will again.”
“Maybe you’re crazy, but it’s crazy and it’s true,” Gary said.
Edward looked at Mary longingly. “I know you can save me. No one else can save me now but you.”
“As long as the planets are turning,” Wendy said.
“As long as the stars are burning,” Gary added.
“As long as my dreams are coming true, I’d better believe it,” Mary said with a smile.
“That I would do anything for love,” Edward called out, “and I’ll be there til the final act. I would do anything for love, and I’ll take a vow and seal a pact.” He turned away, and then looked back at her. “But I’ll never forgive myself if we don’t go all the way tonight, and I would do anything for love. Oh I would do anything for love. Oh, I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that. No I won’t do that.”
“Some days I pray for silence, and some days I pray for soul,” Gary said. “Some days I just pray to the God of sex and drums and rock and roll…”
“Please stop egging them on,” Missy commented.
“Some nights you lose the feeling, and some nights you lose control,” Mary called out. “Some nights you just lose it all when you watch me dance and the thunder rolls.”
“Maybe I’m lonely,” Edward said as he pushed away from her, “and that’s all I’m qualified to be. There’s just one and only, the one and only promise I can keep.”
“As long as the wheels are turning!” Wendy yelled.
“As long as the fires are burning,” Gary added.
“As long as my prayers are coming true, I’d better believe it,” Mary said.
“That I would do anything for love,” Edward said, “and you know it’s true and that’s a fact. I would do anything for love, and there’ll never be no turning back.” He smiled. “But I’ll never do it better than I do it with you, so long, so long. And I would do anything for love. I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that… No no no, I won’t do that.”
“He would do anything for love, anything she’s been dreaming of, but he won’t just won’t do that,” Wendy said.
“Will you raise me up, will you help me down?” Mary asked. Will you get me right out of this God forsaken town? Will you make it all a little less cold?”
“I can do that,” Edward replied. “I can do that.”
“Will you hold me sacred?” Mary asked him. “Will you hold me tight? Can you colorize my life, I’m so sick of black and white! Can you make it all a little less old?”
“I can do that… I can do that.”
Missy stood up. “Can you end this song? Can you end it quick? Can you make it all over just lickety split?”
Mary and Edward both looked at her. “Missy, that’s not how it goes.”
Missy held up her contract. “We’ve exceeded the amount of pages allotted to the musical chapter. I am calling out section twelve of my contract, part two-B. This chapter is over.”
“Aw, but Missy…”
“Get in the car, Mary. The chapter is over.”
“Missy…”
“Over, Mary!”
“He said we were going to be together tonight!”
“Get in the car!”
Mary sniffled, kissed Edward, and then got into the car to drive off.