To Play Dead (Part 29)

I’m Fixin’ To Play Dead (Part 29):

I just about jumped out of my skin when I heard Leon’s weak and bubbly voice inform me that the money was gone! But after realizing he was not dead after all, I leapt to my feet and dashed around between the beds where he was lying in a bloody pool on the carpeted floor, knelt down next to him and said, “Doggone, Leon, I thought you was dead! You just hang on and I’ll get some help up here!”

“No, Sonny Boy, no,” he whispered. “I’m beyond help, I’m a goner.” Spitting little tiny bubbles of blood he went on, “Just listen to me and let me clear my conscience.”

“Please, Leon, let me call 911!”

“No, they can’t help me. The only thing I want to do is let you know that I’m sorry I took your money. Just look what it got me.”

“Oh, Lord, Leon,” I moaned. “Why did you do it? I really liked you and probably would have asked you to go some place far away with me.”

“Sweet Jesus, I don’t know why. All I know is that I sure have found lots of ways to screw up my life. I wish I could go back, but night follows day.”

I could hear the regret as well as the pain in his voice. He continued, “I had a feeling that there was money in that big old suitcase, so while you was sleeping over in Atlanta in that motel I busted it open, thinking I would just take a gander at it and see for myself. When I saw all that money I figured you had stole it. Then I did the same thing because I just couldn’t help myself.”

“No, I didn’t steal it, Leon. I inherited it from my Uncle Virgil, invested it and paid taxes on it. It was clean and legal money.”

“Now I feel even worse, if that’s possible, considering I’m suffering from multiple stab wounds.”

“Who did this to you, Leon?”

“I went to bed early this morning, and went right off to sleep, then I woke up a little while ago, looked over toward the other bed and saw all your money stacked on it. Louise was there, like she was counting it or something.”

“Did she do this to you?”

“No, there was someone else in the room. When I sat up in my bed to confront her, somebody stabbed me twice in the back. When I fell off the bed onto the floor, where I’m lying now, they got me several more times in my chest. I always thought I would get killed in prison and not in some fancy gambling joint.”

“You remember anything else?” I asked.

“I almost blacked out, and I guess they thought I was dead, like you did, but I remember seeing two figures pack up your money and leave.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Seems like I been laying here dying forever, but I think it was about 10 or 15 minutes ago. Listen, Sonny Boy, they gonna think you did it!”

“Did what?”

“Killed me. You had a motive. I stole your money and since you found me I figure you had to do some poking around.”

I thought about what Leon had just said and realized he was right.

There was that old man, Elroy Jenkins, the trailer park manager, there was also the bartender I had bribed to get Leon’s room number, not to mention the maid who had let me into Leon’s room! Then I remember that no one knew who I was, and told Leon that.

“That’s true,” he said, “but still take some evidence to plant on the real killer if you find him.”

I shivered and felt so very sorry for Leon. “Listen,” I said, “I’m calling for some help right now.”

“No, no, Sonny Boy! Listen to me and take my advice. Here’s what you ought to do. Go to the nearest police station and tell them who you really are. Forget about everything that’s happened to you since you walked away from that plane crash. Claim amnesia. By tomorrow you can be back to normal, back on that nice job you got and living in that nice house. Forget about the money and the people who done you wrong.”

I felt a cold fury building inside me. Even though this dying old man had stolen from me, he had reminded me of my last relative, my Uncle Virgil. Furthermore, he had picked me up out of a ditch and given me food, shelter and transportation.

“None of that matters anymore, Leon,” I told him. “What matters now is that I have to find the low-down dirty dog who did this to you. No, Leon, I’m not fixing to go back.”