Spider Quinn 07: Ashes to Ashes Part 5

“Checkmate,” Tricia said. “But then I think your head wasn’t in it.”

 

“No, it wasn’t,” Quinn admitted. “It’s not just that my Dad’s gone. Other things have been happening too.”

 

“Like SpiderGirl!” Tricia said.

 

“That’s one thing,” Quinn said carefully. “But also, Sandi is not my friend anymore.”

 

“That doesn’t sound good,” Tad said.

 

“No. She’s spreading lies about Stacy and I.”

 

“That’s not good,” Tad said.

 

Quinn shook her head.

 

“I have something that should cheer you up,” Tricia said.

 

“I doubt it,” Quinn said as the young girl went over to her drawers.

 

Tricia came back with a sheet of paper. “This is a picture of SpiderGirl.”

 

Quinn giggled despite herself. She had to admit, it was a very good picture of her hero persona. “Were you inspired by Jane?” she asked.

 

“A little,” Trica said. “I mean, I only met her a few times after that time.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“And I have been using crayons.”

 

“But this was with pencil,” Quinn said.

 

“Yes,” Tricia said. “It is easier to keep within the lines that way.”

 

“True,” Quinn said.

 

“You draw?” Tricia asked.

 

“Sometimes,” Quinn answered enigmatically.

 

“Could you draw Gollum?” Tad asked.

 

“I actually haven’t read The Hobbit,” Quinn admitted. “I’ll see if Stacy has it.”

 

“It is very cool,” Tad said.

 

“But I can draw other stuff,” Quinn said.

 

 

Lauren entered the room to see Quinn and Tricia drawing various scenes. “Really?” she asked.

 

“Sorry, I got carried away,” Quinn said.

 

“Not at all,” Lauren said. “These are good.”

 

“Thanks,” Tricia said.

 

“But it’s bed time now.”

 

 

Upon leaving the Gupty’s Quinn changed to SpiderGirl and headed home.

 

 

She approached from the west and saw an unfamiliar van in front of the house. She could then hear arguing from the entry. “I have to get there now!” she said.

 

 

Less than a minute later, she entered the kitchen. “Quinn?” Daria asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Gupty’s.”

 

“I just finished,” Quinn said.

 

“Right,” Daria said.

 

“What’s going on?” Quinn asked.

 

“We were right,” Daria answered. “Something is up with Linda.”

 

 

“So, you’re saying that Linda, isn’t Linda?” Helen asked.

 

“Yes. She is my daughter,” the person said.

 

“I have been trying to get a PI to investigate but that’s taking time,” Helen said.

 

“Let me introduce myself, again. I’m Paula Ren. I live in western Montana.”

 

“That tracks so far, Paula,” Helen said.

 

“My daughter somehow obtained a diary of a deceased Texan and became obsessed with it,” Paula explained.

 

“That is difficult to believe,” Helen said.

 

She then saw Daria and Quinn come from the kitchen. “What’s happening?” the latter asked.

 

“This lady claims that Linda isn’t Linda,” Helen said. “Which might explain some things, but not all.”

 

“That she found Linda’s diary?” Daria asked.

 

“Yes,” Paula said.

 

“Where is Linda anyway?” Quinn asked.

 

“Up in the room, hiding,” Helen answered.

 

“Right,” Quinn said.

 

“So, she is here?” Paula said.

 

“She is, but I’ll need evidence of what you are saying,” Helen said.

 

“I have told you that she’s lying to you,” Paula said.

 

“I know that.”

 

 

There was more arguing before Paula left.

 

“It would certainly explain a lot of things,” Helen said.

 

“So, how would you know either way?” Quinn asked.

 

“It would depend on how detailed the diary was,” Daria said.

 

“Yes,” Helen considered. “I seem to remember Linda saying that she tried to put everything into her diary.”

 

Quinn thought for a moment. “I know Stacy does.”

 

“Either way, she needs company,” Helen said before going up the stairs.

 

 

“It may explain some things,” Daria said once their mother had gone upstairs.

 

“I agree,” Quinn said.

 

 

Helen knocked on the door to the spare room. “Linda?”

 

The door was opened immediately. “Is she gone?” Linda asked quietly.

 

“For now,” Helen said.

 

“Good.”

 

“I see that you’re worried.”

 

“I am Linda, not her daughter.”

 

“I’m not saying that you aren’t who you say you are.”

 

“But you have doubts?” Linda asked, as Helen entered the room.

 

“Yes,” Helen admitted.

 

“I don’t blame you.”

 

“But we can do something to get your mind off things.”

 

“Like a board game?” Linda asked.

 

“Sure,” Helen agreed. “Although the last time I played a board game was with Jake and the girls.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“After they were grounded for being out late.”

 

“You were too busy for it?” Linda asked.

 

‘She knows me that much,’ Helen thought. ‘But it’s still not proof either way.’ She nodded.

 

“But what game?”

 

Helen opened one of the cupboards, showing a large collection of board games.

 

“I see,” Linda said. She grabbed a box of Checkers.

 

 

As Quinn headed out as SpiderGirl again before bed, she heard that her mother was still in the room playing board games with Linda. ‘I hope she gets enough sleep,’ she thought.

 

But then she knew she was being hypocritical. She had less than 6 hours of sleep each night since her father’s death. She then heard sirens somewhere downtown. She quickly headed in that direction.

 

 

Another night, another murder. Peterson thought on the matter as she pulled up to the scene. Things in Lawndale were getting worse. The scene was in an alley between two buildings, one of which had been vacant for some time.

 

The medical examiner was already there. “Welcome,” he said.

 

“What do we have?” Peterson asked.

 

“A young woman, in her twenties. Approximate time of death, sometime around four thirty,” the examiner reported.

 

There was a sound behind them. They both turned and saw that SpiderGirl had arrived. “I can’t be everywhere!” she groused.

 

‘Is she blaming herself for not being here?’ Peterson wondered. “I know,” she said.

 

“I have a life. This isn’t all I do,” SpiderGirl added before shaking her head. “I heard what he just said. Sometime this evening?”

 

“Yes,” the examiner said.

 

“Any cameras?” SpiderGirl asked.

 

“None,” Peterson said.

 

“Of course not.”

 

“There’s not much more I can tell you, that isn’t obvious,” the examiner said.

 

“Yes. She was shot and the murderer took her handbag and everything in it,” SpiderGirl commented. “Why are people taking these risks when these crimes have been in the news? Do they think Lawndale is as it was?”

 

“That’s probably it,” Peterson said. “They have their heads in the sand.”

 

“Ugh!” SpiderGirl said. “See you another night!” She then swung away.

 

“Is that a good idea?” the examiner asked.

 

“What?”

 

“Keeping the vigilante in the loop?”

 

“All I know is, that things would be worse without her,” Peterson said.

 

“And she was hanging upside down the whole time! A little disconcerting.”

 

“She doesn’t do it all the time.”

 

 

SpiderGirl thought on the matter she headed back towards Glen Oaks Lane. She couldn’t be everywhere she needed to be, but there had to be a way for her to know something was happening. ‘Something to think about.’

 

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Thursday December 10, 1999

Opinion

Is Crime in Lawndale out of Control?

 

 

Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany again arrived at school to find Tori waiting for them.

 

“Good Morning,” Tori said in a welcoming tone.

 

“Morning,” Tiffany said.

 

“Any new rumors?” Stacy asked.

 

“None, but some are bound to crop up,” Tori answered.

 

“Of course,” Stacy said.

 

The four then entered the school, ready for another day.

 

 

While there were some new rumors, the trio didn’t hear them.

 

 

Tori didn’t know Quinn that well beforehand, but even she saw that the other girl was quieter than before, more introspective, not as likely to just say something without thinking over it first. She thought on that more as the last class of the day let out. ‘There is a lot going on her life,’ she thought. “Quinn?” she asked. There was no answer. Quinn had disappeared. But Stacy was still there. “Stacy? Where’s Quinn?”

 

“I’m not sure,” Stacy said, with her usual tone of slight panic. “She usually leaves school quite quickly these days.

 

“Right.”

 

“But we can catch up with her later, at her place,” Stacy said.

 

“We can do that then,” Tori decided. “Let’s go to the Pizza place first.”

 

“Sure,” Stacy said.

 

 

Upon leaving the school, SpiderGirl headed downtown, to patrol for any suspicious activity and to be visible, so as to act as deterrent to any would be murders. She paused at the Courthouse Clock Tower and then hung from it to watch towards the Creek.

 

It wasn’t long before she saw something in one of the alleys. A drug deal. ‘Not on my watch!’ SpiderGirl thought. She swung into action. “JUST SAY NO!” she screamed as she webbed up both people. She then searched both of them, and removed the drugs and produced a lighter. She then lit the contents of a nearby dumpster alight and threw the drugs in there.

 

“What are you doing?” the dealer asked.

 

“Quiet!” SpiderGirl said. “Haven’t you heard that song by David Bowie?” She then made herself scarce, satisfied that some people were safe from drugs, for a time. She then did another patrol of the street before heading home.