Part 5 (1/2)
”Okay with me Miss Ryan,” she said.
Hannah sat back. I noticed her smiling as she drank her wine.
After dinner, Stan the faithful mechanic came by and brought my suitcase and camera equipment.
”What a relief,” Maggie said. ”I thought you might have to wear one of Aunt Hannah's old nightgowns to bed.”
”Oh, good grief, I don't wear those old things any more, I'm liberated. I sleep in the buff!” Hannah said.
”That's way more than I need to know,” I said as I reached over and took Hannah's wine away from her. She laughed uproariously.
Maggie looked at her aunt. ”I am going to have you committed.”
”Yes, but not tonight.” She was still laughing while reaching around me for her gla.s.s.
The phone rang when we started to clear the table. Maggie and Hannah both looked at the clock, then at each other. Neither made a move to pick it up.
I looked at them. ”Want me to get it?”
”No,” they said simultaneously.
I raised an eyebrow and continued clearing the dishes. The phone stopped ringing. One minute later, it started ringing again. And exactly the same thing happened.
”All right, what's going on?” I asked as the phone continued to ring. It was driving me nuts. Then it stopped.
”Nothing is going on, just because the phone rings doesn't mean I have to answer it. I mean it is my house, isn't it Miss Ryan?” Maggie asked.
She had a very snippy att.i.tude. My patience was wearing very thin. ”Look, I know you don't know me from Adam, or Eve for that matter, but if you'd like me to help, you need to let me know what's going on. So maybe we can set a few ground rules. First, do you want my help?”
”Yes,” Hannah said quickly. She looked at Maggie and motioned with her head.
Maggie stood silent for a moment. ”Yes,” she finally said.
”Okay, then the foremost rule-please tell me the truth. I can't help if you don't.” I looked at Maggie. ”Otherwise, you'll wind up dead, and I won't have that on my conscience.”
No answer. I rubbed my forehead.
”Look, I don't know if I can help you but you have to trust me. You simply have to. And I need to know I can trust you too. Dammit, this is serious. Now, why didn't you answer the phone?”
Maggie hesitated for a minute before answering. ”I've been getting crank phone calls this past week. They seem to come at the same time of night. There's usually no one on the other end-only breathing. So, I told Aunt Hannah not to pick up the phone, and let the answering machine get it.” She watched me for a minute and then softened. ”I'm sorry, I need your help and I will level with you from now on.”
I looked her straight in the eye.
”Pax?” she smiled and held out her hand.
”Pax,” I said and took it.
”Well, now that that's settled,” Hannah said confidently.
”I haven't even gotten to you yet, Hannah.” I said.
”Me, what have I done?” she asked, horrified.
”Oh, nothing, Miss I Had Your Car Towed Because It Was Damaged. Do you understand me?”
”Yes, Kate.”
”And by the way, who was the second phone call from earlier?”
Hannah put her hand up to her mouth and laughed. ”Margaret, I'm so sorry. It was Allison. She wanted you to call her back.” She stopped and looked at the clock. ”An hour ago.”
With that, the doorbell rang.
”Guess who?” I asked and picked up my gla.s.s.
I noticed Maggie got up, quite easily now and started for the door.
”Margaret, your ankle seems to be better, dear.”
”It is much better, Aunt Hannah!” she called over her shoulder.
Hannah looked at me. ”It does seem better.”
”Boy, that Doc. He sure is a wonderful doctor,” I said. I watched her as she blushed and laughed. ”He is kind of handsome,” I admitted truthfully.
”Handsome, nothin', he's, oh, what's the term the women use today? He's a ...babe!” Obviously feeling the wine and sherry, she laughed out loud. Then she covered her mouth. I couldn't help myself; I laughed with her.
”She's what? Why?” Allison was obviously rather angry.
Hannah and me both stopped laughing and looked at each other. Then there were low voices-not a good sign.
”Call her a cab!” Was the angry, sarcastic response.
”Look, Al, I don't owe you any explanation at all. And as I recall, you never offered any to me. I had to deal with it. So, she's staying and that's that. Deal with it.”
I was a little embarra.s.sed and I said to Hannah, ”Maybe I should go and straighten this out. I don't want to be the cause of anything here.”
”Oh, no you don't!” She reached over and grabbed my arm. ”I've been waiting for this moment. For six months, Allison has been making Margaret feel guilty. Telling her that if she would only forgive her, they could go back to the way it was. Never mind that Margaret caught her with someone in their hotel room while she and Allison were in England. Seriously, that's what I was going to tell you earlier in the kitchen. Well, I'll let Margaret tell you now. But that alet me take care of everything' att.i.tude-she only wanted one thing from Margaret-her money.”
”Be careful what you say Hannah.” I waved my finger at her.
”It's true. I know that Allison is having financial difficulties. No, she wouldn't have the nerve to try to hurt Margaret. She knows I'd have her-”
”Ah, ah, Hannah-”
With that, we heard Maggie's voice. ”I've had enough. Look, I'm tired and this is pointless. Thank you for stopping by. I'll call you later.”
Maggie came back to the table. ”Not a word. Not one word,” she said as she picked up her gla.s.s.
I looked at the clock. Only eight o'clock. It seemed like midnight and everyone had to be tired. I knew I was. I looked at my companions. ”If you don't mind I need to make a phone call. I should call my sister. We were supposed to meet in Galena tomorrow for the weekend.”