Part 30 (2/2)
”No. The telephone.”
She looked wildly around, trying to identify the source.
He got up and hurried to the end of the counter, pointing to a phone with a built-in answering machine. ”Don't answer it. It's probably someone calling the people who live here.”
”I don't know how to answer it.”
A woman's voice came on the answering machine. ”Bart? Helen? Are you there?” The caller sighed. ”I guess not. This is Terry. Give me a jingle when you get in. We have a problem with the duplicate bridge date.” The line clicked off.
”What was that?”
”Someone named Terry calling them to talk about bridge.”
”To cross a river?”
”No. There are bridges to cross rivers. But she's talking about a card game called bridge. Do you play cards?”
”Rich people do.”
”When Terry didn't find Bart and Helen home, she left a message.”
”Okay.”
He picked up the portable receiver and brought it to her, dialing back to the previous call on the caller ID. ”This is the woman who called. Terry Maxwell.”
She stared at the readout and nodded, then said, ”Why is it buzzing?”
”That's the dial tone. It means you could make a call to someone else. You also pick this up to get a call. You put this part to your ear and speak here.” He dialed the weather and held it to her ear.
She listened.
”He says it's going to stop raining. How does he know?”
”We have weather satellites. But don't worry about that right now.”
She sighed. ”It's complicated.”
”You're smart. You'll get the hang of it. And you don't have to do it all at once.” He put the receiver back, then stood beside her so he could stroke her shoulder. ”Right now we need to keep you safe from Falcone. My family will help us.”
”Why?”
”Because you're my...” He stopped short.
”What?”
”Lifemate. That's what we call the woman who bonds with one of the men in our family.”
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