Part 42 (1/2)
”You promise to call?”
She nodded. That wasn't really a promise.
She watched him leave, then sat back with her mother as her breathing became more labored.
Five hours later, Marguerite Rawson expelled her last breath.
Meredith leaned over and kissed her. ”I'm sorry I couldn't find her in time,” she said. ”But I will find her if I have to search all my life.”
Meredith stood. Beyond tears.
Beyond feeling.
Both would come later. She knew they would come. But now shock dulled the pain. It was as if she were someone else. Watching from a distance.
She wanted to call Gage. She wanted to lean against him and borrow his strength. She wanted to share parts of her life with him. Feelings. Emotions.
She'd never wanted to do that before.
Instead she signed papers. She made phone calls.
The funeral would be in four days. She delayed it because she simply needed the extra time. She had just buried one parent. She needed time before burying this one.
Perhaps she could find her sister before that happened.
It gave her purpose.
It even gave her comfort.
But the pain lurked deep inside. She knew it was going to overflow before long.
*Chapter Twenty-two*
'NEW ORLEANS'
Meredith called Sarah's cell phone from a pay phone in the hospital.
”My mother died this afternoon,” she said.
”Oh, G.o.d,” Sarah said. ”What can I do?”
”Two things. Can you take care of Nicky for a few days? That's Mrs. Starnes's dog. I'm going out of town, and I'll be busy most of the time so I can't follow up on whether Mrs. Starnes's relatives want him. In the meantime ...”
”Where are you going?”
”Memphis,” she said. ”I'll be back in time for the funeral. You can reach me on the cell phone if there's an emergency.”
”Do you really think you should go alone?”
”Yes. It's all I can do for her now.”
”You will call me often?”
”I'll try to, but I don't want anyone to know where I'm going, and our office phones might be tapped. My phone at home was.”
Silence for a moment.
Then, ”My kids would love a dog for a few days. What else?”
Meredith sighed with relief. She really hadn't wanted to take the dog to a kennel.
”Will you take a cab to a car rental company and rent a car? Bring it back and park it in the office garage? I'll add the amount to your next paycheck. I want to avoid the press and anyone who might be trying to follow me.”
A pause. ”Perhaps you should stay here where Detective Gaynor can keep an eye on you.” Concern laced every word.
”I need to get away for several days before the funeral. I'll be safe enough if no one knows where I am. And I want you to be careful while I'm gone.”
”Maybe it's all over now,” Sarah said. ”Maybe Rick Fuller was responsible for everything that's happened. In any event, there's no reason for anyone to try to hurt me.”
'Except you're close to me.'
But her mother's death was a natural one, if you could call someone wasting away natural. Her father ... well, that 'could' have been a simple hit-and-run, not intended murder. And Mrs. Starnes ... again, it could have been Fuller. Or a random burglary gone bad. ”I still want you to be careful.”
”I'm always careful. I worked in the DA's office, remember?”
”How are we on cases?”
”We've asked for continuances on our two court cases. You've just lost two parents. Becky and I can handle everything else.”
”Thanks. I'll come in about four for the car.”
”You'll keep in touch?”
”I'll only be gone two to three days. Maybe not that long. But I'll ring you every day at three on your cell phone.”
”And seven every morning,” Sarah insisted.
”And seven,” Meredith agreed.
”Done,” Sarah said. ”And the dog?”
”I'll bring him up to the office. You can give me the keys to the rental then. Park it in a different part of the garage than where I usually park.”
”Does Detective Gaynor know about this?”
”He has problems of his own, mainly because of me. I don't want him to get in more trouble.”