Part 29 (2/2)
”No. No.” His laugh bounced toward hysterical and had Laine grateful for the customers crowded into the store. ”Not anymore. I'll explain everything, but not now.” He looked around the shop. ”Not here. I shouldn't have come here. Call the number.”
He clamped a hand over hers in a way that had Laine fighting an instinct to jerk free. ”Promise.”
He smelled of rain and soap and . . . Brut, she realized. And the aftershave had some flicker of memory trying to light in her brain. Then his fingers tightened on hers. ”Promise,” he repeated in a harsh whisper, and she saw only an odd man in a wet coat.
”Of course.”
She watched him go to the door, open the cheap umbrella. And let out a sigh of relief when he scurried out into the rain. Weird Weird was her only thought, but she studied the card for a moment. was her only thought, but she studied the card for a moment.
His name was printed, Jasper R. Peterson, but the phone number was handwritten beneath and underscored twice, she noted.
Pus.h.i.+ng the card into her pocket, she started over to give the traveling couple a friendly nudge, when the sound of screeching brakes on wet pavement and shocked screams had her spinning around. There was a hideous noise, a hollow thud she'd never forget. Just as she'd never forget the sight of the strange little man in his fas.h.i.+onable coat slamming against her display window.
She bolted out the door, into the streaming rain. Foot-steps pounded on the pavement, and somewhere close was the crunching sound of metal striking metal, gla.s.s shattering.
”Mr. Peterson.” Laine gripped his hand, bowed her body over his in a pathetic attempt to s.h.i.+eld his bloodied face from the rain. ”Don't move. Call an ambulance!” she shouted and yanked off her jacket to cover him as best she could.
”Saw him. Saw him. Shouldn't have come. Laine.”
”Help's coming.”
”Left it for you. He wanted me to get it to you.”
”It's all right.” She scooped her dripping hair out of her eyes and took the umbrella someone offered. She angled it over him, leaned down closer as he tugged weakly on her hand.
”Be careful. I'm sorry. Be careful.”
”I will. Of course I will. Just try to be quiet now, try to hold on, Mr. Peterson. Help's coming.”
”You don't remember.” Blood trickled out of his mouth as he smiled. ”Little Lainie.” He took a shuddering breath, coughed up blood. She heard the sirens as he began to sing in a thin, gasping voice.
”Pack up all my care and woe,” he crooned, then wheezed. ”Bye, bye, blackbird.”
She stared at his battered face as her already chilled skin began to p.r.i.c.kle. Memories, so long locked away, opened. ”Uncle w.i.l.l.y? Oh my G.o.d.”
”Used to like that one. Screwed up,” he said breathlessly. ”Sorry. Thought it'd be safe. Shouldn't've come.”
”I don't understand.” Tears burned her throat, streamed down her cheeks. He was dying. He was dying because she hadn't known him, and she'd sent him out into the rain. ”I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.”
”He knows where you are now.” His eyes rolled back. ”Hide the pooch.”
”What?” She leaned closer yet until her lips almost brushed his. ”What?” But the hand she had clutched in hers went limp.
Paramedics brushed her aside. She heard their short, pithy dialogue-medical codes she'd grown accustomed to hearing on television, could almost recite herself. But this was real. The blood was.h.i.+ng away in the rain was real.
She heard a woman sobbing and saying over and over in a strident voice, ”He ran right in front of me. I couldn't stop in time. He just ran in front of the car. Is he all right? Is he all right? Is he all right?”
No, Laine wanted to say. He's not.
”Come inside, honey.” Darla put an arm around Laine's shoulders, drew her back. ”You're soaked. You can't do anything more out here.”
”I should do something.” She stared down at the broken umbrella, its cheerful stripes marked with grime now, and drops of blood.
She should have settled him down in front of the fire. Given him a hot drink and let him warm and dry himself in front of the little hearth. Then he'd be alive. Telling her stories and silly jokes.
But she hadn't recognized him, and so he was dying.
She couldn't go in, out of the rain, and leave him alone with strangers. But there was nothing to be done but watch, helplessly, while the paramedics fought and failed to save the man who'd once laughed at her knock-knock jokes and sung silly songs. He died in front of the shop she'd worked so hard to build, and laid at her door all the memories she thought she'd escaped.
She was a businesswoman, a solid member of the community, and a fraud. In the back room of her store, she poured two cups of coffee and knew she was about to lie to a man she considered a friend. And deny all knowledge of one she'd loved.
She did her best to steady herself, ran her hands through the damp ma.s.s of bright red hair normally worn in a shoulder-sweeping bob. She was pale, and the rain had washed away the makeup, always carefully applied, so freckles stood out on her narrow nose and across her cheekbones. Her eyes, a bright Viking blue, were gla.s.sy with shock and grief. Her mouth, just a hair too wide for her angular face, wanted to tremble.
In the little giltwood mirror on the wall of her office, she studied her reflection. And saw herself for what she was. Well, she would do what she needed to do to survive. w.i.l.l.y would certainly understand that. Do what came first, she told herself, then think about the rest.
She sucked in a breath, let out a shudder, then lifted the coffee. Her hands were nearly steady as she went into the main shop and prepared to give false testimony to Angel's Gap's chief of police.
”Sorry it took so long,” she apologized as she carried the mugs to where Vince Burger stood by the little clinker fireplace.
He was built like a bear with a great shock of white-blond hair that stood nearly straight up, as if surprised to find itself on top of the wide, comfortable face. His eyes, a faded blue and fanned with squint lines, were full of compa.s.sion.
He was Jenny's husband, and had become a kind of brother to Laine. But for now she reminded herself he was a cop, and everything she'd worked for was on the line.
”Why don't you sit down, Laine? You've had a bad shock.”
”I feel sort of numb.” That was true enough, she didn't have to lie about everything. But she walked over to sip her coffee and stare out at the rain so she wouldn't have to meet those sympathetic eyes. ”I appreciate your coming in to take my statement yourself, Vince. I know you're busy.”
”Figured you'd be more comfortable.”
Better to lie to a friend than a stranger, she thought bitterly. ”I don't know what I can tell you. I didn't see the actual accident. I heard . . . I heard brakes, screams, an awful thud, then I saw . . . ” She didn't shut her eyes. If she shut them, she'd see it again. ”I saw him hit the window, like he'd been thrown against it. I ran out, stayed with him until the paramedics came. They were quick. It seemed like hours, but it was only minutes.”
”He was in here before the accident.”
Now she did close her eyes, and prepared to do what she had to do to protect herself. ”Yes. I had several customers this morning, which proves I should never give Jenny a day off. The Twins were in, and a couple driving through on their way to D.C. I was busy when he came in. He browsed around for a while.”
”The woman from out of town said she thought you knew each other.”
”Really?” Turning now, Laine painted a puzzled expression on her face, as a clever artist might on a portrait. She crossed back, sat on one of the two elbow chairs she'd arranged in front of the fire. ”I don't know why.”
”An impression,” Vince said with a shrug. Always mindful of his size, he sat, slow and careful, in the matching chair. ”Said he took your hand.”
”Well, we shook shook hands, and he gave me his card.” Laine pulled it out of her pocket, forced herself to keep her attention on Vince's face. The fire was crackling with warmth, and though she felt its heat on her skin, she was cold. Very cold. ”He said he'd like to speak with me when I wasn't so busy. That he might have something to sell. People often do,” she added, offering Vince the card. ”Which is how I stay in business.” hands, and he gave me his card.” Laine pulled it out of her pocket, forced herself to keep her attention on Vince's face. The fire was crackling with warmth, and though she felt its heat on her skin, she was cold. Very cold. ”He said he'd like to speak with me when I wasn't so busy. That he might have something to sell. People often do,” she added, offering Vince the card. ”Which is how I stay in business.”
”Right.” He tucked the card into his breast pocket. ”Anything strike you about him?”
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