Part 4 (1/2)
”Well, I did.” She smiled to herself. ”We have to look out for each other.”
”Does that mean I could have my old job back?”
”I thought you hated waiting tables.”
”I did. But maybe I'd like it better now that you're upscaling. And I sure as heck will like it better than starving if I can't find a job when I finish.”
”You'll find something better than waiting tables, Karina, especially with your art-world connections.”
”I was thinking worst case scenario, that's all...”
”I'm sure I could find something for you to do if you were desperate,” Jill said. ”Let's worry about one thing at a time.”
Three.
The Key We Must Turn Jill dropped me back at the hospital and went to meet the locksmith.
Mom seemed happy to see me again, and I kept up the chatter with her for a while. She volunteered nothing about her own life or the neighbors, which I took to mean her memory was still foggy and she knew it. Instead, she asked me questions. I ended up telling her a lot of things I'd never really bothered to before, like about my roommate Becky in New York, and about art history.
Of course she asked me one or two more things about James, but after what I'd told her before, she had settled in her mind that I was with a suitable man and therefore she no longer needed to grill me about him.
By all outward appearances, the conversation was very pleasant and the least contentious one we'd had since I was in college. But I felt weird knowing that her contentment was partly brought on by a blow to the head. She hadn't been this accepting of me in years and she hadn't been this uncritical since I was small.
When I figured Jill would be coming back soon, I couldn't help myself. I started trying to prepare her. ”Oh, Mom,” I said. ”Jill got a really short haircut.”
”Did she? Whatever did she do that for? She's the only one of us who could hold a real pin curl!”
”Well, you know, working in the restaurant like she does? Long hair is a health hazard.”
”Is it, now? The things you learn.”
When Jill came in, I repeated my act of earlier. ”Jill!” I hugged her. That was far more demonstrative than we usually got, but Mom took the hint, nodding to Jill and saying ”h.e.l.lo, dear” instead of completely ignoring her like she had been.
”Jill's going to drive me back to the house now, Mom,” I told her, and kissed her on the cheek. ”We'll come check on you again tomorrow.”
”The doctor said if everything checks out okay, then you'll be taking me with you,” Mom said.
”I hope so.” I kissed her again and then hurried out with Jill.
”How's she doing?” Jill asked once we were in the parking lot. But before I could answer, her phone rang. She cursed and put it up to her ear. ”Hey. Yeah, I know. I told you I'd let you know. She might be getting out tomorrow, but I won't know for sure until morning. Yes, my sister's here, but... Darby, listen, shut up for a second, will you? I get that you need me. But I can't wave a magic wand and make it all better, okay?”
She unlocked the door and I got into the pa.s.senger seat of the unnaturally clean rental car, trying not to listen, but that was difficult to do when she was so vehement I could hear her right through the gla.s.s.
”Hold your horses and I'll try to be back as soon as I can! I don't know about tomorrow. Inspector? What inspector? The kitchen is your job, pal.”
She opened the door and got in. ”Wait, what? Accessibility ramps? We have those! Okay, listen, I'll have to call you later. I'm getting in the car now. Bye.”
She hung up while I could hear the person on the other end still trying to talk. She let out a long breath, then started the engine.
”They kind of need you there, don't they?” I said.
”They'll figure it out. It's good for 'em,” she grumbled as she backed out of the parking s.p.a.ce. ”Anyway, how did she seem?”
”You know how you thought it was weird she was so cheerful? I think it's weird she's not haranguing me to bag some marriageable bachelor like a fourteen-point buck in deer season.”
”Did you tell her about the guy in New York?”
”I did. But I didn't tell her we're kind of on the outs right now. She's like 'when can I meet him?' ” I sighed.
”I want to meet this mystery man, too.”
”Why? What if I dump him?”
”KayKay, I've never seen you this intense about a guy. I've never seen you this intense about anything. You better believe I'm curious about what's changed. I mean, maybe it's grad school and you're getting ready to move on, but...” She shrugged like she didn't want to say something that might offend me. Then she said it anyway. ”You seem like you're finally growing up.”
I stuck my tongue out at her to prove that I wasn't, but that made us both laugh.
When we got to the house, Jill gave me a new set of keys. Dead bolts had been added to all the doors, and a new garage door opener had been installed. This one had a b.u.t.ton remote as well as a keypad. I set a code for myself and then we went inside.
”Okay. I'm going to go up to my room and call him,” I announced, psyching myself up for it.
”Are you going to tell him to come here?”
”I don't know. I might end up telling him to go to h.e.l.l.”
”Well, if you need a shoulder to cry on after, I'll be watching the game,” Jill said. ”Don't feel like you have to make up with him just to solve my problem.”
”I won't,” I said.
I went up to my room and sat down on the bed. The drowsiness of jet lag that had stayed at bay all day suddenly swept through me. ”Oof.”
I texted Stefan. Is he around? I want to talk.
The phone rang seconds later. James. I picked up without saying anything.
”Karina.” He cleared his throat.
”How did you find out about Betancourt?”
”A combination of knowing where to look and using the Internet. Most people are not good at hiding their aliases.”
”Aha. And you are.” I felt a flash of anger. I couldn't help it.
”Yes, Karina, I am. I've got a bit more at stake than a two-bit con man who targets widows and divorcees.”
I tamped down my anger while I tried to focus on what he was telling me. ”Is that what he is?”