Part 21 (2/2)
After a moment, CJ said, ”E, there's something else. Something small, really.” She closed her eyes, as if that would make what she had to say easier. ”You'd better call Malcolm tonight. I was backed into a corner. I said you'd be home today. I thought he'd ask too many questions if I told him you'd be gone until Friday.”
Elinor let out a long rush of air. ”Well, this keeps getting better and better.”
”Sorry, it's what I had to do. And don't forget to call his cell number, because the handsets for your land line are out in my car.”
Elinor didn't say thank you. She merely said, ”Pick me up tomorrow” and hung up before CJ could say good-bye.
Alice turned on the laptop she'd brought in order to make arrangements to meet Bud, the theme-park magician. She and Kiley Kate had already signed in at the registration desk and picked up their packet of instructions, agendas, and requisite nametags. Now Kiley Kate was having a bubble bath in the pink garden tub of their pet.i.te suite.
According to the agenda, preliminaries would be that evening, finals in two sessions tomorrow: one morning, one afternoon.
Alice logged on and went to her mailbox. A little red dot indicated a message.
Her hand hesitated before clicking. She did love Neal, really she did. What would life be like without him? At her age. What would she do?
What would Elinor do if she were Alice?
Alice stared at the little red dot. Elinor, she knew, would take care of herself. She would get a huge alimony and end up with the property and carry on pretty much the same way.
Until she found another man. And started all over again.
But what about Alice? Despite all these years, despite all her attempts, she was not Elinor and never would be. Oh, she'd go for the alimony, all right. But then what? She wasn't manipulative and calculating the way Elinor apparently could be. She didn't know one-tenth of the people Elinor did. She could hardly step into the job market. She'd married Neal before finis.h.i.+ng college. A few hours a week in her father's bakery thirty years ago wouldn't translate into marketable skills.
She thought about Neal again. Her eyes stung with betrayal. Her little game was just that: a game. Somehow she suspected Neal's was much more.
She clicked the red dot. Preliminary auditions started at 6:00, with Kiley Kate scheduled for 7:15. They'd be wrapped up by 9:00, leaving plenty of time for Alice to hook up with Bud around 10:00.
She might as well start her new life now. With the one chance that she had.
”That's where it happened,” Poppy said to Manny as she pointed to the garden beneath CJ's cottage window. ”That's where I killed him.” Manny put his arm around her; she could have died right then and been fine.
”Let's go in,” he said quietly. ”It looks like she's home.”
Poppy took a last look at the rhododendron now planted where the gardener had once been. It seemed like such a long time ago now. Almost as if someone else had done it, not her.
CJ opened the front door. ”I saw you pull in. Is everything all right?”
”Have you seen Duane?” Poppy asked.
CJ shook her head. ”Why?”
”He's gone. We thought he might have gone after Elinor. But Malcolm is at the house. I think he's alone. We were afraid Duane had found you.”
”And done what?”
”I don't know. Oh, CJ, I'm so afraid he's the blackmailer. I'm so afraid he found out about Elinor having an affair and decided to get money to reopen his mine and, oh, Lord, I'm so afraid about everything!”
Manny stepped forward. ”She thinks everything is her fault.”
”I know,” CJ said. ”She always has.”
”We've sent Yolanda to be with Elinor,” Manny continued. ”In case he followed her to Cayman.”
But CJ didn't look terribly frightened. ”I don't think Duane did it,” she said.
”But his brother wants a half million dollars! For all we know Duane really is the one E's been sleeping with! And now he wants the money to keep quiet!”
”I don't think it's Duane.” CJ sounded insistent.
”You don't know that.”
”I'm pretty sure,” CJ said.
Poppy stared at her, then looked at Manny, then looked back at CJ.
”Sooner or later,” CJ continued, ”twins find out everything.”
”Do you know who her lover is?”
”I know it's not Duane.”
”You're sure?”
”Absolutely.”
”Well, he could still be the blackmailer.”
”I doubt it. I think this is out of his league.”
”Have you seen the note?” Manny asked.
”No.”
”Get it from your sister. Please. It's the only real clue we have at the moment.”
”She'll be home tomorrow. Would you like to come in? Would you like a drink or something?”
Poppy shook her head. ”No, thanks,” she said. ”We have to go. The baby's in the car, and I'm under arrest.”
Thirty-six.
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