Part 26 (1/2)
”Yes, and-I don't mean to pry-but speaking of b.u.mps, that's a doozy you have on your forehead there.”
”It looks much worse than it feels. I battled a cliff yesterday. The cliff won.” Ann touched her forehead. ”It's a little tender but that's all.”
”That's good to hear.” Tricia handed her a small card with an address on it. ”I'm sure a home-cooked meal would do wonders for your recovery.”
”You're inviting me over for dinner?”
Tricia nodded.
Ann smiled as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with a hand towel. This could be providential. It might be a chance to discover a few of the mysteries Taylor knew about the Book of Days and find out about his reaction to her at Jason's gathering. ”This might sound rude, Tricia, and I hope it doesn't come across that way, but why do you want to invite me into your home?”
She smiled. ”Good for you. Don't worry; I appreciate people who are straightforward, so I'll be the same.” She took Ann's arm and led her away from the row of treadmills out of range of the three other women doing an early morning workout on the machines.
”When you got up on stage during Jason's little s.h.i.+ndig the other day, Taylor's face turned the color of freshly fallen snow. He wouldn't talk about it, but I know something about you crumbled his Oreos.”
”I heard about that.”
Tricia's eyes widened.
”Cameron Vaux told me.”
”Ah.” Tricia nodded. ”When I asked Taylor why seeing you made him go all goofy, he clammed up like a Mafia boss on the witness stand.” She grabbed a heartbeat monitor off a stand next to a row of elliptical trainers and strapped it to her wrist.
Ann smiled. ”I see. So your plan is to ambush him when I step through that door where he's trapped and has to give some kind of explanation about me?”
”Oh no, I would never do that. Of course not.” Tricia patted her on the shoulder. ”I plan on giving him a full ten minutes of warning before you arrive.”
Ann shook her head and smiled again.
”Can you make it tonight, say around six thirty?”
”I'll be there.”
”Wonderful. I'm so looking forward to it.”
Ann would be there, along with a certain picture from her mom's childhood. Something told her the Stones needed to be asked about that photo.
As Ann left the gym, her eyes locked on to a man with a baseball hat sitting directly across the street on a dark brown bench. She glanced away, then back to the man. He was watching her.
She reached into her purse to grab her keys, and when she looked up again, his gaze was still fixed on her. She glanced up and down the street for cars, then jogged across Main Street directly toward him.
”h.e.l.lo. My name is Ann. What's yours?”
The man looked Native American. He smiled, and his dark brown eyes danced. ”I hope I didn't frighten you just now.”
”You didn't, but why were you staring at me?”
”It is important I see you. Meet you.”
”Why?”
”To see.”
”See what?”
”I'm sorry. I'm not able to explain that to you right now.” The man stood, put on gold-rimmed sungla.s.ses, and gave a slight nod. ”It was a pleasure to meet you. And again, I regret the possibility of having disturbed you.”
”Who are you? What's your name?”
”Good day, Ms. Banister. I wish much life on you.”
Great. Another creeper to add to her collection.
CHAPTER 28.
It's a Wonderful Life played though Cameron's head as he drove toward Taylor Stone's house late Friday morning. ”I want to live! Clarence, I want to live!” Cameron smiled at his abysmal imitation of Jimmy Stewart. played though Cameron's head as he drove toward Taylor Stone's house late Friday morning. ”I want to live! Clarence, I want to live!” Cameron smiled at his abysmal imitation of Jimmy Stewart.
What was that overused line from Dead Poets Society? Carpe diem. Dead Poets Society? Carpe diem. ”Seize the day.” He wanted to ”Seize the day.” He wanted to carpe liber. carpe liber. ”Seize the book.” ”Seize the book.”
The climb yesterday had made him want to live and, at the same time, freed him from worrying about the future. Death could come in any moment, why not live it to the full in the moment he was in? His brain could short out tomorrow, so why not rip the envelope into pieces while he still had the chance? That meant planting his feet in front of Taylor Stone and finding a way to get him to reveal his secrets about the Book of Days.
Cameron pulled up to the curb in front of Taylor's house and tried to formulate a plan. After five minutes he still didn't have one. It didn't matter. He'd know what to say when he got there.
After ringing the doorbell three times and getting no response, he eased around the side of the house into the backyard.
In the southeast corner, Tricia set paving stones in an undulating pattern as she worked toward a wis.h.i.+ng well that looked brand new.
”Hi, Tricia.”
She turned and stood. ”h.e.l.lo, Cameron.” She shook off her gardening gloves and grasped his hand tightly. ”You're looking for him?”
He looked back at the house and nodded.
”He's fis.h.i.+ng.”
”I should have known.”
”But I'll answer any question I can.” Tricia did a faux curtsy.
Not a bad idea. He might learn something new.
She led Cameron over to a well-worn maple bench framed by a trellis covered with lavender wisteria. She brushed the bench with the tips of her fingers. ”My thinking, talking, and kibitzing bench. All ready for you.”
”Thanks.” Cameron sat. ”Is Taylor acting differently these days?”
She smiled. ”Video directors are observers, aren't they? He's been acting strange ever since you showed up. But it was nothing compared to the reaction when Ann Banister stepped onstage.”