Part 21 (1/2)

”It will probably take him an hour or more,” Gail said. ”In the meantime you look as though you need food.”

”I don't want anything to eat,” I told her, and Hillary said he'd had lunch at the hotel, and he would wait for me downstairs.

240.

I hurried down to my room to get out of my clothes. When I stood before the mirror in the bathroom I saw dirt streaking my face, with bits of wood and earth caught in my hair. In an instant I was back in the mine, remembering, trapped and frightened, with that smooth skull under my hand.

Hastily I splashed water on my face, shed my clothes, and stepped under the shower. For a moment all I wanted was to wash memory away, to stop being afraid. But my escape from the mine hadn't freed either Jon Maddocks or me from the danger that threatened us, and threatened Persis Morgan as well. I must talk to Jon as soon as possible. And there was one other thing I would do. I would go to the hotel and find Belle Durant, remind her of her promise to help if she was needed.

When I went downstairs I found Hillary in the parlor, looking through Morgan alb.u.ms, absorbed in old pictures. He had stopped at the snapshot I had found of Noah Arinand.

I could feel myself freezing at the sight of it, and Hillary saw my face. ”What's the matter, Laurie?”

I didn't want to talk about those bones in the tunnel. Not > now. There was too much I needed to do.

”I want to go over to the hotel,” I said.

He smiled at me. ”That's just where I plan to take you. There's something I want you to see. A little distraction won't hurt right now, and you can come back here quickly before the doctor arrives.”

I knew he was going to put his arms around me, but when I stepped back he let me go. ”Something's been happening since we came here, hasn't it, Laurie? You've turned into a woman I don't entirely know.”

I tried not to hear his words as dialogue from a play. He must have feelings-deep feelings-but I was beginning to realize that I didn't know what they were.

”We have to talk, Hillary. But not now. Not while my grandmother-”

”I know,” he said gently. ”Come along with me now, and I promise I'll get you back here quickly. I do want to show ^ou something.”

”All right,” I said. ”But first I have a phone call to make.”

He waited for me in the parlor. Jon's number was in the small book by the hall telephone, and I dialed it quickh, But though I let the ringing go on for some time, he didn't answ er. Probably because he had already gone to his meeting with Ingram? Perhaps I would find him at the hotel too. An increasing sense of anxiety was rising in me.

Hillary's mood seemed cheerful enough, and I knew he didn't really believe anything was seriously wrong between us. But I couldn't convince him now. We crossed the yard together, and at the gate I stopped and looked back at the house. Once more brown draperies had been drawn in Persis Morgan's room and the windows closed. I was sorrier than ever that I hadn't urged more strongly for Gail Cullen's dismissal while I had the chance.

Along the street we walked beneath scaffolding, dodged workmen, picked our way past debris that was being cleared out of one of the false-front buildings. When we reached the Timberline, we found Belle at the desk, looking rather distant and unwelcoming. It wasn't going to be easy to approach her, but I must say what I'd come to say. I must remind her of a half promise she had made me that time in the cemeten.

Mark Ingram was there as well, large and benevolent and a.s.sured. A benevolence I trusted even less than before. Impeccable in his gray cords, the silver-topped cane in one large hand, he beamed at us. There was no sign of Jon, to my relief. I must tell Hillary all that had happened, but when we were alonenot here.

I spoke directly to Belle. ”My grandmother needs you. She's been oversedated and she's unconscious. The doctor has been sent for, but she ought to have better care than she's getting.

More trustworthy care.” I flicked a quick look at Ingram, but he was impa.s.sive, merely listening. ”Belle, will you come?” I pleaded.

She hesitated, obviously uncomfortable. Then she glanced at Ingram. ”Sorry, my job is here.”

I would have to get her alone, I thought. I would give my words time to soak in, and come back to the attack later. Belle, I suspected, was not one to act impulsively.

However, I had another question to ask her. ”Caleb received a phone call from a man who said he'd heard a dog barking over near the mine on Old Desolate. The man told him he'd spoken to you and you said the dog probably belonged to me. Can you tell me who he was?”

”n.o.body talked to me about any dog,” she said.

I stared at Ingram, but his expression still exuded that benevolence I didn't trust, and I knew he would admit to nothing.

Hillary sensed an impa.s.se and broke in, speaking to Ingram. ”I'd like to show Laurie the Opera House. We won't be long.”

Ingram's expansive mood reached out to all of us in an excess of goodwill that I didn't believe in for one moment.

”A fine idea,” he said. ”In fact, I'd like to show it to Miss Morgan myself. Belle, come along with us. You're not needed here right now.”

Moving with obvious reluctance, she came from behind the desk.

I didn't want to spend time sight-seeing, but this might be my one chance to have a further word with Belle. I tried to relax and not fidget.

As we crossed the street, I sensed that a hint of something electric was stirring in Hillary. He was planning some moment of drama that I didn't welcome at this time. I would have to deal with it when it came and try to get this visit to the Opera House over as quickly as possible.

The double doors stood open, and the lighting system had al- ready been repaired and connected inside, so that illumination flared when Ingram touched a switch. Moving ahead of us, Hillary went eagerly to pull open the door to the orchestra, and I stood at the head of a dark aisle, waiting for the house lights to come on.

It was Belle who went to find the switch, and the dull glitter of a chandelier, dusty with disuse, bloomed overhead, along with tulip-shaped lights along the side walls. Someone had at least swept out the orchestra pit, and the floor and s.p.a.ces between dilapidated seats were clean enough. Ahead and below us the stage stood dark and shadowy, the curtain-what was left of it-raised into the proscenium arch, its edges frayed by age.

”Isn't it beautiful?” Hillary whispered, as though reluctant to disturb old ghosts.

I knew he was seeing it as it could be, and I nodded.

”Red and gold, of course,” he went on. ”Lots of velvet. The two tiers of boxes on either side of the stage are jewels in themselves. Their bra.s.s rails should be restored, and all the seats must be red. It can be a beautifully rich little house!”

He had forgotten my grandmother, forgotten all our problems, in his rapture over this theater.

Mark Ingram smiled blandly. ”You're right, of course. I've been thinking of bringing out an expert from New York to do the theater over. So I'm glad to have your impression.”

I looked quickly at Hillary and saw a flash of very real anger in his face. He didn't like this man any better than I did, but he coveted this theater.

Ingram must have seen the look too, but it only amused him. He had a talent for stirring up emotion, playing with it. All this was rather a game to him. Destroying my grandmother was a game. Had shutting me into a mine tunnel also been a rather deadly game?

Now he laughed. ”I had been thinking of sending for an ex- More trustworthy care.” I flicked a quick look at Ingram, but he was impa.s.sive, merely listening. ”Belle, will you come?” I pleaded.

She hesitated, obviously uncomfortable. Then she glanced at Ingram. ”Sorry, my job is here.”

I would have to get her alone, I thought. I would give my words time to soak in, and come back to the attack later. Belle, I suspected, was not one to act impulsively.

However, I had another question to ask her. ”Caleb received a phone call from a man who said he'd heard a dog barking over near the mine on Old Desolate. The man told him he'd spoken to you and you said the dog probably belonged to me. Can you tell rne who he was?”

”n.o.body talked to me about any dog,” she said.

I stared at Ingram, but his expression still exuded that benevolence I didn't trust, and I knew he would admit to nothing.

Hillary sensed an impa.s.se and broke in, speaking to Ingram. ”I'd like to show Laurie the Opera House. We won't be long.”

Ingram's expansive mood reached out to all of us in an excess of goodwill that I didn't believe in for one moment.

”A fine idea,” he said. ”In fact, I'd like to show it to Miss Morgan myself. Belle, come along with us. You're not needed here right now.”

Moving with obvious reluctance, she came from behind the desk.