Better to Eat You (11 page)

Sarah clung to the outer shell of her calm for the old man's sake. She had a feeling of desperation. His voice kept oh but she heard no more that he was saying. “Grandfather,” she broke in at last.

“Sarah?”

“Before Mrs. Monteeth comes back … There is something … You have often said I should go back to Japan.”

“I have said so, Sarah. I do sometimes think you got your ghosts there and there you must shake them off.”

“Some day, Grandfather,” she said strongly, “you'll find that I've gone. I won't be here. I want you to know and understand and not worry.”

“Will you run away, Sarah?” She nodded. “With David?” he asked her.

“No, no, no. When I run away it'll be where he can't find me.”

“I am glad you told me,” he said solemnly. “I will understand. But it can't be soon, Sarah.” He touched the bandage on her arm.

“Yes, it can,” Sarah said resolutely. “Just as soon as I can possibly drive my car with these arms.”

Grandfather pursed his lips. Mrs. Monteeth came bustling in.

“You know I must.” Sarah's voice was sad. “The risk is too much.… If any more trouble came to him I couldn't live.…”

“Perhaps it is the wisest thing,” the old man answered. “Poor Sarah, I know you are not happy.”

Mrs. Monteeth rattled a glass sipper into the drink of cider and held it for her to sip. “
I
can hold it,” Sarah said fiercely and she made her fingers pull around the glass to test the quality of the pain in her wrist that the moving muscles cost her.

“Now, rest,” said Grandfather, “and I, too must be alone and rest. The arms must soon heal, eh? Mrs. Monteeth will watch over you,” he beamed, “and let no one near.”

“Thank you for everything, Grandfather,” said Sarah and held her eyes tearless until he was gone.

Grandfather trotted down the corridor past his own and Malvina's bedroom doors. He peered into the big room and began to cross its emptiness. He saw Malvina and Edgar together out on the sea terrace beyond the dining room, a space from behind whose glass wind shelter the whole cove lay sparkling under the eye.

They were not looking at the view. Malvina was speaking earnestly and Edgar was absorbed.

Grandfather peered into the garden. Gust Monteeth was out there trying to repair the damage to the plants at the garage end. Grandfather took some keys from the table drawer where the household kept the car keys. He crossed the garden. He peered past the broken fence. No red car was there.

“Gust, can you go to San Diego for me?” said Grandfather briskly.

“Yes, sir.” Gust straightened his back.

“I want you to run down tonight and be on the dock in the morning.”

“Fresh fish, eh?” Gust grinned. He was used to Fox and these sudden orders. If you gave in and did what the old man said, the old man was not a bad employer. It was a good job, nice place.

“Yes. Now go to Andy's and he'll pack it for you. He knows just what I like. And get along right away, Gust. It's a long drive. It's getting late.”

“What car can I use, sir? The Cadillac ain't—”

“Take Dr. Perrott's,” said Grandfather. “Here are his keys. I'd rather he didn't leave the house anyhow while Miss Sarah may need him.”

“I could take Miss Sarah's Chev—”

“Now, Gust, do as I say,” said Grandfather petulantly.

“Yes, sir.”

When Gust, in fifteen minutes, had changed to a clean shirt and trousers and gone off, nodding to Grandfather's last instructions, the old man stood on the lower level, the parking apron. No one could see him, here in this pocket. Two cars nudged the hill. Grandfather walked toward one of them. He pushed the glove compartment button. Oh yes, very happily, Sarah's driving gloves were here and Grandfather's clever hands were, of course, very small.

Chapter 9

David paced Consuelo's floor. “It's all very well to say find out. Find out if the fire was set and who set it. Get evidence, you say. But there are experts to do that, Consuelo, and they're not getting anywhere.”

“Just so you calm down, Davey.” Consuelo twisted her beads.

“I'm pretty near too upset to think straight myself,” he confessed. “But that silly girl …”

“Unfortunate haunted frightened girl,” said the old lady. “You shouldn't expect too much of her, Davey.”

“I
know
that.”

“She's been alone. Now, I presume, she's in love with you, which makes it worse.”

David stopped walking.

“Don't pretend to be astounded, either,” said Consuelo. “You've guessed she is. So have I. Or why would she lash herself over
your
troubles?”

“Oh, Lord,” he said and sat down.

“I'm glad you've lit,” said Consuelo. “This summer matting isn't built for the wear and tear you're giving it. Now, while you are pulling yourself together, let me tell you about my telephone call. I talked to London. I remembered who would know what happened to Malvina's parents, so now I can tell you. Her father shot her mother and then himself when she was fourteen years old.”

David whistled.

“Yes, it turned Malvina very cynical. She threw herself away, after that. She didn't care much for the rules anymore. I suppose it spoiled her. Bent the twig.”

David said, “She's an odd girl, Consuelo. Strange mixture. Very calm and bland and very devious, I think. She likes intrigue. She's twisty.”

“Twisted,” sighed Consuelo charitably. “Well, I still don't like her but I suppose I ought to feel sorry for her.”

“There's a limit to feeling sorry. If she's in the business of twisting
Sarah
I'll put off being sorry for Malvina.”

“Davey, are they all in it?”

“For all I can tell. Who knows?”

“Snakes,” said Consuelo. “A whole nest of them. Better think, Davey. Pin something down.”

David batted his crown with his palm. “Now, was the fire set? That's the first thing. I'd say it was. Too much to believe in an accidental fire on top of all the rest. Who set it, then? I didn't and when I left the studio, nothing was burning. Malvina didn't set it. She went with me. Edgar didn't set any fire unless he used a mighty long fuse. He left, Mrs. Monteeth says, about as soon as I did. And he didn't go into the studio at all. That leaves Fox. Fox went in there. But Mrs. Monteeth was in there after him and she saw nothing burning. And if
she
set the fire, I'll be dumbfounded. The old soul is an automaton.”

“Somebody could have wound her up?”

David shook his head. “She'd say so. She's too mechanical to conspire. Gust wasn't near the place, or the Chinaman, either.”

“So it leaves Fox? Her own grandfather!”

“Any of them could have used a long fuse. And of course, it also leaves Sarah.”

“Sarah herself? Surely that's ridiculous!”

“
I
think so. But the arson expert was wondering. Her lighter was all the evidence they found. Edgar pretends to think she may have groggily dropped an open lighter and won't remember. But listen, Consuelo. I feel there is going to appear, sooner or later, a slight current of suspicion that Sarah might have done it on purpose.”

“Why?” gasped Consuelo. “Why ever would she?”

“Edgar will give out with some of his psychological hints,” said David gloomily. “Sarah did it to keep the series going. To burn my stuff. She didn't intend to hurt herself. Well, it's true. You'd think, with her head cool, she could easily have gotten out of there.”

“What was she doing when you got in?”

“Try to
save
my stuff,” said David, “or so it seemed to me.”

“It won't work, Davey. She wouldn't have wanted to burn your stuff.” David seemed to groan. “
Why
would she want to keep this series going?” Consuelo demanded.

“Why?” he said. “If she's been fixing or lying about
all
these accidents. All by herself.”

“That would mean,” said Consuelo in a moment, “that she is what we used to call crazy.”

“So it would.” David turned up the toes of his shoes and stared at them. “Mind you, Edgar doesn't say that. Malvina doesn't say that. But it's in the air. They pretend to be bravely ignoring the possibility. Malvina's very good at ignoring something so bravely that you can't help seeing what she means.”

“I'm worried,” said Consuelo.

“So am I. Especially since Sarah says she was asleep when the fire started”

“Don't you believe her?”

“I don't understand it. Fox says she was asleep. Mrs. Monteeth says she was asleep.”

“Maybe she was asleep,” said Consuelo brightly.

David said, “When I left her she was in a panic. Fifteen or twenty minutes later, she was sound asleep. Edgar says she took a headache pill but …”

“Where did she get it, Davey?”

“Huh? I wonder!” David struck his thigh. “Now, by gum, I wonder!”

“Didn't you ask her? Isn't there any thought she may have been drugged? Wouldn't the doctor know?”

“Maybe he wouldn't tell. Yeah,” David drawled. “Ye—ah. Listen, I didn't ask her much … because I couldn't get her to the point of hearing me until it was too late. Tried to tell her my new book is safe but I don't think she even got
that.
She was in such a …”

“Oh, Davey,” said Consuelo sadly and reproachfully.

“I know. I know. Got to talk to her some more. Couldn't make a fuss and have the old man collapse. They …
he
ran me out of there.”

Consuelo gnawed a knuckle. “Would you know if she wasn't quite right, Davey? I don't know the girl, God help her.”

“She sure was unreasonable this morning. I felt like socking her for a minute.”

“Oh come, now,” said Consuelo, cheering up. “After all, being in love with you doesn't necessarily mean she's off her rocker.”

His eyes fled away from hers. “I tried … I wish now …”

“Yes, you should have,” said Consuelo calmly.

He looked up, startled.

“Smacked her a good one,” Consuelo said.

“A good
what,
Consuelo darlin'?”

“Ah, Davey, you know I mean a good sound kiss.”

“I near as almost did,” he confessed sheepishly. He had a sharp image of Sarah's beautiful mouth. “You're right. I wish I had.” He was up, pacing again. “I wish she didn't trust the old Fox the way she does. She does, you know. Of course, it may be he's not in it. I wish she hadn't been in such a state.”

“Didn't help her much,” said Consuelo severely, “that stuff about proposing marriage.”

“Edgar assumed it. I let it go. I had to get rid of him.”

“Davey, you've got to get straightened around with that girl.”

“Don't I know it!”

“Wait. Say. It
did
get rid of Edgar?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why? Why did he let you send him away?”

“Well, possibly Edgar wouldn't mind if I took up with Sarah. He may fear Malvina might take a shine to me.”

“Now wait a minute, Davey. You say they made it difficult for you to talk to Sarah alone?”

“They sure did. Even this morning, Fox comes a-trotting, heart condition and all. You can't tell me he didn't deliberately interrupt.”

“But
Edgar
would just as soon you
married
Sarah?”

“Well …”

“Well, they aren't seeing eye to eye then,” cried Consuelo. “So, roil 'em up!” She made a rotary motion of her wrist that set her diamonds flashing. “Put them against each other.”

“
That's
a female-type idea!”

“Davey, you haven't the least idea
why
all this is happening to Sarah?”

“No.”

“And you are afraid they may all be in it?”

“Yes. I think it's possible.”

“Then roil 'em up,” said Consuelo firmly. “And don't hang around here talking to me. I kinda wish you hadn't left her up there.”

“What could I do?” demanded David. “If I raise an open row, they tell me the old man will drop dead. I can't be responsible for that. What can I prove, anyhow? How could I get her out of there when she won't have anything to do with me?” He paced.

“Davey, do you want to marry Sarah Shepherd?”

“I don't think so,” he said evenly. “I hadn't thought about marriage, you know. I was looking for a secretary.”

Consuelo shook her dyed locks. “Maybe it's none of your business.”

“None of my business!” He stopped still.

“You could give up.”

“Give up!” he yelped. “Listen, whatever I think about Sarah, how can I let her go mad or get killed? And she could get killed. They used my car to kill one woman already. And they've burned up my work or so they think, and they don't care. None of my business!”

Consuelo said, “I'm thinking of your mama, Davey. I don't know how safe it is for you to go tangling any more with those people.”

“If I thought it was safe,” said David furiously, “I wouldn't have to do it. And it sure as hell isn't safe up there for Sarah, poor little owl.”

“Owl?” said Consuelo.

“She … well, she wears glasses. She's got this cute little nose. She's blonde. I'm damned sorry for her. She's not to blame for being in a state. Most people couldn't take half as much. She's
intelligent,
Consuelo.”

“She is, eh?” Consuelo folded her mouth and looked wise. “Well, then,” she said in a moment, looking as grim and fierce as she could, “my advice is this. Go back. Watch out. Roil them up. Kiss that intelligent Sarah as soon as possible and bring her to me.”

“My sainted aunt,” said David, cocking a startled eye at her. “You may be right. I think I will do as you advise.”