Hollyhock Ridge (31 page)

“I heard Sonny Delvecchio spent the night at your place,”
Marigold said. “Lucky for you I’m in such trouble or that would be all anyone
would be talking about today.”

“I’m so sorry about your troubles, Marigold. Truly.”

“It might interest you to know that Sonny’s ex-wife has left
her husband,” Marigold said. “She’s telling everyone that Sonny agreed to take
her back.”

“Marigold, don’t,” Kay said. “I hope you’ll change your mind
about running. I think people are kinder and more accepting of youthful
indiscretions than you think.”

Tears filled Marigold’s eyes.

“I will never forgive you for this,” she said. “Never.”

With that, she turned and left.

Kay sat back down at her desk and felt the energy drain from
her body. Lucille walked across the hall and leaned against the door frame.

“I heard arguing,” she said. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Kay said.

“Do you want a muffin?”

“Yes,” Kay said. “But I’m not going to have one, thanks.”

“What’s the story with Marigold?”

“I’m not going to share it,” Kay said. “Marigold confided in
me, and even though she doesn’t believe me, I am keeping her confidence.”

“It hardly matters now,” Lucille said.

“It does matter,” Kay said. “It matters to me.”

Later that afternoon, Kay was surprised to see Peg Machalvie
in her office doorway. Even though her features had been partially paralyzed
through chemical intervention, her expression was like thunder, which in Kay’s
experience, always presaged a major temper tantrum.

Stuart’s wife ran the local funeral parlor, and she tended
to dress and apply makeup in a dramatic fashion. Today her coal black hair was
teased up into a poofy French twist with crisply curled spirals in front of
each ear and bangs that sprouted like spider legs from above her waxy-smooth
brow.

On her stick-thin, yet amazingly busty figure she wore a
tight, white, form-fitting suit jacket and short skirt with matching platform
heels. Her makeup and spray tan had turned her normally pale white skin a deep
pumpkin color. Her jewelry was large, sparkly, and complicated. The theme
seemed to be nautical; there were shoulder epaulets and gem-encrusted anchors
involved.

“Good afternoon,” Kay said. “What can I do for you, Peg?”

Peg pulled the door shut behind her, so Kay took that
opportunity to push the voice record shortcut button on her cell phone. She set
it on top of her desk, not trying to hide it or what she was doing, but Peg
didn’t seem to notice.

“I need to have a word with you, if you don’t mind,” Peg
said. “It’s about Stuart.”

Peg stretched her mouth into a big rectangular grimace,
which was the only version of a smile she could make using the parts of her
face that still moved.

“I can’t help Stuart,” Kay said.

“We’re willing to be generous,” Peg said. “All you have to
do is confirm Stuart didn’t know the consulting firm account was actually a
front for Knox’s slush fund. Knox was the one who deceived Stuart.”

Peg’s voice quivered and her hands were restless; she kept
touching her necklace, her earrings, and her hair.

“I’m not interested in accepting a bribe from you and
Stuart,” Kay said, speaking up for the voice recorder. “I’m also not willing to
lie for anybody.”

“He can’t go to jail,” Peg said. Her eyes filled with tears,
which spilled over, taking dark streaks of mascara and eyeliner with them. “I
don’t know what I’ll do without him.”

“I’m sorry, Peg,” Kay said. “But Stuart abused the trust of
this town and now he has to face the consequences.”

Peg was sobbing in earnest now, and Kay handed her a box of
paper tissues.

“Peg,” Kay said. “Please try to get ahold of yourself.”

“You … don’t … understand,” Peg sobbed. “Stuart … is … my …
whole … world!”

Peg was wailing now. Kay felt sorry for her; everyone in the
building could probably hear.

“I’m so sorry for what you’re going through,” Kay said. “But
I can’t help you.”

“Please!” Peg cried. “You have to!”

There was a knock on the door and Terese stuck her head in.

“Everything all right?” she asked.

Lucille was right behind her, craning her neck to see inside
the office.

“Peg is upset,” Kay said, as she stood up and came around
her desk. “Lucille, please help Peg to the ladies room so she can get cleaned
up, and then take her out the back way so she can have some privacy.”

Lucille said, “C’mon hon,” to Peg, who allowed herself to be
led like a child, still crying as though her heart was broken.

When Peg reached the door she clutched the arm of the FBI
agent.

“Don’t take him away from me,” she cried. “He’s all I have.”

Terese looked grim as she removed Peg’s grasping hand and
stood aside so the two women could get past her in the doorway.

Kay reached out and ended the recording.

“Anything you want to share?” Terese asked her.

“No,” Kay said. “Nothing to share.”

The last thing Kay wanted to do was face Matt Delvecchio,
but she also didn’t want to appear to be avoiding him, and her cupboard was
bare, so after work she went down to the IGA to get some groceries. She got as
far as the deli counter before he accosted her. There was no other word for it.

“You’re not welcome in here,” Matt said as he blocked the
aisle.

There was a hush as everyone working or shopping in the
store stopped to listen.

“Please don’t do this, Matthew,” Kay said in a quiet voice.

“I mean it,” Matt said. “I don’t want you to come in here
again.”

Kay realized that to argue would only make it worse. She
took a deep breath, removed her handbag from the shopping cart, turned, and
walked out, head held high. Unfortunately, he followed her outside, as did
several people who didn’t want to miss anything. He grabbed her arm and she
turned.

“You’re making a spectacle of us,” she said.

“You’re the one making a spectacle,” Matt said. “What did
you think would happen, letting him park out in front? Everyone knows my
brother stayed at your house last night.”

“Let me go,” Kay said, jerking her arm away from his grip.
“Unless you lower your voice and speak to me in a respectful way, I’m not going
to discuss this with you any further.”

“I don’t have any respect left for you,” he said.
“Especially not now.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” Kay said, “but you have no right to
treat me this way.”

“You can tell Grace she’s fired,” Matt said. “Tell her she
can work for my brother at the hardware store.”

Kay turned on her heel and walked away. As she crossed the
street she met Laurie walking toward her on Rose Hill Avenue.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Can I help?”

“Walk with me, please,” Kay said. “I could use the moral
support.”

“You’ve got it,” Laurie said, and turned so he could link
her arm through his. “What’s Mario so upset about? Did Miss Peach dump him for
Luigi?”

“Stop it,” Kay said. “That’s not right and it’s not funny.”

“Sorry,” Laurie said. “Just trying to cheer you up.”

“This has been some day,” Kay said. “And now I can’t even
shop for groceries in my own town.”

“His prices are too high,” Laurie said, “and they have
better produce in Pendleton, anyway. Plus now you have an excuse to come and
see me. I’ll even let you go 35 in the 25 mile-an-hour zone.”

“I’ve loved having you here,” Kay said. “I want you to know
I believe in you; you can beat this thing if you want to.”

“I appreciate that, Kay, more than you know. And I
appreciate what you and Scott did for me. I won’t let you down.”

“See that you don’t.”

“You know, you would’ve made a helluva good schoolteacher.”

“If I keep making scenes in public places, I may have to
retrain for a new career.”

“Don’t worry about that,” he said. “That made him look like
a loser, not you.”

“I don’t even care that much anymore,” she said. “It might
be a relief to be a regular person again; not always having to worry about what
everyone thinks.”

“Just be yourself and to hell with what everyone thinks,”
Laurie said. “Some people will think the worst no matter what you do, but the
people who count will always give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“Thanks, Laurie,” she said.

“Can I ask you a question?” Laurie asked.

“Of course, anything.”

“Claire said that I act like I don’t give a damn about my
job. Did I do okay here?”

“As far as I know,” Kay said. “What was she referring to?”

“Well, you know Diedre’s car disappeared before or after she
died. I wasn’t worried about finding it, but Claire thinks it’s important for
some reason.”

“When he was the chief, her father was a stickler for tying
up loose ends.”

“I still have a couple days,” he said. “I bet I could find
that car.”

“You do it,” Kay said. “It’ll make Claire happy.”

“I can but try,” he said.

When Kay got home, Sonny was sitting on her front porch. He
rose and met her with a quick kiss.

“How’s my girl?” he asked.

“Well, I just got kicked out of your brother’s store,” she
said. “And that wasn’t even the worst thing that happened today.”

“That pecker-headed son-of-a-bitch,” Sonny said. “I’ll
straighten him out.”

“Please don’t,” Kay said. “It will only make things worse.
Let’s give him some time to get used to the idea and then I’ll talk to him.”

“I’m sorry he’s such an idiot,” Sonny said.

“I’m ready for this day to be over,” Kay said. “Let’s order
pizza and watch a funny movie.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I can’t,” Sonny said. “I’m
afraid I have bad news.”

Kay’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. Was he about to
tell her that he was going back to his ex-wife? Up until that moment, although
Kay knew she cared, she didn’t realize exactly how much.

“Oh, my goodness,” Kay said. “I don’t know if I can take any
more bad news.”

She sat down on the top step of the porch, and felt tears
prick the backs of her eyes. Sonny sat down next to her and took her hand.

“My dad passed away,” he said. “I got the call right as I
was leaving work, so I came straight here.”

“Oh, Sonny,” she said, and put her arms around him.

Her tears spilled over, mostly in sympathy but partly in
relief that he wasn’t dumping her.

“I knew it was coming but it was still a shock,” he said. “I
just can’t believe it.”

“You need to go to your mother.”

“I’m headed there next,” he said. “I wanted to see you first.
I’m so glad about us, Kay. I’m so happy to know I have you. I’m not fooling
around, you know. We need to make this a permanent situation, and soon.”

“There’s plenty of time for that,” Kay said. “Take care of
your mother. Let me know if I can do anything to help.”

He kissed her forehead and then left. Kay decided that in
some ways that kind of kiss was even sweeter; it also felt like a blessing.

Claire made it to the top of the hill behind Eldridge
College, with Ed’s black lab, Lucida, running in circles around her. Claire
stopped and leaned over, her hands on her knees, and attempted to catch her
breath.

Lucida danced around her and nudged her, as if to say,
“C’mon, keep going.”

“Stop rubbing it in,” she said.

Claire sat down on the ground and then fell back, spread
eagle on the dewy green grass. Lucida licked her face and then went off to
investigate some nearby bushes. Claire closed her eyes and didn’t open them
until she heard Ed’s voice, calling her name with some urgency.

“Not dead, then,” he said when he reached her, out of breath
and red in the face. “I’m relieved to know it. You almost gave me a heart
attack.”

He dropped down and reclined beside her.

His older dog, Hank, meandered up the path and then plopped
down next to them, panting.

“I don’t think I can do this anymore,” Claire said.

“You’re out of practice,” Ed said. “It’s always hard to
start back.”

“Everything hurts,” Claire said, “all the time.”

“That bakery work is a killer,” Ed said.

“Next stop, rocking chair,” Claire said. “Old age is so
close I can see its big pores and crow’s feet from here.”

“You’re only halfway there,” Ed said. “It’s too soon to give
up.”

“But what will happen when I can’t run anymore?”

“You’ll walk,” Ed said. “We’ll walk together.”

“You and me and Eve and the baby,” Claire said.

“We had a come-to-Jesus meeting last night,” he said.

Claire turned over on her side and propped her head up on
her hand.

“Do tell,” she said. “Don’t leave anything out, especially
any terribly uncomfortable moments for Eve.”

“I have agreed to stay married to her until after the next
presidential election.”

“Is the Senator running?”

“I’m not at liberty to say,” he said, but he nodded.

“But that’s two more years.”

“In return, Miss Interrupter, I will raise the child here
until he is twelve, at which time he can decide where he wants to be, either
here with me in Rose Hill or at some fancy-shmancy boarding school for
privileged oppressors-in-training.”

“Does someone have class prejudice issues?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “I happen to think being raised in
privilege is more of a burden than a blessing.”

 “So we know it’s a boy, do we?”

“We do,” he said, as he sat up. “And I took your advice,
which I thank you for.”

“God help you,” Claire said. “What advice was that?”

“That I should remember she needs me more than I need her
right now,” he said. “I had all the power; I just needed to realize it.”

“I can’t believe she agreed to all that.”

“She had already submitted a press release about the happy
news she shares with her husband,” he said. “Rock, meet hard place.”

“Oh my gosh,” Claire said, as she also sat up. “What in the
world are you going to do with a real live baby?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m going to need some help.”

“I’m in, did I tell you? I’m so in on this action you
couldn’t keep me out if you tried.”

“That’s good to hear,” he said, “because I basically just
agreed to be a single dad. Come December I’ll have a teaching position, a weekly
newspaper to write and edit, two dogs, a teenager, and a baby.”

“How could she give him up like that?” Claire asked. “Nine
months of carrying the little bugger, twenty-four hours of labor, and then
boom, here’s your baby? See you in twelve years.”

“Of course not,” he said. “She’ll have maternity leave and
then we’ll have a visitation schedule. But here’s what I now realize about Eve:
her career means more to her than anything, and in the end she will only be
interested in us when she needs a photo op.”

“That’s kind of mean,” Claire said. “Seems to me she
wouldn’t have had the baby if she felt that way about it.”

“Look at it from her point of view,” Ed said. “If
you-know-who becomes you-know-what, this baby will be a valuable leveraging
tool. As a journalist, she will have unlimited access to you-know-who.”

“Which also makes life dangerous for Ed Jr.,” Claire said.
“He may need his own secret service agents.”

Ed looked thoughtful.

“You hadn’t thought about that,” she said.

“I’ll get a DNA test,” he said. “If it’s mine, there’s
nothing to worry about.”

“And if it isn’t?”

“I’ll make sure he’s safe,” Ed said. “Somehow, I’ll figure
it out.”

“I know you will,” she said.

“What’s going on with you and Laurie?”

“You know about that, do you?”

“It’s a small town, Claire.”

“Do you really want to know?”

“All’s fair,” Ed said. “We’re being completely honest about
everything, remember?”

“Well, he’s going to rehab for a month, and, hopefully,
he’ll get straightened out and stay sober.”

“And then?”

“I told him I’m not waiting for him, and I’m not interested
in trying to have a relationship with him if he’s not sober.”

“What if he gets sober and stays that way?”

“We’ll see,” she said. “I’m not swimming out that far right
now.”

“I’m not going to be divorced for two more years,” he said.
“You told me once you would never get involved with a married man.”

“The universe has a way of humbling me in the exact way I am
righteous,” she said. “Two years is a long time.”

“So here we are,” he said.

“Walking, not running,” she said.

When Kay called Claire to see if she was free to accompany
her on a short jaunt to Pendleton, Claire jumped at the chance to get out of
Rose Hill for a little while, as long as she was back in time for her afternoon
shift at the bakery. Kay picked her up and Claire got her caught up as they
drove.

“So Ed’s going to be a single dad,” Kay said. “He’ll need
help.”

“I know,” Claire said. “I told him I’m all in.”

“It’s a big commitment,” Kay said. “Maybe you should think
about it some more.”

“Ed’s my friend and he needs my help,” Claire said. “What
more do I need to think about?”

“You’ll get attached,” Kay said. “To the baby, to Ed and the
baby. I don’t think you’ve thought through what ‘all in’ actually entails.”

“I don’t have anything else going for me right now,” Claire
said. “So why not?”

“Let’s say you help Ed raise this child, you and the child
form a close attachment, and then, God forbid, something happens to Ed. The
child would go to Eve and you would have no legal recourse.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

“What if Ed meets someone else, falls in love, and when the
two years are up, the child has a new stepmother. She probably won’t welcome
you as part of the family.”

“You’re harshing my baby buzz, lady.”

“If you want to be the mother of this baby, you need to make
it legal somehow or I’m afraid you’re setting yourself up for heartache. Plus,
think of how someone you might get involved with would feel about it.”

“There is no one else, and probably won’t be. I’m
romantically cursed.”

“I think maybe you and Laurie might have some unfinished
business.”

“I know he’s your friend and you’ve gone way out on a limb
for him,” Claire said. “I wish he would turn his life around, but honestly, I
don’t think he will.”

“I’m surprised,” Kay said. “I thought you cared about him.”

“I do care about him,” Claire said. “It seems like so many
people struggle with addiction, and so few actually get better, or get better
and then stay better. Laurie doesn’t have faith in anything, he doesn’t have
much of a support system, and he doesn’t seem to have any friends left he
hasn’t alienated. I care about him, I do, but I don’t want to board that train.
Sorry.”

When Kay pulled up in front of the Pineville Hospice House,
Claire turned in her seat and looked at her with alarm.

“What are we doing here?”

“You told me you wanted to do something meaningful that
helped people.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The other day, you said you wanted your life to be about
more than what guy you were interested in and other superficial issues.”

“What exactly is your plan here?”

“We are volunteering this morning.”

“I can’t do dead people hair and make-up,” Claire said.
“It’s too creepy.”

“These people are alive, they are patients, and some of them
haven’t had their hair washed and styled for a long while. It’s something you
can do that will mean so much to them, and to their families.”

“What if I hurt one of them?” Claire asked. “How can I even
do it? Aren’t they in hospital beds?”

“They have a spa with a shampoo bowl, and a nursing
assistant will be with you, to make sure everybody’s safe.”

“Kay,” Claire said. “What if one of them dies?”

“Then you won’t have to keep reminding them to hold still,
now, will you?”

Claire was so nervous she was trembling. The house director
took them on a tour; the hospice house looked like an elegant inn but with
hospital beds. Claire saw medical staff working at a large, central desk, and
going in and out of rooms. Family members were hanging out in various
comfortable lounging areas. Through the windows she caught glimpses of patients
being wheeled out into the garden. The atmosphere was peaceful, quiet, and
calm.

“This isn’t so bad,” she whispered to Kay.

“It’s actually very good,” Kay whispered back.

The spa room was finished in Carrera marble, complimented by
white equipment and gray-and-white soft furnishings.

“Everything we do here is to provide our patients with the
best quality of life while they are with us,” the director said. “The family of
one of our former patients donated the money to create this room, and other donors
have paid for everything in it.”

There was a large, deep tub with a motorized lift bed that
patients could be transferred to right from their hospital beds, and then
lowered into a bath.

“Some of our patients come to us having had only sponge
baths for many months,” the director said. “It’s such a pleasure for them to be
immersed in warm water and bathed.”

The shampoo bowl and styling station were state of the art,
and Claire felt right at home.

“I can work with this,” Claire said. “How do we get
started?”

“We need you to fill out some paperwork,” the director said.
“I’ll do a quick background check on you, and then we’ll bring in the first
patient.”

“You certainly work quickly,” Claire said.

“Kay is one of our favorite volunteers,” the director said.
“When she told us you were willing to do this, we wanted to get you in place as
quickly as possible. She said you could commit to three mornings a week to
start.”

Claire looked at Kay, who was grinning at her.

“Kay is so helpful,” Claire said, although she made a face
at Kay the director couldn’t see. “Lead me to the paperwork.”

Claire only had time to work with two ladies before she had
to leave to work at the bakery. Both of them were lovely women, and so
appreciative of her gentle touch and skillful artistry, but their family
members moved Claire to tears.

“You are so kind to do this,” one daughter said. “My mother
never went out of the house unless she was dressed up with her hair and makeup
done. You’re making her feel like a person again.”

“Bless you,” one’s husband said, and then could not continue
for crying.

Claire left the building quiet and thoughtful. She had
received accolades for her professional work before, but never had it felt like
she felt right now.

When they got in the car, Kay paused before she started the
ignition.

“You’re awfully quiet,” she said. “What do you think?”

Claire had to blink to keep the tears from falling.

“I want to do this every day,” she said. “Thank you for
bringing me here.”

On the way home from Pendleton, Claire’s phone rang.

“Hey, Moonbeam,” Laurie said when she answered. “Guess what
I found?”

“Diedre’s car?” Claire asked.

“The one and only,” he said. “I’ve called for a tow truck.
I’m just about to jimmy the lock and call this mystery solved.”

“Where was it?”

“Up some godforsaken holler out Hollyhock Ridge,” he said.
“This morning the owner of the barn it’s in reported it, and, amazingly, Skip
noticed the posting and told me about it. He offered to come but I wanted to
see this through myself.”

“Good for you,” Claire said. “Well done, Laurie.”

“It smells so strong of piss in here it’s making my eyes
water,” he said. “I haven’t used one of these lock poppers in quite a while. I
suppose it’s like riding a bike.”

Claire started to say something, but there was a loud noise
on Laurie’s end of the call and it was disconnected.

 Claire stared at Kay in shock.

“What is it?” Kay asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Pull over,” Claire said, as her shock turned to panic.
“Pull over, pull over, pull over! Something’s happened to Laurie.”

Kay called 911 to report an officer in trouble, and his
general whereabouts. Claire called Sarah and told her what was going on. Sarah
was brisk and professional, but told Claire to start calling towing companies
until she found the one Laurie had given the address to.

Kay drove them to the Pendleton Police Department, where
Chief Shepherd let them commandeer an empty office, and he radioed two officers
to head out toward Hollyhock Ridge. From the front desk, he retrieved the list
of towing companies, tore it in half, and gave Claire and Kay each half the
list.

Claire had called three companies when Kay yelled, “Found
it!”

Shep called the fire department, and it wasn’t two minutes
before they heard the sirens start. Then he got on the radio and gave his
officers the address.