Page 79 of Silent Ridge

“Dan, I apologized to her. I was looking for you.”

I’m not going to apologize again. She’s lucky I don’t tell him how unhelpful she was and how she doesn’t answer the phones. I think he should fire her and get some grumpy old hag to watch the place.

He looks much better now that he’s gotten some of the poison out of his system. His color is back and he’s sitting up. His eyes look focused.

“Thanks for coming by,” he says to Jess. “Would you mind checking on the store before you go home? If there are any important messages, let me know.”

Jess looks from him to me and back at him. She smiles sweetly at him.

“Okay, Dan,” she says. “I’ve got your number.” She gives me a death star look as she carefully goes around me and out of the door.

“How are you doing?” I ask. It’s a stupid question. He’s in the hospital, for God’s sake. He’s been poisoned by some crazy woman who was getting ready to skin him because he’s my friend.

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he reaches a hand out for me. I cross the room and he takes my hand in his. I start to say something else stupid, like “I’m sorry” or “is there anything I can get you?” The usual hospital visit crap.

He squeezes my hand tightly. “Megan, I appreciate what you did out there. She was going to kill me. You offered yourself as a trade. I don’t know what to say. Really. You saved me.”

Now I know he heard all the other stuff that spilled out of the bitch’s mouth.

“Dan, she was afterme. I shouldn’t have involved you.”

“What do you mean, Megan? You didn’t involve me. She was crazy. She’s probably been watching you for a long time. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have left the pictures in my mailbox. I think she wanted to see how close we were. I gave her exactly what she wanted.”

“It’s my fault. I feel horrible, Dan.”

He doesn’t let go of my hand. “No. It’s her fault. I care about you a great deal and it must show.”

“She burnt your things up.”

“I can make new ones. I hear I owe you for saving my house as well.”

“It isn’t livable, Dan. You lost everything.”

“I haven’t lostyou. Have I?”

Sixty-Four

I leave the hospital after Dan is ordered to go to sleep. I want to stay but I don’t want to start crying. He doesn’t hate me. In fact, I think he’s falling in love with me. That’s a good thing. I think.

I’m suddenly not tired and go to meet the crew for a drink, but everyone has already left. I go home. I left a light on in the office but it’s totally dark inside. I draw my .45 and go down the side of the house to the back. I look to see if there are any lights on or if a window is broken. It looks okay. I go back to the front and try the doorknob. It’s unlocked and turns easily in my hand.

The smart thing to do is call the police. I don’t do the smart thing all the time. I turn the handle and push the door open. There’s a dim light coming from the kitchen. I put my purse down by the door and step inside. I leave the door open in case I have to run. I move quietly down the hall and peek into my office. Nothing has been moved. The bear is still on my desk where I left it. That seems like days ago.

I move back down the hallway to the kitchen. I can hear something. It sounds like chewing. It confuses me. Wild animals don’t open doors and then shut them. They don’t pick locks. I know I locked the door.

I move closer and hear the sound of someone smacking their lips. I look around the corner. The refrigerator door is open and it blocks my view of the table. I can see under the door that a pair of size eleven shoes are planted on the floor. I see who it is and re-holster my .45.

“Hayden,” I say. I push the refrigerator door shut.

He says, “I let myself in,” and goes back to munching on his sad sack sandwich. I see an empty packet of tuna, a jar of peanut butter, and a jar of jam on the table. Only Hayden would eat a PB&J and tuna on stale bread. I want to vomit.

“I can see that,” I say. “I thought I had a burglar.”

“No. Just me,” he says, as if his sudden appearance after ducking out on me is normal. “Where were you last night?”

I don’t answer. I’m still protecting him from the bad things. “Can I get you something to drink with that?”

“You’re out of Scotch. I looked in your cabinets but the bottle was empty. Well, it is now.”

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