Page 65 of The Man Next Door
“I am capable of putting myself to bed.” She said it firmly to make sure he got the message.
“Okay, if you’re sure. But if you need anything, all you have to do is call.”
She patted the sweater pocket where she kept her cell phone. “I know.”
He gave up insisting on watching over her and she walked him to the door. “I’m glad you could come over,” she said.
“I’m always glad to spend time with you,” he said. “Garage sales tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’ll be over at eight thirty.”
“We’ll be ready,” Louise said.
Of course, Zona would go with them. Her daughter was obsessed with making money. Louise had been surprised that Zona had gone out at all. She was glad she had though. Her daughter was going hard and pushing hard, and she looked exhausted. A time out had been exactly what she needed.
Life was such a mixture of sweet and sour, she thought as she made her way to the bathroom. One minute you were biting into a Tootsie Pop, the next you’d lost a filling and were on your way to the dentist. Or you’d broken a leg. Lost a husband. Lost all your savings.
But they were strong women. They could handle both the good and the bad. Her cast would eventually come off and she’d be back line dancing. Zona would slowly right her financial ship. Bree... Louise sighed. Bree would hopefully be able to break through the hard shell she’d formed around herself and realize that while you couldn’t trust everyone there were still a few someones left in the world that you could.
She left a note for Zona that they were on for garage sales in the morning if Zona was interested. Then she went to bed and settled in, Darling jumping on the foot of the bed and making himself at home.
He’d take off later. Zona hadn’t let him sleep with Louise when she first came home for fear he would somehow plop on her injured leg or trip her if she tried to get up in the night. Darling had switched allegiance and started following Zona upstairs to bed. But when she wasn’t around, he remembered who his mommy really was. Once Zona returned, he’d forget again so Louise left the door halfway open so he could go be her shadow. She liked leaving it halfway open so she could easily get out, too. When nature called, it was best to make it as simple as possible to answer that call.
She picked up the novel Martin had loaned her and started reading. It was hard to put down and she was wide awake. She’d probably finish the book before she finally fell asleep.
Zona returned home a little before midnight to find her still reading. “You’re still up? That book must really be good.”
“It is. Plus I think I had too much chocolate. It won’t stop me from getting up to go garage-saling tomorrow though. You probably aren’t going to want to go after getting home this late.”
“It’s not that late. I’ll be ready,” Zona assured her.
She kissed Louise good-night, called to Darling, who jumped off the bed to join her, then went upstairs.
Louise decided she’d better try to go to sleep if she wanted to have enough energy to treasure hunt. One more visit to the bathroom first, then maybe she’d make it through the night.
Oh, the things you take for granted, she thought after she’d struggled on and off the toilet and was swinging herself back to her bed. How did people who had to cope with physical handicaps keep a positive attitude? It couldn’t be easy.
She was about to get back in bed when she thought she saw movement next door. What was going on over there at this time of night? She hurriedly swung over to the window and got the curtains parted just in time to catch sight of Alec James striding to his truck.
He carried a pink overnight bag and several shopping bags. And what looked like a purse, a small one, the kind younger women favored. Louise couldn’t be sure in the weak light of the streetlight, but judging from the bow on it, she suspected it was a designer purse. He threw everything in the truck cab and then got in and backed out of the driveway. Where was he going with the woman’s things? Where was the woman?
Louise’s first thoughts ran toward Hitchcock’sRear Window. “Don’t be silly,” she scolded herself. And yet... who sneaked out late at night getting rid of another person’s personal items? And the purse.
No woman in her right mind ran off and left her purse behind. Especially a designer purse. Something was dreadfully wrong over there.
“IT’S PROOF. THATman is up to something,” Louise told Zona the next morning as they hurried their way through Zona’s homemade waffles.
“No, it’s proof she’s gone for good and we can stop worrying. He probably wanted to get rid of her stuff,” Zona said.
“So late at night? Don’t you find that a little suspicious?”
Maybe it was time to put Louise on a strict reading diet. Romance novels only. And no moreDeathline. Nothing but Hallmark happiness for her and Gilda.
“No, I find it a relief,” said Zona. “The woman got smart and got out of there.”
“But why didn’t she take her things? And why leave in the dead of night?”
