Better to Eat You (21 page)

David talked. The fire muttered. Time went by.

Sarah threw on her short coat, put her purse in her pocket, gently opened the lower sash of the garden window. She got over the sill quickly and sped through an arc of the garden to the opening in the wall. She came out upon the cliff edge and went carefully along the walk to her left. The glass door at the corridor's end opened upon the top of the path. She did not think that from the far fireside Malvina could see her slip quickly down.

To run away … to run away with David! She was excited but she meant to be cautious. Her high heels.… She would have to wade anyhow. She put one hand on the house wall and the other to her shoe.

“Miss Sarah?” The voice was so close, so loud, so startling, that she trembled. “That you, Miss Sarah?”

“Mrs. Monteeth!” The woman was standing quietly beside the corridor door. “What are you doing?”

“I was sent to ask you, would you go to Mr. Fox's study and wait on him a minute,” said the housekeeper in her prim obedient voice. “Before you run off.” Her voice was obedient to someone's instructions, as if Mrs. Monteeth hardly knew what the words meant and had not inquired.

“Grandfather wants me?”

“Your grandfather wants to say goodbye.”

“Oh, of course,' said Sarah. She thought, He's so clever! He must have guessed! Oh, I must tell him what David and I are going to do. Tell him I won't be alone. He will be glad.

“Of course,” she repeated. “Thank you.” And so Sarah walked along the house, on the cliff edge, passing the path, not going down.

The door to Grandfather's study was not locked. She slipped in. The small hexagon was dark. She turned on no light. She sat on the edge of Grandfather's chair and looked out through the glass at the dim beauty of the world, the sparkle of men's lights in their dwellings, the stars and the glimmer of their presence on the sea. Goodbye to the dear old man, and then away. Tide was going out. The way around the rock would be getting easier. She had time.

Then away. With David close to her. Sarah dreamed. It seemed to her, as it does seem to lovers, that all this had been written. They would be together, she and David Wakeley, because … There was no word for the cause, although it was as old as all the stars.

*     *     *

Mrs. Monteeth went back into the house, as Miss Malvina had told her to go, not by the corridor but back through the garden again. The next duty on her list lay in the kitchen and Mrs. Monteeth went there.

David in the living room looked at his watch. She had had plenty of time, David judged. Now, he thought, he could go.

Chapter 18

David drew his remarks to a conclusion. He felt, he said, that someone must check closely on what the police were thinking and doing. He felt he would like to be excused. He would like to run down into the village where he would glean what he could. He was pretending, of course, that he could not imagine Malvina would have told the old man anything.

Neither Malvina nor the old man attempted to dissuade him. Grandfather sat by the dying fire, his face thoughtful, his head nodding, his breath sighing from time to time.

Malvina rose, as if released, and walked with David to the garden door. She stepped outside as he did.

David stood with his ears sharpened. Within the curl of the low house, air in the garden did not stir. The enclosure was breathless and still. At the gate end nothing could be seen. The man on guard was below the garden level. Lights to the right shone in the kitchen. Moon and Mrs. Monteeth could be seen moving in there. Light shone in the Monteeth's bedroom, tail of the house on that eastern end. Gust was there. His shadow moved against the blind.

To the left, in the bedroom wing, Malvina's windows and Sarah's beyond them were all dark. David went swiftly to the left, passed the dark windows, and leaned through the gap in the wall. Nothing could be heard but the sea, booming and crashing.

Malvina said impatiently in his ear. “She's gone. And what am I to tell Grandfather, pray tell me?”

“Nothing, until morning.”

“Will you let me know what happens? You
are
going to the Sheriff's office?”

“I'll let you know,” he said. “Go in, Malvina. Better stay with him.”

“Yes, I will, of course. I hope …” Her manner softened. “David, now I think you have been wise.”

“I'm glad,” he said dryly. He struck off swiftly now to the right, toward the steps.

Malvina stood with her ears sharp. She heard a voice, and David's answer it. Malvina looked where the lights burned and checked again that the three servants were there. She waited, listening for David to go.

The guard was sitting in Edgar's closed car. He opened the car door. “Who's there? Mr. Wakeley?”

“Going to town. O.K.?”

The guard said, “You're alone?” David stood, feeling as if he turned his pockets inside out for inspection. Evidently the guard could see in this light well enough. He said, “O.K.”

In Consuelo's Ford, David drove down the switchback road, proceeding slowly and carefully, and then through the Cove, whipping up speed. At the gates of the Colony, a wavering flashlight stopped him.

“Who's this?”

“Wakeley. Guest at Fox's place.”

“Evening, Mr. Wakeley. Alone in the car?” The flashlight dipped into the tonneau.

“What's the idea?”

“Just a minute, sir. Keys to your trunk, please?”

“Oh, for—!”

“Sheriff's orders.”

“That so?” David took the keys out of the ignition.

“Supposed to check on who leaves from Fox's place. Listen, a man died this morning.”

“Go ahead,” said David wearily.

He was delayed only a few minutes but in that time he realized that a shadow detached itself from the porch of the small building from which the guards operated and where by day the agent for Colony Cove properties did his business. When, finally, he drove out into the highway, David knew he was being followed.

Well, then, he could not go for Sarah himself. He must send Consuelo.

David parked abruptly, saw the following car conquer surprise, grinned, rushed for the phone in the drugstore.

“Consuelo?”

“Yes, Davey?” Her voice was as warm and cheerful as ever.

His throat felt full with a rush of gratitude for the existence of Consuelo McGhee. “You know where the highway runs close to the shore, the north end of Fox's place?” he said to her.

“Not the Cove, Davey? The other side?”

“That's right. The highway. Go there, Consuelo. Like the darlin' you are. Sarah's gone down to the little private beach they've got. It's low tide so she'll wade around the rock and make for the highway. You pick her up, Consuelo darlin', and take her to your house. She knows. She'll expect you. We're running away.”

“Davey, where are you?”

“Drugstore. I got out through the Cove but the police aren't going to let her fly off with me to Las Vegas.”

“Davey!” Her voice squeaked.

“That's right. We're going to elope.”

“Aaah,” she said, “that's the stuff!”

“Consuelo, be careful. Get her through the town. I don't want the police to pick her up. I don't want her anywhere but with you. I'd go for her myself but I'm followed. Go right away, Consuelo darlin', because she's waiting, poor kid.”

“Right away. Davey, you'll come to my house?”

“I've got an errand. I'll give you time, because I'm followed. Then I'll come.”

“On my way,” Consuelo said staunchly. “I'll get her. Don't you worry.”

Consuelo hung up her phone, fluffed at her hair in automatic preparation, reached for her coat. Her mouth was firm in her soft old face. Her eyes were bright and enchanted. Her heart was going a little too fast for one who was sixty-two.

David looked out through the glass of the phone booth. His shadow was not inside the store. He dropped in another coin.

“Dr. Price?”

“Yes. Who is this? Wakeley? Now what is it?”

“Making sure you are home. Coming over to talk to you, Doctor. It may be more important than you know.”

“About Fox? Absolutely nothing more I can tell you.” The doctor was exasperated.

“There is something,” David insisted. “I'll be there in ten minutes.”

“Now, see here, I can't …”

“Wait for me,” said David. “It's connected with murder.”

“
What
is?”

“That's what I want to find out. Explain when I see you.”

“Murder!” the doctor said in plain amazement.

But David hung up. Then he hesitated. He should, he had promised to arrange about a plane. But he thought he could do that from Consuelo's house, where a strategy of their flight would have to be planned. Now, he would go and talk face to face with Dr. Price. Something had made Malvina's pulse leap. And the old man kept a tame doctor, a doctor whose practice had left him because of some doubtful thing, a doctor dependent upon the old man's providence.
Why?

Let his shadow follow to the doctor's. No harm in that. Meantime, Sarah could be saved. So he left the drugstore, checking out of the corner of his eye on that dark car that waited.…

In Grandfather's study Sarah was still dreaming in the dark, when at last the door opened. She turned her head and saw his small figure against the light, knowing that light fell upon her and her loving smile.

Grandfather stood perfectly still.

“Close the door,” she said softly. “Malvina mustn't know.”

The door closed in a slow sweep. She knew he was coming nearer. “Oh, sit down, Grandfather.” He got into his chair and she knelt to be near. She couldn't see his face. She could tell that his breath was short. “You shouldn't have hurried,” she chided fondly, “I have time. Now, how did you know I was running away? Do you always know everything, Grandfather?”

He didn't speak, although his hand reached for hers. Sarah clung to the dry old fingers. “I'm glad to be able to say goodbye,” she whispered. “I wanted you to know, anyhow. I'm not running away alone, Grandfather.”

“Are you not, dearie?” Now he spoke and his voice was a little strange. She could sense some kind of storm in him and she was concerned.

“David and I are going to be married.”

“Is that true?” Now his hand squeezed and he sighed wheezily.

“I am going by way of the beach. But of course you
know!
Now how did you know to send Mrs. Monteeth to stop me?”

“Eh, dearie?”

“Oh, I suppose Gust was waiting to stop me if I had gone by the gate?”

“Just so,” he said.

But suddenly Sarah was afraid. Now she wished she had not come back into the house, that she had silently gone, that this scene had never begun. She didn't know how to talk to him, how many of her suspicions to tell him. She clung to his hand and said fearfully, “Malvina won't come in here, will she? I'm afraid she
will
stop me. The Monteeths won't tell her? Oh, no, of course they won't. They are loyal to
you.
” She felt him stiffen. “Oh, Grandfather, I don't want to leave you with Malvina. It frightens me. Am I wrong to leave you?”

“No,” he said. “No, Sarah. Don't be afraid. You are right to go.”

“She can't … Grandfather, if I marry …” Sarah put her head against his knee. “In a way it is all for you,” she murmured. She didn't want to explain all that she was thinking about his money. It seemed cruel to do so. Sarah was sorry and confused.

“But my dearie,” said Grandfather suddenly. “You cannot go by the gate.”

“No, because there is a police guard.”

“Yes. Yes, I understand.” Now he was strong and eager. “Ah, goodbye, dear Sarah. You must hurry, eh?”

“Yes. Yes, I must hurry.” She felt released. “Grandfather, you know how I thank you for everything. You are glad I'm going with David? You don't mind?”

“My blessing,” Grandfather said solemnly, in the dark. “There, dearie. You know you have it. And now you can hurry, do.”

Sarah got to her feet. “I have only to run down the path.”

“You are young,” he said cheerfully. “You can go nimbly, eh?”

The door flew open. Light washed in. It bathed the old man, showed him bent into his chair, chin down. His head rolled to one side. The eyes turned sideways.

“Sarah,” said Malvina sharply. “You are walking into a trap. Tell her, Grandfather.” She was tall and imperious.

“What should I tell her?” Grandfather said in a strange voice. “How stupid you are, Malvina! What is this fuss? Now, let her go.”

“I'm going,” Sarah said resolutely.

“Then I'll tell her,” Malvina cried, “how she's been made a fool of.” She let go of the door and bent forward, speaking angrily. “David has gone to the police. He told me so. You think he is going to be waiting for you? Oh no, Sarah—the Sheriff's man will be waiting for you. And catch you running away.
That's
David's plan.”

“I don't believe you,” Sarah said.

“Then we'll ask Gust, who heard him say so. We'll ask Moon. Everyone heard him say so.” Her voice rang. Malvina moved and left a path through the door.

“Except me,” said Grandfather, and then loudly, “
except
me, Malvina, from all this nonsense.” He lay back in the chair, hand on his heart. “Leave me,” he said piteously.

Sarah believed the old man's health was feeble. It had been told her for months, shocked into her by Malvina in the first place. The vague news that some new doctor had been encouraging was all forgotten. She said, in distress, “Oh, Malvina, how could you?” She bent over him, frightened. “Grandfather, can I get your medicine? What can I do?”

“I will get the medicine,” Grandfather said. “Just leave me.”