Catherine's Cross (36 page)
“I will, Mama.”
T
hat afternoon Seth was released from the Beaufort Hospital and Detective Campbell came to assist him. Two of the nurses who had looked after him during his stay helped him into a wheelchair for the elevator ride down to the hospital lobby. Jenks carried his crutches. When they left the lobby, Dr. Walker and his wife were waiting beside their silver Cadillac. Detective Campbell helped Seth into the rear of the car. Before they departed, the detective nodded to Seth and said, “I think you should talk to your cell phone provider about dropped calls.”
Seth shook his hand while they said their good-byes, but as they pulled out of the parking lot, Seth whispered to Jenks, “What did Thomas mean about dropped phone calls?”
She squeezed his hand and responded, “I'll explain when we get you home.”
That evening after dinner, Mrs. Walker showed Jenks to a guest bedroom and invited her to spend the night. “We would like for you to stay with us.” She ran her hand down the side of the doorway frame, and then said, “Seth has been like a son to me. I only wish that we had gotten to know him earlier. He's a dear.”
“Yes, ma'am, I agree.”
“I hope you'll join us in the living room. Leslie is going to play the piano for Seth.”
When they entered the living room, Seth was lying on the couch with a pillow under his leg. Jenks sat down in a chair beside him and touched his brow. His lips turned up in a slight smile before he closed his eyes.
Dr. Walker played his piano and Jenks was captivated by the loveliness of the music. She thought she recognized the song: it was the theme music to the movie
Laura
that she and Seth had watched together on their first date. She thought of her embarrassing behavior over dinner in Wren's, when she had accused Seth of obsessing over her sister. She shook her head, and glancing at Seth, she noticed he was watching her.
“That was one of my favorite compositionsâthe theme from
Laura
,” Dr. Walker said at the end of the song.
He continued to play, introducing each song; first, “Waltz for Debbie,” and then, “Some Other Time.” She could have listened to him play for hours, but he concluded his performance after a hauntingly beautiful rendition of a composition entitled “Peace Piece.”
When he finished, Jenks clapped softly for him. “You play the piano magnificently, Dr. Walker, and I enjoyed each of the songs.”
“Thank you, Jenkins. The last three songs were made famous by my favorite artist, the late Bill Evans. He was a fine pianist. The last composition, âPeace Piece' reminds me of the works of Erik Satie or perhaps Debussy.”
Dr. Walker rose from the piano bench and walked to where Seth was lying on the couch. He knelt toward him and softly said, “Son, I'd like to help you get to bed now. Dr. Petty said that rest was crucial to your full recovery.” He helped Seth into an upright position and then assisted him down the hallway to his bedroom. Once he was in bed, Jenks went by his bedroom to say good night.
Seth was under the covers except for his fractured leg, which rested on a pillow. Jenks bent over and kissed him on the forehead. His eyes gently opened and he said, “I'm glad you're here. What was it that Thomas said to me today about the dropped phone call?”
Jenks sat down on the bed beside him. “After we found Gigi's treasures in the hidden locker at the Fleming's Seafood building, you tried to phone Detective Campbell to alert him. The phone call failed, and you started to go outside the refrigeration locker to place another one.” She squeezed his hand. “As you stepped through the threshold of the doorway, Frank Hiller hit you with a metal pipe.”
In the darkened bedroom, Jenks could see a frown cross his face.
“I'm so sorry that happened,” Jenks continued. “If I hadn't been so obsessed to discover Gigi's findings, we would not have been ambushed by her killer. You would be about to start law school.”
He looked sympathetically into her eyes, and responded, “I want you to understand something, Jenks. What happened to me is not your fault. Frank Hiller is to blame for your sister's death and this.” He gestured to the cast on his leg.
Seth then closed his eyes for a moment, opened them again, and gazed at Jenks. “There will be a reckoning. I promise you.”
During the night, Jenks was awakened by frightening cries; she quickly rose from her bed and went to Seth's bedroom.
Dr. Walker and his wife were already in the room and Seth was in tears.
“Tell me what's wrong,” Dr. Walker said as he took Seth's hand.
Jenks noticed how stunned Seth looked as he slowly responded, “I dreamed about Steel. I was trying to save himâget to him before heâ” Seth stopped talking and Mrs. Walker stroked his head and then handed him the glass of water that was on the nightstand. He came up on his elbow and took several sips before putting his head back down on the pillow.
“I'm sorry to have scared everyone.”
Jenks came forward and took Seth's hand in hers. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“No, I'll be all right.”
Dr. Walker looked at his wife and Jenks and said, “Why don't you two get some rest. I'd like to talk to Seth.”
Jenks went to the kitchen to get a glass of water and on her way back to her bedroom she heard Dr. Walker tell Seth, “Son, I think you need to talk about what's bothering you and get it off your chest. It's unhealthy to keep these thoughts locked inside.”
She continued to her bedroom and lay back down in her bed. She had trouble going back to sleep.
What did Dr. Walker mean, “You need to talk about what's bothering you”?
The next morning, Detective Campbell called while Dr. Walker was serving breakfast to everyone in the kitchen. Jenks noticed how tired Seth looked as Dr. Walker gave him the telephone. When the conversation was complete, Seth handed the receiver to Jenks and she returned it to its resting place on the wall.
“Thomas said that he had received a phone call from Detective Sanchez with the San Juan Police Department. The police have been on the lookout for Frank Hiller, but there are no clues to his whereabouts. He's just disappeared.”
Dr. Walker placed a plate of cooked bacon on the kitchen table and said, “Mr. Hiller's appearance does cause him to stand out. However, there are dozens of islands in the Caribbean that can be reached by boat from Puerto Rico. The police may not have the manpower to seek out every person who owns a seaworthy craft.”
Dr. Walker returned to the stove and lifted a large skillet with scrambled eggs and brought it to the kitchen table. “Now, everyone, help yourselves. There is plenty to eat, so no one is to leave the table hungry.” He helped himself and then looked at his wife. “Sophie, dear, would you please pass the tomatoes?”
She gazed back at him and handed him the plate.
Jenks could not help but notice how kind and polite Dr. Walker and his wife were to one another. He often called his wife by a pet name, “Soosy,” rather than Sofia. Seth had told her they had been married for over forty years, but they still seemed to be deeply in love.
That morning after breakfast, Dr. Walker helped Seth to the living room couch and then left for Charleston and the first day of law school classes. Jenks made sure Seth was sitting comfortably and had one of his law school books, and then she assisted Mrs. Walker with the breakfast dishes.
“Mrs. Walker, I can't help but notice how kind you and Dr. Walker are to one another.”
Mrs. Walker raised her eyebrows. “Jenks, that characteristic in Leslie is what attracted me to him. We met as students at Duke University. While I had other suitors who I thought were attractive, there was no one that I had ever met who showed me the kindness and respect that I have received from him. All I can tell you is that when you are deciding on the person with whom you'd like to spend your life, think about how you want to be treated. That will help you with your choice for a husband.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
She patted Jenks on the shoulder and said, “Seth would make a fine husband.”
By midafternoon, Dr. Walker had returned from Charleston, and he joined Seth in the living room. Together, they went over the notes that Dr. Walker had taken, and then Seth listened to the recorded lectures.
While the Walkers prepared supper, Jenks went over the class notes again with Seth, asking him questions. She noticed that he was having difficulty retaining the information, and he was yawning. “Why don't we start back up after supper?”
“I'm sorry. I don't seem to be able to focus on the material.” He rubbed his temples and sighed.
“Dr. Petty said that you could have trouble retaining new information for a while. Please don't get discouraged.” She closed his notebook and asked, “Is there anything you'd like to talk about?”
Seth was quiet for a moment and Jenks thought he was about to tell her something, but instead he reached for her hand and kissed it.
She looked into his chestnut eyes and said, “I love you.”
He pulled her close to him and kissed her on the lips. “I love you too, Miss Ellington.”
After dinner, Seth fell asleep in his bed while reading over the notes that Dr. Walker had taken for him that day. Jenks removed the study materials and then joined the Walkers in the living room. Dr. Walker was softly playing his piano, and Mrs. Walker was reading Dostoyevsky's
Crime and Punishment
. She motioned for Jenks to sit beside her on the couch.
Mrs. Walker placed a bookmark in her novel and then watched her husband perform on the piano. Jenks thought that each of his songs was rich and beautiful, and she rested her head on the back of the couch. When he finished playing, he closed the piano fallboard. “All we need are bass and drum musicians, and we'll be all set.”
“What were the names of the songs you were playing?” Jenks inquired.