Remote Consequences (24 page)

"I'm sorry, Colin."

"The thing is…our minds are full of all these suspects with all these seemingly extraneous motives. But it's as if…there is more than one plot going on here." He switched gears faster than a professional drag racer.

We locked eyes. "I think you're right." I managed the words. But all I could focus on were his lips.

"Mandy, I think we're looking at multiple conspiracies here. Now we just have to figure out how to prove it."

A heartbeat passed…and then two. I held my breath.

"Maybe we should call it a night. You seem tired."

His words felt like he'd ripped off a Band-Aid when I wasn't ready.

The moment was gone…almost.

 "Can you stay with me until I hear something about Paget?" The question surprised even me.

He touched my face. I reached up and touched the scar on his chin.

I jumped when a knock sounded on the kitchen door. I spun around, took the few steps to the door, and snatched it open without a breath's hesitation.

And there, in the shadows of the porch light, was Adam Owens with my sister in his arms.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

There is no thing wickeder than a woman of evil temper. –Irish Proverb

The phone woke me from a deep sleep, and it took me a moment to realize that I hadn't been dreaming the nightmare about Paget. I bolted upright and then realized my phone was crammed in my pocket. I wedged it out to answer it with a frantic, "Hello."

"Mandy, we found Allyson. She has a solid alibi. I don't think she took your car." Ty's voice met my ears as I watched Paget snoozing in bed.

"Huh, yeah. Well, I'd like to hear more about this solid alibi. 'Cause I have reason to believe she was involved." I squeezed my left hand tightly, feeling the soft object curled up inside.

"Look, just because you two have hated each other for your entire lives…that doesn't mean she is out to get you at every turn." Ty was trying to convince me, but to no avail.

"Really? I beg to differ. She's just moved up to a larger scale than name calling and boyfriend stealing is all that's changed, Ty."

I bit the inside of my cheek as I tried to rein in my temper. I stood and started pacing the room.

"How's she doing?" Ty's voice changed tone as he inquired about my sister.

I walked to her bedside and watched her slow and steady breathing under the purple and green afghan. I'd wrapped it around her after I'd bathed and dressed her. She'd slept peacefully after Dr. C. had come by to check her out. He'd administered a shot of a strong sedative to ensure her calmness.

"She's okay, Ty. But…it was lucky that Adam thought to go back to the high school to look for her. It was smart of him to think about doing that on his own."

"Yeah, he's a good kid, Mandy. He's responsible. His parents have done a good job with him."

I turned to look out the window at the early-morning sun. I wasn't so sure about his father. For all I knew, he was involved in this whole murder cover-up. Although I did have to agree with Ty on this point: Adam seemed to be a smart, responsible kid in every way that mattered.

"What now, Ty? Any new information on what happened with Stella? I mean, you said you were going to question Trask and Matson. Were they involved somehow?"

I tried to picture Matson wearing a red wig and stealing my car in broad daylight. The image was beyond laughable. And Trask? Well, I didn't see that happening. Now that I thought about it, though, he hadn't seemed all that shocked when I'd reported Stella stolen, now, had he?

"The Mills are locked up tight by their attorney. He wouldn't let me get even five minutes with Matson. And, honestly, we have absolutely nothing tying him to the car theft or the Paget situation. I did try to push him on your drink tampering, but again…we have nothing official for me to work with there." He paused and cleared his throat. I knew that sound. It was something he did when he was trying to get his own temper under control.

He was, of course, referring to Colin's little behind-the-scenes fingerprint gathering. Colin had helped me get Paget in the house last night and his presence had seemed to soothe her. That fact had not gone unnoticed. He'd slipped out somewhere between Dr. C. arriving and Ms. Lanier stopping by to check on us. I'd found a note on my pillow when I'd gone in to retrieve the afghan for Paget. He'd told me to meet him at the café at noon.

I was looking forward to seeing him again, but I had business to take care of first.

"And Traskbauer?" I used Trask's real last name.

He remained silent for a moment. "Yeah, well…sounds like you've been doing a little checking up on him. But the fact that you think he's involved with Allyson and your account of Mrs. Mills slapping him at O'Hannigan's isn't really enough for me to suspend him, Mandy. He denies all of it. I'm sorry. I just don't have enough to go on."

I let out a pent-up breath. Paget stirred behind me with a groan, followed by a loud yawn.

"I've got to go, Ty. Paget is waking up and I want to talk to her."

"Mandy, wait…I need to—"

"Talk to you later, Ty." I ended the call.

I knew what he was going to say and there was no way I was going to wait for him to get there to question her. I was going to chat with my little sister about her evening's events and I was going to confirm what I already knew: Allyson Harlow was involved in her abduction and I was going to end her torment on my life today.

I looked down at the soft object in my hand. It was a dirtied polka-dot scarf, and I knew just who it belonged to.

*  *  *

"Mandy?" Paget's voice was small. I looked up and smiled at her, walking to her bedside.

"Hey there, Page. How're you feeling?"

She looked so tiny—so frail. I tried to control my desire to gather her in my arms. I wanted to do that so terribly, but I knew that such an outward display of affection might set her off, and she seemed relaxed at the moment.

She smiled at me and then looked down at her hands. I sat next to her and smiled in what I hoped was a calming way.

"Are you mad at me, Mandy?"

Her words surprised me. A little pain in my chest blossomed like a garden of dandelions.

"I'm never mad at you, honey. Why would I be mad?"

She fiddled with her bed sheet. "'Cause you said that I shouldn't get in a car with strangers. But it was kind of confusing, 'cause it was your car."

I squeezed the back of my neck. Tension knots had formed there. I had to proceed with caution here. If you pushed her in the wrong way, she would clam up, and that would be the end of that.

"Hey, I'll get Ms. Lanier to call Adam and see if he can come by and see you in a little while. Would you like that?" I tried a method of pure bribery. It usually worked on teenagers.  Maybe my sister wouldn't be any different.

Her face lit up, and then she started picking at the nail bed of one of her fingertips.

"Page…"

She didn't look up.

"Page, I need you to tell me what you remember about last night."

She picked at her nail again and I almost tried to stop her, but I refrained from the contact.

"Paget, look at me."

She stopped the fingernail assault and looked up at me.

"What do you remember about yesterday? Do you remember who that was in my car that picked you up? My car had a little accident. Do you remember that?"

She closed her eyes and held her breath. I waited.

"She said you sent her to pick me up. She said that I could drive the car. And you know, all the girls my age drive cars. I wanted to drive so badly. But…"

I ran my tongue over my top teeth. I swallowed back the fury that threatened to overtake me.

"But what, Page?" I struggled to keep my voice calm and on an even keel.

Paget opened her eyes and began picking the same nail again. Over and over again. It was a stress-reducing habit she had. She appeared calm to the human eye, but if you were to reach up and stop her, she would go into a fit.

I had to tread carefully here.

"Did you drive Stella? Where did you go?"

"We didn't go very far. I ran into a tree. That driving is harder than I thought. I'm so sorry, Mand." Her words came out in rapid succession and she didn't make eye contact with me.

"Hey, Page. I'm not mad, okay? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Pick. Pick. Pick.

"No, I'm not hurt. But I got scared. I got a little lost. I walked around, but then I wasn't sure if I should come home. I'm supposed to wait for Adam. So I went back to the school. You know, he walks me home from there every day."

"Yes, I know, Paget. I know about Adam."

"He's cute. Isn't he, Mand?"

I looked down and saw a trickle of blood coming from Paget's nail bed. She didn't seem to notice as she stared off into a blank void.

"Yes he is, Page. He's very cute. Can you tell me anything about the woman who was driving my car. The woman who let you drive?"

I pulled a Kleenex from the box on the bedside table and gently wrapped it around her finger. She looked down at her hand then back up at me and blinked once.

"When do you think Adam will come by to see me? I need to brush my hair."

"Yes, Paget. He can come and see you. Don't worry about that right now. I need to know who the woman was that picked you up from school."

Warm tingles coursed up my chest and into my neck. I was trying to hold myself in check but was struggling to maintain patience.

She suddenly seemed sad. "I don't know who she was, Mandy. She looked familiar, but I don't know her. She left that pretty scarf and I brought it for you. Did you get that? I folded it and put it in my pocket."

"Yeah, I got it, Page. Don't worry."

*  *  *

And just like that, I'd lost my connection with her. It wasn't unusual for her brain to shut down memories when they disturbed her. And right now, her scattered memories were more than disturbing me.

Dr. C. arrived just after I'd settled Paget in with some television and a snack. I left Pickles perched on the foot of her bed.

"Everything okay here?"

"Yep," I lied.

He frowned. "Okay, then." He stood in the living room with me. His eyes knowing but un-accusing.

"Thanks, Dr. C."

"Panda, you know I'd do anything for you girls. Are you sure you can't tell me what is going on? I feel like I'm letting Patty down by not taking better care of you."

I walked to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "She loved you. She would never feel let down by you. And we will be fine soon—you just wait and see. I'm going to get this whole thing settled, and then we'll have you over for dinner."

He grinned, but his eyes remained creased with worry.

"Oh, and Dr. C.—I realized something last night."

"What's that?"

"I won't need you to put Paget on that waiting list after all. I'm the one who needs to take care of her. I'm staying put for now. I won't let anyone hurt her." My voice was surprisingly confident and determined, even to my own ears.

At my words, he reached out to embrace me, and I gave him a brief hug. Then I stepped back toward the door. I had to deal with this.

"You don't mind staying with her a few minutes while I get Ms. Lanier to come over?"

"Of course not, Panda. Are you sure you're all right?" He asked, though I expect he knew the answer.

"Right as rain, Dr. C."

My heart was heavy as I turned and left the house. There was nothing else for me to say here. Everything I had to say was to one high school nemesis, and I knew just where to find her.

But first, I needed some wheels.

There's many a ship lost within sight of harbor. –Irish Proverb

 "Ms. Lanier, put that thing away!" I wasn't even sure how she was able to hold it up with one hand, but she'd answered the door with gun in hand.

"Oh, sorry, sweetie. With all the car stealing, murder, kidnapping, and other garbage going on in the town, a little old lady has to be prepared to take matters into her own hands. This here's Betty Lou, and I'd like to see someone try to come between me and her."

"Well, put it down for now. Would you mind sitting with Paget for a bit? I need to borrow your Caddy again."

"Aw, heck. I let Adam drive it home last night after he brought Paget home. He's going to bring it by later."

I nodded. It was obvious that Ms. Lanier trusted him. Paget trusted him. And, after last night, his stock had certainly skyrocketed in my estimation. But I really needed a car right now.

"Can you call me a cab, then? Dr. C. is over there with Paget now and I need to get a move on."

Ms. Lanier opened her mouth as if to ask where I was going, but then got distracted. "Did you say Dr. Cavello is there?"

"Yes, he came by to check on Paget again." I stepped inside while she rang Millbrook's only cab company.

"I'll need to freshen up my makeup before I head over, then." Her voice was giddy.

*  *  *

I took Coosada Concierge Service to The Country Club. Of course, this cab service was really just one eighties-style Oldsmobile Cutlass driven by Scabby Hollon. His brothers owned the wrecker service, but Scabby had decided to go out on his own and start a concierge service—or so he called it. I'm not sure how much business he did—except on homecoming night and prom night. Those nights keep him in business.

He eyed me in the rearview mirror, but he kept silent until we pulled up to the front gate of the club.

"Are you sure you want to go here?"

Sure, I'd been awake all night and hadn't showered before my departure this morning, but geez…I must look bad if a man named Scabby was worried about my appearance.

"Yes, thank you."

"That'll be $19.50, not including tip."

I reached down for my purse and realized that I'd forgotten it.

Oh, crappaccino.

"Um…I don't seem to have my purse on me."

He gave me a look of disbelief as if he'd heard this one a million times. "Well then, we'll just turn around and go back to the house and get it. Then you can pay me double." He shifted the car into reverse.