“How’s Colleen doing? Today’s Falmouth’s last day, right?” Alex asked.
“She’s relieved to get out of there. She didn’t want to call in sick or make up a story, but with the cases floating around the Falmouth schools, she was starting to get hysterical. She’s been off since Wednesday with the kids.”
“Good, good. Where are you now?” Alex asked.
“I’m coming up on the New Hampshire toll. I should be home in about an hour or so. Do you think I should skip the storage unit?”
“Do a drive-by and see. If he’s not there, I’d get the samples out of your possession. You don’t want him coming to your house looking for them. And make sure to tell him to stay clear of your house. You can tell him I’ll be over there showing you my favorite shotgun,” Alex said, laughing.
“I’m gonna buy him some pepper spray as a farewell present,” Mike said, laughing as well.
“I already took care of that,” Alex choked, barely able to get the words out through his own laughter.
“Hey, I gotta let you go. I’m gonna call Colleen and set this plan in motion.”
“All right. Good luck, and be careful. Okay?”
“Same to you. Say hi to Kate and the kids for me. Salud.”
He put the phone in the front pocket of his jeans and rejoined Ryan.
Chapter 18
Alex hung up the phone and yelled up the stairs to Kate.
“Honey, the Murrays are on their way over. They’re headed out to New York.”
He arrived at the bottom of the stairs as Kate appeared at the top.
“Right now?”
“Yeah. He said they were closing up the house. They should be here in a minute.”
“I can’t believe they’re leaving. I’m gonna throw on a sweatshirt. I’ll be right down,” she said and disappeared.
Alex heard her yell to the kids as he opened the front door. He took a few steps and glanced at the Thorntons’ house, wondering what that nutcase was doing?
The Murrays’ convoy materialized from behind the Thorntons’ house and glided around the corner, headed in Alex’s direction. As they approached, he saw Greg in the lead, driving their red four-door Honda Accord, and Carolyn picking up the rear in a black Honda Odyssey. Both vehicles had large, squat Yakima top carriers attached to the roof racks.
Alex met them on the driveway. Greg opened the door of his car and hopped out. Alex heard the minivan doors slide open, and the kids burst out onto the driveway. They ran by him on their way toward the house.
“Hi, kids,” Alex said, mostly to himself.
Kate intercepted them in front of the mudroom door and redirected them through the garage to the backyard. Alex heard her say something about snacks and drinks on the picnic table.
“Loaded down for war here, I see,” Alex observed.
“Yeah, we’ll probably get eight miles per gallon,” Greg said ruefully.
“So how are you escaping from National Semi?”
“Vacation. I have over three weeks on the books since we never made it out to see Carolyn’s sister in Virginia. They encourage us to use it up before the end of the year, and sales have been great this year.”
Carolyn walked up to the two of them.
“How did you end up driving the loony wagon?” Alex asked her.
“I drew the short straw. We’re gonna switch every couple of hours, supposedly. We’re hoping the trip won’t take much longer than eight hours, so it shouldn’t be too bad. Plus, they have every electronic distraction available at Great Buy to keep them busy. Sorry we can’t stay too long, Alex.”
Alex stepped out of her way and motioned to the mudroom door. “No worries. We understand. Really. What’s important is that you guys get over to New York safely. Kate’s got all the kids out back. Dosing them up with sugary drinks and high fructose corn syrup snacks.”
“Somehow I doubt there’s any high fructose corn syrup in that entire house,” Carolyn said, as she walked through the garage to the door accessing the backyard.
“Sorry about your job, Alex. That really stinks.”
“I’m not sorry at all. That job had a limited half-life. Biosphere was a terrible company, and my boss was clueless. He’s about six years younger than me, and all he ever talked about was Biosphere. This is all he’s ever done since college. I’ll miss the pay, but that’s about it.”
“Hey, maybe you could take your story to the Portland Paper. They’d love it. Local hero stands up to big pharma. You could sell them all your juicy stories about the pharmaceutical industry.”
“Unfortunately, there’s not much to sell, and the last thing I want to do is draw any attention to myself. Hey, before I forget, let me give you the TerraFlu samples we talked about. I’m giving you enough for twelve courses of therapy, which should cover everyone in your parents’ house,” Alex said, walking toward the garage. He turned around. “Remember, if anyone—”
“I know. If anyone shows flu symptoms, make sure we all take them. Got it,” Greg interrupted.
Alex laughed, grabbed a small plastic shopping bag filled with TerraFlu samples from a shelf near the mudroom door and handed them to Greg, who had followed him into the garage.
“What did you tell the kids about the trip?”
“Not much. Just that we’re going to visit my parents for a few weeks. I think the boys know what’s going on, but the girls really have no idea.”
“Yeah, same thing happening in our house, though I don’t think even Ryan really understands what this might mean for us. I probably don’t fully understand it.”
“No kidding. I keep thinking—hoping—that we’ll be able to come back in a few weeks. It still hasn’t sunk in that we might be gone for a lot longer. Carolyn said that it might take months to produce a vaccine.”
“Longer maybe,” Alex said grimly.
They spent the next ten minutes watching the kids run around the backyard before Carolyn and Greg reluctantly directed all of their kids back to their assigned seats in the cars. They all walked around the side of the garage to the driveway, and Kate helped Carolyn get her kids settled into the minivan as Emily and Ryan said goodbye and started to walk back up the driveway to their house.
“Take it easy on your parents. We’ll see you guys later,” Alex yelled into the van.
All of the kids had headphones and were occupied by various portable electronic devices. James and Justin, sitting in the second row swivel chairs, gave him a thumbs up, and he saluted them in return. The two younger girls were seated in the third row. Every conceivable inch of space between the kids and behind the third row was packed with gear. Alex walked up to Carolyn’s window and saw that the front seat was completely jammed with packages, nearly blocking Carolyn’s view of the passenger side mirror.
“Good luck. I hope the electronic distractions at least get you through to Greg’s shift,” he said.
She laughed loudly. “I was just hoping to get past the Kennebunk rest stop before the fighting started. See you later, Alex. Thanks again for everything. I really think this is the right thing for us to do, and if it wasn’t for you guys, we’d probably be making this trip three weeks from now, when it’s too late.”
“Hey, I’ve given this advice to dozens of other friends, and very few of them have taken it seriously. You owe yourself the biggest thanks. Am I sounding too much like one of those self-help books?”
“Yes, and I’m out of here before you really start emoting,” she said, backing the van down the driveway.
Alex jogged up to Greg’s car and leaned in the window. The entire back seating area, all the way to the roof of the car, was filled, and the passenger seat was similarly stuffed with bags and a large plastic crate.
“Good luck. Stay safe. And don’t worry about the house. We’ll keep a good eye on it,” Alex said, extending his hand.
“You got it, man. Keep the neighborhood under control,” Greg replied, shaking Alex’s hand.
Alex saluted him and walked back u
p the driveway to join his family. They waved to the Murrays as their two cars pulled out of the neighborhood. Kate’s eyes were watery and red, and he put his arm around her shoulder as they walked toward the house.
“Wash your hands!” he yelled as the kids ran past them into the garage.
When they got inside the mudroom, Alex hugged Kate fully, cradling her head in his chest and rubbing her back. Her hair smelled like lavender shampoo, and he took in a long breath through his nose. He saw the kids washing their hands in the mudroom bathroom. An argument broke out over the towel.
“I have a terrible feeling we might never see them again,” Kate said.
“They’ll be fine,” he assured her as the kids tumbled out of the bathroom, dripping water on the tile floor.
Chapter 19
“Wait till you see this,” Kate said without even looking up, handing a piece of paper up to him as he walked by the back of the couch. He took the sheet and started to read it standing up.
“What the heck…a neighborhood meeting? Today at two. To discuss neighborhood plans to address the impact of the flu pandemic. Come with ideas. Bring your own snacks and drinks. Some topics of discussion will include organizing neighborhood daycare, resource sharing, neighborhood security, phone tree, information sharing. Let me guess who put this out…location, #4 Durham Road. Signed, Sarah Quinn. You can attend this one, hon.”
“You knew this was inevitable. If it wasn’t Sarah, then Nicki Bartlett or Laura would have called the Durham Clan together eventually. You’re the pandemic expert, and the closest thing we have to a statesman around here, so the honor is yours,” she said.
“Yeah. Thanks. Don’t you think we could just skip out on this one? We are in quarantine, you know,” he reminded her.
“Nice try, but everyone in the neighborhood has seen you out running, or me out for a walk. Plus, I think we need to keep pace with what’s going on around here. The more we know what everyone else is doing, the better,” she said, looking up at him as he walked around the couch to sit in one of the leather chairs next to the wood-burning stove.
“I know. I just can’t stomach the idea of standing around while Sarah blares at everyone through that Mr. Microphone thing she likes to use at the summer block party. It’s obnoxious. Then Nicki will grab the thing and broadcast her shrill voice,” he said, exhaling dramatically.
“They aren’t so bad. I know they mean well. If you go then maybe you can talk sense into them. Tell them what a bad idea a neighborhood daycare would be.”
“You would think in a pandemic people would realize the best prevention is no contact with others.”
“I know. Organizing to help one another is a great idea, but that help has to come at a distance or we could all get sick.”
He walked over and kissed her on the forehead. “I better go prepare my speech for this afternoon. You’re right. I might be able to convice everyone to stay away from one another until this thing blows over. I really can’t think of better advice.”
“Thanks. You’re my hero.”
“Don’t push it.”
“The hero thing was a little much?”
“Yeah, but I still love you,” he said kissing her lightly.
***
Alex stood in the garage looking out at the Walkers’ house. The sun occasionally managed to stab through the dense gray cloud cover, momentarily warming the air; the temperature was in the high forties with a light breeze.
He wore a dark blue winter parka that he had owned for several years, a tight brown knit cap, and a pair of sunglasses, mainly to avoid eye contact with some of his neighbors, while he waited for Ed.
A few moments later, one of Ed’s garage doors started to open. Alex patted his jacket pocket again, to make sure he brought his smartphone, just in case Kate needed to get in touch with him. After Ted’s stunt last week, he didn’t plan to take any chances—ever again. He hadn’t heard anything from Ted or Biosphere since Michelle’s last voicemail.
Ed emerged from the open garage bay and started walking across his front lawn to meet up with Alex. As he crossed onto the Walkers’ property, Derek Sheppard opened his front door and jogged across the street toward them. Simultaneously, the McDaniels’ garage door opened, and Jamie walked out of the open bay door waving as she walked over to them. Alex and Ed stood in the driveway, waiting for Derek and Jamie to join them.
“Hey, Ed, Alex,” Jamie said, nodding at them as they all met at the bottom of Ed’s driveway.
“Hey, Jamie,” Ed said.
“How did Matt talk you into representing the McDaniel clan? I tried everything in my power to push Kate out the door,” Alex said, eliciting a laugh from Ed.
“Hell, there wasn’t even the start of a negotiation in my house,” Ed said.
Both Derek and Alex chuckled quietly.
“No choice for me either. Ellen wasn’t too keen on standing outside in the wind, though it seems to have died down a lot from this morning,” Derek said.
“Yeah. I went for a run earlier, and the wind was too much,” Alex remarked.
“I wish I had a choice, but Matt woke up this morning not feeling well at all. He’s been dragging around the house all day. Don’t you think Sarah’s going to have this inside?” she asked, sniffling and clearing her throat.
Alex tried not to look alarmed as he casually canvassed Jamie. She didn’t look nervous or worried about her husband’s illness. He didn’t plan to get any closer to Jamie. She was clearly underdressed for the weather, having assumed that the Quinns would host the meeting inside. He doubted they would. There were thirty-three houses in the neighborhood, which put the total attendance at a minimum of around thirty and likely higher. Alex planned to return home if the Quinns tried to jam everyone inside their house. Jamie already looked cold, standing in light brown corduroy pants and a waist level light blue fleece coat, and he saw that she was already shivering.
“I hope not. I’m not going to cram my body into a flu incubator,” Alex said, and they all started walking down the sidewalk.
“Does someone at the Quinns’ have the flu?” Derek asked.
“No. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for a member of every household in the neighborhood to be jammed into a closed space breathing on each other, touching the same doorknobs, and using the same bathroom. If this is indoors, one of you will have to take notes for me,” Alex said.
“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. I see a bunch of people on their driveway,” Ed said.
Alex looked over at the turn in the road, and saw nearly fifty people milling around the Quinns driveway. There were also about two dozen lawn chairs and folding chairs in place on the driveway, mostly occupied.
Several younger children were running around the lawn, kicking a soccer ball at a goal set up on the other end of the front lawn. Kids always seemed to have fun. No matter the circumstances.
“Crap. Maybe I should grab a warmer coat. I’ll catch a cold for sure if I stand out here in this fleece. I’ll meet up with you guys in few minutes,” Jamie said, turning back toward her house.
“Sounds good, Jamie,” Ed said as Jamie jogged toward her house.
Alex let about ten seconds of silence pass and then walked in front of the Perrys’ house, hoping that Todd Perry didn’t come out to join them.
“Did you guys catch that about Matt?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Ed replied, flashing them a concerned look.
“What do you mean?” Derek asked.
“Matt’s not healthy enough to go outside? They both work in the schools. Now her husband’s sick, and she’s sniffling and coughing?” Alex looked at them with a face that said “not good.”
“I didn’t hear her coughing,” Ed said.
“She cleared her throat several times, but it sounded more like a suppressed cough,” Alex said.
“It could be anything. Anyway, I’m not planning to lock lips with her, so what does it matter?” Derek asked.
They all
laughed.
“Good point,” Alex said, still laughing. “I guess all I’m saying is to be careful around her. You don’t want her coughing or sneezing near you, and you don’t want her touching you.”
“I wouldn’t exactly object to her touching me,” Ed laughed.
“No kidding,” Derek added.
“Gentlemen, I refuse to engage in this kind of banter, based on the one in a billion chance that Kate is paying one of you to wear a wire. And I especially wouldn’t engage in this kind of talk because…” He leaned close to Ed’s jacket collar and spoke up, “I love and respect my wife more than anything on this planet.” All of them broke into laughter.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing. We’re still close enough to your house to set off Sam’s radar. You’ll come back from the meeting to a kick in the nether regions,” Alex said.
Derek laughed harder.
Ed grabbed the collar of his own jacket and spoke quietly into it. “As you just heard, Alex’s love and respect pales in comparison to his fear of a swift kick in the you know what.”
They laughed harder.
“Anyway, I’d be really careful around anyone from the McDaniel house,” Alex added.
The trio approached the bottom of the Quinns’ driveway and the din of the crowd increased. Alex saw that Todd Perry was present and sitting in the front row of chairs. A few more neighbors were walking down the other side of the Durham loop toward the group, and Alex looked behind him to see Jamie walking up the street with Mary Thompson.
They all stayed at the bottom of the driveway. Alex turned around and scanned the crowd again, seeing Sarah Quinn at the top of the driveway, playing with her loudspeaker system. Her husband George scurried toward her with what looked like batteries for the microphone. She looked mad at George.
Poor George forgot to op check the system. He glanced at his watch. And now the meeting is two minutes late. George is going to pay for this. He chuckled to himself.
“I don’t see any Cheetos,” Alex remarked, still examining the crowd.
THE ALEX FLETCHER BOXSET: Books 1-5 Page 11