* * *
At the springs, Aunt Claudia, out of breath from her run up the trail, had quickly explained what she’d heard on Jack Harris’ radio.
“Let’s get down there,” she’d said, still breathing hard.
Melanie, frantic with concern for her father, and especially David, had grabbed Jilly’s hand.
“Let’s go,” she’d said, and the two of them had hurried towards town with Claudia, Amanda and Patty right on their heels.
The group of women emerged from Meljac Lane into the kaleidoscope of flashing red, blue and white light from the top of Jack Harris’ cruiser. A man sat on the curb on the Stillman Road side of Walker’s Drug store amidst a scattering of broken glass. He was rubbing his shoulder; otherwise, he didn’t seem to be hurt. Louis and Jack stood on the sidewalk looking down at him.
The women hurried across the street, Melanie reaching Louis first. “Dad, are you okay? Where’s David?” She looked down at the man sitting on the curb, then at Jack Harris, “What happened?”
Louis reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, reassuringly. “Mel, everything’s all right here. David’s fine. He’s on the computer in the office. Why don’t you all go inside? I’ll be in shortly and I’ll tell you all about it, okay?”
Claudia looked upset. “Are you sure you’re all right, Louis? I heard on Jack’s radio that—” Louis interrupted, “I know, I know. Jack told me, but that’s not how it happened. You all just go on inside, okay?”
Melanie put her arm around Jilly, protectively. “Come on, baby. Let’s go in and check on your brother.”
The women had gone into the drug store to wait for Louis. The five of them sat at one of the tables, and Claudia, anticipating a long night, was behind the soda fountain putting on a pot of coffee. Melanie had been in the office to check on David. He hadn’t even noticed her presence, so she decided to leave him alone with his computer game till after things settled down. Normally, he was oblivious to the world when he was playing on Louis’ computer, and would stay glued to it till someone dragged him away. She wasn’t too happy with his obsession with fantasy, but at least, right now, it was keeping him away from what happened out in the store. She was sure he wouldn’t desert the computer till somebody went in and got him.
“What do you think happened?” Amanda asked.
Jilly sat with her elbows on the table. “Grandpa wasn’t fighting, was he, mom?”
“Wow! Wouldn’t that be something? Mr. Walker in a fight,” said Patty.
“Patricia!” Amanda admonished.
Patty flinched. “No, Mom, I mean it would just be somethin’. I mean, Mr. Walker and all…you know.”
Amanda raised her eyebrows. “Whatever that means.”
Patty started to say, “I just mean—”
Amanda took her daughter’s hand. “I know, darling’.” She smiled. “Louis just isn’t the type. But I’m sure there wasn’t any fight. He’ll explain the whole thing when he comes in.”
All heads turned at the jingling of the little bells over the door. Louis entered the store. The tall man who’d been sitting on the curb followed behind him. As the two men approached the table, Louis turned to him. He said, “John, meet the ladies of the valley…well, some of them, anyway.” He chuckled.
Gesturing at each in turn, he went on. “This is Claudia Meljac, Melanie and Jillian Meljac—my daughter and granddaughter—and Amanda Clark and her daughter Patty.”
To the women, he said, “Ladies, this is John Simmons.” He smiled at Simmons, while still speaking to the women. “You may have noticed Mr. Simmons sitting outside on the curb in a pile of broken glass.”
John Simmons was, obviously, embarrassed. He offered, apologetically, “I don’t know what to say.” He went on, smiling a little uncertainly. “I guess, nice to meet you would be in order.”
Looking up at Simmons, Melanie caught what might have been a blush on the man’s face. She recognized him as the same man who had barged out of the store, almost hitting her and Claudia with the door earlier that day. But the “roughness” she’d seen in him then—and had commented about to Louis—wasn’t there now. She wondered if she’d imagined it, or if his apparent anger this morning had given him the brutish appearance. There was nothing brutish in the face looking down at her, now. His embarrassment was almost boyish and she had to admit the blush on his rather handsome face was almost endearing. Still, she wasn’t sure how to react to the man. She was waiting for Louis’ explanation for what had happened.
Louis pulled up two more chairs from another table and offered one to Simmons.
“I see the coffee’s already made. I’ll get us a couple of cups,” he said.
Claudia stood up and started towards the soda fountain. “No, Louis. You two sit down. I’ll get it.”
“Thanks, Claudia,” Louis said. He and Simmons sat down at the table with the others.
Claudia went behind the counter, set out two cups, and poured coffee.
“So, Louis,” she said without looking up, “…had any excitement around here, lately?”
Everyone smiled at that, more relaxed now, especially seeing that Louis and Simmons seemed amiable towards each other.
Louis was sitting with his back to the counter. He looked over his shoulder at Claudia, casually. “No, nothing special. Just another day in Brandell.” He pretended to yawn. “How was your day, Claudia?”
Claudia lost patience, “Dammit. Louis! What happened here? I was…we were worried to death about you.”
“Gee, Claudia,” Louis said innocently, still teasing, “All I did was break a window.”
Claudia guffawed, “Yeah, well, you seemed to have used Mr. Simmons there to break it with.”
Louis laughed out loud. John Simmons looked even more embarrassed.
Goodbye Lucifer Page 17