Seaspun Magic

by Christine Hella Cott

  Arianne went to Erin, put a finger on his lips to shut him up, kissed him on both cheeks and said, "Erin, sweetheart, would you please take Rae into the living room and play there with him?"

  Glad to be entrusted with such an important and solemn task, he took Rae by the hand and led him, still noisy, away.

  Arianne turned back to Jill, who had her arms on the table and her face buried in her arms. "Well, hurry up," she snapped harshly, not letting up. "I haven't got all night!"

  "I don't know what he's d-doing," Jill whimpered, wracked with sobs. "He never tells me what it's all about until a-after!"

  "You have to do better than that!"

  "I don't know!" Jill cried, "Go ahead, do whatever you do, I don't know!"

  "Dammit!" Arianne exclaimed. "Dammit it all to hell, anyway!"

  "I'm sorry," Jill gasped between tears. "I'm s-s-sorry, but...but...but—"

  "But you just had to tell him about my ESP!" Arianne accused angrily.

  "He wanted me to spy on the old fort," she said, squirming, "but I couldn't do that so... I gave him you, instead."

  "Oh, Jill!"

  "I know it's awful, I know it stinks, but what could I do? I had nothing else to trade off."

  "So you sicced him on me! Oh, Jill!"

  Jill writhed under Arianne's furious stare.

  "Do you have any idea what Larry wanted you to watch out for at the fort? Does it tie in with his scheme? Any hint, any clue, anything he might have said? Oh, by the way, if it's any comfort to you, we didn't make love!"

  Jill shuddered; Arianne didn't know whether she did so from relief or pain.

  "He's much too smart to give himself away." Jill blew her nose amid her tears. "He just asked me to set him up with y-y-you!"

  Arianne realized she had to be very careful not to give anything away herself, like the possibility of Leo's being there to investigate Larry. Jill would be sure to pass such information on to her ex. Remembering that baleful look the officer had given Leo sent an uneasy shiver up her spine. She had no doubt Larry could be very unpleasant when he had a mind to be—

  Jill sobbed on. "I feel so sick I could—I just want to die! How do you think I felt, every time he made me baby-sit. I knew I was taking a chance talking about him—indirectly—with you so much, but I c-couldn't help it. I-I was going crazy." She gasped to catch her breath. "And I've been so scared about what he's going to do.... I can't eat, I can't sleep. I feel like I haven't slept in years!"

  "Don't you start with the self-pity! You brought this on all by yourself! When he comes knocking you don't have to let him in, you know. If you're too weak, then either remove him from your life or remove yourself from his! For crying out loud, Jill, have a little backbone!"

  "I—I should drown myself in the ocean. It's right outside the door!"

  "Now I've heard everything! Pull yourself together, or I'm going to slap you in a second!"

  There was silence for a short while, and then Jill stammered, "You think I should g-go see Orly?"

  "What's the point? You've got nothing to tell him. No, that's a lousy idea. But here's a good one. Go visit my mother. She's a very understanding soul. You know how she is. And you'll be tonic for my Aunt May, who has to make up problems just to have some. They'll love puttering around with the kids, and it'll give you a chance to rest. You look like you're an inch from collapsing. Throw a few things in a suitcase and go. That's all it will take to get out of here. I'll phone ahead so they'll be waiting for you. You'll have a lovely Christmas with them in Palm Springs. If you leave right away, you'll get there by tomorrow night, no problem. If you need money for a motel tonight, I'll lend you some. What do you say?"

  "I—I—how can I thank you?"

  "Just get the hell out of here." Arianne felt too sorry for her weak neighbor to refuse to help her, angry as she was. But she knew their friendship would never be the same.

  "Okay. I'll go. Right now."

  With almost feverish zeal Jill began an organizational blitz that had Arianne on the run to get a dozen small but necessary chores done. With children there were so many accoutrements: toys, diapers, milk and cookies. And furnaces and pilot lights and garbage needed tending before the house could be left. Just once, Arianne looked toward her house to see if Leo was home, perchance silhouetted in a window. But he didn't appear to be. Finally the car was packed, and the children dressed for the journey and assembled by the back door.

  "There's just one more thing," Arianne said, coming up from the basement. "Larry. He has a key to get in, doesn't he?"

  "He has at least two," Jill replied shamefacedly, pulling a toque over her short-cropped brown hair.

  "Right. So we don't want to alarm him by your sudden and unexplained disappearance, do we? You must leave him a letter."

  "A goodbye letter?" Jill murmured after a moment's reflection.

  "Well, if you like. Whatever, as long as it stops him from chasing after you."

  Jill nodded bitterly. "That'll be easy. There's paper in that drawer beside you, and I have a pen somewhere—" She riffled through her purse.

  They sat down at the kitchen table to compose the all-important letter. Larry shouldn't suspect for a moment that Jill had betrayed him. After all, the object was to get her out of trouble, not in deeper. Jill chewed the end of the pen in concentration.

  "'Dear Larry,'" she began aloud, scribbling rapidly in accompaniment. "'I can't take it anymore, seeing you and Arianne together!'" She stopped and looked up. "That's a good start. What next?"

  "Um... um... since we don't want him getting suspicious, let's let him think his plans as far as I'm concerned are working. Here goes. 'You don't need me, now that you have what you want. She'—meaning me— 'she's eating right out of your hand!'" Arianne thought she had better explain. "He'll believe that, because I've been using him to make Leo jealous."

  "I'm glad somebody's finally getting some use out of him! Leo, huh? I thought I told you about paying guests!"

  "I'll tell you about it sometime." Arianne smiled faintly.

  Jill smiled faintly back and then continued with the letter. " 'My sister in Tulsa is sick and needs my help, so I'm leaving to be with her, and I'm using this quick exit to leave you, too. I really think it's better this way. I can't see us ever making a go of it, and I've decided that I never want to see you again. This is it, Larry, this is really the end. P.S. Please leave your keys to my house in the mailbox.'" Jill signed her name with a sad flourish. "There! That sounds properly sincere, doesn't it?" A residual sob shook her voice slightly. "I just hope he doesn't phone my sister!" She folded the short letter, put it in an envelope and wrote his name on the front of it. Arianne sighed sadly, and both of them almost burst into tears.

  "You're coming to Palm Springs for Christmas, too, aren't you?" Jill cleared her throat urgently.

  "We-ell... maybe for New Year's." Arianne was hoping she would be spending Christmas with Leo, right there in Port Townsend.

  "Before I go—" Jill drew a ragged breath "—you know how we each have a key to the other's house? Oh, God, I hate to say this—" she sped along "—but I gave Larry your key when you were gone Thanksgiving weekend. He wanted to check Leo's room. He took your flashlight, by accident.... Did you ever get it back?"

  "Yes. Yes, I did! Phew, I'm glad to have that little mystery solved! Leo kept insisting he'd never seen the damn thing!"

  "Well, I—I'd better be going." Jill's words wobbled suspiciously. "Thanks, Arianne."

  "Never mind. You'd better get going." Jill's deception was still smarting. Arianne could not keep the coolness from her tone or her eyes as Jill turned to leave, silently.

  Arianne hugged Rae to her inside the protection of the rain slicker. Waiting until Jill's car had turned onto the road and the red taillights were flickering away through the trees before turning home herself, she prayed Jill really was going to go to Palm Springs and not to Larry's side, instead.

  Hurrying back along the path, harried by the wind and the rai
n, Arianne realized she had no idea of the time. Would Leo still be home?

  He wasn't. A sizable portion of the clam chowder and crusty garlic bread was gone, and his few dishes were still draining beside the sink. On the table was a note, with her crystal ball serving as a paperweight. Shaking her head in rueful amusement, Arianne went for the note.

  "My darling Arianne—" her heart performed a perfectly beautiful somersault "—I'll be back soon. Please wait for me. XOX Leo." That was it; that was all there was. So he was gone again.

  Arianne took a deep deep breath. She felt very small in the big old house with the elements raging outside. Rolling in from the Pacific, the slamming winds would surely blow her house away. Her one neighbor was gone, Leo was gone... the world was a huge place to be in, all alone... Swallowing her unnecessary panic, Arianne told herself it was just another storm, just another winter storm and that the windows rattled like this every time. Only this time the sound chewed on her nerves because of the germ of fear already there. Suppose somebody came knocking. She'd never hear the person coming... there would be no warning…

  Thrusting both hands into the tangle of her black curls, she sternly told herself to calm down. She had managed to live the past two years alone; she could manage it tonight, too. After all, hadn't she received the fist love letter of her life today? It was short, but it was a love letter, nevertheless. It made her smile, and she read it again, and again, and wondered where he was and when he would be back. The letter got her through the rest of the evening; whenever she started hearing spooks in the howl of the wind she would read the letter... and its sweet romantic brevity provoked at the very least a smile every time.

  But still, from time to time she would glance over her shoulder; she couldn't help it. The air was fraught with uncertainties and the unexplained. There was trouble brewing and she could smell it. Even her black cat felt the brooding quality permeating the air, and he trod restlessly and soundlessly from room to room.

  Very late that night Jill called from a cheap motel in Portland, Oregon. She had really been burning up the road to get so far, but as she said, it was the best time to drive what with the children both asleep. Jill thanked her again and apologized again, and Arianne's spirits felt much improved after the call. Perhaps in time she could forgive Jill....

  If only she could dismiss her vague unease. And instead of presenting her with faceless premonitions, Arianne wished her psi would treat her more kindly and delineate the danger soaking the air. She went to sleep with Leo's note clutched in her hand and Jinx curled up on the foot of her bed.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  In the morning the first thing Arianne noticed was that next door, at Jill's house, a bright-red Corvette was parked. Larry was back. A little nervously, Arianne wondered how he would take Jill's disappearance.

  He came over about ten-thirty. Arianne had been expecting him, and he looked exactly as he usually did. He must have read Jill's letter, yet nothing showed, not a flicker of remorse, not a glimmer of a guilty conscience. Arianne marveled at his composure as he lied blatantly while looking her right in the eye.

  "Jill's gone for a while, did you know?" was how he started.

  "Oh? No. What do you mean, 'gone'?" Arianne could lie quite well, too, when necessary.

  "Gone to visit some relatives of hers for Christmas. She asked me to look after her house while she's away, since Don can't do it and you're—well, already busy enough." He tousled Rae's hair, something Rae wasn't really keen on. "Of course I can't be here all the time, baby doll, but I'll try to be.'' He gave her a playful smack on the bottom, something Arianne wasn't keen on, either—at least not when it was done by him. The worm, she thought, sending him a sidelong glance. "Arianne, you know 'saxophone' didn't work."

  "Oh, really? What a shame! I do try, Larry. I can't do more than that."

  "Of course not. Just try again, won't you?"

  "I don't want to anymore, Larry. It's getting tiresome." Arianne yawned with an exquisite display of boredom. She certainly didn't want to give him so much as a hint that she was afraid.

  That he had practically moved in next door was disquieting news. She and Jill hadn't considered this contingency. Arianne began to wish they'd have the foresight to ensure he left the keys in the mailbox as he was supposed to, instead of using the house to suit his evil purpose, whatever it was. And by removing all suspicion from Jill, Arianne hadn't considered protecting herself. How could she have been so foolhardy!

  Larry tactfully didn't pursue her complaint right then. He said smoothly, "It's really too bad we've lost our baby-sitter. Do you know of anyone in town we could use? Somebody we could depend on to be around a lot..." He smiled suggestively. "How about a relaxing and utterly fantastic dinner out tomorrow night?"

  "Oh, I can't, Larry. Not tomorrow night." She searched for an excuse. "My mother's dropping in with some of her old cronies to visit for the weekend."

  Mentioning mothers had a lovely way of frightening off all but the most determined of beaux. She was pleased to hear him declining her invitation to join the fun. If later he asked why the party never showed up she would have to make up another excuse, but she would handle that then.

  "That means I won't see you till next week!"

  "Isn't that too bad! I have to go to work now, Larry."

  "Try that password again Arianne, please? Just for me!"

  After a suitable show of reluctance and a seemingly difficult time in 'seeing,' she presented him with another false password. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Larry. My mistake. It wasn't a saxophone—it was a tuba that appeared to me!" Her eyes danced suspiciously, bright with amusement, but he didn't notice, as he was trying to ingratiate himself with Rae. He was mussing the boy's curls again, and all he got for his troubles was a belt from a tiny fist and a big green crocodile.

  "Er, nice little fella...." Larry hastily straightened up. "You don't know how much help you would be to me if you got the passwords right the first time!" He chastised her gently, loftily trying to suggest she was causing him trouble. But Arianne noticed a shade of wariness as he watched her. That was the first inkling she had that he was, like Jill, actually afraid of her power and what it could do. His fear took some of her own away. She smiled breezily back at him.

  "Honestly, Larry, I am getting tired of answering all your little betting games. If you must gamble, go to Vegas." Surely, with her answers coming up consistently wrong he would soon leave her alone!

  "Babydoll, you won't say that once I spread a bit of wealth around. You'll be coming to Vegas with me! You made me a pile. It's only fair you should have a Christmas bonus—"

  "Put your wallet away, Larry." She smiled just as nicely at him as he had been smiling at her all along. "I have to go to work now." He was counting bills in front of her, trying to entice her into taking the cash. If she accepted it she would obligate herself. She said quietly, but with incisive finality, "I don't want your money."

  Larry didn't know whether to be annoyed by her scorn at his offering or happy he didn't have to share. He decided on the latter, and quickly dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose, he left before she could change her mind.

  As she watched the red sports car disappearing through the blue-gray morning mists, she eased a long sigh of relief from her chest. Hopefully, by the time that red car returned, Leo would be back.

  But he didn't come all that day, or the next. Luckily she was kept busy at the shop by working long hours of overtime with Orly, restocking shelves and uncrating barbecued peanuts, smoked oysters, striped candy canes and foil-wrapped chocolate Santa Clauses, not to mention Mikey's cookies, which Orly had begun to order. The hard work was soothing and gratifying, and Orly's peaceful good nature was easy on her mind. At least she didn't fret while she was there.

  ***

  While Rae was up and awake she didn't like to worry too much, in case he caught her mood. It was only after she laid him down for the night that disquiet would attack her and the agony of not really knowing whe
ther her lover would be back would assail her most cruelly. Most of the time she only wondered when he would return, but every now and then fear would interfere with her glad anticipation and she would wonder whether he was going to be coming back to her at all. Once again he had left nothing of himself behind, then she remembered there was his love letter....

  With her warm flannel nightgown swishing around her ankles, the pink robe fluttering out behind her and her pink slippers tapping on the bare wood of the hall, Arianne went to the kitchen to make herself a cup of cocoa to go with Mikey's scrumptious new variety on the market, shortbread cookies, made exclusively at Christmas.

  Waiting for the milk to heat up, she munched on a cookie and, looking at the clock, wondered where Leo was at precisely twelve o'clock on a cold Saturday night in late December. The kitchen was illuminated by only the small bulb on the stove panel, but adequate light was provided for her simple preparations.

  Then, to her horror, she thought she heard a tread on the back-porch steps. Swiveling, she gripped the counter behind her and faced the back door. Nothing happened. There wasn't a sound other than the continuous gurgle of water in the eaves troughs and the spatter of it against the windows. Jinx stopped at her feet, and Arianne picked him up and hugged him close for companionship. He was lovely to hold, big and fluffy and warm, but right then she wouldn't have minded a big fluffy watchdog! It was probably only her overwrought mind…

  Was Larry back next door? The last time she had checked, about an hour ago, he hadn't been; there had been no red car out front. Arianne stirred the hot chocolate, dropped in a couple of marshmallows and, tipping the saucepan, poured some into a mug. One of the marshmallows fell in, making a pleasant plopping sound. Just then she heard another tread outside, higher up on the back porch. She was absolutely certain the hair on her nape stood on end as she froze. Slowly she put down the saucepan.

  Perhaps a couple of raccoons had merely come looking for scraps. Or there could be a deer out there... even a bear. Hopefully, there were no skulking lieutenants.