Chapter 13
My knees hurt, my elbows ached, and my ankles throbbed. I shivered under the comforter and squinted at the clock on the nightstand.
“Honey, it’s time to get up. You’re gonna be late.” Camille leaned over and touched my face. “Are you okay?”
I lay on my back and pulled the covers up to my chin. “I can’t get warm.”
“Oh, no. Did you catch Siegfried’s bug?”
The light hurt my eyes. I reached over to turn down the lamp, and the rush of cold air made me shiver all over again. I moaned and lay back on the pillows. Max snuggled up to me and licked my cheek. I gently pushed him away. “Can you call Maddy and tell her I won’t be at school today? See if she can get my grad assistant to take over. The lesson plan is on... ” I slurred the last few words, and wasn’t sure she heard me.
She tut-tutted and smoothed the hair on my brow. “Of course I will. You just stay put. I need to get Shelby to school and I have an eight o’clock appointment with a fourteen-year-old girl who’s very depressed. I wish I could stay home and nurse you, honey. Siegfried and Freddie already left for the clinic, but Mrs. Pierce is downstairs. She’ll take good care of you.”
“I don’t need a nurse. I’ll be fine,” I moaned.
“Okay. I’ll check on you at lunchtime.”
She reached down and kissed my forehead. “Rest easy.” She called to Max and picked up Boris. “Come on, boys. Time to go outside.”
Camille and the dogs went out the door and down the stairs.
I grunted and turned over. Pulling the covers up over my head, I wished she had cancelled everything to stay home and take care of me. Selfish idiot, I thought as my brain burned and my imagination stormed into the goofy, colorful place between wakefulness and sick sleep.
The noises of the morning faded and I drifted in and out of sleep. Crazy dreams filled my brain, including a few bizarre visions of the frozen brunette. I dreamt of Joe’s refrigerator, found myself stocking it over and over again with fresh produce, and suddenly found myself riding Diablo in the middle of a blue cornfield. The saddle was some sort of Arabian contraption with fringe and a silky saddle pad. When I woke, I laughed at the absurd image and then moaned when my head throbbed and the room spun in circles.
I dragged myself to the bathroom several times, took my temperature, and popped Advil. My fever climbed from 102.5 to 103.7 by nine o’clock. I tried to read, but couldn’t concentrate.
Mrs. Pierce had her hands full with the twins and Johnny. She’d checked on me once, quickly plopping down a glass of iced ginger ale. I mumbled my thanks and retreated under the covers. The squeals, shrieks, and bumps from the first floor continued all morning. Our competent housekeeper raced upstairs before she drove Johnny to his afternoon preschool session. Her gray hair had escaped from its bun at the base of her neck and her sweater was buttoned wrong. She spoke rapid fire. “The twins just went down for their naps. I’ve put the monitor on, Gus. Are you sure you can listen for them? I’ll only be gone fifteen minutes.”
I realized that I’d been a fool to agree to the arrangement the minute she shut the kitchen door and started her car. I stumbled to the window and watched her old Plymouth trundle down the driveway. Slumping into the chair beside the monitor while she was gone, I prayed the twins wouldn’t need their totally dysfunctional grandfather.
Thankfully, both girls slept. As soon as she returned, I flopped back onto the bed, and felt like I was going to die.
The landline rang at noon. I shook myself awake and picked it up. “Hello?”
“Honey? It’s me. How are you holding up?”
I grunted. “Okay. I guess.”
She didn’t stop to react, but barreled on. “I only have a minute to talk. I wanted to tell you that Mom’s a wreck. She said Joe didn’t call her back last night and hasn’t picked up the phone this morning. Then she called Adam. He said Joe told him he threw his back out. He won’t be coming in all week.”
“What?” I mumbled. I tried to drag myself out of my fever-induced trance. “His back?”
“Uh-huh. Just thought you should know. See you at supper, sweetie.”
I tried to put the phone back three times before I actually found the base. Her words rang in my brain like warped echoes in a distorted canyon. “His back is giving him trouble.”
I forced myself to sit up.
His back?
He was fine yesterday. He hadn’t complained of a bad back. I took a sip of melting ice and reached for the phone again. I’d called Joe last night, but he hadn’t answered then, either.
The phone rang five times before the voicemail kicked in.
“Joe? Pick up. It’s Gus.”
I waited a few seconds, and then tried again. “Joe! I’m coming over there if you don’t pick up. I know you’re there, man.”
I was about to hang up when I heard a click and beep. “Sorry, Gus. I don’t know how to work this dang blasted thing.”
“Joe?”
“Yeah. I’m here.” His voice sounded leaden. Heavy. Defeated.
“What’s going on, bud?” I tried hard to sound normal, although I felt as if my head was rapidly growing and shrinking. I sat up in bed and held the phone to my flushed face.
“Nothing. Just threw out my back.”
“Did it happen after we left?”
Joe jumped at the excuse. “Yeah. After you left, it started hurting.”
“Is that why you’re not taking Maddy’s calls?” I asked with my usual lack of discretion.
He hesitated. “What?”
I persisted. “You heard me.”
He sighed. “Okay, okay. I’m just trying to get my thoughts together. I can’t seem to think straight. I don’t want her to worry about me and I sure as hell don’t want her to come over here and fuss over me.”
“Not answering the phone isn’t exactly going to calm her nerves. You’ve really shaken her up. You need to call her and tell her you’re okay.”
Another hesitation. I started to worry anew.
“I’m sorry, Gus. I don’t know what’s... ” His voice drained off into nothingness.
“This is more than nerves about wedding pressure, Joe. You’re scaring me, buddy.”
He waited a moment, and then spoke in a soft voice. “I’m scaring myself.”
“Want me to come over?” I said, knowing it was a bad idea.
“No. Give me a few days. I’ll figure it out. Stop your worrying, Gus. It’s not a big deal. Really.”
I slumped against the headboard and sighed. “Okay. How ‘bout I call you in the morning? Maybe we can figure something out.”
“Okay. I guess so.”
“About ten?”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Right. Later, buddy.”
Chapter 14
I woke on Wednesday morning after everyone left for work and school. My head felt clearer and my stomach rolled with healthy pangs of hunger. I took a shower, changed into comfortable jeans and a tee shirt, and brushed my teeth. A surge of my usual energy threatened to break through the pall of exhaustion that had laid me flat on my back for the last two days. I smiled in the mirror and ignored the black circles under my eyes.
“Opa?” Johnny wandered into the bathroom and reached for my hand. “Are you feeling better?” His dark brown eyes filled with concern.
I scooped him up, set him on the side of the sink, ruffled his hair, and hugged him. When I finally let him go, he looked up and smiled.
“You are better.”
“Much better, sport. I’m almost ready to tackle that snow fort with you. Maybe Saturday, huh?”
A grin spread across his face. “Promise?”
“Promise. And buddy? I’m really sorry about Sunday. I wanted to play outside with you. I really did. You know I couldn’t help what happened, right?”
He frowned and then nodded slowly. “Your car got drownded. That’s what Mummy said.”
I stared into his wise eyes, rubbing the back of my hand
against his downy soft cheeks. “It is. It’s a goner. I’ll have to find a new car today or tomorrow. But cars are just things, my dear boy, and things can be replaced.”
“Get a red one.”
“What?” My philosophical take on life had been wasted on him this morning.
“Red cars are neat, Opa.”
“Really? Well, I’ll keep that in mind.” I smiled and lifted him down.
He took my hand and led me toward the stairs. “Will you make me some eggs?”
His voice was so sweet. I couldn’t resist. “Absolutely, buddy. Eggs it is.”
Mrs. Pierce sang at the top of her voice from the twins’ room. “Good morning to you.” She screeched the ending on a high note that could’ve broken glass.
We wandered into the room, scaring the poor woman out of her wits. Her hands flew into the air and she jumped a mile. “By golly, you almost gave me a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry.” I smiled.
“You look better, Professor,” she said, glancing over her shoulder.
“I feel better. Can I help?”
She wore her usual outfit. Today’s housedress featured a lavender and white floral pattern. The thin cardigan sweater was bright white with pearl buttons.
Celeste lay on the changing table under Mrs. Pierce’s capable ministrations. She fastened the tabs on the fresh diaper and pointed to Marion. “That one’s ready to go downstairs, Gus.”
I laughed. “That one?”
She smiled at Marion, who sat in her crib, watching us.
“Sorry. Marion’s ready to go. I didn’t mean anything by it darlin’.” She shot an apologetic smile at the toddler. “You know I love you.”
I whipped up the scrambled eggs while Mrs. Pierce toasted raisin bread and made fresh orange juice from the fruit, which was starting to wither in the bowl on the counter. Johnny sat on the antique Hitchcock chair, waiting patiently as the twins played with Cheerios on their high chair trays.
Life seemed to be almost back to normal. Then my brand new, way-too-expensive cell phone rang. Adam’s name showed on the screen
I thumbed it on and pressed it to my ear. “Adam?”
“Hey, Gus. Maddy said you were home today.” He sounded upset.
“Yeah. Been under the weather, but I’m improving. Freddie’s at the clinic,” I added hastily. Although we’d had many phone conversations, Adam always asked to speak to my daughter after a few moments of pleasantries.
“No, I’m not calling for Freddie. I was hoping you’d have a minute to talk. It’s about Joe. There’s something really wrong with him, Gus. He sounds weird. He doesn’t want me to stop over, even cancelled our pizza night. I’m kinda worried.”
I scratched my head and frowned at the clock. I told Joe I would call him, but decided that a visit in person might be better. “Don’t worry, Adam. I’m heading over there right now. I’ll call you as soon as I figure out what’s going on.”
“Okay. If you need me to come with you, just holler. He’s my partner, after all. It seems weird to be on patrol without him, you know?”
“I’ll bet. Just hang tight. I’m sure we’ll have him back on his feet before you know it.”
I’d been wrong before, but this time I’d really missed the mark.
Chapter 15
At quarter to ten, I headed out for Joe’s trailer. Although I still felt tired and weak, I slipped into my parka, borrowed Siegfried’s Jeep, and arrived at Joe’s place in ten minutes. A few inches of snow had collected on the roads since the plows last came through, but it presented no challenge to the Jeep.
The curtain moved in the window when I drove up.
I jumped out of the car, knocked on the door, and waited. “Joe! It’s me. Open up.”
Silence.
I hammered on the door again, twisting the knob. “Joe! It’s Gus. Can I come in?”
If I hadn’t seen the fluttering curtain, I would have wondered if he was in the bathroom, or maybe sleeping. But I knew he knew I was out here. And it was odd, because usually he left his doors unlocked.
I twisted the knob again. No dice.
“Joe? What’s going on, man? Come on, open the door.” I rattled the door and began to worry. What if he’d collapsed in there? Had a heart attack?
I leaned over and looked into the kitchen window. The curtains had been dragged across the window, blocking the view.
Suddenly I wondered if someone had broken in and was holding him hostage again. That had happened two years ago, when Edward Baxter surprised Joe by hiding in the trunk of his cruiser, attacking him, incapacitating him with yards of duct tape, and beating him until he lured me to the trailer. My mind wandered for a moment to that horrific day. It ended with Baxter very dead, thanks to the intervention of my incredible canine, Max.
I shook myself out of the unpleasant reverie. Joe had a surplus of enemies from past arrests and convictions.
“Joe? I’m gonna break in if you don’t open up. I’m counting to three.”
Dead quiet.
“One.”
Nothing.
“Two.”
Silence.
I took three steps back and barreled toward the door, ramming my shoulder into it. At the last moment, Joe opened it and I flew into the kitchen. I tumbled to the floor and rolled to a sitting position.
“Three.”
He reached down to help me up.
“Geez, Joe.”
“Sorry. I was resting.”
I rubbed my elbow and took stock of the room. Yesterday’s newspaper was strewn about the living room. Coffee cups and dishes littered the kitchen table. It was only a few days since Adam and I had been there, but the place was a wreck again.
“Sorry for the mess. I can’t clean…with my bad back.”
He remembered to lean over and clutch at his back before he tossed the coat that was on the couch to the floor and motioned for me to sit.
“Your back really hurts, huh?” I asked.
“Uh, yeah. Kinda. It’s not as bad as it was Monday, though.” For a fleeting moment, he met my gaze.
I stared into his eyes, probing. “I’m sorry it’s hurting. But is that really why you’ve been out of work? Or is it something else?”
He lowered his head to his hands and snorted in exasperation. “You never give up, do you?”
I shook my head. “Not a chance.”
He turned his tortured eyes to mine. “Why?”
Before I could answer, the sound of a car approaching interrupted us.
To my surprise, Joe’s head snapped up and he ran to the window. He peered out the curtains and blanched. “Oh, no,” he said. “It’s Maddy.”
What the hell was going on with him? He’d been dating Maddy for almost two years, wallowing with great pleasure in her lavish attention. I’d never seen Joe show fear, in spite of the fact that we’d been through many harrowing trials together.
He rushed to the door and locked it.
“What the hell?” I said, feeling like I was in some surreal movie.
He rushed his words. “I can’t face her. You talk to her. Tell her I’m sleeping, okay?” Panic flooded his face. His eyes rolled like a wild horse. His hands shook.
Empathy won out. “Okay. Go into the bedroom and I’ll talk to her. Relax, will you?”
“I can’t, Gus. My heart’s racing.”
The heart attack idea came rushing back to me, but I didn’t think it was ever accompanied by what seemed to be major anxiety, so I followed him into the bedroom and tried to stop worrying about him collapsing in front of me. “Stay in here. I’ll talk to her.”
I closed the door behind me and hurried to the front stoop. “Hey, Maddy. How’s my favorite mother-in-law?”
She stomped up the steps and put her hands on her hips. “Don’t give me that malarkey, Gus LeGarde. What the hell is going on? Where’s my man? And why won’t he take my calls?”
I stared into her eyes. She was hurt, worried, and angry.
“Listen
, Maddy. Joe just fell asleep. Something is going on, you’re right. That’s why I came over to see him. I’m trying to help him, but I don’t think it has anything to do with you.”
Her nostrils flared and her eyes bored into mine. She wore a completely inadequate white fur jacket and a silly matching hat.
“What’s happening to him? I miss him, Gus. I miss him bad. We were so close, and all of a sudden—Whammo! He pulls back. Was I too pushy? Did I smother him?” Her breath expelled in a frosty plume. It was cold on the stoop.
“No, I think it’s something else. About his past.”
She paused and searched my eyes. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, “Is he drinking again?”
I looked at her in surprise. “No. At least, I don’t think so. I didn’t see any alcohol in the trailer.”
“Then what? What the heck would change a man like that?”
I looked off into the woods. Snow hung heavy on the blue spruce that sheltered the trailer. A small woodpecker climbed up the trunk, tapping for insects. “I think it’s Jeanne. Something’s triggered his memories and he’s just now dealing with the whole thing. All over again. Like it just happened, you know?”
“Seriously?” Her mouth opened, then closed again. “Jeanne? But, Gus, it’s been twelve years. He’s been dry forever. He went through all that therapy and got his head on straight again. How the heck... ”
I put my hand on her shoulder to stop the flow of words. “I honestly don’t know. But, I promise I’ll stick by him until he gets through this. We’ll get him back. We just have to be patient.”
She crossed her arms, looking dubious. “Patient? How patient? It’s been three days since I’ve talked to him.”
“Just hang tight. He might need some professional help. I’ll stay close to him and let you know how he’s doing.” I touched her hand. “Fair enough?”
She eyed me suspiciously. “Okay. But how can I trust you? You’re supposed to be sick and you’re out here playing hooky.” Her eyes twinkled and she shoved me back toward the door. “Are you trying to catch pneumonia, you nutcase? Go back inside. You’ve been sick. You shouldn’t even be here, Gus.”
Under the Ice Page 5