Deceitful Legacy

by Justine Wittich

  “I’m just inquiring, Dr. Canaday, in case you planned to be here longer than that. The graduate programs are always looking for outside speakers to supplement the experience for students. I would be happy to submit your name if you might be interested. There’s always a stipend involved, so it could be worth your while.”

  Josh stepped aside to allow Freddie to precede him into the dining room, where Felicity had set up a buffet. Flickering candlelight cast dancing lights on the crystal and sterling settings on the linen-clad table.

  “I think it will be very hard to leave the warmth and welcome I’ve found here and return to my bachelor existence, but so much depends on Felicity.” He left Josh standing in the archway and headed toward the buffet, where his hostess was extending a flowered china plate to him.

  Chapter Four

  The next morning, Felicity arose early, started a pot of coffee, and busied herself in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher and putting away the “company” platters and cut glass that Max and Jo had insisted on washing and drying before they left, and replaying the evening before in her head. She, too, wondered how long Freddie intended to stay. It wasn’t that he was a troublesome guest. His presence just made her a little uncomfortable. Was it her imagination, or did he make too much of a point of nudging Andrew from her side when he gestured toward the seat next to him at the table. Surely Freddie wasn’t entertaining any notions ...

  “Ah, I see you’re up bright and early today.”

  Freddie’s cheerful voice from the doorway interrupted her thoughts, and she shelved the last plate before turning around.

  “And what entertainments do we have scheduled for today, Felicity? I was thinking we might take advantage of the pleasant spring weather and take a drive in the country.” He sidestepped as Lazarus shot through the opening between his ankles. “Where did that damn cat come from? I’m afraid I’d make sure he spent all his time outside the house, Felicity.”

  A quick glance over her shoulder verified that Freddie was serious. His jaw was set, and there was what she would call a hard look in his eyes. In her mind, it was time to draw a line. Firmly.

  “I feel sure you would, but Lazarus has lived here since Oliver rescued him. He adored that cat, and so do I,” Felicity said. She opened a can of Kitty Sea Delight and spooned half of it into Lazarus’s dish, delivering a neck scratch to the cat after she set his breakfast in front of him.

  She stood. “Would you like pancakes this morning? I have some fresh blueberries for them.” She was pleased to see that Freddie’s expression had returned to bland.

  “I wouldn’t turn them down. We old bachelors don’t get treats like that except in restaurants.” He settled himself in the far chair at the small table against the wall. “And afterward we can set out to see how far spring has advanced in the country.”

  Felicity had her head inside the refrigerator by this time, retrieving milk and eggs and fruit, and when she closed the door she replied, “I’m afraid not today, Freddie. This is the morning I take my turn to work with a group of expectant mothers at the church. It’s one of our mission projects. The youngest is only sixteen, and she’s on welfare. We’re helping them learn to be good parents, and to plan their future.”

  She set her burden on the counter beside the sink. “And then after lunch I have a board meeting for the local library. They’re hoping to pass an operating levy this fall.” She measured pancake flour into a bowl, splashed in some oil, and cracked the egg she’d set beside it. “This would be a nice chance for you to explore the campus.”

  “You shouldn’t trouble yourself with all these groups and committees, Felicity. At your age, with ample means, you should be out enjoying the retirement you’ve earned.”

  Thankful for the tasks that kept her face turned away from him, she replied, “You might want to be careful using the term ‘at your age’ to a woman, Freddie. Some of us are a little sensitive about our advancing years. And as for staying busy, I look on it as a way of paying back for all the good fortune I’ve had.”

  He chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. As for saying the wrong thing, I have never been tactful to begin with, and living alone as I do, my ... social skills are a little rusty. I’ll take your advice and give the campus a lookover. It’s always interesting to see how other schools are laid out.”

  * * *

  The pregnant ladies seemed glad to see her, and Felicity buried herself in the discussion of proper nutrition. She was glad none of them were smokers, as she recalled how hard it had been, twenty years before, to give up cigarettes. Advertisers could talk about drugs and patches and lozenges all they wanted, but she knew her experiences were different from theirs. Dear Oliver had been so patient.

  Most of the young women were on bare bones budgets and struggling to survive, while only one of them had a husband, if you could call him that. Any tension in the gathering disappeared when Lazarus nudged open the door to the hall and meowed loudly.

  “You naughty cat! You followed me here. Who let you in?” she demanded. Lazarus ignored her and trotted over to Jenny Overman, the quietest of the young women. Her thin face lit up at the attention, and she reached down to rub her hand over the back of his head. His rusty purr echoed in the sudden silence.

  Eddie Thorne, the janitor, stuck his head in the door. “He came lookin’ for you, Ms. Canaday. I figured he might want something.”

  Felicity laughed delightedly. “He wants attention, Eddie.” She looked around the room at the half dozen women in attendance. “Does anybody mind? Don’t be afraid to tell me if you’re allergic to cats. I can take him out.” She met only smiles. Lazarus had changed the dynamics in the room, and suddenly, rather than being nervous about being there, the young women were relaxed.

  Jenny leaned over and scooped Lazarus into her lap. He rested his head against her shoulder and looked at her as if she’d just knighted him.

  Felicity shook her head. He’d selected the most needy of the women in the group, and Felicity couldn’t have been more pleased. “All right, Lazarus, you can stay today. But don’t think you can make a habit of this.”

  A cheerful voice from the corner chimed in. “I think you should bring him every week.”

  * * *

  By the time she reached home, Felicity was in a far better mood than she had been when she left in the morning. Even the library board had been cheerful, although she’d made sure Lazarus didn’t follow her there. When she’d exited the church, he’d taken off on his daily tour of the city. Her cell phone rang just as she was digging in purse for her house key, which also reminded her she hadn’t given Freddie a key when she’d dropped him off on the campus.

  Abandoning her search, she answered the call. “Aunt, there’s been a robbery at the campus bookstore!” Mindy’s voice was upset. “The clerk heard a strange noise in the back of the store and went to check, and while she was gone, over four hundred dollars disappeared from the cash register.”

  Surprise made Felicity set her purse on the top step and sank onto the step below. “We’ve never had anything like that on campus before. That’s always been a point of pride for the college. The students are honest, and the community is virtually crime free.”

  “Yes, but the bookstore is close enough to the edge of campus that both town and gown use it, you know that, Aunt.”

  “Well, I just feel sorry for whoever was working when it happened. She must be overwhelmed with guilt about something that was no fault of her own.”

  Mindy chuckled. “No problem there. The clerk today was Reverend Maltby’s daughter. She’s the closest thing to a saint in town. Besides, the store’s insurance will cover the loss. It’s not as though this will put them out of business or anything.”

  “Too true. But it’s upsetting, nonetheless.” Felicity stood. “I appreciate your letting me know right away. How are you feeling?” Mindy’s pregnancy was progressing without trauma, but Felicity still worried. She was the closest thing to a mother Mindy had. Her parents�
�� tragic death had happened when she and her twin sister were so very young, and it had been a blessing that they had come to live with her and Oliver.

  “Fatter and fatter,” her niece replied. “Josh says pretty soon he’s going to have to tie my shoes for me, but he draws the line at shaving my legs.”

  Felicity doubted Josh was serious. She was convinced he would do anything whatsoever to make Mindy happy. “We’ll hope it doesn’t come to that, dear.”

  “Felicity, what on earth are you doing out here? Don’t you know it’s not warm enough yet to lounge on the back steps?”

  Andrew’s voice startled her. She had been so intent on her conversation that she hadn’t noticed his approach. Shadrach danced around her feet. She fluttered her fingers at him and spoke into her cell. “Mindy, I’m in the back yard, and Andrew just walked up. I’ll talk with you later, dear.”

  She tucked the phone into her purse and reached out to pet the dog, who was by now poking her knee with his head. “You’re just the person I wanted to see. How do you manage to always pop up when I need you?”

  “I have ESP, didn’t you know?” He chuckled. “Haven’t heard that term in years. I guess I’m showing my age. What did you want me for?”

  “Mindy just called to tell me the campus bookstore had been robbed. Right in broad daylight.”

  Andrew settled on the step beside her, while Shadrach, his greeting duties finished, rested between his feet. “That’s not a surprise. The Quik Stop at the edge of town was held up not two weeks ago.”

  “I just hope this isn’t the sign of things to come. We’ve been lucky to have low crime rates all these years, but now the world’s changing so fast. I’m always surprised at the number of people who are out to take advantage of the slightest lapse. I wonder if the security cameras at the bookstore caught anything.”

  “My dear, I hate to tell you this, but Jonas said when he did a security check for them a month ago the one over the door had been unplugged.” He sighed. “I’m afraid the manager has become a little careless.”

  Felicity stood. “Well, I’m going to make it a point to suggest that the manager be given a few orders.”

  “Orders about what, Felicity? You sound quite fierce,” Freddie interrupted.

  “I didn’t hear you approach, Freddie.” She was so startled by his silent appearance that she had to catch her breath. Freddie had said he’d make his way back from the campus on foot, so he could explore the town, but she hadn’t expected to see him until closer to dinner. “Andrew and I were just discussing the robbery at the bookstore, and I’m distressed to hear their security has become lax. This is the second business that’s been robbed in the past few weeks.”

  His eyebrows arched in surprise. “From what I’ve seen, there couldn’t be any such thing as crime in this town. I suppose, however, that you get students from all walks of life.” He held out a silver-wrapped package. “Sweets for my charming hostess. I passed that chocolate shop where they hand dip chocolates, and I couldn’t resist bringing you a little sample.”

  Felicity wished she hadn’t been having doubts about her decision to allow Freddie to stay in her home. He still hadn’t said anything about the length of his stay, and the thoughtful gift made her conscience twinge ever so gently at the idea she should even question it. The reminder made her smile more kindly than she would have when she accepted the gift. “What a nice surprise. If you told Charlene at The Chocolate Shoppe who you were buying for, I feel sure I know exactly what kind of candy is in this box.”

  “I did mention it was a hostess gift, and she immediately guessed where I was staying. Your doings appear to be common knowledge.”

  “I’m afraid I’ve never been able to sneak around about anything,” she replied. “Not that I’d want to, but people seem to take a kindly interest. It’s actually rather flattering.”

  Andrew chuckled. “You underestimate yourself, Felicity. I seem to recall an incident where you threatened a thief with a gardening tool. You and Jo created quite a legend.”

  “Well, Althea brandishing her gun added to that one.” She stood a moment, clutching the bright package she’d been given, and then bent to retrieve her handbag.

  “I still haven’t understood why that woman carries a gun. Surely she wouldn’t actually fire it.”

  Freddie looked baffled.

  His face had turned bright red, and Felicity wondered about his blood pressure numbers. “She’s a woman who has lived alone for some years, Freddie. And she’s more than capable of handling her weapon and of defending herself.” She dug out her house key and climbed the steps. “I’m going in to start supper. It appears that’s all you think we women are capable of doing.” Inserting the key, she gave it a brisk twist and grasped the knob with her other hand. When the door swung inward she stepped inside and closed it firmly behind her.

  The silence of the house was welcome. Felicity wasn’t proud of losing her temper, but Freddie’s not-so-subtle comments had begun to wear on her. Althea’s habits were really none of his business, and for some reason, he seemed convinced her own abilities weren’t capable of settling her affairs and restructuring her life over the nearly two years since Oliver had died.

  She wondered what he would say if she told him Oliver had been murdered. Not that the dear man wasn’t gravely ill at the time, but Sam Duvall had certainly hurried things along.

  Her handbag landed on the kitchen chair with a comforting thump, and she hung her jacket over the back and reached for her apron. If Freddie Canaday thought all she was capable of doing was cooking, she thought she’d better get at it.

  Chapter Five

  The meal was a silent affair. Freddie made several attempts to be a jovial guest, but Felicity didn’t cooperate. Her silence might make her appear passive aggressive, but that was just too bad. She wished she’d thought to invite Andrew to join them. His years of formal Naval occasions had taught him to deal with all sorts of difficult situations.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the telephone ringing, and she excused herself and hurried to answer.

  “Felicity? I hope you weren’t eating.” Muriel was a dear, but she had a habit of apologizing for interrupting whenever she called. She was a kind, apologetic person, Felicity thought as she assured her she was just finishing.

  “I just wanted you to know that the poor man at the hospital has come out of his coma.” She stopped to take a deep breath, then continued, “And he has amnesia! Did you ever hear of such a thing happening here?”

  “The poor man,” Felicity replied. “It’s bad enough he can’t remember anything, but no one here knows who he is, so we have no way to notify his family. I’ll have to see if there isn’t some way I can help.”

  “The doctor said many times the memory returns as the patient’s brain recovers from the trauma. He’s quite hopeful.”

  “That, at least, is good news. I’m tied up for the next few days with meetings, but I’ll make it a point to talk with the doctor myself to see how I can help,” Felicity said. “I really must get back to my guest now, but thank you so much for keeping me informed. Will you be coming to the gathering the day after tomorrow?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. I have a new knitting pattern I want you to look at. I’m not sure it’s suitable for me. I’ll see you then.”

  Felicity replaced the receiver and returned to the dining room. Freddie was scraping his plate of every last morsel, as if he might not get another meal, but paused and looked up hopefully. “I say, Felicity, you have a computer, don’t you? Would you mind if I used it to check my email and make a few contacts?”

  She scrambled to find a tactful way to turn down his request, then said, “I’m terribly sorry, Freddie, but my computer is strictly for business use, and I never take a chance of my address going to places I haven’t selected. Right after breakfast, I’ll take you to the Canaday Library and set you up with an account on one of the computers there.”

  One little white lie surely wouldn’t coun
t against her, she rationalized. The stubborn expression on Freddie’s face reminded her to make sure the electronic lock on her office door was activated before she went to bed. Then she remembered. “When did you relent and learn to use a computer? I thought you hated them.”

  He ducked his head and cleared his throat before replying, “I gave up two years ago when I realized how much I was missing. I’d reduced my teaching schedule, thinking I was close enough to retirement to find time for myself, and had extra time on my hands. It’s been quite an experience.”

  “Well, as I said, Jo will be happy to set you up. You can go over there any time. They’re open until ten at night for students who want to study late.”

  “I suppose I’ll have to make do with that,” he said grudgingly.

  Felicity revised her plan. She’d lock the door right after she cleared the table.

  * * *

  Her bedside phone woke Felicity just before seven the next morning, and she fumbled for her glasses before answering. For some reason, she could always hear better when she wore them. “Hello,” she said hoarsely. The resonant voice of Pastor Jensen brought her to quick wakefulness, and she cleared her throat as he explained the problem. When he finished talking, she replied, “You just bring her over here. Jenny doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment so close to her delivery date. I’ll have her room ready and a good breakfast waiting.”

  Without wasting a moment, she rose and hurried to brush her teeth and dress. The minister had said it would be an hour or so before Jenny could get her things together, and that gave her time to do what had to be done.

  She had just finished putting fresh sheets on the bed in the room next to hers, and was on her way to the adjoining bathroom to hang towels and check to be sure soap and hand lotion were on the counter when Freddie entered the room. He was wrapped in a plaid flannel bathrobe that had seen better days, and his hair was on end. “What in tarnation is going on! It’s not seven-thirty yet, and you’re moving around in here making a commotion.”