The Daughters of Julian Dane

by Lucile McCluskey

  But soon hands were pulling at her pillow. Her mother was telling her to take some aspirin. Donnie was telling her to do as her mother told her. “No! No! No! Just go away and leave me alone!” she cried, pulling the pillow from the hands that would take it from her, and pressing it more firmly over her pounding head. But her mother insisted she take the aspirins before she would leave her alone to sob herself to sleep.

  Chapter Fifty-four

  It seemed to Della that she had just gone to sleep after the disturbing, frightening incident of the night before when the phone rang. She fumbled for it as quickly as possible to keep it from waking anyone else.

  Mattie’s troubled voice answered Della’s fuzzy hello, and she knew that in her sleep, she had been expecting, even waiting for Mattie’s call.

  “Della! The most terrible thing has happened. You’re not going to believe this, but Ryker’s son was found lying on the parking area outside the dining room this morning by the paper boy. Della! He’s dead!”

  “Does Chief Bugg know it’s Ryker’s son?” Della asked calmly.

  “No! And the Chief is out of town. The comedy twins came. I don’t guess ... Della! You sound like you know about this!”

  “Mattie, listen to me,” Della begged. “This is just between us – okay?”

  “Of course. What’s going on?”

  “I did already know about it, and I’ll tell you about it later.”

  “What happened last night? Addie’s car is still here. Buddy found her car keys. Is she at home? Is she all right?”

  “Yes. She’s at home.”

  “Thank goodness. I told them she probably dropped her keys and couldn’t find them and had to call you to come pick her up.”

  “I did come pick her up. Did they believe you?”

  “Yes, I suppose so. They’re on their way to bring Addie her keys and ask her some questions.”

  “I hope they’ll settle for me. Addie won’t lie to them – I won’t either, but I think I’ll be more able to answer their questions without lying.” Della looked at her bedside clock. It was seven-twenty. “I’ll talk to you later, Mattie. Thanks for calling.” She got up and put on her robe and house shoes. She didn’t want the doorbell arousing the household. She would make coffee. But as soon as she reached the foyer, she could see the police car pulling to a stop in front of the walk. She waited for Cleo and Buddy to come upon the porch before she opened the door.

  “Good morning, Buddy, Cleo,” she said. “Miss Horn told me you had found Addie’s car keys and were bringing them to us. I sure appreciate it. She also told me about the man you found dead. What happened to him? Do you know?”

  “We don’t even know who he is. There was no ID on him,” Cleo said.

  “And so far as we can tell, he just dropped dead. We couldn’t find any evidence of foul play,” Buddy said.

  “Did you have to go pick up Addie?” Cleo asked as he handed Della the keys.

  “Yes.”

  “About what time was it?”

  “Well, Cleo, I’m not sure of the exact time, but it was shortly after ten. She and Mattie closed up about ten.”

  “Did you see anybody hanging around or wandering around the grounds?”

  “No. We didn’t.”

  “Nobody walking on Stone Drive or around River Road?”

  “No.”

  “Well, we don’t know who he is or where he came from ...”

  “He does look familiar,” Buddy put in, “but neither of us could recall ever seeing him before. He’s a young man. Can’t figure a man that young just dropping dead. It beats all,” Buddy said shaking his head.

  “Is Addie here?” Cleo asked.

  “Addie’s house is the door down there,” Della said pointing to the left. “She’s most likely still in a deep sleep. Saturday nights are busy and trying at the dinner club and she had a headache. I gave her two aspirins. They make her sleep pretty sound.”

  “Well, I don’t see any need of waking her. The Chief is out of town, won’t be back ‘till later this afternoon.”

  “He’s not going to like this one little bit,” Buddy said shaking his head.

  “If he needs to ask her any questions later, I’ll let you know,” Cleo said, then the two of them took their leave.

  Her need to go to the bathroom awakened Addie on Sunday morning. At first she could not figure why she was on the couch instead of her bed, but then it all came flooding back to her like a bad nightmare. “Grandpa!” she moaned. He was gone. She would never see him again – never hear him again. But he was at rest now after all these years. And that was what he wanted, she told herself. He had found what love was through loving her, and she had loved him. She would keep reminding herself of that until the hurt went away.

  Her body was stiff and sore, her head was thudding, and the lower part of her face throbbed. She turned her head, and the pillow fell onto the floor. Donnie was stretched out in her one upholstered chair, asleep.

  She sat up, and he woke up. She ignored him and headed for the stairs wondering why he was still there? The events of the night before filled her mind. She wondered if Bo Ryker’s body had been found yet? And what would be the results?

  In her peach colored bathroom, she took her time flushing her face with cold water. It seemed to help her head. She brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and put on fresh pants and a light pull-over sweater. She wanted a shower and to shampoo her hair, but it could wait until she was feeling better. She felt the need to steady herself by holding onto the railing as she came back down the stairs.

  Donnie was leaning his back against the railing at the bottom of the stairs. He turned just as she reached him and handed her a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked as there was a light knock on the front door before it opened. Della came in, still in her robe and house shoes, her arms loaded with a covered tray emitting the smell of Mattie’s rolls and fresh cooked sausage.

  “Honey, how are you feeling?” Della asked as Donnie took the tray from her.

  “Terrible, and, Mama, I’m sorry the way I stormed out at you last night.”

  “You had every right to be irritable and cross. Forget it. I’m still so sorry about grandpa. Henrietta will be too, but he’s where he wanted to be. We have to remember that. Still, I know how much he meant to you, and how you’ll miss him.

  “Mama sent breakfast, and Buddy and Cleo came asking questions and bringing your car keys. Seems Chief Bugg is out of town. He may ask some questions when he returns. They know I picked you up. They don’t know who he is or how he died. They just wanted to know if we saw anybody wandering around on the street or the grounds.” Della had walked to the one straight back chair, to the right of the sofa, and sat down, placing Addie’s keys on the nearby table.

  “If they do come back asking questions,” she said to Addie, “don’t say anymore than you have to and be careful how you answer.” Then she looked seriously at her daughter. “Addie, Ben called last night.”

  “Oh, Mama! He did? What did he say? Is he all right?”

  “We talked for some time. He asked about both of us and the baby. He said he was proud of you for all you’d done with the inheritance. And said he should have known you’d do as you have with it. He didn’t say he was sorry about the way he had acted about it, but it sounded like he was. And he sounded fine. He wanted to come and bring me some money for the medical bills. I told him it wasn’t necessary, that you had signed over half of the bank stock to me and that dividends were due in a week or less and I’d have all the money I could possibly need.” She stopped and sighed heavily. “He didn’t say anything then, so I asked about his business. He seems to be doing quite well. He said the Himple house would be ready for the renters to move in by the last of the month. And that all five of the efficiency apartments were rented. And that Mr. Arbuckle had asked him to come to the bank one day to meet an elderly couple named Murphy who owned a building of four one bedroom apartments. It seem
s they were going to lose their three tenants because they would have to replace their heating and air conditioning unit and didn’t have the money. He went to see the building. He said it needed more than a new unit, especially on the outside. Work that needed to be done before cold weather. He took the building on the same terms as the Himple building.”

  Addie already knew this because Mr. Arbuckle had told her that she might need to add to her fifteen thousand in case Ben needed more money. So she had added more just to be safe.

  Then Della said after a moment, “He asked if he could come to the clinic when I go to have the baby? I told him he had a right to be there, that he was my son’s father, and I wanted him to know his father from the very beginning. That you would call him when I go.”

  “And?” Addie asked when her mother was quiet for a few moments.

  “He started crying, and whispered, ‘I’m sorry, so sorry,’ and hung up.”

  Addie bit down on her bottom lip. “Mama, do you think we’ll ever be a family again?” She was almost in tears.

  “I don’t know the answer to that, honey,” Della answered slowly, thoughtfully. “I guess time will tell. But I will say this. You grew up in a home with both a mother and a father who loved and cared for you, and I want just as much for my son. And I’ll do what I can to make sure he gets it. You’ll just have to be patient and see how things work out.”

  Addie had taken a seat on the end of the couch facing her mother. “Tell Donnie to stay for Sunday dinner. Gramps will be having brunch at Stonegate. He’s going to do a little plumbing for Mattie.” She stood up. “I have to go now.” She reached out and hugged her daughter to her and kissed her. “See you at dinner.” And she left.

  Donnie emerged from the small dining area. “Breakfast is on the table. How do you feel?”

  “What do you care how I feel? And what are you doing here? We had our little talk, remember? Thank you for the chocolate. I needed it.” And she plopped back down on the sofa.

  “You’re welcome,” he said taking the seat beside her.

  “I apologize for my rudeness last night. I’m glad you were there.”

  “Addie, I want to always be there when you need me. I was waiting with Della for you to go by and toot your horn. There is something very important that I want to tell you. And I’m going to before I leave here.”

  “I don’t need you to look after me. I can take care of myself.” She looked at him. “And I can handle my own social life.”

  He was just looking at her and smiling, and it was infuriating her. She wished he’d leave. No. She wished he’d never leave.

  “Calm down, Addie. You’re going to like what I have to tell you.”

  “Really! What?”

  “Your daddy and my mother are no longer together,” he said with a big smile on his face. “That’s why she had come back yesterday morning. She finally talked to me. She said Ben still cared too much for his wife and family, and she could no longer compete with you, Della, and the coming baby.”

  “Oh! Oh! Is it true? Does mama know this?”

  “Yes. I told Della last night, and she knew I wanted to tell you. But Gerald asked mom if she wanted to give their marriage another chance? He promised her that he was through womanizing. And she told him that if she did go back to him, and he ever looked at another woman – well, she told him in no uncertain terms what she’d do to him. And believe me, he’d never feel free to close his eyes in sleep again if he so much as thought about another woman. So they packed her things, and they’re on their way to Michigan.”

  Addie was hearing him, but her heart was absolutely singing with the news that her daddy still cared for her and her mother.

  “How about we eat some breakfast before it gets too cold?”

  As they ate, Addie said, “Mr. Sully and my grandmother are getting married.”

  “Yeah. They’re getting married next Sunday in Wylene’s wedding chapel. Della told me while we waited for you to go by. They sure aren’t wasting any time.”

  “When you’re fifty-eight and sixty, I guess you don’t have any time to waste.”

  “That may be the shortest engagement on record. How do you feel about long engagements?” Donnie asked her.

  “Why? What do you care how I feel about engagements, short or long?” But her heart was hoping. Did she dare hope?

  “Addie,” Donnie said patiently, “Gerald’s company gave him a very generous bonus to move to Michigan and open a branch office. He wrote me a check for fifteen hundred. So, I’m going to let you decide how I spend it.”

  “Me? It’s your money. Spend it anyway you like.”

  “Well, I’ve paid for the truck. So now, I can pay it on the house and furnishings, or I can buy you an engagement ring for Christmas.” he said with a big grin on his face.

  “Donnie Whitefield!” Addie exclaimed turning to face him. “Just when did you ask me to marry you? And what makes you think I would?” she asked, but her heart was beating double time.

  Donnie leaned back in his chair and looked at Addie. He sighed, “I thought I’d ask you to marry me on your seventeenth birthday, if you didn’t mind long engagements. And I hope you’ll say yes. That would give me more of a right to look after you. You seem to need a bit of looking after. But if you’d rather I pay the money on my debt, then I can give you the check now.”

  Addie was about to burst with frustration and happiness, but she was not going to let him know it. “You can be so infuriating.”

  He laughed. “Why don’t we move to the couch?”

  Addie threw down her napkin beside her plate and got up. He followed her and took his seat beside her on the couch.

  “Well, do you want a ring or not? I need to know what to do with the money. It’s burning a hole in my pocket.”

  She couldn’t keep her happiness from showing in a big smile as she nodded her head. “I wouldn’t want your pants to catch on fire.”

  Smiling just as big, Donnie took her in his arms. “Oh, Addie, do you have any idea how much you mean to me. I love you so much,” he whispered as his lips found hers.

  His kiss was all that Addie had imagined it would be. She could feel his love for her, and her heart was singing with joy when ... .

  “Kissie, kissie, kissie.”

  Addie broke the kiss suddenly and sat up. “Who said that? Who are you?” Then there was a giggle. A giggle that Addie recognized.

  The startled Donnie, exclaimed, “Addie!”

  “Victoria Dane! Where are you?” She demanded.

  A small, blond headed figure in a flowing white dress appeared in the upholstered chair at the end of the sofa. A figure, that Addie could see clear through. “Right here, sister.”

  “Why are you here,” Addie demanded as Donnie sat in shocked silence.

  “I wanted to see my sister. I didn’t have a sister, just my baby brother, Nicki.”

  “I know that. Now that you have ...”

  “You are very pretty, Addie. You look like father. I look like mother.”

  “I know that too, Vicki. I have a picture.”

  “Yes. You do. That picture was taken when we lived in the log house.”

  “I know,” Addie said impatiently.

  “I like your little house. It’s like a play house for grown-ups.”

  “And for only one grown up.”

  “Oh, I won’t take up much room,” Victoria said as she left the chair and floated upward to the stairway.

  “Victoria! You come back here!”

  Vicki turned just before disappearing into Addie’s bedroom.

  “What?”

  “Look, Vicki. I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t need you. You’ve seen me. Now, would you please leave?”

  “Oh, I will soon. Yes, soon.” And she was gone.

  “Oh, no,” Addie moaned, her face in her hands.

  “I take it Vicki has come back,” Donnie said a bit bewildered.

  Looking at him, Addie said, “How long is ‘soon’ in
a spirit’s timing?”

  Donnie couldn’t help but chuckle. “I have no idea, but I’ll bet it’s a lot longer than in our timing.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she moaned. “She said she would leave soon.”

  “Well, look at it this way. If she hangs around long enough, she can be a junior bridesmaid at our wedding.”

  “Oh, really?” Addie said irritably. “Then you and Bud had better make some more doors in Wylene’s wedding chapel.”

  “Doors?”

  “Yeah. Doors, for when our guests see a bouquet of flowers floating down the isle, all by itself.”

  “Oh! Ooohhh,” Donnie laughed. Then Addie was laughing too.

  Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having a younger sister around – for awhile, she thought. And they laughed until they fell into each other’s arms, and Addie felt that familiar tingle all over as Donnie’s lips found hers again.

  THE END