A Big Life in a Small Town (Bellingwood #2)

by Diane Greenwood Muir

  Polly turned to Henry, "Don't let them take me away. I hate hospitals."

  "I'm with him. Whatever he says, I say."

  When Aaron left the apartment, Polly said to Henry, "They broke my door."

  "I know. Are you really okay?"

  "Apparently, I have to wait for someone else to tell me whether I am or not," she said and slumped back on the couch.

  Aaron came in with two people. Polly recognized the girl from the night last fall when Doug had been beaten by her ex-boyfriend, Joey. "Hi there," Polly said sheepishly. "You're back."

  The girl grinned and said, "Yes, I guess I am. Don't move. I need to make sure you are going to live. Sheriff Merritt says you're afraid we're going to take you away to the funny farm because you got knocked in the head," and she winked at Polly.

  Henry had gotten up and walked away, giving the EMT room to look at Polly.

  "Can you tell me your name?" she asked.

  "Me? Didn't Aaron tell you who I was?" Polly asked.

  "Yes. I'm trying to make sure all of your synapses are triggering. Would you answer the question?"

  "Oh," Polly giggled, "I'm Polly Giller."

  "Good answer. Now do you know where you are?"

  "In my apartment in Sycamore House in Bellingwood, Iowa. Is that enough?"

  "That's perfect. Now, do you know what time it is?"

  "Ummm ... I don't think I knew what time it was before this happened. Probably around ten thirty. Is that close enough to keep me out of the hospital?"

  "It's ten forty-five, but that's close enough."

  "She's fine, Sheriff. We won't take her away if she doesn't want to go. But," she turned back to Polly, "are you sure? You got hit hard enough to knock you out. It wouldn't hurt for you to get checked out."

  "Don't make me go. I'm fine. I answered the questions and I'll sign your paper."

  The EMT turned to her partner and held her hand out. He placed a clipboard and a pen in her hand. She said, "Read through this refusal and then sign and date it here, please."

  Polly took the clipboard and said, "So what's your name? When I meet someone like this a second time, I figure it might be the start to a pattern."

  "I'm Sarah and I hope we meet under better circumstances if there's going to be any pattern."

  Polly signed the paper and handed it back to Sarah, then said, "Well, I'm not going to die tonight, right?

  Aaron interrupted. "Girl, you are going to be the death of me, even if it doesn't kill you. How does this keep happening to you?"

  "Am I supposed to feel guilty? Because I feel lousy enough right now it would be an easy next step."

  He laughed. "No, you don't need to feel guilty,” then he said, "I'll be right back. It sounds like my people are showing up and I want to know what happened here tonight. He passed his wife as she walked in. They nodded and she stood beside Henry, taking his arm.

  "Why are you here, Lydia?" Polly asked.

  "Aaron called me. Did you think I wouldn't come over to check on you?"

  "Elise didn't have a coat or shoes or anything. They just took her!" Then Polly looked around. "Where are the cats? Are they okay?"

  Henry spoke up. "They're in the bedroom. Don't worry."

  Polly tried to stand up and reached for the arm of the sofa. "Okay, whoa," she said. When she got her bearings, she continued. "That's a little more excitement than I want to have." She blinked her eyes and rolled her shoulders, then reached around to touch the back of her head. "Ow! He thumped me hard." She sat back on the couch and breathed.

  Everyone in the room was watching her and she giggled, "I'm not dying. Sarah isn't making me go to the hospital so I'm pretty sure that's the truth. You need to get those grim looks off your faces, and besides, if I were dying, do you think that's what I'd want to stare at?

  "Polly, you scared us to death." Lydia rushed over and sat beside her on the couch, putting her arm around her back.

  "Again with me scaring you," Polly said. "I didn't do it on purpose. I promise!"

  "I know. I know. But when Aaron called, I couldn't think of anything but getting over here."

  Polly allowed herself to relax and be hugged by Lydia, who held on to her far longer than Polly expected.

  "Aaron needed his vehicle tonight, so I brought it over since he was driving mine and he refused to leave you. Honey, I was worried!" Lydia pulled Polly in close again. "If you aren't going to the hospital tonight, you're coming to my house."

  Polly pulled back from her. "No. I just want to stay here. They got what they came for and I can't imagine they’d come back. Please don't make me leave."

  Lydia looked up. "Henry? Can you talk to her?"

  He laughed. "Are you kidding me? No. I'm not walking into that minefield. I am not that stupid. However, I already have my things and will stay on her couch."

  Polly looked at Lydia, asking if that was acceptable.

  "Fine." Lydia said. "I don't like it, but you're an adult and I'm not your mother."

  Sarah and her partner were heading to the open door in Polly's entryway.

  "Thanks so much," Polly said. "You should come back for the dance on Saturday, as guests, not to work."

  Sarah smiled and said, "I just might! I hope you have a good night." She looked at Henry. "Call us or get her to Boone if anything weird happens."

  He nodded and they left.

  Aaron came back in, sat down on the coffee table in front of her and said, "Polly did they touch anything in here?"

  "I don't know. I don't think so. One of them grabbed Elise and before I could get up, the other one crossed the room and hit me." She rubbed her head again. “I'd like to kick him in the balls, that one. Damn, that makes me mad."

  Aaron chuckled. "I'm not sure if you're going to be able to, but if the opportunity arises, take it. I'd like to get into Elise's room and see if I can find something that will tell us what has happened and where they might have taken her."

  Polly felt around for her phone and couldn't find it in her pocket. "Where's my phone?"

  Lydia tried to rearrange some of the chaos that had happened on the coffee table. She picked up the scattered teabags, put them in the basket and handed the basket and mugs to Henry. He returned with a towel to sop up the spilled tea.

  Aaron stood up from the coffee table and Lydia laughed, "There it is," she said. "Under the newspaper you were sitting on."

  She handed it to Polly, who peered at it and then pressed a few keys and said, "There, I emailed you her key so you have access to that room. How did they get past you?"

  He sat back down in front of her on the table. "I don't know. We're going to figure it out. I don't know how long we'll be here tonight, but I won't bother you again until tomorrow. Try to get some sleep."

  He put his hand on Lydia's knee. "And you need to go home and let her sleep. Here are your keys," and he dropped them in her outstretched hand. "I'll be home when I can."

  Lydia pulled Polly close one more time and said, "I'd much rather know you were safe in a room next to mine, but if I have to be adult about this, I will. I love you, sweet girl, so you take care of yourself tonight. Do you promise?"

  "I promise," Polly said and drew her finger across her heart, "but I'm not going to say hope to die."

  Lydia stood up and followed her husband out of the apartment, turning around at the door to wave.

  "Wait, Aaron?" Polly called.

  "What?" he asked.

  "I talked to Elise tonight. She said those guys were hired to find her. I think something bad happened in Chicago and she saw it. Whoever did it didn't know she was there, but the friend who brought her to Bellingwood must have told them. She's been hiding out in Boone and around the area for the last week and saw those two men down there. She recognized them."

  Lydia had stopped with Aaron and when she realized that he wasn't walking out, said, "I'll see you later. I'm going home. Let me know where you are tonight, will you?"

  He bent over and kissed her forehead, "Che
ck your phone whenever you wake up, I'll text you and let you know throughout the night."

  "I love you." She hugged him and waved at Polly, then went on out into the hallway.

  Aaron walked back into the room and sat down in the chair. "What else can you tell me, Polly?"

  Polly told him everything she could remember from her conversation with Elise.

  "Most of the information she originally gave me about herself was true, I suppose. Maybe some of that can help you figure out what's going on," Polly said.

  "I've got some contacts in Chicago. I'll reach out to them." He stood up, then said, "We're looking for her. Doc Ogden saw the car Tuesday night, so we know what we’re looking for. You get some sleep now."

  Henry walked him to the door and she watched the two men shake hands. Aaron said something quietly to Henry, who nodded and then held the door as he left.

  Once the apartment was empty, Henry sat down in the chair next to the sofa. "Is it always going to be like this with you?" he asked.

  Polly grinned at him, "I guess I have a few surprises up my sleeve as well!"

  "I swear, mine are much more fun," he replied. "When I saw Aaron flying in your front door, I nearly had a heart attack and poor Obiwan was so upset, he practically dragged me up the stairs."

  "Where is he, by the way?"

  "I should probably let him out. I put him in the bedroom with the cats."

  Henry opened the bedroom door and Obiwan rushed out and jumped up on the couch beside Polly. He nudged her arm with his head and when she began to pet him, he lay down with his head on her lap.

  "Henry, we have to get that door fixed."

  "I know." Henry sat back down. "It's fine for now. It will close enough so the cats won't escape. Don't worry, I've got it."

  "I'm worried about her, Henry. Somehow I feel responsible for Elise."

  "Of course you do. But Polly, tonight I'm worried about you. Can you sleep?"

  "Not yet. Can we just sit here for a while?"

  "Sure. Here. Scoot over and make room for me." He slipped in between her and the arm of the sofa.

  Polly leaned on him and looking up, smiled and put her feet up on the table. Henry pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa over both Polly and her dog, leaned back and put his feet up beside hers. He held her tight and then listened to her breathe as she drifted off to sleep.

  Obiwan woke Polly up when he jumped off the sofa and paced in the entryway.

  "What is it?" she asked and checked the time on her phone. It was a little after two o'clock.

  Henry pulled himself up and said, "Just a minute, I'll check." He put his hand on Obiwan's collar and pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway. She heard voices, then he came back in and nudged the door back into place.

  "Everyone has left. Aaron said he'll make sure all the doors downstairs are closed tightly and that he'll talk to you tomorrow."

  "Did he say if they found anything to lead them to Elise?"

  "No, he didn't say anything about that, but, he did say they found a broken lock on the kitchen door. He’s fixed it for now, but I get to replace another door." He walked over and put his hand out. "Now, come on. You should get into bed. How's your head?"

  "Well, the knot feels like hell, but I think I’ll live. I feel better." She put her hand in his and let him pull her upright. "Yep, definitely better. I'm not dizzy now."

  Instead of walking toward the bedroom, she headed for the kitchen.

  "What are you doing?"

  "I want a drink of water." Polly giggled and kept walking. "Or are you going to stop me and make me let you pamper me."

  Henry put his hands up in surrender. "I don't think I could make you do anything you didn't want to do."

  She waggled her finger at him and kept walking. "Now you're learning. Do you want anything?"

  "Are you going to bed?" he asked.

  "In a little bit. I'm afraid I might have just had a really nice nap, though."

  "Yeah. Me, too. Shall I put a movie in?"

  "Sure! Do you want anything?" she asked.

  "Water would be fine. How about one of those cupcakes I brought up?"

  "Would you rather have milk with that?"

  "That sounds great. Can I have both?"

  Polly laughed, "Of course you can."

  She reached to open the cupboard and moaned. "Umm, Henry?"

  "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine. But, everything in the upper part of my body hurts. I might need your help here."

  He dropped what he was doing and ran into the kitchen. "What’s wrong?"

  "Well, I might have pulled something in my shoulder," she said. "But, if I work it out, I'll be fine."

  "Here, let me." He massaged her shoulder and she felt some of the muscles relax, so she rolled her neck.

  "I'll get this. You go back to the couch and find a movie," he said.

  She drooped her shoulders dramatically and slowly walked out of the kitchen. "I had to let you pamper me after all," she said under her breath.

  "I heard that. I'm not pampering you. I'm being polite."

  Polly heard him chuckling as she sat back down on the far corner of the sofa. She wrapped her feet up under her and pulled the blanket out from under Obiwan. "You have to share," she said to him. "How did you get to be such a slug of a dog?" She maneuvered the blanket to cover both of them and left some for Henry.

  He handed her a glass of water. "Did you want a cupcake ... cupcake?"

  She rolled her eyes at him. "No, thank you."

  "Are you nauseous?" he asked.

  "No, I just don't want anything. Hopefully, I'll get tired pretty soon."

  "No movie?"

  Polly handed him the remote control. "I don't care."

  "Well then you can watch me eat my dessert. I'm sure it will be terribly exciting."

  "It's not boring," she laughed. "Thanks for staying tonight. I know I make a lot of noise about being independent, but I'm glad you're here. I'm only sorry you have to sleep on my couch rather than in your own bed."

  "I can sleep in my bed any time," he laughed. "How often do I get to sleep on your couch?"

  "Okay," she said. "Thanks, though. I do appreciate it."

  The cats had come out into the living room and were wrestling on the floor in front of the television. Henry pointed and said, "Now, there's some entertainment."

  "I'm glad they have each other. Those little nocturnal brats would keep me up all night if they had their way. They get better as they get older, but sometimes it takes them an hour of play before they're ready to come back to bed."

  Polly took a drink and said, "What do you think has happened to Elise?"

  "I have no idea, Polly, but I'm sure Aaron has called in the troops and they're looking for her."

  "I just wish I knew what was going on with her."

  Henry finished his cupcake and put the paper wrapper on the plate, then set that on the table. Luke looked up at the noise and leaving Leia behind, jumped up to sniff at the remnants.

  "That's chocolate," Henry said.

  Polly said, "Just a second. Watch him."

  Luke sniffed for a moment, then batted at the paper and backed away. He sat down and stared at it for a few seconds, then turned his back on it and jumped off the table.

  "He's the funniest thing," Polly said. "He wants to know everything that is going on, but once he's figured it out, he wants nothing more to do with it."

  "That's weird."

  "Leia likes to taste different things, but she's really not interested in any of it. I think for the most part, it's only curiosity. Unless," Polly said, "unless it is a milk product. They both love cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese. I have to be careful not to leave those things out. But, then, if I give them a little bit, they're satisfied and leave me alone. They're pretty good cats."

  She yawned and reached down to put her glass on the table. "I suppose I should try to get some sleep. Tomorrow and Saturday are going to be long days."
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  "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Henry asked.

  "I'm sure." Polly pushed Obiwan off the couch and he yawned and stretched. "Come on, you slug. We need to get some bedding for Henry and you're NOT taking up space out here tonight. Come on." She stood up and took his collar to move him toward the bedroom door. "I'll be right back with pillows and things. How about we leave the bathroom doors open unless we're in there - that way we'll know, okay? And the cats need to move around anyway. Will that work?"

  "Sure. That's a good idea."

  She went through the living room door to the bathroom and rustled around in the linen closet, pulling out a pillow and flat sheet. Then she took them back into the living room. Henry had walked back to the kitchen with the dishes and set them on the counter beside the sink, so she dropped the pillow on a chair and shook out the sheet, draping it over the back of the sofa and tucking it in.

  "I don't know how much warmth you'll need tonight. There are plenty of blankets in the pile back there," and she pointed behind the chair to a large basket filled with blankets. "Use what you want."

  Henry walked back and looked at the sofa. "Thanks. I'm sure I'll be fine." He picked the pillow up and dropped it at one end, then he took her hand. "How about you?"

  Polly winked at him. "Are you just trying to get in my bed?"

  He dropped her hand and in shock, he said, "NO! That's not what I meant at all!"

  She laughed. "I know. I was only teasing. And yes, I'm going to be fine. Good night." She began to turn away to head to the bedroom when he took her arm and stopped her.

  "Good night goes something like this," he said and pulled her close for a kiss.

  "Hoookay," she gasped, when they broke apart. "That's a nice twist."

  Polly walked away and into the bedroom. She closed the door behind her and then shut the door to the bathroom while she changed into her pajamas. Obiwan had already jumped up into the bed and was sprawled across it. She pushed him out of the way and crawled under the covers.

  She reflected on the last few kisses from Henry. Those were definite heart-melters. Polly giggled. After the night she licked his lips, he wasn’t letting her get away with that again. She pulled the blankets into a cocoon around her and shivered. No one had ever made her feel as comfortable and safe as Henry did while at the same time tipping her heart off balance.