Letter to Belinda

by Tim Tingle

  Angel Bagley stood behind him as he signed the last few books, and thanked the customers for coming. “Well, Travis, I know this was a long and tiring ordeal for you, but now it is over.”

  “Thank god!”

  “And since there are no signings scheduled for tomorrow, you have a whole day free to spend on your vacation. Or, I can suggest another option.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You can call your group leader at the hotel in London, and tell him that we have decided to do a signing in Salisbury for tomorrow morning. That way, we don’t have to be back in London until tomorrow night.”

  “Oh no! I plan to rest tomorrow, and not so much as pick up a pen, thank you very much!”

  “Travis, you silly man! Let’s finish up here, and I will explain in the car.”

  Travis suspected that she was cooking up a devious plan, but he was too tired to care. They finished their business with Mr. Dempsey, and the store owner, and headed out to her Mercedes. As he got into the passenger side (which would have been the driver’s side back home), she laid out her plan.

  “Travis, I have access to a friend’s country cottage on the outskirts of Salisbury. Instead of making the long, tiring drive back to London tonight, how about stopping in Salisbury for the night?”

  “No.”

  “But it is already past 10:30. By the time we reach London, it will be almost one in the morning. By calling your hotel, and telling them you have another book signing for tomorrow, no one will be expecting you back before tomorrow night.”

  “No. No more signings, other than the ones already scheduled!”

  “Silly man! You are not being asked to do a signing in Salisbury! That is just a clever little excuse we will use to spend the night, and half the day tomorrow in Salisbury, in each other’s arms!”

  “No.”

  “No one will ever know the truth, unless we tell, and I will certainly not tell!”

  “No, Angel!”

  “It is an absolutely fool-proof plan! No one will ever know! We can enjoy a hot romantic night, then cool of in the private pool, and then romance again in the morning, as the sun is rising across the meadow!”

  “I don’t mind getting back to London at 1 am, or even 2.”

  “Travis, be practical! There is no reason not to take advantage of such an opportunity! I assure you that no one will ever know about it!”

  “No.”

  “Do you not want to at least see my spectacular naked body stretched out on soft satin sheets, inviting you to come and make passionate love to me? And not just once, but all night long? I dare say, that you cannot possibly outlast me in such an endeavor!”

  “I’m not even going to try!”

  “Could that be because you are not capable of such a thing? Could it be that you are less of a man than I took you for?”

  “I don’t care what you took me for!”

  “I’ll wager that you are either gay, or impotent, or probably both, if you don’t want to at least see what I have to offer!”

  “I’m sure what you have to offer is sufficient.”

  “Sufficient?”

  “Yes, you will probably do, in a pinch, but I doubt it’s worth me jeopardizing my marriage.”

  “Why, I have you know, Mr. Lee, that I have received the highest compliments from all my sexual partners. Without exception, they all say I am the best they have ever had!”

  “I also remember you saying that you cull none. Some of those ‘culls’ are probably used to intercourse with goats and sheep, so the ‘best they ever had’ might not being saying a whole lot!”

  “Are you saying that I am a cheap whore?”

  “I think you told me that, in so many words! A woman who brags about the men she has screwed, can hardly be considered anything else!”

  “Well! I can see where this is going! I attack your manhood, and you, in retaliation, attack my womanly morals, as though yours are any better! Such a childish game! I have never met a grown man who is so childish!”

  “And you are a spoiled little brat! Your Dad gave you everything you ever wanted, regardless of whether you needed it, and now you think you are entitled to have everything you want, just by snapping your fingers!”

  “That is correct! I always get what I want, whether it is an expensive porcelain doll, or a hot, sweaty man-toy, I always get what I want!”

  They glared at one another in the darkness, their eyes shining in the dim glow of a street light. She put her hand on the seat between she and Travis, and leaned over toward him.

  “Kiss me, you naughty man!”

  He gave her a peck of a kiss on her lips, them withdrew, leaving her disappointed.

  “Now start your engine, and get this car headed toward London.”

  “Salisbury is on the way to London, my love”

  “It may be, but we are going to London, my love!”

  “Are you sure? I detect a bit of hesitation in your voice.”

  “We are going to London.”

  “We need to stop in Salisbury to rest for the night, before going on to London.”

  “If we stop in Salisbury, I don’t think it will be to rest!”

  “But it makes a good excuse. You had a long, long day, so we stopped in Salisbury to rest! That makes sense! No one has to know that we are resting in each other’s arms!”

  “Because we won’t be!”

  “Oh, so now you are conceding that we will be stopping in Salisbury? Do I detect a weakness in your armor?”

  “I just said if we stop there! I in no way implied that we would be! I can sleep in this seat just fine, while you drive.”

  Angel had started the car and turned down a back alley and reached the main street through town. As she turned east and gained speed, she said, “I am not even supposed to be driving at night, you know! I have a restriction on my driver’s license that limits me to daylight driving only. At night, bright lights cause my eyes to blur!” As though to illustrate this point, a passing car blared its horn in passing, because she had come over the line on him. “See what I mean?”

  “You’re just acting like you can’t see.”

  “I am not!”

  “Then pull it over, and I’ll drive!”

  “Do you have a UK driver’s license?”

  “No, but I have an Alabama license, that’s got to be just as good!”

  “Oh, do you drive on the left side of the road in Alabama as well?”

  “No, but everything else should be the same!”

  “Not hardly! You would be arrested if you were caught trying to drive without a UK license! And my main job is to look after you, and if possible, keep you out of jail! So I cannot let you drive, my love!”

  Another car horn blared, as she eased over the line on them as well. She jerked the car back in time to avoid loosing a side mirror.

  “That was close! You are doing that on purpose, aren’t you?”

  “On purpose? Why in God’s Name would I risk certain death, by intentionally swerving into the next lane? No, I am doing the best I can! Bright headlights disorient me, and cause me to veer off, sometimes crossing into their path. I really should not attempt to drive at night, but you insist on pushing forward to London tonight, then that is what we will do!”

  “Why did you come to drive me back to London, knowing that you couldn’t drive at night?”

  “The book signing was originally supposed to end at 6:00. From 6:00 until 8:00 there is sufficient light to drive by. By exceeding the posted limits, which I am notorious for doing, I could have had you back in London by sundown. But then Mr. Dempsey authorized the signing to go on until 10 p.m., and that ended my plan of getting you back to London before darkness fell.”

  “So that was when you decided t
o make it back as far as Salisbury?”

  “Yes, I don’t know anyone with accommodations in Manchester, so we must make it to Salisbury, which is not but 30 minutes from Manchester, if traffic is light.”

  Another car approached on the narrow country road, and Travis held his breath. “Veer away from the light, Angel! Veer away! A little more!” They passed the car okay, but in veering away, she veered too far, and hit the shoulder of the road, throwing gravel and narrowly missing a road sign.

  “What was that? A pedestrian?”

  “No, it was a road sign.”

  “As long as I missed it, we are doing fine.”

  “Yeah, at least this time. Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?”

  “If anyone damages my car, it will be me!”

  “I’m not worried about your car! I’m worried about us! Why don’t you at least slow down? You don’t have to drive the speed limit. Instead of taking 30 minutes to get to Salisbury, slow down a little. I don’t mind it taking 45 minutes, as long as we get there in one piece!”

  “I drive the way I drive!”

  “We will spend the night in Salisbury, but only if you pull over and let me drive!”

  In the darkness, Angel smiled. “But if the police should stop us, you would be arrested!”

  “I’ve been arrested before.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “Just over a month ago, I was arrested twice in Canada. Once for public intoxication, and once on suspicion of murder.”

  “Murder! Who did you supposedly kill?”

  “A hard-headed woman who wouldn’t pull over and let me drive!”

  Her mouth fell open.

  “I’m joking! But I really was arrested on suspicion of murder. But afterwards a surveillance camera proved it wasn’t me. I just happened to be there when it occurred. Seriously, pull over and let me drive! If I am stopped by the police, I will plead ignorance.”

  “So we are going only to Salisbury?”

  “Yes, if you will let me drive!”

  “As you wish. Here is a place to pull over.”

  She pulled over and parked. They got out and swapped seats. “I have never driven a high performance car before.” He released the brake, put it in gear, and burned rubber as he got back on the road. “Wow! This baby has some get up and go! Handles like a dream!”

  “Yes, the ultimate driving machine. The automobile is a reflection of her owner. I also handle exceptionally well! Driving me, you can hug the curves, and feel the raw power of my revved up engine! I am truly a high performance loving machine!”

  Travis seemed not to notice her deliberate attempt to sell her attributes, as he was so amazed at the car. “I could get used to driving this kind of car!”

  “Yes, it is almost an addiction! Once you have experienced the luxury of high performance, nothing else quite measures up. Eh, remember now, Travis, you must stay on the left side of the road! It requires thought when making a turn.”

  “Yes, it takes some getting used to.”

  “Right is wrong, and left is right!”

  “I got it.”

  “So you are pleasantly surprised by how my car handles?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Then you might also want to see how I handle! You might be pleasantly surprised with me as well!”

  “You never give up, do you?”

  “Hey, a bet is a bet! I intend to win that five pounds!”

  When they came into Salisbury, she directed him down one lane, and then another, until they arrived at a neat little country cottage, nestled back in the woods, on the side of a lake. She got out and unlocked the gate, and he drove through.

  “So this is the house of a friend?” he asked, as she unlocked the front door.

  “Yes, it is the Summer cottage of one of Father’s friends. But this summer he and his wife have decided to avoid the heat, and are snow skiing in New Zealand.”

  “That must be nice.”

  Inside, the furnishings were perfect, yet cozy and inviting. From the living room, a patio door opened to a large outdoor pool, surrounded by marble replicas of Greek and Roman masterpieces. “Your friend must be rich.”

  “Yes, many times over.”

  “Where is the phone? I need to call the hotel in London, to tell them where I am.”

  “In the den. Do you have the number? I will call it for you. It can be a bit tricky.” She dialed the number, and asked for his room number, then handed him the phone when it began ringing. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee.” Angel said, and left the room. Drew answered the phone.

  “Where are you, Dad?”

  “I’m in Salisbury. The book signing lasted until 10, and by the time I got away, it was 10:30. I am bone tired, and decided to stop in Salisbury for the night. I’ll be back in London by 9 or 10 in the morning. What is on the agenda for tomorrow?”

  “It’s our free day in London, but lots of the students are planning to go to one place or the other.”

  “Where are you and Mama Lee going?”

  “Well, she is going with Mrs. Parker and the older ladies to do some shopping downtown. Me and Audrey were planning to take our subway passes and ride to every subway station in London! What do you want to do?”

  “I guess I’ll see who is left there, when I get to London. If I can catch up with you guys on the subway, I’ll try that. How about this? You and Audrey meet me at Trafalgar Station at noon, and we will eat lunch somewhere nice. There is supposed to be lots of restaurants there.”

  “Okay, Dad. Oh, you should have seen the latest antics of Professor Foust! He almost flipped out this evening when some of his students went out to the real seedy side of town! Fred had to calm him down before he had a stroke!”

  “Dr. Foust needs to recognize that he can’t control a group of college kids, like a mama hen controls her chicks! They are old enough to decide their own actions. They probably know more facts of life than he does.”

  “One of the girls, I think her name is Donna, told him that she was going out to a bar, and was going to find a naked man, and that she would catch up with the group when we get to Dover!”

  Travis cringed. “Now that doesn’t sound very smart. A girl with that attitude can get into a lot of trouble, at home or abroad. I hope she was joking.”

  “I think she was. She was just jerking Foust’s chain, and he took the bait, hook, line, and sinker!”

  “Fair warning: If you do something stupid like that, I will kick your ass!”

  “Yes, Dad! Hey, did you call Mom yet?”

  “Not yet, but I will as soon as I hang up from you. See you tomorrow.”

  Angel returned as he was hanging up. “Trouble?” she asked.

  “No, just kids being kids! Now I need to make a call to the States. Can I do that from this phone?”

  “Certainly. Give me the number.”

  The phone rang at the Lee residence in Laurel Grove, and Rebecca answered.

  “Rebecca, is that you?”

  “Yes, Dad! I am glad to hear from you. Mom has been trying to reach you.”

  “Better put her on the phone then.”

  “She is not here right now.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Gone to town.”

  “Man! I was hoping to talk to her! Do you know what she tried to call me for yesterday?”

  “Yes, but I don’t think it is important now. Did you know Bob Deason?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “He died in a house fire yesterday. His house burned to the ground, with him in it.”

  “That must be what she wanted to tell me.”

  “I think so.”

  “Is everything okay there at home?”

  “Yes, I think so.”
>
  “Well, this call is probably costing someone a fortune, so I’d better go. Tell Janice that I called, and if she needs me to call the Hotel.”

  “Will do, Dad. Bye!”

  “Is everything hunky-dory in Alabama?” Angel asked.

  “Yes, I suppose so.”

  “Good! Then there is nothing to worry about! I can have your full attention!”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “Would you care for a drink?”

  “No thank you.”

  “What about a cup of coffee?”

  “That sounds better.”

  “So, come to the kitchen, and over a cup of coffee you must tell me all about your arrest in Canada for murder!”

  “Sure, but there’s not much to tell.”

  “Oh poppy-cock! I have seen how you write! There is always something to tell. I am three-fourths of the way through your new manuscript, ‘Behind the Green Door’, and it is unbelievably spine-tingling!”

  “So you like it?”

  “Yes! I love it! Over coffee, you must tell me how it is going to end!”

  “Nope, it’s best that you read it for yourself.”

  “Yes, you are right. Have a seat, and I will pour the coffee.”

  * * *

  When Rebecca got off the phone with her Dad, she felt bad, because she had deceived him into thinking that everything was fine, when it really wasn’t. But she had done it on orders from Janice.

  An hour earlier, Janice had been, not arrested, but ‘brought in for further questioning’ by the Arlington County Deputies. This was in response to their questioning of Penelope, which had raised some questions about Janice’s earlier statement. As she was being led away, Janice told Rebecca not to mention any of this to Travis, if he should call. That was why she felt as though she had lied to him.

  She had supper ready and on the table, but the boys were out in the garage, working on their play costumes. They didn’t know that their mother had been hauled off. And on Janice’s orders, she was not to tell them where she really was. No need to blow this all out of proportion. They could come eat when they got ready.

  The phone rang again, and she almost dreaded to answer, for fear that it could be more bad news.