Reflections of a Stranger

by Linda Hanna

  Emily shook her head. “You and Ed shared bits and pieces of the restaurant story last night, but I had no idea you’d gone through so much before that.”

  “I can’t get over ya findin’ that pitcher of Emily an’ Philip in your chester drawers.” Dahlia took a second helping of fruit salad.

  “Yeah, I’d sure like to see that,” Emily said. “Was it a professional photo?”

  “No, it was just a snapshot taken outdoors. It’s a sweet picture, Em. He had his arms around you. When Ed gets home, let’s remind him to give it to you.”

  The two women pummeled Cora with a flood of questions, and she did her best to respond to each one. Finally, she stood and picked up her empty plate. “Well, girls, I’m all talked out. And now that it’s over, and Emily’s here, I don’t even want to think about it anymore.” She took a deep breath. “Are we ready for tea and pie?”

  “Before we get to the goodies,” Dahlia said, “sit back down an’ let me fill ya in on what Wendell Floyd told Jack at breakfast this mornin’. Mr. Sands, the complex manager called, an’ said that the Santalises got therselves arrested last night.” She took a sip of water.

  Cora leaned back in her chair, and gasped. “Lupe and Mateo arrested?” She saw Em’s confused face and quickly explained. “Lupe Santalis is our cleaning lady. Mateo is her husband. They’ve worked here for years.” She looked back to Dahlia. “What on earth did they do?”

  “Ya recollec’ that mornin’ when the cops came here to talk to ya?” Dahlia leaned forward as she relayed the details. “Lupe must’ve done somethin’ fishy ‘cause that Reed feller got his feelers up, an’ checked her out.”

  “I never saw Lupe act so nervous, Dahlly. She rushed to the kitchen and tried to stay out of sight, but I saw her listening around the corner.” Cora cleared her throat. “Do you think Lupe was the lady caller after all?”

  “Well, I suppose it’s possible. ‘Nother thing, Sugar, Lupe does your laundry, so she coulda put that pitcher in your drawer.”

  Cora hit her fist on the table, “And those gritty footprints had to be Mateo’s.”

  “You’re prob’ly right.” Dahlia nodded. “Jack told us the whole Santalis clan was here illegally, an’ stayin’ with Mateo an’ Lupe. Well, ya coulda knocked me over with a feather. He told Wendell Floyd the whole kit ‘n’ kaboodle will prob’ly be deported.”

  Disappointment overshadowed the conversation.

  Lupe was trusted unconditionally, more like a friend than an employee. The betrayal ripped at Cora’s heart.

  “Don’t feel so bad, Sugar.” Dahlia reached for Cora’s hand. “She didn’t mean to hurt nobody, she was tryin’ to protect her family.”

  Cora nodded in agreement. “I realize that, but it still hurts. This is a gated community and we’re supposed to be safe. If we can’t trust each other, what’s the point?” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Can you believe something of this magnitude happening in this area? What’s next?”

  “Evidently ya haven’t read this mornin’s paper,” her friend said.

  “No. Ed took it to work with him. Why?”

  “Well, hang on to your choppers. The Santalis scandal ain’t the worst of it. The headlines said George Shipley kilt his mom an’ then hisself.”

  Emily gasped. “Murder? Suicide?”

  “Wendell Floyd said all along that ol’ George was gonna snap one o’ these days.”

  Shaken, Cora’s hand went to her mouth. She swallowed to rid the ache in her throat. “Oh Dahlly, we sent the police to question George. Do you suppose that sent him over the edge?”

  “The police questioned George? What are ya talkin’ about?”

  “They were going to question him about chasing me with his car.”

  Dahlia’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Wait a minute. Ya mean he’s the one who tried to run ya off the road? Ya didn’t mention it was George.”

  “He was parked in Patrick’s driveway when I got home, and Ed recognized his car.”

  “Me an’ you suspected him right from the git-go, ‘member?”

  “Yeah, because he had our house keys and security code.” Cora’s chin quivered as she stood and leaned on the table “I’m worried about Ed’s reaction to all this. I’m surprised he hasn’t called me by now.”

  The silence only lasted a second before Emily spoke. “Maybe he hasn’t read the paper.”

  “That’s probably it.” Cora sighed. “Ed always felt obligated to help him with family problems, and did his best to keep him employed at the golf course. This will really tear him up.”

  “I’m sorry, Sis. Ed must be a very patient man.”

  Dahlia nodded. “He did all he could to help. In the end, it was George’s decision.”

  Silence followed. Emily pushed her chair from the table and stood. “How about if I put the kettle on for tea?”

  Cora hooked her arm with her sister’s. “Yes, let’s get the dessert ready.”

  As they headed for the kitchen, Em jokingly called over her shoulder. “Dahlia, do you have a good recipe for Texas Tea?”

  “Ya fixin’ to make a pot o’ crude oil, Yankee?”

  Emily laughed at her own blunder and yelled back. “Never mind, ya ol’ biscuit shooter. I found the tea bags.”

  Thankful for a reprieve from morbid thoughts, Cora wiped a tear from her eye and smiled.

  Emily was like a shaft of sunlight piercing the dark.

  “Hey! I don’t cotton to sittin’ in here by my lonesome.” Dahlia joined them in the kitchen as the teakettle whistled. “Besides, y’all can’t be trusted with your bag o’ twin pranks.”

  Cora reached for the dessert plates in the cabinet. “Oh, Dahlly, I’m sorry.” She giggled and looked at her sister. “Did that sound sincere?”

  “Nope.” Emily poured scalding water into the teapot and replaced the lid. “Sure wish I had known who I was tricking ahead of time. Imagine the shock of seeing my favorite TV star standing in front of me.”

  “Well, y’all best be watchin’ your backs. Y’all got my dander up an’ I’m gonna be lookin’ for my chance to get even.” The robust cook threw them a mischievous grin.

  Cora snickered. “You’ll know when she’s really mad, Em. Wendell always says she gets like a bull on loco weed.”

  “Yeah, an’ he would know. I’ve dented many a cast iron skillet on that knobby bald head.” A boisterous round of cackling ensued.

  They returned to the dining room to enjoy their dessert. The conversation changed from the topography of Wendell’s cranium to Dahlia’s upcoming cookbook and apron signing.

  “I can’t wait to get into this.” Emily cut a bite from her spicy pie wedge, and slid her fork under it. She shut her eyes, closed her lips around the tasty mouthful, and let out a long, slow, “M-m-m-m-m.”

  Cora held her fork midair and chuckled. “I think she’s given it her stamp of approval.”

  “That settles it.” Dahlia smacked the table. “It’s goin’ in my cookbook.”

  Emily beamed with delight. “So when does this new bestseller hit the shelves?”

  “Next July. It’ll feature pies, an’ I call it, Flaky an’ Proud of It. My cookbook about grillin’, Totally De-Ranged, comes out in a week. My publisher’s got me booked for appearances mostly in Alabama an’ the Carolinas.” Dahlia sipped her tea and sighed. “An’ then on to QSN. Looks like I’ll be gone for quite a spell.”

  Emily leaned closer to the famous cook and set her cup down. “Wow! What an impressive itinerary.”

  “Think so?” The famous cook’s response lacked gusto.

  “Well, of course. What an exciting life. Could we go with you? When do we leave?”

  Dahlia grinned at her new friend’s enthusiasm. “We hit the road a week from today.”

  “Why sound so matter-of-fact about it?” Emily took a sip of tea. “You have such a huge following. Think of all that prestige.”

  “Come agin? It only sounds like a lotta glamour an’ glitz. It’s plenty o’ hard work. Th
ere’s newspaper innerviews with the same ol’ questions. The story of how I began cookin’ for ranch hands in Sweet Pickle, Texas, has gotten so old it’s growin’ whiskers.”

  Emily laughed. “Sweet Pickle, Texas? Is that a real place?”

  “Sure is. I was all pigtails an’ buck teeth back then.” Dahlia paused for a sip of tea. “After them innerviews, I gotta sign books an’ aprons at all the Kitchen Depots, an’ still look as fresh as a daisy for TV. I’m plumb wore out just thinkin’ about it.”

  An insecure feeling culminated in the pit of Cora’s stomach. When Dahlia was home, she was Cora’s physical lifeline while Ed was out each day. Her voice quivered as she nervously reached for her teacup. “Is Wendell going on the tour with you this time?”

  “Well, yes an’ no. He’s goin’, but there’s a mystery solvers’ convention in Charlotte. An’ gun shows in Mobile will keep him busy, too. He’ll be outta my hair a good chunk o’ the time.”

  With a shaky hand, Cora placed her cup on the table.

  Emily’s expression was etched with concern. “What’s the matter, Sis?”

  “I’m just being silly. The thought of Dahlia’s long trip shook me up.” Cora looked at her friend apologetically. “I’m sorry, Dahlly, now where did you say he was going?”

  “Never mind. Relax, Sugar. George an’ the Santalises won’t be hasslin’ ya no more.”

  “You’re right, it must be a reflex.” Cora reached for the teapot to refill her cup. “Feeling safe is going to take some mental adjustments, so be patient with me. Oh, the teapot’s empty.”

  “We’ll all be watching out for you, Sis. Our eyeballs are peeled.”

  Eyeballs. The word jolted Cora. The caller said, “You’re in it up to your eyeballs.” She glanced at the two women chatting as if they were lifelong buddies. Cora quietly went to the kitchen. Confusion made her head spin. Was Em linked to the caller somehow?

  If there was a mistaken identity and a connection between Emily and George, they could be harboring a fugitive. She placed the kettle on a burner, and pulled out more teabags. Oh, Cora Timms, turn off your imagination. Em couldn’t be a criminal. She took a cleansing breath.

  Her relief was short-lived, as another doubt pounced on her reverie. If all her cohorts were out of the picture, Em would be the lone inheritor of the stolen money in that manila envelope. Cora ripped open another teabag as her mind continued to grapple with the theory.

  The whistle on the kettle pierced her thoughts. She reached for the steaming kettle and looked down at the teapot. Good grief, how did she cram so many teabags in there? As she tossed the superfluous bags on the counter, another idea surfaced. What if her sister didn’t have a reaction because she knew George and the Santalises weren’t the callers?

  Were the real stalkers still out there? Either way, she had to find out.

  As Cora walked into the dining room with the freshly brewed tea, the grandfather clock chimed twice.

  Dahlia pivoted in her seat to double-check the time. “Land sakes, is it that late? I got me a business call comin’ in a half hour. I’d best hustle my bustle back home, gals.”

  Cora hugged Dahlia before they walked her to the door. “Now don’t tell anybody about our twin-hood.” She shook her finger. “Especially Wendell. We want to surprise—”

  “No,” Emily interrupted. “We want to shake up this neighborhood.”

  Dahlia gave them thumbs up as she left.

  ****

  It was later than usual when Ed arrived home for supper. Cora put the lid on the saucepan and turned the heat down. “I thought we could talk about the Shipleys before we eat.”

  Ed sat in an easy chair and smoothed his hair back with the palms of his hands. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. “It was in the morning paper, and Wendell came by the clubhouse to talk about it. I would’ve called you, but I didn’t want to put a damper on Em’s visit.” He shook his head. “What a sad situation. I keep thinking I could’ve done more to prevent George from making so many bad decisions. I let him down, Toots, and he probably felt like he had nowhere else to turn.”

  Cora bent forward to embrace him. “Eddie, you provided help for the man over and over again. Maybe he needed professional care. You can’t go back and change things. What’s done is done.”

  Her words were razor sharp as they sliced into her own conscience. Vanessa was gone and nothing would bring her daughter back.

  Ed sighed. “Yeah, I know. It’s going to take some time to accept it. It just doesn’t add up. George was a devout Catholic, and they feel suicide is a mortal sin. Was he really capable of taking his mother’s life and then his own?”

  “I guess he just snapped.”

  “Maybe that’s the answer.” He stood and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be fine in a bit.” He looked around the room. “By the way, where’s Emily? Wasn’t she supposed to be here today?”

  “She’s in the guest room unpacking. We’ve had a great time visiting all day. We’ll tell you all about it over supper, but right now you need to get some rest.”

  “Good idea. I’ll go say hi to Eudora on my way back to the bedroom. Call me when supper’s ready.”

  Cora smiled at his humorous remark. Her husband was going to be fine. Meanwhile, Em’s association with George and the stolen money had her stumped.

  19

  The next morning, Cora and Emily gobbled their bagels and cream cheese as they planned the day’s events. Ed strolled into the dining room and stood behind Cora’s usual chair at the table. He placed his hands on Emily’s shoulders and gently squeezed. “Did you remember you have a doctor’s appointment today, Toots?” He leaned over and planted tiny kisses on her neck.

  Emily wiggled in her seat and patted the masculine hands that massaged her shoulders. “Oooh snookums! Have I ever told you what a fine hunk of a man you are?”

  A brilliant red covered Ed’s face as he jerked his hands away from Emily. He looked from one sister to the other. “Oh no,” he moaned. “I do believe my peaceful existence has just spun out of control.”

  Cora couldn’t hold back a burst of laughter. “Do you two want to be alone?”

  He walked to his wife and thoroughly studied her face. “Now, are you Cora, or did you sneak in another sister?” He planted a big kiss on her lips. “Aw, who cares?”

  Her arms swiftly encircled his neck. “I think you did it on purpose to get more kisses.”

  “Well, whichever one is my sweetheart, you have forty minutes before we have to leave.”

  “Oh no! I lost track of time.” She jumped from her chair, and began to gather the dirty breakfast dishes.

  Emily touched her wrist. “You get ready and let me tend to this.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t do that. You’re my guest.”

  “I’m family and I insist.” Emily turned her towards the bedroom and pointed. “Now move it.”

  Cora dutifully obeyed.

  ****

  Aware the days would be brighter now, Ed made note of the joyful state of mind his wife so quickly exhibited. She actually hummed as she left the room. Emily’s presence breathed new life into her twin, and Ed knew his beloved wife was back.

  He entered the kitchen and smiled at Emily. “I’m so glad you’re here. I haven’t seen Cora this happy in a long time.”

  “Believe me, God knew I needed her in my life as much as she needed me.”

  “I’m sorry we have to leave you here by yourself while we go to the doctor. Are you sure you don’t want to go to Phoenix with us?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. I need to take a shower and then call June before she goes to work. She’s anxious to hear all the details of our reunion. I can’t forget to tell her about this morning’s exceptionally warm greeting from Jeff’s Uncle Steady.”

  “Am I ever gonna live that down?”

  “In a word, no.” They shared a laugh before Emily became serious. She told Ed about Cora’s reaction to the McGibbons’s upcoming trip. “So, would you mind if
I offered to stay with her until they get home?” She added a mischievous wink, “If truth be known, it’s not so much to help her, I just like your kisses.”

  “Well, don’t get addicted.” Ed chuckled. “All kidding aside, it would be wonderful to have you here.”

  As Ed watched the news, Cora waltzed into the room. She wore the sapphire blue outfit he had given her for their last anniversary. He proudly escorted her to the car.

  ****

  The front of the medical building held a large expanse of windows. Natural light filtered through the tinted glass which revealed a panoramic view of the vicinity. Ed placed a protective hand on Cora’s back as they stepped into the empty elevator that would take them to Dr. Keith.

  A foreboding sensation overshadowed Cora. She looked at her husband for a sign of reassurance. The ominous feeling intensified as the door closed and the elevator began its calm ascent.

  “Something’s wrong, Ed.” Her voice was strained with anxiety.

  “You’re just worried about the results of your tests.” He took her hand and gently patted it, then looked at his watch. “It’s 11:00. In a half hour or so, it’ll all be over. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  Her shoulders straightened at his somewhat condescending tone. “No, it’s more than just seeing the doctor. I’ve had this feeling—” Cora’s sentence was interrupted as the elevator door whooshed open. Ed ushered her out while another couple entered the compartment and voices droned around them in the busy hall. She decided to wait for a more opportune time to express her concerns.

  After a few minutes in the waiting area, Ed and Cora were sent to the examination room for her consultation.

  Dr. Keith knocked on the door and walked in with Cora’s file. The attractive doctor greeted them with a twinkle in his deep-set eyes. “Good morning.” He shook hands with them and then waved the folder in the air. “Tests confirmed what I suspected all along, Mrs. Timms. No sign of Alzheimer’s disease and let me assure you once again, you’re not losing your mind, either.”

  With a big smile, Ed leaned over and hugged her. Their initial fears were alleviated. “See, I told you everything would work out.”