“It is among the Paenitentia. Not unusual, unheard of.” He sounded bitter and angry. He rose abruptly and walked a few feet away, where he raised his right hand above his shoulder, fingers spread wide, when he heard Hope move to come with him. “Stay there.”
“You’re changing.” She saw him stiffen. His shoulders bulged through the jacket. “It’s okay. It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.”
“The other night. I didn’t think you saw. You never said.” He tried to bring the rage under control, but his anger with himself only grew and fed the rage. He was the reason for her fright. How could she have stayed with him? He heard her quiet laughter.
“Of course I was frightened. I almost fell down the stairs. The face, the eyes, the fangs, they startled me. I’d never seen that before. Grace and Uncle Otto explained it to me, but I couldn’t picture you looking so fierce. They didn’t frighten me, because underneath it all, I saw you. I saw you, Nico, and no matter what you looked like, I could never be afraid of you.”
“Maybe you should be.”
She was at his back, her hands kneading his shoulders and neck, filling him with warmth and comfort and the scent of roses.
“Maybe I should, but I can’t. You make me feel safe. You make me feel strong.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head between his shoulder blades. “I came to look for my sister out of anger at my father. He’d kept her letters from me. But when the anger wore off, I was afraid, Nico, afraid of this strange modern world and all the things I didn’t understand. Afraid of what I’d find when I located Faith. Lenny helped, but the fear was always there. I’m not afraid anymore. Good, bad, or the very worst, when I find Faith I’ll handle it. And if I falter, you’ll be at my back lending me your strength. There are things you don’t want me to see or know. Secrets. I understand that, but you need to understand that those things won’t matter to me and I’m an expert at living with secrets. Don’t think you can push me away, Nico. I won’t go.”
He turned in her arms and held her close to his chest, burying his nose in her hair and breathing in her scent. “You are a treasure I don’t deserve, my Hope.”
He brought her back to the bench and sat her down. “There are things you need to hear and things you’ll want to do. We’ll do them together. I won’t let you go alone.”
He told her what Nardo had found.
Chapter 19
For Hope, the ride north to the little town of Perryville was an adventure in itself. She no longer allowed herself to be overwhelmed by her sister’s possible fate and she was determined to enjoy the here and now of her own life. It was a strange blend of fluctuating emotions, but she was learning to cope with the mix.
They left a little after midnight and even though Nico said it was too cold to put the top down, she insisted they do it anyway. Wrapped in his long, black leather duster, Nico wasn’t bothered by the cold and he laughed every time she removed her gloves and checked his ears for freezing. She was bundled in her warm winter coat with a woolen scarf wrapped securely around her head and wrapped snugly beneath her chin. As the little sports car zoomed down the highway, Hope felt as if she were flying.
There was little traffic on the road and Nico took the opportunity to see what ‘this little baby’ could do. He pressed his foot to the floor and the engine roared.
The throb of the engine, the feel of the vibration beneath her seat and the look of masculine satisfaction on Nico’s face thrilled Hope and she raised her hands over her head and shouted her joy. She had never felt so daring. It was exhilarating until the sound of a siren shrieked through the night followed by a bar of flashing blue lights. Guiltily, she folded her hands in her lap and shrank down in her seat.
Nico took his hand off the wheel long enough to pat her knee. “Don’t worry, my precious. A night in jail is all part of the adventure.” He downshifted to a halt on the shoulder of the road. “Small town jails are very small. I’m sure they’ll let us share a cell.”
“Nico!” she wailed and he took pity on her.
“Nothing will happen to you. I won’t let it.” He leaned over to kiss her icy lips. “Trust me. You’ll see.”
“Good evening, Officer.”
“Sir, ma’am. Clocked you at a hundred and ten. I’ll need to see a license and registration.”
Nico made a show of searching for his wallet and Hope’s heart began to pound in spite of Nico’s reassurance. She’d never been in trouble with the law, had never seen a police officer close up until one came to the door to tell her about Lenny’s death.
The officer looked around inside the car. “This is the real deal, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir, a classic 1961 Corvette Stingray, fully restored and in mint condition. Everything’s original.”
“Man, when I was a kid, this was the car I was going to drive when I grew up.” His hand stroked lovingly down the side of the leather seat.
“A dream of mine as well. Can I show you the engine?”
The officer looked around as if they might be watched and then nodded. Nico unfolded himself from the seat and followed the officer to the front of the car where they lifted the hood. Hope could hear them whispering and joking. After a few minutes, Nico returned, giving a friendly wave to the officer as the man returned to his car. When the police car made a U-turn and sped off, Hope breathed a sigh of relief.
“He let you off.”
“Not exactly.” He touched her forehead with his thumb. “I made him forget. When he goes home to bed, he’ll dream of fast cars and loose women.” He started the car and pulled back onto the highway.
“I see. That’s a handy little talent.” She frowned. “Hey. You tried to use that handy little talent on me the night we met. Col and Dov tried it, too.”
“An act, Miss Parsons, which I humbly regret.”
She crossed her arms in front of her and nodded her head. “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“I can promise you it won’t.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “There’d be no point. It doesn’t work. That’s how we knew you were like Grace.”
Hope leaned her head back against the seat, happy to know that no one could make her forget how Nico made her feel.
*****
“I’m sorry, Mr. Nimeni. I was clear enough with your secretary. We only had one room left when you booked and I’m afraid we’re the only game in town. Of course, you can try up the road about fifty miles. There’s another motel in Finton, though I suspect they’re full up, too. There’s a revival in town. Setting up tomorrow and running through the weekend. Big doin’s.” When Nico nodded in resignation, the clerk handed him the key. “Good news is you’re in the end unit. Secretary said you’d pay extra.” He winked.
Nico glared. The man’s eyes widened and he busied himself behind the desk.
“I didn’t plan this. I said two rooms.” It was the truth. He didn’t plan it, but he wasn’t sorry. He already felt a stirring in his loins and he hoped she wasn’t sorry either.
“I’m not,” she whispered and hugged his arm.
Their room hadn’t been changed since it was newly remodeled in 1972. The bedspread was faded but clean and its avocado green coordinated well with the green, gold, and orange stripes of the drapes. The gold carpet might once have been shag, but countless trampling feet had long since worn it flat. Nico cautiously tested the bed and was surprised to find that it was new, a pillow-top and the springs didn’t squeak. He was thankful for small blessings.
“This isn’t what I would have wished,” he said.
“I’m sure it was the best your secretary could find. Who is your secretary anyway?” She thought it must be Nardo.
“Grace. She volunteered to make the arrangements to save us time.”
“Ah.” Hope nodded wisely. She peeked into the bathroom. It, too, was old and worn, but clean.
Nardo flipped through the pages of a booklet on the nightstand. “It looks like we’ll go without supper. Nothing’s open unti
l six and that’s too close to sunrise for me.”
“We can be there when the doors open. Coffee and Danish to go. We’ll be back by six fifteen.”
That’s not much of a dinner for you.”
“You’re in my world now, Nico. Dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. Why don’t you put the top up on the car while I hang up our things?”
Nico’s bag was empty in seconds; one silk shirt, one soft turtleneck, black underwear and socks, no dressing gown or pajamas. Her own bag was stuffed. Grace had removed anything she considered dowdy and added a few articles Hope was sure she’d have no need of. She hung what she could in the tiny closet and closed the lid on the rest. Her long flannel nightgown found a place on the back of the bathroom door. Grace made her bring one of the more revealing gowns she and Manon had chosen, but Hope had tucked the white flannel gown it at the last moment. Her body wasn’t good enough for such a display. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.
No matter how many books she read, how many scenes she played over in her mind, she’d never be ready for what was about to happen. They would be alone here in this room all during the coming day and there was no way to avoid it.
Nico came back holding a red plaid carryall containing a thermos of coffee and sandwiches and a folder of information Nardo thought might be useful.
“I found it behind the seat. At least we won’t starve.” He spread out the food, along with some chips he’d purchased from a machine by the office, on the small table by the window. Pulling out the orange plastic chair and motioning with an exaggerated flourish, he offered Hope a seat.
“Mademoiselle, your feast awaits.”
“Thank you, kind sir, and God bless Nardo for providing it.”
While they ate, they leafed through the papers in the folder.
Hope dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “Looks like I’ll have to go to the police office in the town hall around eight o’clock. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible.”
“You’ll wait till evening and we’ll go together. I don’t want you doing this alone.” She’d taken the news of another body remarkably well, but viewing it for identification was another matter.
“I’ll be all right, Nico. This is a small town and the offices aren’t open twenty-four/seven. Look here,” she pointed to the page, “They have a force of three, a chief and two deputies. I need to go during the day.”
“I can get us in after dark.”
“We don’t even know where they’re keeping the body or if I’ll have to look at it. It might only be a picture. The main thing I want is to get it over with. We need to know. I need to know.” She took another bite of ham and Swiss and chewed thoughtfully.
“I’ll need to take the car,” she said and laughed when Nico choked on his coffee.
“No,” he sputtered. “That’s a delicate machine and you’ve never driven it before. I didn’t even know you could drive.”
“Oh please,” she said with mock affront, “You let Col drive that delicate machine. I can use a clutch. It’s the same for a car as it is for a truck and I can shift on a column or on the floor. I may not have driven a fancy car before, but I watched you on the way here and I don’t see that it’s that much different from what I have driven. It’s only a few miles up the road, but it’s too far to walk. I’ll get there at eight and be home by nine.”
“I don’t know. If anything were to happen…”
“To me or to the car?”
“Both. Either. I don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to like it.” She reached across and tapped his nose. “You just have to give me the keys.”
Hope showered, French braided her hair, applied a little make-up, and changed into the outfit Grace suggested for the task. The short black leather jacket was fitted and Hope felt a little conspicuous especially since the jacket forced the wide cowl neck of her cream colored cashmere sweater into a deep vee. The fine wool of the matching slacks fell loosely from her hips in a straight line ending at a pair of dark red shoes whose heels brought her height to six feet two. A red patterned scarf and a pair of dangling gold hoops finished the outfit and when Hope checked the final result in the full length mirror on the wall between the two dressers, she hardly recognized the woman staring back.
Maybe it was the unfamiliar surroundings of bedroom and mirror. Maybe it was the anonymity of Perryville where no one knew the real Hope Parsons and therefore no one would judge her. Whatever it was, Hope liked what she saw. She straightened her shoulders and turned this way and that admiring the attractive woman who admired her back.
“Manon and Grace have worked a miracle to make me look this good,” she said to Nico’s reflection in the glass. He was lying casually on the bed with his hands behind his head and ankles crossed.
“You’ve always looked that good,” he said and his smoldering eyes said even more. “I risked a scorching to put the top down.” He dangled the keys from his finger. “Do I get a reward for risking my health and my car?”
Hope laughed as she went to him and snatched at the keys which he kept out of reach.
“You didn’t risk anything you big fibber. You went out right after we ate and before the sun came up and your car’s not at risk. I’m a good driver and I’ll protect it with my life. I’ll stick to the speed limit and park it where it can’t get scratched. No reward for you, boyo.” She snatched at the keys again and Nico caught her hand in his. He brought it to his lips and kissed the inside of her wrist.
“We’ll talk about my reward when you get back.” His face turned serious. “I’m still not comfortable with your doing this alone. We should have brought Grace or Manon.”
“They wouldn’t have fit in that lovely car.” She smiled and patted his cheek. “I’ll be all right, Nico. Just knowing you’re here waiting is enough. Now let me go and get this done.”
Chapter 20
The town of Perryville was a lot like many small towns across America. It had one long Main Street on which the local businesses were located and these included a barber shop, a hardware store, a florist, two banks and a restaurant called Carley’s Café.
According to Nardo’s map, the Town Hall Offices and the Police Department shared a single building at the far end of town right next to the Fire Department and Hope drove cautiously down Main Street at the posted 25 mph. She’d tied her scarf around her head to keep the wind from her hair and the sun felt good on her face. People were already on the streets going about their morning business and she smiled to herself as some of them stopped and stared at Nico’s fancy little car.
She parked, carefully as promised, at the far end of the lot and removed her scarf on the way into the building, placing it around her shoulders and tucked a bit under the collar of her jacket. A sign directed her to the right and she found the door with gold lettered “POLICE DEPT.” at the end of the short hall.
An older woman sat behind a desk talking to two men who lounged at the corners. They looked up as she entered and stared, one of the men with an open mouth. She’d obviously interrupted something. The woman recovered first.
“Can I help you?” she asked and in an aside to the man on her right, “Close your mouth, Harry. You’re looking like the fool that you are.”
“I’m sorry…” Hope thought of Grace’s pinch “… for interrupting. I’m looking for the Chief of Police.”
“He’s not here right now. Is there something I can help you with?”
Hope closed her eyes and took a cleansing breath. “I had some questions about the body that was found, the young woman’s body. Has she been identified yet? Did she have anything on her that might give someone a clue?”
“She ain’t been identified yet,” the man on the left responded, “Don’t see how she’d gonna be considerin’ the shape she was in. All they found was a scrap of cookbook in her pocket. Don’t that beat all.”
Hope paled.
The woman stood and started around the desk. “Jack Johns
on, when are you going to learn to keep your mouth shut? Look what you’ve done to the poor girl. Come on, honey. Sit right down here. Don’t you listen to him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Gets all his information from the café.”
Until this moment, Hope had been able to distance herself from the tragedy. If it wasn’t Faith, it was some other poor young woman who died horribly lost and alone. And she was going to have to look at the result. Nico was right. She wanted him with her.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she said quietly. She took a few breaths to calm herself. “Do you know when the Chief will be back.”
“There’s no telling. He doesn’t like me calling him unless it’s an emergency but as far as I can see, this comes darn close. I’ll call and get him if you want. He’s down at the café.”
“Perhaps it would be best if I met him there.” She wanted out of this room. She needed air. “Would that be all right?”
“Sure, honey, sure. I’ll just give him a call to tell him to keep an eye out for you.”
The man in the dark blue windbreaker with a police logo on the front was out of his seat the moment she walked through the door.
“Welcome, welcome,” he said and held out his hand. “I’m Sam Tolbert, Chief of the Perryville Police Department. Call me Sam, everybody does.
Sam Tolbert looked to be about fifty. He wore glasses, had an easy smile and a firm handshake. “For once, Lucy didn’t lie. Said she was sending a real knockout to share my breakfast. Said to look for a red head. I figured it’d be her idea of a joke to send Mrs. Creel down here. She’s eighty-seven if she’s a day and got hair the color of fire. Saw you come through in that little ‘vette a bit ago, along with everyone else in town, but you had your hair covered. Not often we see such a fine looking car and never with such a fine looking woman driving it.” He smiled and motioned to the back of the room. “Come on back to my booth where we can talk in private. Carol? You want to bring us another coffee. One of those sticky buns might be nice, too.”
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