Abby looked at her mother, then again at the doctor. She raised her brow in question. “Oh, I see.” In spite of all that had taken place in the past thirty-six hours, Abby grinned. Uh-oh, she thought. Phil better watch out. She studied her mother’s face and saw something in it she hadn’t witnessed before.
“No, you don’t,” her mother said quickly. Toots looked at Phil.
“Your mother and I have become friends. We met when Bernice was brought to the hospital for surgery.” He didn’t expound any further. He didn’t have to. Abby could see he was as smitten with her mother as she was with him.
“Amazing,” Abby said, then spied Sophie wearing a huge grin. “Sophie, you’re just dying to tell me a secret, aren’t you? I’ve seen that look on your face before.”
Sophie walked across the room and stood at Abby’s bedside. “No, no, I’ll leave that to your mother. I’m just grateful we found you.” Sophie turned to Toots. “Should we tell her how we found her?”
Toots rolled her eyes. “You’re going to tell her no matter what I say, so you might as well.”
With a grin, Chris added, “Tell the whole story, Sophie.”
Sophie flipped Chris the bird, and he flipped one right back. The entire room filled with laughter.
“Before you start, remember, Sophie, I’ve accumulated quite the arsenal of ammo throughout the years. Don’t make me trigger-happy,” Toots added.
“I’m talking about how we found Abby. Nothing more. You don’t have to worry,” Sophie informed Toots.
Abby raised a bandaged hand to move her hair away from her face. When she did, she felt a sharp twinge of pain on her cheekbone, and that was when she remembered Rag slapping her across the face. “Wait, Sophie. Don’t tell me anything yet. You said that son of a bitch is here, right?”
Abby sat up, shoved the sheet off herself, then swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. Dizzy but determined, she held on to the guardrail to steady herself. Chris was at her side instantly.
“Abby, this isn’t a good idea. He isn’t going anywhere, except maybe to hell. Get back in the bed, or I’ll have Dr. Becker order a sedative.” He laughed when he said this, but he was serious. Abby could tell by the expression on his face.
“See these bruises on my face? I owe him. Big-time, and I always pay my debts.” Abby leaned against the bed. Another wave of dizziness hit her, but she remained standing.
“There will be time for that later,” Toots told her. “Right now you’re more important than that waste of humanity. He’ll get his, Abby, if not here, then in the afterlife. If we’re lucky, we can have Sophie torment him while he roasts in hell.”
Abby knew that her mother was right, but her desire for revenge was strong. However, she knew that this time around, Rag would get the punishment he so deserved. Thanks to Charles Lindbergh, kidnapping was a felony, and the Feds would have a nice place waiting for him to stay if he survived. And truthfully, Abby did not want him to die. She just wanted justice, and more than anything, she wanted to see him suffer and think about all the people he’d hurt.
Toots’s cell phone broke the silence. She looked at the caller ID. “Oh my God! It’s Bernice!”
“Yes, Bernice. I know I said I would call. Abby is fine. Yes. Sophie found her. Well, sort of. Yes, I will tell her. Okay.” Toots clicked the END button. “I can’t believe I didn’t call Bernice. In all the confusion, it was the last thing on my mind. She will never forgive me for this,” Toots said.
“How did she sound?” Phil asked, in physician mode once again.
“Bitchy as ever. She’s fine. Jamie is with her, and we know she adores her. Hopefully, Jamie will keep her busy in the kitchen until we return.”
“That’s what I like to hear. My patients bitching. Always a good sign,” he joked.
“Speaking of patients,” Abby said, “how long do I have to stay here?”
“Dr. Mason says you can leave when you can keep a full meal down and you’re not dizzy anymore. You were badly dehydrated when we found you,” her mother said.
“I feel fine now, and I’m getting better by the minute. As a matter of fact, I’m starving. Can you guys get me something from the cafeteria?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Chris said. “Toots, why don’t you all head back to the beach house, get a little rest, and clean up? I’ll stay here, and when she’s ready to be released, I’ll call you.”
“If Abby’s okay with that,” Toots said, regarding her daughter, “then I am. I could use a shower and a cigarette myself.”
“Mother! You and Sophie need to stop that nasty habit, or you’ll be lying in a hospital bed yourself.”
“I’ve told your mom that, but she has a mind of her own,” Phil said. “I would hate to see her wind up on my operating table.”
“We have hardly smoked,” Sophie added. “We’re down to just a few a day, right, Goebel?” Sophie said.
“Yep, that’s right,” Goebel said. Then he rubbed a band across his now-slim stomach. “After all, I lost that spare tire when Mavis put me on that diet. I think we can figure out a way for the two old coots to give up the habit,” Goebel said in jest.
Toots stood beside Abby’s bedside. “You’re right, and you know I will try. One thing at a time. Chris, you call me the second you know when my daughter can come home. I think the two of us have some very important business that we need to discuss.”
Abby nodded at her mother. “Yes, Mom, we most certainly do.”
“Then let’s go so we can be ready to return for Abby. Even though I’m not the attending doctor, I would imagine they’ll let this little lady go home before the sun sets. We all have a lot of catching up to do,” Phil said.
If a stranger had been observing them, they would never have guessed that this was Phil and Abby’s first meeting.
After many hugs and well wishes from all, Abby and Chris were finally alone.
Chapter 32
Mavis, anticipating their arrival, had prepared a healthy breakfast fit for a king, to be served as soon as they arrived. After Toots filled her and Ida in on the previous night’s events and assured them both that Abby wasn’t seriously injured, telling them it was highly likely she would be released from the hospital within a matter of hours, they sat down to a breakfast of homemade blueberry pancakes covered with fresh strawberry topping, sliced honeydew melon, and several cups of coffee. When everyone had satisfied their hunger, it was decided they’d all take showers, then rest until they heard from Chris.
“Phil, you want to take a shower first?” Toots asked when they were alone in the kitchen, everyone else having dispersed. “I’ve just got to have a couple of drags off a smoke. And before you remind me, yes, I know they’re killers. Maybe you can give Sophie and me a few pointers on quitting.”
“A shower sounds good. I can write you a prescription for a medication to wean you off the cigarettes, but it’s been my experience in my practice, most of my patients do better just going cold turkey,” Phil said. “If you’d like, you could join me in that shower. We could finish the evening we were about to have at DiamondHead.”
“I don’t recall that part of the evening,” Toots said, blushing.
“Well,” he teased, “you can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“Just get your shower, Romeo,” Toots said, wanting to wring his neck. But at the same time, a little thrill raced up her spine at the prospect.
There would be time for those thoughts later. Now that she knew Abby was safe, all she wanted to do was relax. Sophie, Ida, and Mavis were all outside on the deck, while Goebel and Phil took their showers.
It seemed like it had been forever since the four of them had spent some time alone.
Sophie slid open the glass door and poked her head in. “Toots, get your ass out here and join me. I feel like I’ve got something contagious. Ida and Mavis won’t come near me.”
Toots stepped outside to the deck that faced the Pacific Ocean. Seagulls cawed, and waves swept against th
e oyster-colored sand. The voices of morning beachcombers could be heard coming from below. Toots thought that while the beach was nothing like the one she encountered on the Gulf of Mexico, each was unique in its own right.
Sophie handed her a lit cigarette, which Toots gratefully accepted. After taking a hefty drag, she sat down in her favorite deck chair, next to Sophie. Ida and Mavis took their usual positions at the outdoor table.
“I can’t tell you how much it means that you’re here. I don’t know what I’d do without you girls. Abby’s thrilled you’re here, too,” Toots said, besieged by a moment of sentimentality.
“Did you think we’d sit around in Charleston, waiting?” Ida said. “I know I haven’t been much help, but Abby is my godchild, and I love her as much as the rest of you do.”
Mavis smiled, her sweet voice projecting her happiness. “Yes, since we never had children of our own, we love that young lady as much as you do, Toots. I’m just thankful we were able to make contact with John.” She paused, then went on. “Do you think this psychic stuff will scare Phil away? He certainly seems to have it bad for you.”
Toots took a long draw from her cigarette. “Nah. If this were going to scare him off, he would have left last night, before the séance. You heard what he said. He’s a good guy, and no, Sophie, I have not slept with him, and when and if I do, it’s none of your business.”
Ida piped up. “Well, I certainly recall you and Sophie sticking your noses where they didn’t belong when I was involved with Patel. Of course, that was a good thing, but nonetheless, I think our private lives should remain private.”
“Oh bullshit, Ida. You can’t wait to let us know when you’re getting some. You might not come right out and say so, but we know you like the attention,” Sophie declared in her usual inimical style.
“Girls! Please, let’s not fuss,” Mavis urged. “We should be celebrating. Abby has been returned relatively unharmed, and that nasty old Rag isn’t going to get away this time. If he lives and is prosecuted, he’ll be going away for a very long time. Abby will never have to worry about his showing up in that old tunnel again.”
Toots crushed her cigarette out in the giant seashell they’d been using as an ashtray since she bought the place. “I’m glad you brought this up, Mavis. I’m going to make arrangements to have that damn thing filled in or something. At this point, I’m not so sure I want to keep The Informer. It has caused too much harm for both Abby and Chris. I’m considering putting it up for sale.”
There, she’d said it. Now all she had to do was figure out a way to tell this to Abby without pulling the rug out from beneath her. This was her daughter’s passion, her livelihood. If Abby wanted the paper, she would simply sign it over to her. Toots could only hope that Abby saw things her way.
All three women focused on Toots.
“You can’t do that! That paper is Abby’s life,” Sophie proclaimed.
“And it just about cost her her life, Soph. Don’t forget, Abby’s a smart woman. I don’t think the paper is her top priority, the way it once was. Have you seen the way she and Chris look at each other? It’s way beyond what it was when he got back from that ill-starred fiasco with that two-bit actress. Something important has changed between them, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. I’m guessing, and keep in mind it’s only a guess, but I believe Abby and Chris are about to become a complete couple, if you know what I mean,” Toots predicted.
“You mean as in getting married?” Ida asked.
“Something like that. Chris told me he’s all but given up entertainment law. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a career change. He’s certainly young enough. Remember, he also owns that big plantation house in Charleston. It’s where he was living when I married his father. It was left to me in the will, but I signed it over to Chris years ago. I figured that when the time was right, he’d take over the house himself. And now I’m wondering if it’s time. No, he hasn’t said anything, but though I am only his stepmother, he and I have always been close. I know how he thinks,” Toots explained. “Now, how Abby would feel about that, I’m not sure, but I plan to discuss all of this with her as soon as she’s out of the hospital.”
Upon hearing Abby’s name, Chester flew out the doggy door onto the deck. He raced over to Mavis and started whining.
“He misses Coco,” Mavis said, petting the big German shepherd.
“Yes, but we’ll have them back together soon,” Toots said. “I’d like to stay here with Abby until I am sure she is okay.”
Before they could even finish their conversation, Toots felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket.
“Toots, Abby’s doctor just left. They’re releasing her this afternoon. They’re giving her an IV now, something about extra glucose. Anyway, as soon as it’s finished, she can go home. I just wanted to give you a heads-up,” Chris said.
“Wonderful! I’ll tell the others, and, Chris, tell Abby I love her.”
She relayed the news to the godmothers. They all agreed that it was the best news they’d heard all that day.
Phil chose that moment to poke his head out the door. “Hey, I just got a call from one of my partners. It seems I’m needed back in Charleston, ASAP. I booked a flight for later this afternoon. Think someone can give me a ride to LAX?”
Toots’s heart sunk. She’d wanted Phil to meet Abby, the real Abby, when she wasn’t lying in a hospital bed with revenge on her mind. But, it is what it is, she thought. “Of course we’ll give you a ride. I just spoke to Chris, and Abby’s being released this afternoon. We can take you when we head to the hospital.”
Toots had a brief thought: Was this his way of backing away from her and a possible relationship and the insanity that seemed so normal to her?
She didn’t know. What she did know was, she missed him already, and he hadn’t even left.
Chapter 33
Bernice peered through the newly purchased set of binoculars she’d ordered from a catalogue she’d read while she was on the treadmill. She scanned the front yard again and again. Still, there was no sign of that giant FOR SALE sign that had been there when she found Frankie and brought him home, just two days ago.
With a renewed sense of purpose, she again thought of her reason for being here. She didn’t give a hoot what Dr. Becker or anyone else who had been with her in that operating room said. She had died. She remembered hovering above her body, looking down, and seeing her own heart as it was pumped by a mechanical contraption that looked like something out of an old Frankenstein movie. Knowing she’d helped save Frankie was something to claim, but she knew she’d been sent back to earth for another important purpose. Not that saving little Frankie wasn’t important; it was. But her gut told her there was something more about to take place at the old Patterson place, and now, with the FOR SALE sign gone, she had a funny feeling that it was about to happen.
One last time, before Jamie caught her spying with her binoculars, she scoped out the house. It wouldn’t do for Jamie to see her, as she would be on the phone to Toots so fast, it would make her heart race faster than that of a horse in the Kentucky Derby coming down the stretch and straining to reach the tape first.
Tucking the binoculars in the bushes so they would be there when she returned, she hurried back inside. Jamie was baking sugar-free brownies this afternoon, since Bernice hadn’t indulged in anything remotely sweet since her bypass surgery. She felt better than she had in years, and she didn’t want to do anything to mess it up. She was seventy-two and in remarkably decent shape. Who knew? Maybe she would live long enough to see her wandering son again. She cleared those thoughts from her head, because they would only depress her. As she was about to go back inside, she heard voices. Quickly, she stepped back to the bushes, spreading them apart just enough so that she could see where the voices were coming from.
Two men, one of whom was probably close to her in age. One was carrying boxes and placing them on the large wraparound porch. They sounded like they were arguing. She strained
to make out their words.
“Look, Robert, you can kiss my old ass, okay? I got the place for a steal. If you think you’re not going to be happy living here in Charleston, then I will be more than glad to return you to that nursing home in Atlanta I just dragged you away from.”
Bernice was enthralled! Someone else telling someone to kiss their old ass! Her favorite words! Maybe this was a sign; maybe these two new neighbors were the reason she’d been allowed to live. Wanting to find out as much as she could, simply because she was nosy and admitted to it, she was suddenly grateful for Jamie’s brownies. She was going to bring her new neighbors a nice little treat and introduce herself. From there, well, she’d play it by ear.
Hurrying back inside, but using the front door just in case, she called out to Jamie. “Looks as though someone has purchased the place next door. That FOR SALE sign is gone.”
Jamie was in the kitchen, slicing her healthy version of brownies, and had just started a pot of decaf when she heard Bernice come in through the front door. Knowing that Bernice was nosier than most, she almost pitied whoever the new neighbors were. Unbeknownst to the little old woman, Jamie knew that she’d been spying on the old Patterson place, but didn’t say a word. Bernice needed something to do that didn’t involve Jamie.
Bernice sat down at the kitchen table. “I’ve decided I don’t want those brownies. If I can’t have the real thing, there’s really no point. I don’t want to see them go to waste, so I had an idea. I’m sure we have new people next door. I saw them carrying in boxes as I was . . . checking the mail. They look like two old men who would really appreciate a sweet treat. Would you be greatly offended if I took those brownies over there? With that pot of coffee I smell, and maybe you could make a tray of sandwiches or something?”
The words were no sooner out of Bernice’s mouth than they heard a loud banging on the back door. Jamie placed the plate of brownies in the center of the kitchen table, then hurried to get the door before Bernice.
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