"Maybe there was something in that stuff she splashed him with," Jeremy suggested.
"Couldn't have been," Karyn countered. "She drank some of it, remember?"
"How do we know she drank anything?" Jeremy asked. "Just because she put that little bottle to her lips? That don't mean nothing."
Karyn considered this. "I never thought of that," she said slowly. "Jesus, that'd be horrible!"
"That'd be Murder One!" Lucas said. "And nobody'd believe Dad if he says he didn't know about it!" His face grew panicky.
"Oh, come on, cut it out," Rowena said irritably. "Daddy didn't do anything. He's not gonna get charged with anything." She spoke forcefully and with conviction, but her trembling lip and the tears which were beginning to collect in her eyes belied her words.
Karyn saw through her confidence and she put her hand on Rowena's shoulder. "You're right, kid." She smiled. "Everything's gonna work out okay."
There was silence for a few moments, and then Jeremy said, "Hey, there's a Burger King down the street. Why don't I go get us some food?"
"Good idea, good idea," Karyn said. Anything to distract Lukie and Row. "Why don't we all go out and get something?"
"I don't want to go out again," Rowena said wearily.
"Yeah, and I want to wait here in case Dad comes back," Lucas added. "You and Jeremy go get some burgers and fries and like that, okay?"
Karyn sighed, but not wishing to annoy Lucas, she said, "Yeah, sure. Let's go, Jeremy. Row, you want anything in particular?"
"Yes," she muttered sleepily. "I want a time machine. I want to go back to yesterday."
Karyn slid to the side of the bed and got up to don her coat. "We'll be right back. Don't go away, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Lucas said. "Hurry up, though, okay?"
"Sure. We'll be right back." Jeremy opened the door and she preceded him out of the room. When they were safely distant from the door Jeremy said, "Karyn, this is without doubt the most bizarre thing I've ever heard of."
She laughed grimly. "It's crazy, it's really crazy. Did you see the look on Gwendolyn's face when Campbell said that the guy was dead? My God, she looked like a raving maniac!"
"How close are you to Simon?"
They walked out of the lobby and into the cold wind which was whipping down Northern Boulevard. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I mean, can you talk to him? Do you have a close relationship with him?"
She shrugged. "Not really. I don't even know if he likes me. I mean, shit, he doesn't even really like Lukie!"
"Hm," Jeremy said. "That's too bad."
Karyn looked at him quizzically. "Why? I don't understand what you're trying to say."
"Listen," Jeremy said seriously, "somebody's gotta get Simon away from that crazy chick! I mean, he's stuck on her, it's obvious."
"Yeah? You think so?"
"Oh, come on, Karyn!" he said angrily. "You've seen the way she looks at him."
"Oh, yeah, sure," she replied. "She's stuck on him, that's obvious. But I don't think he's stuck on her."
"Hey, don't you think he's screwing her?" They crossed the street and approached the fast-food restaurant.
"Sure he is. I mean, I assume that he is. But haven't you ever screwed a girl you didn't give a shit about?"
"Well, sure, of course," he lied. Jeremy had never had sex with anyone, but he certainly would never admit it, especially not to Karyn or Lucas.
"Well, there you are," she said. "Simon's no fool. If this girl is gonna be bad news for him, he'll dump her so fast she won't know what hit her." Karyn laughed grimly. "If! Jesus, I'll bet he's dumped her already. He doesn't need me or anybody else to talk him into it, unless he's really stupid, which he ain't!" They entered the Burger King.
At that moment Lucas jumped to his feet in the motel room as he heard his father's voice out in the corridor. As Simon entered the room, Lucas ran over to him. "Dad," he cried. "What happened? What happened?" Rowena ran past him and threw her arms around her father's neck and began to weep.
Simon hugged his daughter tightly. "Take it easy, honey, everything's okay." Gwendolyn Jenkins walked up behind him, smiling coldly, and Adrienne Lupescu came behind her, trembling, pale, steadying herself by leaning her hand against the wall of the corridor.
"What happened?" Lucas repeated.
Simon sighed, half with weariness, half with relief. "Heart attack, pure and simple. They kept us at the station until the autopsy results came back."
"So you're not in trouble?" Rowena asked.
"No, not at all," her father replied. "No charges against any of us."
"Oh, Daddy, that's great, just great," Rowena gushed and embraced him once again. She looked past him at Gwendolyn. "What about you? I mean, you caused him to have a heart attack, right? Why aren't you in jail?" It was obvious that Rowena wished that she were.
"He did not die from a weak heart," Gwendolyn said with confidence. " 'Twas the hand of Satan which struck him down."
"Oh, Lord," Rowena muttered.
"Listen, honey," her father said, "the guy was fifty-four years old, fifty pounds overweight, and he smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. There's no way any district attorney could blame the heart attack on Gwen."
"I am wearied, Simon," Gwendolyn said. "I must sleep a little time." She turned and walked toward the room where she and Simon had been staying for the past few days.
Rowena watched Gwendolyn leave the motel room, and then she said to Simon, "Daddy, that woman is nuts. You've gotta get rid of her, you've just got to!"
Simon patted her gently on the back. "Come on, now, Row, she didn't do anything. This is all just a very weird coincidence, that's all. She was just putting on an act—"
"Daddy, she wasn't putting on an act!" Rowena said firmly. "Oh, I know she didn't kill that man with any spell or anything, but she thinks she did, she honestly thinks she did. She's crazy, Daddy. She's dangerous!"
Simon smiled down at his daughter. "It's nice to know that somebody cares."
Lucas stood nearby, watching quietly. Then he said, "Hey, Dad, I care too."
Simon smiled at his son, more warmly than he had ever done before. "Thanks, Lucas. It helps to hear that."
"Daddy—" Rowena began again.
"Row, I have to go and talk to Gwen about all this. Do me a favor, will you? Keep an eye on Adrienne. She's still pretty shaken up." Simon left his daughter's room and walked toward his own.
Adrienne had been largely ignored throughout the day, but for the hysteria into which she lapsed when she learned of the impending interrogation, and it was only after Simon's comment that Rowena took the time to study the other girl closely. She looked terrible, almost as if she teetered on the edge of a breakdown. Rowena went over to her and took her hand gently. "Adrienne? Are you okay?"
Adrienne looked at her with frightened, panicky eyes. "I did nothing wrong, I swear I did nothing wrong!"
Rowena felt like weeping afresh, she felt so sorry for the poor girl. "Of course you didn't," she said kindly. "Everybody knows that. And everything's okay now, so you don't have to worry about anything."
Adrienne took hold of Rowena's hand and gripped it tightly. "I was so frightened, so frightened! I feared they would imprison me, I truly feared it!"
Rowena smiled at her. "Adrienne, you have to calm down! Everything's okay. Nothing's wrong now. You're not in any trouble. So try to relax a little, okay?"
The girl clutched her desperately, as if seeking to derive strength and repose from her. "Yes—yes—" she echoed. "Everything is fine now—everything is fine—"
"Look, me and Lukie are waiting for Jeremy and Karyn to come back with some food. Why don't you wait here in our room with us? I'll bet you're kinda hungry, aren't you?"
Rowena's kindness and infectious cheer broke through Adrienne's anxiety, and she smiled weakly. "In truth, I have neither dined nor supped this entire day. I am famished!"
"Okay, so eat with us. I think Lukie has some brandy, or bourbon, or
something. I think you could use a drink."
"I think we could all use a drink," Lucas said from the doorway. "Come on, let's break into the bottle."
Rowena helped Adrienne into a chair, supporting her with one arm around her waist as if she were an invalid. "Whatcha got, Lucas?"
"I don't know," he said, examining the flask which he had earlier placed on the dresser. "It's brown."
Two rooms away, Simon was saying, 'Goddamn it, Gwen! What the hell's the matter with you, pulling something like you did today?!"
Gwendolyn Jenkins was reposing seductively on the bed, her long black hair spread out on the pillow, her arms raised above her head and resting upon her hair. "What do you mean, my love?"
"You were supposed to—"
"I said I would cast a spell on him and destroy him, and so I did. What then is disturbing you?"
"For Christ's sake, Gwen, don't you realize what almost happened today?! What if that guy hadn't had a heart attack? We'd all have ended up looking like a bunch of assholes!" He paused. "Will you listen to me? I'm relieved that a man had a heart attack and died! My God, what's happening to me?" He ran his hands through his hair nervously.
Gwendolyn rose slowly from the bed and walked over to him. She took his troubled face in her hands and looked lovingly into his eyes. "You have yet to release the bonds of moral foolishness which still hold you in their grip. That man offended you, and so he earned my wrath." She smiled at him and frowned as one might at a foolish but deeply beloved child. "Simon, Simon, dear sweet man! That fat pig died not from a weakness in his heart, but from a weakness in mine." She kissed him passionately.
Simon pushed her gently away. "Look, Gwen, I'm really bushed. This has been a hell of a day, you know? I think I need a good night's sleep."
She smiled at him through half-closed eyes. "Aye, I am weary as well." She leaned forward and kissed him again, with less intensity. "How many days must pass until we begin to travel about the land?"
"The tour?" he asked. "We're scheduled to open at the Garden on December second. Why?"
She shrugged. "We will need much rest, then." She yawned. "And 'tis a good time to begin getting it."
"Yeah," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pulling off his boots. "Let's turn in, okay?'
"As you wish, my love," she murmured, undoing her belt and chain and allowing them both to drop to the floor. Simon watched her as she slipped the dress down around her knees, and he felt an unexpected surge of desire as he watched her, naked but for her fishnet stockings and garter belt, bend over to pick up the various articles of clothing. She stood up and grinned at him with brazen impishness.
He smiled wickedly at her. "Come here," he said softly.
As Simon and Gwendolyn began their repeated explorations of each other's bodies, Rowena and Lucas were finishing filling Karyn and Jeremy in on what had transpired. "So everything's okay, I guess," Rowena was saying.
"Damned lucky," Karyn said as she began removing the fast-food supplies from the brightly colored bags. "Jesus, what a day!"
"Yeah," Lucas said, his voice slurring a bit. Whatever the brown liquor was in the flask, he had downed most of it, and it was having its expected effect. Adrienne had taken but one draft, and Rowena none at all. "Dad lucked out again."
"Strange kind of luck," Jeremy observed, taking a hamburger and a small bag of fries from the largess which was being spread out on the dresser. "I mean, a guy died today, you know?"
"But Daddy didn't have anything to do with it," Rowena said quickly.
"Right," he nodded, taking a healthy bite of the lukewarm sandwich. "That's what I mean. Strange kind of luck."
Adrienne was sitting quietly in a chair beside the dresser, fidgeting nervously, her hands turning one over the other in her lap. Rowena smiled at her kindly and asked, "Adrienne? You want a hamburger?"
She snapped her eyes toward Rowena, and the terror which had been residing in them dissipated slightly as she gazed at the friendly face of the younger girl. "Wh—what?" she asked.
"You want a hamburger and some fries?" she repeated. Adrienne stared at her blankly, so Rowena reached over and took one of the cardboard bundles and opened it. She handed the sandwich to Adrienne and said, "I think fast food is junk, but Burger King is probably the best. I mean, at least they don't fry everything, you know?"
Adrienne regarded the hamburger quizzically and then took it from Rowena's hand. She nibbled at it tentatively at first and then, apparently satisfied that it was edible, she took a bite. "'Tis a tasty bit," she said appreciatively.
"Good," Rowena smiled. "You want a Coke?" She stuck a straw through the lid of one of the small wax cups and handed it to her.
Adrienne took the cup but was unable to manipulate both it and the sandwich, and pieces of lettuce and onion began to drop from beneath the folding, soggy bun and fall upon her lap. "Mercy," she muttered.
"Hold on, I'll get you a napkin," Rowena said.
"So what's your father gonna do now?" Karyn asked. Her mouth was stuffed with food as she spoke.
"I don't know," Rowena said. "I hope he's gonna—" She broke off the expression of hope that Simon would disengage himself from Gwendolyn, not knowing how such a statement would affect Adrienne. "Well, I just hope he's gonna be more careful."
Adrienne placed the half-eaten hamburger on the dresser and said, "By your leave, 1 think I need to sleep." She rose to her feet.
"Sure,"' Rowena said. "You must be exhausted. Heck of a day!"
"A terrible day," she said sadly, shaking her head. "A terrible day." She left the room slowly, her weakness evident from her unsteady gait.
They watched her leave and after the door closed behind her, Lucas said, "Something's wrong with that chick."
"Don't be mean, Lukie," Karyn said. "After what she's been through today, anybody would—"
"I don't just mean today," he interrupted. "I mean, there's just something wrong with her."
"She's the nervous type," Rowena said. "That's all."
"She's afraid of her own fuckin' shadow," he countered. "I mean, you say 'Hello' to her and she looks at you like you just pulled a gun."
Rowena nodded at Lucas as she took a bite from a sandwich. "Listen to this," she said sarcastically. "Mr. Mental Health over here!"
"Well, shit! I don't jump out of my shoes every time somebody says 'Boo!’"
"Hey, Lukie," Karyn broke in, not wishing to hear any more bickering, "you bring any dope with you?"
"Yeah," he muttered. "I got a few joints."
"Well, let's do some weed, hang out a little while, and then fall out. I'm really tired."
Rowena regarded her irritably. "You know, Karyn, I don't mean to be pushy or anything, but you really shouldn't smoke that stuff while you're pregnant. I mean, it's bad for—"
"Look, kid, when you're pregnant, you can live on wheat germ, you know?" she snapped. "Don't bug me, okay?"
Rowena pursed her lips and said coldly, "Sure. Sorry." She stood up and took one of the bags of food. "I'm gonna go see if Dad wants something to eat." She walked quickly from the room.
"Oh, shit," Karyn muttered and followed her out into the corridor. "Hey, Row, wait a minute, wait a minute." Rowena stopped walking and turned to face her. The look on Rowena's face bespoke anger and hurt, and Karyn said, "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you, really I am. I'm just tense, you know? I mean, after today and everything. And I'm tired, you know? I didn't mean it."
Rowena gazed at her impassively for a moment and then relented. "I know. It's been a bad day for everybody."
"Yeah, right." Karyn grinned. "Say hi to your dad for me."
"Okay, I will," Rowena replied and continued on down the hallway.
As she walked back into the room where Lucas was busily engaged in finishing his food, Karyn thought to herself, After all the shit I gotta put up with from this fuckin' family, I'd better get a wedding ring outta this!
Rowena reached the door of her father's room and raised her fist t
o knock on it. But she paused as the sounds of creaking bedsprings and impassioned moans drifted out from behind the door. And after everything that's happened today! she thought dismally. Daddy, what are you doing, what are you doing . . .?
She turned away from the door and began to walk slowly back toward the room where Jeremy and the others were finishing their meals. As she passed Adrienne's door, she heard a strange and disturbing sound filter through from the interior to the hallway. She stopped and listened carefully. It was low, like the mournful groan of a wounded cat. She knocked softly on the door. "Adrienne? It's me, Rowena. Are you okay?" There was no response. She knocked again. "Adrienne? Adrienne? It's Row. Are you okay?"
Still no answer. She tried the doorknob and, finding that the door was not locked, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. The room was pitch black, and she reached to the light switch on the wall beside the door as she entered. She looked around the room. "Oh. Adrienne," she said sadly.
Adrienne Lupescu was huddled in a corner, weeping and whimpering, her knees pulled up tightly against her chest and her lips moving in gasps of unintelligible words. "I didn't . . ." she muttered. "It wasn't . . . I didn't . . . I didn't . . ."
Rowena knelt down beside her and took her in her arms, holding her tight, stroking her hair, and murmuring soft reassurances to the poor girl. "Shhhh," she said softly. "I'm here, Rowena's here. Everything is all right. You're safe. Shhhh. Shhhh."
"I didn't mean it . . ." Adrienne wept quietly. "It wasn't me . . . it was her, it was her—"
"Shhhh—Shhhh—"
"She made me. . . . She made me. . . . I didn't want to . . . I didn't want to—"
"Shhhhh—"
"I didn't want to lie. . . . I didn't want to lie. . . . She made me, she threatened me. . . . She made me do it. . . . It's all her fault, it's all her fault—"
"Shhhhhh," Rowena said gently, continuing to hold Adrienne and stroke her hair. She had no idea what the girl was talking about, and it did not matter to her. She felt so much pity and so much concern that all she was thinking about was the poor, frightened, disturbed girl in her arms. She held her and stroked her hair and whispered to her until she seemed to be falling asleep. Then she helped her over to the bed. As she switched off the light and closed the door softly, she thought, You poor thing. You poor, poor thing.
Candlemas Eve Page 23
