Blue Moon

by C. D. Ledbetter

  The plump, bald little man's face lit up in a smile as he shook her hand. "Yes, ma'am. Dick Brokus here. I'm pleased to meet ya. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to ask a couple of routine questions."

  She tucked her arm in his and gazed into his eyes. "I'll be glad to assist you any way I can. How can I help?"

  Chapter 36

  Mary stood outside Audrey's door for several minutes, summoning the courage to go inside. Jack was already there, but she'd taken a few minutes to check her makeup and steady her nerves. She took a deep breath, calmed the butterflies in her stomach, and knocked on the door. Jack greeted her with a smile and invited her in.

  Her eyes scanned the room and she smothered a gasp when she saw Audrey sitting in the wheelchair. The woman looked like a ghost. Her skin had a gray tinge and her eyes looked like two huge orbs sunk in her gaunt face.

  Mary forced her lips into a smile and walked forward. "Well, I did it. I finally talked my crabby old aunt into letting me stay at the plantation! Are you ready to go?"

  Audrey smiled and held out a trembling hand. "I'm so glad you're here."

  Mary blinked away tears that threatened to pour from her eyes, and squeezed the slender hands in unspoken sympathy. "Me, too. The sooner we get you downstairs, the sooner we can get back to the plantation." She picked up the single suitcase on the bed. "Is this it?"

  Jack nodded. "Except for the wheelchair. The rest of the stuff's already downstairs."

  Audrey touched his arm. "What about the nurses?"

  Jack patted her hand. "Already taken care of. I told the day nurse she could have the afternoon off. The night nurse will meet us at the plantation. I gave her the directions over the phone."

  They waited in the lobby while Jack paid the bill, then loaded the wheelchair into the car. Jack drove and Mary turned toward the back seat, to face Audrey. "Now, you need to remember this house hasn't been fully restored. It doesn't look like the plantations you see in magazines and films."

  "I'm sure it'll be fine," Audrey replied.

  Mary shook her head. "Well, I don't want you to be disappointed. The outside isn't too great, but the inside's beautiful. Wait until you see how big the bedrooms are. I'll give you the big one on the first floor, and Jack can have the one next to it."

  "I can't thank you enough for letting me come," Audrey began.

  "I don't want to hear any more about it," Mary interrupted. "You're welcome to stay as long as I'm there. Besides, I can use the company."

  Audrey's eyelids fluttered, then closed. "I'm a little tired," she murmured. "I think I'll rest for a moment. Let me know when we get there."

  Mary raised worried eyes to Jack, and he shook his head. Neither spoke until they reached the driveway. "Should I wake her?" she whispered.

  He nodded.

  She leaned across the seat and gently touched Audrey's hand. "Audrey, wake up," she whispered. "We're here."

  Audrey blinked several times, then opened her eyes. "Can I see it from here?"

  "Look out the windshield."

  She struggled forward, bracing painfully thin arms across the seat. "It's beautiful," she whispered.

  Jack pulled the car onto the grass next to the porch. Mary unlocked the front door while he gently placed Audrey in her wheelchair. "I'm going to wheel you a little way down the drive so you can see the house properly."

  Audrey's face lit up. "This is wonderful."

  "Isn't it beautiful?" Mary called from the doorway. "I can't wait until it's fully restored."

  "It's fantastic. Thank you," Audrey murmured as she slid forward. Jack carried her inside, placed her on the sofa, and pulled a bottle and a syringe from a black case. He spotted Mary hovering in the doorway, an anxious look on her face. "Mary," he called. "Could you please get Audrey a drink of water?"

  She returned with a glass, then stood by the couch. "I'll get her room ready so she can lie down."

  "That would be great," he said. "We'll wait in here." Audrey's eyes fluttered open and he patted her hand. "Are you still glad you came?"

  "Yes," she whispered.

  Mary pulled back the bed covers as he carried Audrey into the bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. She looked like a fragile porcelain doll, her tiny figure dwarfed by the queen-sized bed. Her eyes remained closed, and Jack checked her pulse and respiration. He tucked the covers around her chin, then motioned for Mary to come into the hall.

  "Are you sure she's all right?" she asked. "Shouldn't we call a doctor?"

  "She's exhausted, that's all," he said. "The doctor told me this would happen. I've given her some pain medication, and she'll sleep for several hours. I'll stay with her until the night nurse arrives."

  "Can I do anything? I feel terrible standing around."

  He patted her arm. "You've done enough. There's nothing else to do. Thank you for giving Audrey your bedroom." He squeezed her hand. "I really appreciate everything you're doing for her."

  She smiled. "It wasn't a problem, Jack. There's plenty of bedrooms on the second floor. I don't mind at all." She withdrew her hand from his grasp. "Uh, do you want a book to read, or a magazine to look at?"

  He shook his head. "No, thanks. Listen, why don't you continue your search? After the nurse gets here, I'll help you look."

  She nodded, then walked away. "I'll start dinner around six. How does chicken and potatoes sound?"

  He paused, hand on the doorknob. "I'll eat whatever you want to fix. Tomorrow I'll get some groceries."

  "What about Audrey? Do I need to fix something special for her?"

  "No, she won't eat anything solid. The doctor gave me a nutritional supplement for her. Sometimes I can get her to eat scrambled eggs and a piece of toast, but that's about it."

  Mary forced her legs to carry her up the stairs. All she wanted to do was stay with Jack, but that wasn't possible. As much as she hated it, Audrey needed him more. She closed the door behind her and resolutely resumed her search, but had difficulty concentrating. Her thoughts kept returning to Jack and Audrey. What were they doing?

  When she realized she'd checked the same wall three times, she gave it up and went downstairs to start dinner. Jack didn't appear, so she covered his plate with a napkin and softly knocked on Audrey's door. The appreciative smile on his face as he saw her offering, brought joy to her heart and she accepted his invitation to join him while he ate.

  A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth when she realized that at least this time he didn't gulp down his food, then jump up. Audrey woke a few minutes later and Mary stayed with her while Jack left to find out what happened to the nurse. Audrey seemed unusually talkative, so she asked about Jack's past. "Jack told me you've been friends a long time. What was he like as a kid?"

  A smile curved Audrey's lips. "He was very mischievous. He'd dream up the wildest adventures, then I'd get in trouble because I followed him. Although, for a while there, I think he spent more time being grounded than he did outside."

  Mary's eyebrows shot upward. "Why was he grounded?"

  "Talking. He was the only straight-A student I knew that got an F in conduct." She coughed for several moments, then glanced at Mary. "How about you? What were you like?"

  "Pretty much the same. I was the one who thought up the adventures, and my sister and I were always in trouble." She grinned. "Like Jack, I spent a lot of time in my room."

  Jack returned, ruffled Audrey's short hair, and informed them the nurse was on her way. Evidently she had to stop by the hospital to get some pain medication for Audrey, but at least she wasn't lost.

  The shrill ring of the phone echoed in the hallway, and Mary left to answer. "Mary Corbett."

  "Dick Brokus here. Thought I call to see if you had any more unwelcome visitors."

  "Not since the other night. Have you found out anything?"

  "Nothing. I've interviewed everybody in town, but this place is sealed up tighter than a virgin's girdle. Nobody's saying nothing. I'm leaving now to go see those fellas who got hurt. I'll be
in Texas a few days, getting their side of the story."

  "When will you be back?" she asked.

  "Probably four or five days. I'll keep in touch."

  "Please let me know if you find out anything."

  "I will."

  She replaced the receiver with a sigh of relief. Since the detective was leaving town, she didn't have to worry about Elizavon finding out she had company.

  Jack hovered in the doorway. "Is everything okay?"

  "Yeah, that was the private investigator. He's leaving for a couple of days."

  "Good. Now we don't have to hide every time somebody comes to the door," he teased.

  She shook her head. "Don't laugh. If Aunt Elizavon knew you and Audrey were here, she'd throw everybody out, including me. She's that hateful. You have no idea what I had to go through to get here. It was awful."

  His smile faded. "I'm sorry."

  "Nothing to be sorry about. What she doesn't know won't hurt her. It isn't as if you're destroying the house. You're here to help me find out what happened to Magdalene. As far as I'm concerned, the end justifies the means."

  "Did you find anything this afternoon?"

  She sighed. "Nothing. I've searched room after room, but haven't found anything so far."

  "Don't give up. The answer's got to be here."

  "I hope so. I don't have much time left."

  The nurse arrived, and although she wanted to stay, Mary returned upstairs to resume her search. Jack joined her a few moments later, and they worked side-by-side in a companionable silence. The grandfather clock chimed eleven, and she reluctantly called a halt to their search. "I'm really tired," she said. "Let's start again in the morning."

  He rubbed the back of his neck. "Good idea. My shoulders are getting stiff."

  Mary resisted the urge to massage his aching muscles. "How's Audrey doing?"

  "She's asleep."

  She touched his arm. "I'm so sorry for her, Jack. And for you."

  He pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "I'm glad you're here with me. I don't think I could handle this alone."

  She buried her head in his chest. "I wish there was something I could do," she mumbled.

  He lifted her chin. "Don't feel guilty, Mary. We didn't cause what's happening to Audrey, and there's nothing we can do to stop it."

  She pulled away. "I know this sounds terrible, but I'll be glad when this is all over. Not only Audrey, but Magdalene and Jean-Pierre, too."

  Jack rested his head against hers. "I love Audrey, but I want her to find peace. Right now, all she has is pain, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

  She turned and raised saddened eyes to his. "We need to make sure whatever time she has left is happy, Jack. We owe her that much."

  "I agree." He paused outside her room and caressed the side of her face with his hand. "I'll see you in the morning. Sleep well, my love."

  She fought the urge to invite Jack into her room. Her desire for him was getting hard to handle, but she knew if they made love, she'd feel guilty, especially with Audrey in the house. Sighing softly, she closed the door with a resolute thud behind her and padded over to the window to close the drapes.

  Movement in the yard caught her attention, and she immediately switched off the light. Shrouded in darkness, she crept back to the window and peered out. There was someone in the yard!

  She ran down the stairs and rapped on Jack's door. "Jack, there's someone outside," she whispered.

  He opened his door, her gun in hand. "Where?"

  "Out by the tree. I saw it from my window."

  He raced to the kitchen. "Stay here. I'll go out back and see if I can surprise them."

  She grabbed his arm as he turned the doorknob. "Don't do anything foolish. I couldn't bear it if I lost you."

  He squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

  Heart pounding, she crept back to his bedroom and turned out the light. Once it was dark, she pulled the edge of the curtain away from the wall and peered out. The pale glow of the full moon lit portions of the yard and she narrowed her eyes in an attempt to focus on the figure lurking in the darkness. Her mouth felt paper-dry and her heart raced faster with every passing moment. Was it the vandals--or had the Voodoo people returned?

  She forced herself to breathe through clenched teeth as she watched a shadowy figure creep forward, from behind the house. That must be Jack. Their visitor crept from tree to tree. Suddenly Jack's voice rang out. "Stay where you are! I have a gun!"

  The prowler fled toward a group of trees at the side of the yard. Mary's heart nearly stopped when the sound of a gunshot shattered the eerie silence. Please God, don't let Jack be hurt!

  Moments later, the intruder left the trees, dashed across the yard and disappeared in the inky darkness. The second figure raced to the edge of the trees, but didn't pursue further.

  Mary rushed from the room and collided with Audrey's nurse. "Is everything all right?" the woman whispered in a frightened voice, struggling to remain upright.

  Mary steadied the woman until she recovered her balance. "Everything's fine. There was someone in the yard, but Jack scared him away. Probably a kid, trying to steal equipment from the construction shed."

  "I heard a shot."

  Mary nodded. "That was Jack. He fired a warning shot in the air to scare the prowler away." She patted the woman's arm. "Don't worry, whoever it was won't be back."

  The nurse smiled nervously and disappeared into Audrey's room.

  Mary threw open the front door and met Jack at the edge of the porch.

  "Are you all right?" she asked nervously. "I heard a shot."

  "I'm fine. It's too dark to go chasing in the woods. I fired a warning shot in the air, but our prowler didn't stop. It was a man, but that's all I could tell." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her back inside. "You better call the sheriff."

  "Only if they didn't cut the phone lines again." She followed him into the dining room and picked up the receiver. "At least we still have a phone."

  He disappeared into the hall as she made the call, then returned a few moments later. "What did the sheriff say?"

  "He asked if I wanted him to come out, but I told him tomorrow would be fine."

  "I don't think our prowler will be back. Especially since I fired a warning shot."

  She caught his arm. "That reminds me. The nurse heard you and was pretty upset. Maybe you better talk to her."

  He paused in the doorway, a frown etched on his face. "Will you be all right? Do you want to sleep downstairs?"

  She put on a brave front. Now was not the time to fall to pieces. "Nah, takes more than a prowler to scare me." She faked a yawn. "Now that the excitement's over, I think I'll go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

  Jack nodded and she climbed the stairs once more, weary from all the excitement. Boston had never looked so good.

  The house was quiet when she came downstairs the next morning. Jack's door was wide open, his room empty, so she knocked lightly on Audrey's door. He opened it and invited her inside. "Come in. Audrey's been asking for you."

  Her eyes scanned the room. Where was the nurse? She dragged a chair over to the bed and patted Audrey's hand. "How are you feeling?"

  Audrey managed a weak smile. "Better than yesterday. Jack told me about our visitor last night. I can't believe I slept right through all the excitement."

  Mary smiled. "Well, it wasn't that noisy. The sheriff's coming this morning to investigate." She studied Audrey's pale face. "I'm sorry about the prowler. You aren't afraid, are you?"

  "Not really. I figure it was probably a kid trying to steal something."

  "That's what we thought, too. You know how kids are these days," Mary lied. No sense upsetting Audrey with the truth. She studied Jack for a moment. "What about the nurse? Do you think she'll come back?"

  "I talked to her and she said she'll be here around seven tonight."

  Audrey lifted tired eyes to Jack. "What are you going to do today?"<
br />
  "Search the top of the stairs." He gazed intently at her pale face. "Do you feel like sitting up for a little while? Because if you do, I'll move your wheelchair upstairs, and you can watch us look for a hidden room. Every time I pass the top of the stairs, I feel like I'm missing something, so I figured that's a good place to start."

  Mary nodded. "I feel that way, too. I searched the banister, but haven't made it down the hallway yet." She turned to Audrey. "How about it? Want to help?"

  Audrey's voice was hesitant. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

  "If I minded, I wouldn't have asked."

  "Well, in that case, I think I can sit up for a little while."

  Jack stood up. "I'll carry your wheelchair upstairs and then come back for you." He glanced at his watch. "The day nurse isn't due for another hour."

  They blocked Audrey's wheelchair on both sides so it wouldn't roll, and she watched them go over the wooden panels in the hall. She gestured feebly toward the banister. "Have you checked that yet?"

  Mary nodded. "I ran my hands over every single piece of wood and didn't even find one tiny bump."

  Audrey pointed to the ball on the edge. "Did you check to see if it turns?"

  "I hadn't thought about that."

  They walked to the edge of the stairs, and Mary held the spindle while Jack tried to turn the wooden ball on top.

  "It's not moving," he announced after several tries.

  "Try the other way," Audrey suggested, her voice fading. She slid lower in her chair, her slight movement unseen. "Maybe it was stuck."

  He twisted it the opposite way and this time it moved slightly to the right. "It's moving!" he cried. "We did it!" He turned it once more and they heard a scraping sound as one of the wall panels creaked loudly, then slid from view.

  "It's a hidden panel!" Mary rushed over to the wall and peered inside. "There's something inside," she called, her voice trembling with excitement. She peered into the dark hole one last time, then reached in and withdrew a dusty silver box, no bigger than her hand. She gently blew the dust off the lid and handed it to Audrey.