“You have some minor burns. We’ve wrapped it in a nonstick bandage to keep you more comfortable, but you probably won’t have to have it on for very long.”
After he left, Greg waited with Maggie until a nurse pushed a wheelchair up to the bed. “Hi, Maggie,” he said. “I’m Ken. It’s time to move you to a room. He glanced at Greg. “Um…”
Greg held out his hand. “Greg Williams.”
“Well, Mr. Williams, you can come along if you’d like.”
They moved into the elevator and up to a room on the third floor. Ken wheeled her past an empty bed, to the one next to the window.
Greg stepped out of the room so Maggie could get into her bed without worrying about her hospital gown gaping.
“You can come back in now.” Maggie was in the bed with the covers up under her arms.
Ken introduced them to a nurse named Rita, who helped her with the oxygen, wrote on her chart, and left them alone.
Maggie’s eyes were beginning to droop.
“What did he mean by hero?”
“You don’t remember?”
“Remember what?”
“You were safe outside on the roof, but you went back into a burning house to save Ginger. Allie’s telling everyone about it. Trust me, that’s not normal. It’s heroic.”
She squirmed. “I’m not heroic. Ginger was supposed to be safe with me, but she wasn’t. No one is safe with me.”
“You’re not to blame. Do you think it was deliberately set?”
“Honey was barking at something outside, and I told her to be quiet.” Maggie picked at her blanket. “She’s the real hero. She kept barking and pulling at me until I woke up. I shudder to imagine what would’ve happened if she hadn’t. The smoke alarm went off, but she gave us a head start.”
“I’ll give her some extra treats when I get home.”
She shoved the pillow under her neck and spoke softly as if she were already dreaming. “This is so confusing. First, Allie gets hurt, then Cameron, and now Ginger. What’s going on?” She reached out for him with her good hand. “You have to promise me you’ll protect them. These people don’t care who they hurt.” She drifted off to sleep.
Greg left the hospital as the sun peeked over the horizon. Having had very little sleep and then sitting inactive for the last few hours, his body wanted to go home and crash. But there was no time. First, he had to know what happened. He drove to Maggie’s house. The fire investigator was still on site, the brightness of his lights competing for supremacy with the rising sun.
“Alan, what can you tell me?”
“It was set in this area by the kitchen. My guess is he wanted to stay in the back, to avoid detection. Does the owner have a dog?”
“Yes, she said Honey was barking, and she told her to be quiet.”
“If the dog was barking, he may have been in a hurry to finish. He probably assumed the flames would spread, so he didn’t put any accelerant on the side.”
“What kind of accelerant was used? It smells like gas.”
“You’re right. I’ll have it tested, but I believe it was simple gasoline. He threw it everywhere. He’s lucky he didn’t burn himself up in the process.”
“So this person wasn’t an experienced arsonist?”
“I think it was a first timer, yes. Number one, if it was gasoline, it’s pretty volatile. Like I said, it’s a wonder he got out without setting himself on fire. I assume you checked the hospital to see if anyone came in with burns other than your victims?”
“I was just there, and so far no one has come in. They’ll know to call us if someone does.”
24
Mmm, it smelled like roast beef for lunch. Maggie’s first thoughts had been about Greg. Had it been a dream? What made her think about him before she was fully awake? The memory of the last few days closed around her. The feeling was not of warmth, but of suffocation.
Her house had been violated, and maybe destroyed. Greg assured her it could be fixed, but would it ever feel the same? Now both of her sanctuaries were ruined. The ache in her spirit since Aunt Esther’s death intensified.
She wiggled the fingers of her left hand. The ring, when she remembered it, weighed heavy on her hand—foreign almost. But now her finger felt naked. Was the additional anguish due to her house, or was there more? She shook her head and realized she shouldn’t have. Pain shot through her temple, knocked around inside her head like a pinball, and settled somewhere at the base of her skull. Easing her head down on the pillow, she closed her eyes and waited for it to stop thumping.
Soft footsteps caused her to open her eyes. Lucinda stood in the doorway with a bouquet of daisies.
Maggie almost didn’t recognize her without the uniform. “Don’t go,” Maggie said. “I’m awake.” She pushed herself up on one elbow, trying to get her pillow in the right place. Not so easy with one hand out of service.
“Let me help you, Miss Maggie.” Lucinda set the flowers on her side table and found the button to raise the bed. When it was at a comfortable height, she fixed the pillows.
“You don’t have to call me Miss Maggie, just call me Maggie.” Before Lucinda could object, she went on, “I’m so glad you came to see me. I need a smiling face like yours to help me feel better.”
Her smile grew brighter. “Miss…I mean Maggie…I just wanted to say, you were right.”
She wasn’t sure what the young girl was talking about, and concentrating on it made her pounding head hurt even more. “I was right? What was I right about?”
“There was something I was afraid to tell you the other day when you were at Mrs. Tate’s house.” Various emotions crossed Lucinda’s face.
Maggie shifted. “Sit down and tell me everything. I promise I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”
Lucinda sat in the chair by her bed and straightened her spine. “There was something I wanted to tell you. I don’t know if it will help, but someone should look at Mr. Blake. Young Mr. Blake.”
“Jonathan? Why?”
Lucinda glanced around the room and then leaned forward. “Something happened a couple weeks ago.” Her voice dropped to an urgent whisper. “I work at Mrs. Tate’s, but I clean for Mr. Edward Blake once a week. I heard him yelling at young Mr. Blake. He said, ‘The mess you made is serious this time. I have half a mind to let you deal with it yourself.’ They shipped him off somewhere the same day.”
“Do you know what the mess was?”
She smoothed the sheet and tucked it around Maggie. “No. I was afraid they would catch me listening, so I hurried outside and made a lot of noise coming back in. Mr. Blake heard me and closed the door.”
What mess would Edward have to clean up for his son? “Do you remember what day it was?”
Lucinda hesitated. “I usually clean for him on Tuesdays, and it was at least a couple weeks ago…no wait, it must have been three weeks ago.” She fingered the scarf at her throat. “There is something else you need to know. Young Mr. Blake has a nasty temper.”
Remembering what she’d seen at the housing development, Maggie nodded, which started the pounding again. “I’ve seen some evidence of anger issues.” She put her good hand to her head.
Maybe having Lucinda draw her gaze to her throat made Maggie realize she’d never seen her without a scarf. “You know,” Maggie said, “I’ve noticed the pretty scarves you wear. No one else wears much jewelry or accessories with their uniforms. Is there a reason?”
Lucinda nodded and pulled the scarf down. “I wear them to cover this.” A scar in the shape of a large comma marred the left side of her neck. “It was made by Mr. Jonathan. He was angry at his grandmother and threw a glass at the wall. It hit near me and broke. A piece flew over and cut my neck.”
“Did you press charges?”
Lucinda blinked as if the question had never occurred to her. “No. They said it was an accident and took me to a doctor to have it sewn up. Mrs. Tate keeps me around to remind Jonathan to mind his temper. It doesn’t bother
him though. It was like he forgot the next day.”
Maggie shifted on her pillows, seeking a more comfortable spot. “When did this happen?”
“It’s been several years now. He was sixteen at the time.”
“Has anyone said anything about it since then?”
Lucinda fussed with the scarf, sliding the knot to the right side of her neck, covering the scar with the wider part. “No. Mrs. Tate gave me several scarves and told me to wear them with my uniform. I’ve worn them ever since.”
Maggie watched her face as she asked the next question. “Did you ever see him get intentionally violent—I mean where he meant to harm someone?”
Lucinda shook her head. “He never seems to hurt anyone intentionally. He’s so used to getting his way, when he doesn’t, he can be sarcastic and nasty. I’ve never seen him hit anyone.”
Voices drifted in from the hall, and Lucinda slid to the edge of her seat. “I need to go, Miss Maggie. I don’t want Mrs. Tate to find out I was here.” Panic whitened her face as she shot up.
“I don’t want you to get into trouble. Thank you for telling me. Can I tell Greg?”
She was already at the door, peering into the hall. “Yes, but please tell him not to say where he got the information, OK?”
Before Maggie could answer, Lucinda was gone. Maggie eased back on her pillows. How did Jonathan’s temper fit in? As far as she knew, he wasn’t mad at Aunt Esther. In fact, he had nothing but good things to say about her. And what could she have done to upset him anyway? Unless it was golf or tennis, they didn’t have a reason to see each other. Allie told her Jonathan was a poor loser. But he didn’t lose often, and she doubted very much her aunt was able to beat him. Besides, it seemed as if his temper tantrums were spontaneous, so it wasn’t as though he’d plan to hurt her.
A woman entered with her lunch and arranged it on the tray table.
Maggie raised her bed up farther, suddenly hungry. The roast beef wasn’t restaurant quality, but it wasn’t bad either. She took a third bite.
Jonathan and Edward entered carrying a huge bouquet of salmon and yellow roses.
She hoped they hadn’t passed Lucinda on the way up.
“Edward, Jonathan, how nice of you to drop by. And what beautiful flowers.” She leaned over, trying to clear some space on the tiny nightstand, struggling with one hand.
“No, don’t move. I’ll clear a space.” Jonathan stepped forward and rearranged the other flowers, making room for the large arrangement Edward carried.
After placing the roses, Edward clasped her good hand, gave it a gentle squeeze, and released it. “It looks like we’re interrupting lunch, so we won’t stay long. Are you all right? What happened? I heard you had a fire.”
“Yes, my house was burned last night.”
Edward’s eyes softened. “What an awful experience. Was everyone OK?”
She glanced at Jonathan, trying to gauge his reaction. “Yes, my dog woke me up. She’ll get plenty of treats when I get out of here.”
Jonathan looked around for another chair, and he and his father sat. She missed seeing his expression.
He asked, “What happened? Do you know how it started?”
“An investigator came by and asked me some questions. He said it was set. Gasoline was all over the place.” She scooped a bite of mashed potato and let it slide down her throat. “I can’t figure out why someone would want to burn my house. This is getting ridiculous. What did I ever do to deserve this?”
“We’re just glad you and Allie are OK.” Jonathan frowned. “The two of you alone, trying to get out of the house…I can’t imagine it.”
He looked distressed, but was he acting or was he genuinely upset? She wasn’t good at judging people. She just couldn’t tell.
“Where will you stay now?” Edward went right for the practical. “I assume it will take some time to fix everything.”
“I’ll probably go to Aunt Esther’s, but to tell you the truth, all this is starting to give me the creeps. I’m almost afraid to leave the hospital.”
Edward poured a cup of water from the pitcher on her tray and handed it to her. “I’m sorry this is happening to you. What is this town coming to? It used to be safe here. It’s that burglary ring. Our town hasn’t felt the same since the robberies started. I can’t figure out why they would want to set fire to your house though. It makes no sense.”
“I’d like to get my hands on the guy who did it, is all I’ve got to say,” Jonathan said. He turned his head.
A memory flitted through her mind. But she wasn’t sure what.
“You guys could have been killed. We need a neighborhood watch or something.”
Maggie finished her last bite and nestled her head into the pillow. “Maybe it would be a good idea, a full-town neighborhood watch.”
Edward touched his son’s arm and rose. “You’re tired,” he said. “We can talk later.” They headed for the door, and Edward stopped, rotating on his heels. “Oh, I wanted you to know there’s no rush on the designs for the development. You’ve given us plenty for a head start. Take as much time as you need.”
Maggie thanked them, and they left. She pushed the tray table away, lowered the bed, and eased her pounding head into the pillow’s softness.
25
Morning sun filtered through the blinds. Unlike yesterday, Maggie felt energized. It was time to leave the hospital and get back to her life.
Nurse Rita peeked around the curtain someone must have pulled across last night. “Hey, are you awake? The doctor released you, so after you sign some papers, you can go home.”
Maggie called Robin, and she arrived after breakfast, handing over a paper sack. “Here, I thought you might want to go home in something other than the hospital gown.”
Inside, she found an outfit, some under things, and flip-flops—all in her size. “Thanks. I guess our shopping trips were more beneficial than I thought.”
Robin laughed. “It was easier with you than it was with Ginger and Allie. Although with Allie, I could borrow something from Melissa. Ginger was a total guess.”
Maggie took the sack and started for the bathroom then swiveled. Tears brimmed in her eyes and threatened to spill over. “I don’t know how to thank you, Robin. You’ve thought of everything and have been such a great friend.”
Robin grinned at her. “You should withhold thanks until you try them on. I might have brought you clown clothes and planned to post your picture on the Internet.”
Maggie laughed and continued into the bathroom to change. “If you did, you know I’ll find a way to get even.”
The jeans and tee shirt she pulled out weren’t clown-like and fit like her own. Until Robin showed up, Maggie hadn’t realized she had nothing to wear—she probably had nothing at all. From what she’d heard, between the smoke and the water, most victims ended up replacing pretty much everything. She opened the door while she brushed her teeth, speaking around the toothpaste. “Are we taking Ginger with us then?” She leaned forward and spit in the sink.
Robin appeared at the door. “No. She’s made other plans.”
Even though she hated herself for it, Maggie was relieved. She didn’t want an audience when she checked on her house. But Ginger still needed protection until they could figure out what was going on. “She didn’t go home, did she?”
“She felt her being in your house may have caused you and Allie to be in danger, so she decided it was safer for everyone if she left. She’s going to her sister’s in Kansas. Greg got her a reservation and said he’d help get her on the plane. Her sister’s husband is picking her up at the airport in Wichita.”
Maggie could see the questions in Robin’s eyes and knew she’d have to talk about her breakup with Greg, but she was thankful Robin didn’t ask her about it.
Rita pushed in a wheelchair. “Time to go. Are you ready?”
Maggie picked up the most cheery of the flowers from the nightstand and held them out to Robin. “Do you want a bouquet for
your house? I’m donating the rest of these to the hospital. Someone might as well enjoy them.”
Robin took the bouquet, and together they headed out to her car. After buckling in, Robin paused. “Where do you want to go? As if I don’t already know.” She put the car in gear and waited. “I assume you want to stop by your place before we go to lunch and you tell me all about it? My treat.”
Maggie shifted in her seat and gazed out the window. “The house, please. And tell you all about what?”
“Whatever made you decide Greg isn’t right for you.” Robin’s voice softened. Kindness, not the judgment Maggie had been expecting, glowed in her friend’s eyes. She should have known. Robin was tough on her sometimes, but her genuine concern made up for it.
Robin steered out of the parking lot.
It was the perfect time to ask the question burning in Maggie’s brain since she woke up. “So before we get there, maybe you should prepare me. How’s my house? Greg swears it can be fixed, but I’m afraid he might have said it to make me feel better.” She gave Robin a half smile. “I know you’ll tell me the truth. Have you seen it? Can it be fixed?”
Robin drifted to a stop at the light. “Absolutely. I haven’t had time to get over there yet, but Mark tells me it isn’t too bad. And even if it is, we’ll do whatever it takes.” The light changed, and she moved into the intersection. “It started in the back, so it’s worse there. I imagine you’ll need to rebuild the kitchen and dining room. The rest, I don’t know. We can get some professional advice on the structure.”
“The structure? Do you think it affected the whole structure?” Visions of the place flattened ran through Maggie’s mind. Maybe today wasn’t the day for this. But how ridiculous—when would be a good time to see one’s sanctuary destroyed?
Robin eased to the curb in front of the house. “Instead of speculating, let’s go see.”
Maggie purposely stared at the other side of the street. Once Robin shut off the engine, Maggie held her breath and forced herself to take it all in. The front looked almost normal. She let out her breath in a whoosh. Smoke blackened the area near the front door, but the rest of the walls appeared untouched. Hope surged. Maybe it would be OK. “This isn’t so bad,” she whispered, getting out of the car and staring up at it from the curb.
Deadly Diaries Page 16
