Alarums. Part 16

'I feel like I'm in the G.o.dd.a.m.n Twilight Zone. Dad. This.'

'Pen almost getting hit this morning,' Bodie added. 'I'd forgotten about that.'

'I hadn't. And if you want to talk Twilight Zone, there're your visions. It's too bad you can't remember the one at the hospital.'

'I remember it,' she said. She turned and looked into Bodie's eyes. 'I remembered it then. I just didn't want to talk about it in front of the others.'

'What was it?'

'Later. I'll tell you when we're alone.'

'We're alone now.'

'Pen.'

Bodie could hear her in another room. Footsteps. Drawers opening.

'She'll be done in a minute,' Melanie said.

'Why don't you want her to know about it? Does it involve her?'

'In a way.'

'Come on, what is it?'

'No. I said later. It's just between you and me.'

'Okay,' he muttered. 'Later.'

'Don't be mad at me.'

'I'm not mad.'

'Yes you are,' she sulked.

' "True!" ' he blurted. ' "Nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?" '

' "The disease had sharpened my senses," ' came Pen's voice from the other side of the room, ' "not destroyed, not dulled them." '

Bodie grinned at her.

Melanie, looking perplexed, switched her gaze from Bodie to Pen.

'The Tell-Tale Heart,' Pen explained.

'We oughtta take our show on the road,' Bodie said. The hurt glance from Melanie made him regret the suggestion. 'Ready to go?'

'All set.' Pen had a small suitcase at her side, a purse hanging from her shoulder. She wore the same white jeans as before, but her burgundy blouse had been replaced by a plaid flannel shirt that was neatly tucked in. She wore a suede jacket over the shirt, its front open, the dangling ends of its belt swaying as she walked.

Bodie watched her take a few steps. There was just enough difference in the look and motion of her shirt to indicate, in Bodie's judgement, that she had taken the opportunity to put on a bra.

'I'll carry that,' he said, reaching for the suitcase.

Thank you.'

As she pa.s.sed it to him, the telephone clamored. Her hand jerked and the suitcase slipped from Bodie's fingers, thumped the floor. Pen stood rigid. She flinched as the phone rang again.

'Want me to get it?' Bodie asked.

She didn't look capable of answering.

'I will.' Melanie rushed past him.

He hurried behind her to the kitchen and watched her s.n.a.t.c.h up the receiver. 'h.e.l.lo?' Pause. 'No, this isn't Pen. May I tell her who is calling?' She listened, then covered the mouthpiece and called, 'It's some guy named Gary.'

'Okay,' Pen said. She came up beside Melanie and took the phone. 'h.e.l.lo?a Right, this is the Pen Conwaya Of course I remember you. "Never look a gift drink in the mouth." '

Bodie felt like a snoop, listening, but Melanie hadn't left so he stayed, too. Besides, he told himself, the guy didn't know if Pen would remember him, so they couldn't be on intimate terms.

'I guess it was the slides,' she said. 'I thought I was going to barfa Right, I just drove homea I was tempted, but I didn't know for sure whether you'd come down afterwardsa Oh, really?' Pen fooled with the top b.u.t.ton of her shirt. She frowned slightly. Tonight? I really can'ta No, it's a family situation. I really couldn't. Look, why don't you give me your number? When this situation is settled, I'll call you.' She nodded, but didn't write down his number. 'Got ita I will. Thanks for calling, Garya Goodnight.' She hung up. 'A guy I met last night at the mystery writers meeting.' She unplugged the phone and set it on top of the refrigerator. 'We'd better go. Joyce'll think we've abandoned her.'

In the living room, Pen stopped and looked down at the envelope on the coffee table where Melanie had left it.

'Should we take it with us?' Melanie asked.

Pen picked it up and crumpled it into a ball.

'Hey, don't ruin it! That's evidence.'

'Evidence of what?' Pen asked her sister. Without waiting for a reply, she headed again for the kitchen.

'Maybe you should show it to the police,' Melanie called.

Pen didn't answer. She came back without the envelope.

'You threw it away?'

'Do you think I want it looking at me when I come back?'

'Bodie and I were talking. We think you should go to the police.'

Pen left the lamp on. They stepped outside. She pulled the door shut and rattled the k.n.o.b. Walking along the balcony toward the stairs, she looked back at them. 'I'm not going to the police. First off, they've got bigger problems to worry about. Second, there's certainly not sufficient evidence to identify the creep even if they did care.' With a hand on the metal railing, she started down. 'They'd just advise me to get an unlisted number or move out. Besides, they'd want to hear the tape.'

And that, Bodie guessed, might be the real reason she didn't want the police involved. He couldn't blame her. They would insist on listening to the tape. Pen would be there with them as it played, as that piece of sc.u.m talked about f.u.c.king her, sticking his tongue in her, coming in her mouth. Hearing it again, herself, would be awful enough. But to have a couple of strangers listening, maybe wondering just how it would be to do those things to Pena and they would wonder exactly that, Bodie thought. A man couldn't help it.

'What are you going to do?' Melanie asked.

'I don't know yet. Move out, maybe. Or buy a gun.'

'I guess I'll turn in,' Joyce said shortly after they returned to her house. 'It's early, though. Feel free to stay up as long as you want. Watch some TV, have a snack, a drink, whatever.' To Pen, she added, 'You know where everything is.'

'Would it be all right to use the jacuzzi?' Pen asked.

'Sure. That'd be nice on a night like this. I'd join you buta I'm the one who didn't get a nap this afternoon.'

They told her goodnight, and she went upstairs.

'You two interested?' Pen asked, looking at Melanie.

'I don't think so. But you go ahead.'

'Are you sure?'

Bodie wanted to go in the jacuzzi. Badly. He said nothing.

'We didn't bring our suits,' Melanie said.

One of Pen's shoulders rose and fell just slightly. 'Dad has some spare trunks he keeps around for guests. One of those should be fine for Bodie. You could wear your underthings or whatever,' she told Melanie.

'Or nothing,' Bodie suggested.

'Hardly far,' Melanie said.

'I'll go turn the heat on.'

Melanie dropped onto the sofa, slouched back, and folded her hands behind her head. She watched Pen walk away, then turned her eyes to Bodie.

He shrugged. With a smile to hide his disappointment, he sat beside Melanie. He put a hand on her thigh. 'I think the jacuzzi would be neat.'

'We'd freeze getting out.'

'I don't mind.'

'I'll bet.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'You just want to see Pen with her clothes off.'

He laughed softly, then moved his hand higher. He slid her skirt against the warm smoothness of her skin. 'I'm not interested in Pen.'

'I've seen you looking at her.'

'Of course I look at her. I do that. When people are in my presence, I look at them. It's a defense against collisions.'

'Yeah, makes jokes.'

'Should I turn my head away when she's in the room?'

'It's not funny,' Melanie said.

'I know it's not,' he told her. 'I'm sorry. I suppose I have been looking at her. She is attractive.'

'Tell me about it.'

'But she's not you, Melanie. You're the one I love.'

He got his hand out from between her legs as she suddenly twisted around. She threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. Her face pressed the side of his neck. He lightly stroked her back.

'In spite of your weirdness,' he kidded.

'I'm so messed up.'

'You're fine.'

'No, I'm not.'

Bodie noticed a figure enter his peripheral vision. Turning his head just a bit, he saw Pen at the corner of the room. She halted, then backstepped quietly past the banister's newel post and crept up the stairs.

When she's ready to go in, Bodie thought, she'll have to come down those stairs and I'll be right here.

He felt eager, guilty.

'Have I been rotten to her?' Melanie asked.

'To Pen? I wouldn't say rotten, exactly. I know you have this rivalry or inferiority complex or something about her, but I think she could use a little more understanding from you. It isn't just your father who's in the hospital. He's Pen's father, too.'

'I know,' she said in a voice full of pain.

'And she also has this business of the obscene caller to deal with. Either one of those situations is pretty d.a.m.ned traumatic, and she's had both of them dumped on her at the same time. I'm sure she'd appreciate a little support.'

Nodding, Melanie eased out of his arms. Her eyes were red and wet. She rubbed them dry with her sleeve.

Bodie stroked the back of her head. 'Are you all right?'

She sniffed. 'I don't know why you put up with me.'

'Neither do I, but what the h.e.l.l.'

With a hint of a smile, she dropped back against the cushion. She let out a long sigh. Bodie leaned back, shoulder touching hers, and took hold of her hand.

'I'll try not to be such a pain in the a.s.s,' she said.

'Me, too.' He squeezed her hand. She returned the squeeze. Later, he said, 'I would like to go in the jacuzzi.'

'Oh yeah?'

"Why don't we wait till Pen's finished? It'll be just you and me and the hot, bubbling water.'