Since Eleanor was driving, Carrie phoned Henry as soon as they reached the highway. “Have any ideas for supper?” she said, “With rush hour traffic, I won’t be home until at least 6:45.”
“Already got the left-over stew on the stove.”
“Ah, Good. There’s a corn bread mix in the pantry. You might bake that. And I made a new bowl of fruit gelatin last night, strawberry this time.
“Great! When I hear Eleanor’s car, I’ll put it all on the table. We can talk about your Edie-sighting and the rest of the day while we eat.”
“Looks like you’ve got company,” Eleanor said as soon as she turned down the lane to Carrie and Henry’s house.
“What? Good heavens!” Carrie peered out the van window.
“Wouldn’t have seen it so soon if the car wasn’t white and your post light wasn’t on. Know who it is?”
“I haven’t a clue.” Carrie said. But — oh , surely not .
As soon as she opened the door, Henry called to her. “Cara? Guess who’s come to dinner? Our cousin Edie.”
He sounded relaxed, not a worry in the world.
She headed for the kitchen and stared in astonishment at Edie, who was sitting at the kitchen table in her own regular place across from Henry. The wig and glasses were gone, as was the scarf. Well!
“Hello Carrie. I’ve apologized to Henry for running out on you guys last week. It couldn’t be helped, as I’ve explained to him. He’s been kind enough to invite me to have supper and stay the night, I hope that’s okay. I’ve told him why I disappeared, and I’ll tell you both what I might call ‘the rest of my story’ after we eat.”
Carrie only nodded, and Edie went on. “I mixed up the corn bread, by the way, and promised to clear away the dishes.”
After glancing at his silent wife, Henry went to slice cornbread and fill bowls with stew. Carrie stood absolutely still, staring out the window while she repeated to herself, She’s not our concern. She’s not our concern . And she’s sitting in my chair.
Edie said, “I’m sitting in your place, aren’t I? I’ll move around right now.” She shifted to a chair between Carrie and Henry’s usual locations as Henry put a bowl of stew in front of her. “Thanks, Henry, smells great. Hang up your coat, Carrie, and join us. You look dog tired, and, unless you’ve been snacking on fair goodies, I’d bet you’re starved.”
Still saying nothing, and fuming inwardly, Carrie went to wash her hands.
Supper, beyond polite conversation, was eaten quietly. At first Henry, chuckling frequently, talked about some of his amusing gardening experiences. He got little response from Carrie, and Edie, perhaps taking a clue from that, didn’t say much either, only nodding from time-to-time. He finally lapsed into silence.
Edie did indeed take over kitchen clean-up while Carrie went to check the guestroom and learned that Henry—maybe with Edie’s help—had already put fresh linens in the bathroom and on the bed.
When Henry didn’t follow her to their bedroom for a conversation, Carrie decided she would take a shower and get into her pajamas, while he did . . . whatever he was doing. Helping Cousin Edie clean up in the kitchen?
When she went down the hall a few minutes later, Edie was unpacking in the guestroom, and she found Henry sitting in his favorite chair, reading the paper. He looked up and, when she sat on the couch, moved over to sit beside her.
“When did she get here?” Carrie whispered.
“Came in just after you called. She’s explained her disappearance. Two men who sound like Agent Frost and his companion were at the motel when she arrived. For yet unknown reasons your cousin is aware someone, perhaps FBI, might be trying to find her.
“When she looked through the glass entry area of the motel and saw two men in dark suits at the desk, one of them holding out a leather pocket folder, she decided to go back to her car and wait. Eventually they came out and got back in their car. When they
“Already got the left-over stew on the stove.”
“Ah, Good. There’s a corn bread mix in the pantry. You might bake that. And I made a new bowl of fruit gelatin last night, strawberry this time.
“Great! When I hear Eleanor’s car, I’ll put it all on the table. We can talk about your Edie-sighting and the rest of the day while we eat.”
“Looks like you’ve got company,” Eleanor said as soon as she turned down the lane to Carrie and Henry’s house.
“What? Good heavens!” Carrie peered out the van window.
“Wouldn’t have seen it so soon if the car wasn’t white and your post light wasn’t on. Know who it is?”
“I haven’t a clue.” Carrie said. But — oh , surely not .
As soon as she opened the door, Henry called to her. “Cara? Guess who’s come to dinner? Our cousin Edie.”
He sounded relaxed, not a worry in the world.
She headed for the kitchen and stared in astonishment at Edie, who was sitting at the kitchen table in her own regular place across from Henry. The wig and glasses were gone, as was the scarf. Well!
“Hello Carrie. I’ve apologized to Henry for running out on you guys last week. It couldn’t be helped, as I’ve explained to him. He’s been kind enough to invite me to have supper and stay the night, I hope that’s okay. I’ve told him why I disappeared, and I’ll tell you both what I might call ‘the rest of my story’ after we eat.”
Carrie only nodded, and Edie went on. “I mixed up the corn bread, by the way, and promised to clear away the dishes.”
After glancing at his silent wife, Henry went to slice cornbread and fill bowls with stew. Carrie stood absolutely still, staring out the window while she repeated to herself, She’s not our concern. She’s not our concern . And she’s sitting in my chair.
Edie said, “I’m sitting in your place, aren’t I? I’ll move around right now.” She shifted to a chair between Carrie and Henry’s usual locations as Henry put a bowl of stew in front of her. “Thanks, Henry, smells great. Hang up your coat, Carrie, and join us. You look dog tired, and, unless you’ve been snacking on fair goodies, I’d bet you’re starved.”
Still saying nothing, and fuming inwardly, Carrie went to wash her hands.
Supper, beyond polite conversation, was eaten quietly. At first Henry, chuckling frequently, talked about some of his amusing gardening experiences. He got little response from Carrie, and Edie, perhaps taking a clue from that, didn’t say much either, only nodding from time-to-time. He finally lapsed into silence.
Edie did indeed take over kitchen clean-up while Carrie went to check the guestroom and learned that Henry—maybe with Edie’s help—had already put fresh linens in the bathroom and on the bed.
When Henry didn’t follow her to their bedroom for a conversation, Carrie decided she would take a shower and get into her pajamas, while he did . . . whatever he was doing. Helping Cousin Edie clean up in the kitchen?
When she went down the hall a few minutes later, Edie was unpacking in the guestroom, and she found Henry sitting in his favorite chair, reading the paper. He looked up and, when she sat on the couch, moved over to sit beside her.
“When did she get here?” Carrie whispered.
“Came in just after you called. She’s explained her disappearance. Two men who sound like Agent Frost and his companion were at the motel when she arrived. For yet unknown reasons your cousin is aware someone, perhaps FBI, might be trying to find her.
“When she looked through the glass entry area of the motel and saw two men in dark suits at the desk, one of them holding out a leather pocket folder, she decided to go back to her car and wait. Eventually they came out and got back in their car. When they
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