Chapter 25
Woodrow had a bag of donuts and a cup of coffee waiting when she climbed into his van. "Has Blair been calm?" he asked as she settled for the long ride.
"Not a peep out of her."
Before Woodrow could pull from the curb, Sara Mae hurried out of her shop across the street—the butter yellow bungalow with beautiful stained glass lamp shades and clock faces, among other items for sale. She waved them over with a spatula she gripped in her hand. Sara Mae was still in her flannel pajamas with a heavy wool robe thrown over them. She'd taken the time to throw on a pair of boots, though.
"Now we're in for it. I've been waiting for the questions to start flying. Sara Mae doesn't like to be left out of the loop." Woodrow pulled into her driveway and rolled down his window. With a forced smiled, he motioned toward the bandages on three of her fingers. "What happened?"
"These?" Sara Mae shook her head, and her gray curls bounced merrily. "I got an order for a big, stained glass window, so I've been cutting lots of glass. Cyrus distracts me sometimes, but what's a few nicks and cuts?"
Lily remembered Jackson telling her about Sara Mae's new suitor. The side door opened and Cyrus took a step outside to see what Sara Mae was doing. She gave him a quick wave. "Be back in a minute, sweetie."
Lily didn't know why, but she was sort of surprised that Cyrus had spent the night. But then, why shouldn't he? Sara Mae was over seventy. It's not like she had to worry about her reputation any more. She and Cyrus could do whatever they wanted, as long as it didn't hurt anyone. And from the happy look on both of their faces, it was doing each of them a world of good.
"Are you two getting serious?" Woodrow asked.
"It's silly to take anything too seriously at our time of life," Sara Mae said. "But it sure is nice not being lonely." She switched to the true reason she'd waved them over. "Heard your roommate's gonna jump the broom. Dora told me when I had my hair done yesterday. Has he set a date?"
"Jump the broom?" Lily asked.
"An old saying, like getting hitched. Is he going to marry Caroline Litton?"
"This coming Thursday at the justice of the peace."
"No frills and whistles, huh?" She rubbed her hands over her arms. She had to be getting cold, standing outside in only her PJs and robe.
"Nope, just family. They wanted to keep it simple."
Sara Mae grinned. "Good for them. I always said that Jackson had a head on his shoulders. So does Caroline—a smart, no nonsense girl." She stretched to peer at Lily in the passenger seat. "What about you two? You've been spending some time together."
"Lily's been cooking supper for me and Jackson so that she doesn't have to eat alone."
"Good for her. I hate cooking for one person. End up eating junk in front of the TV. So it's nothing serious, huh? You two don't have any plans?"
Woodrow took her questions in his stride. He'd known Sara Mae for years. "Not us. Not yet."
"Well, you're young yet. Not like Jackson. That boy must be pushing thirty. If he wants a family, he'd better get to it." She turned her attention back to Lily. "How's your mom doing? Is Claire coming home?"
"Mom got an apartment for her at Golden Hills," Lily said. "She hopes to be back soon."
"That's good news." Sara Mae shivered and stomped her feet. "Better get back in. I was fixing breakfast for Cyrus when I saw your van. Take care now." She turned to hurry back into the house, but hesitated to give Woodrow a wicked smile. "Almost forgot to tell you, kiddo, but you have a nice ass." She chuckled as Woodrow turned beet red, then went to join her friend.
Woodrow swung too wide as he backed out of her drive. He almost hit his own mailbox before he started out of town. "Rumor has it that woman has binoculars and watches everyone on the street. I never believed it until now."
Had Sara Mae watched Lily lick her window to tease Woodrow? Lily could feel her own face grow warm. She thought back to what she'd done since her mom was gone. If she remembered right, Woodrow and Jackson had always come to her house together. She and Woodrow hadn't been alone long enough for anyone to get suspicious and for gossip to fly. Or worse, for Sara Mae to call her mother.
"This is a small town," Woodrow said, interrupting her thoughts. "Everyone knows everybody else's business, but damned if I thought they saw everything." He took Lavendar Lane to the main highway, lost in thought.
He was probably doing the same thing she was doing, Lily thought, going over all their movements since she got back to Emerald Hills after Christmas break. With relief, she decided their comings and going must look pretty tame, especially compared to Sara Mae's.
Woodrow flipped on some music, and Lily sipped her coffee to the sound of Heart.
"That's a pretty old CD," she told him during a pause between songs.
"No can beat that woman's voice." He pushed the donut bag toward her. "Only one left. Finish it off."
A cake donut with chocolate frosting. Who could say no to that? She nibbled happily while the CD finished. They drove the next few miles in silence. Country side was flying past them when the van started to feel weird inside, as if all of the air was being sucked out of it. Lily tried to breathe in through her mouth, but her lungs begged for relief. Woodrow cracked his window, and a cold breeze whipped inside, but it didn’t help. He pulled off the road onto the berm. "Get out."
They both gulped in deep breaths when they stumbled out of the van. He and Lily stomped their feet to stay warm. "Is the van having problems?" Lily asked.
"I don't think so. I don’t think it’s the van. I think it’s your doll." Woodrow looked through the window at the white box lying on the back seat. "I think Blair's in trouble."
She stared at him in surprise. "You can feel the dolls?"
"I don't see soul mates, but I'm as sensitive to vibes as you and your mom. It's part of what I do. And Blair's giving off some strong energy."
They waited until the interior of the van was a complete vacuum. Then everything went still. When the van began to breathe again, they got inside and rolled down their windows. Air rushed in.
Lily glanced at the white box. No, no, no! Her voice trembled. "She's gone, isn't she?" She’d rushed this order. How could she be too late again?
Woodrow's expression was grim. "That's what it feels like. We'll know soon enough. We're not that far from the hospital. He's meeting you there, right?"
"He told me to ask for him at the main registration desk. He wasn't sure where he'd be when we got there." Lily fidgeted the rest of the way. Fear prickled her skin.
Twenty minutes later, Woodrow pulled into the parking lot. "Let's find him."
When they got to the information desk, though, the lady said, "He's not here this afternoon. He did rounds in the morning and then got called to the clinic."
"Which clinic?" Woodrow didn't look any too happy.
"It's just down the street. It's an outpatient treatment center. I'll call so that he'll be expecting you."
Woodrow's lips pulled into a straight line. As they walked back to the van, he grumbled, "He could have called and told us. He knew you were coming."
"Maybe it was an emergency. Maybe he didn't think about anything but saving someone's life."
Woodrow didn't look convinced. He drove the short distance to the clinic, his brows furrowed in a deep scowl. "Get the dolls. Let's hope Cross isn't so pissy this time."
Lily wondered what their reception would be, too. Would he want this doll or tell her she was too late again? There was no way she could have made it any faster. But that wasn't her main concern. As they walked to the front door, a heaviness settled over her. She'd grown to like Blair. She was sorry she couldn't get Damian's doll to her in time. She felt sure it would have helped her.
Cross met them in the clinic's foyer. He consulted the clipboard under his arm. "Your timing's perfect. I'm scheduled to see Blair later this afternoon. I can give her the doll then." Under his white, hospital jacket, he was dressed in dark slacks and a gold dress shirt. The gold complemented his light brown eyes.
Woodrow and Lily exchanged glances. "That might not be possible," Woodrow told him.
Cross frowned. "What does that mean? Is the doll ready or not?"
"It's ready." Lily glanced at the white box in her arms. The soul mate doll dangled over her coat sleeve in its plastic bag. "But Blair's energy just dropped and then went out."
"What?"
"That's what happened with Sunny. Her doll's energy bounced off the walls and then died."
Cross took off his wire-rimmed glasses, cleaned the lenses, and then put them back in place. He studied Lily carefully. "What exactly are you telling me?"
"I'm worried about Blair."
"Because you feel some kind of connection between a doll and the person it looks like?"
"Yes."
"Most people would question that."
"It doesn’t matter. But will you check on her? See if she's all right?"
"No need to. She called me to make this appointment a couple of hours ago. She was fine."
"Maybe then. Not now. Will you call?"
"This is extremely odd." But Cross pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He scanned its index and pushed the call button. No one picked up. His frown deepened. He went to the desk and asked the registration nurse for Blair's check-in information. "Wasn't there a friend who lived across the hall from her? Someone we could call in an emergency?"
The nurse handed him the number and he called the number. After a brief conversation, he said, "Blair isn't answering her cell phone. I need to talk to her. Can you get her for me?"
There was a pause while he waited, then a rush of words on the other end.
"I see," Cross said. "If you call 911, I'll be there as soon as I can." When he flipped his phone shut, his eyes narrowed. He looked from Woodrow to Lily. "She overdosed a little while ago. Blair's dead."
Lily took a deep breath. Her gut told her that's what happened, but she didn't want to believe it. She was hoping….what? That Blair was lying somewhere unconscious? That she and Woodrow could send her help in time?
Cross looked at the bag dangling from Lily's arm. "What's that?"
"Just an extra that I thought Blair might enjoy."
He turned his back on them. "If you don't mind, I don't want to pay for another dead girl's doll. Just take it away."
Lily's limbs went limp with relief. She didn't want to give the doll to Cross. She wanted to find Damian to give it to him. "I understand. We'll leave now. You have things to do."
Cross didn't answer. He stalked away, an angry expression on his face.
Chapter 25
Woodrow had a bag of donuts and a cup of coffee waiting when she climbed into his van. "Has Blair been calm?" he asked as she settled for the long ride.
"Not a peep out of her."
Before Woodrow could pull from the curb, Sara Mae hurried out of her shop across the street—the butter yellow bungalow with beautiful stained glass lamp shades and clock faces, among other items for sale. She waved them over with a spatula she gripped in her hand. Sara Mae was still in her flannel pajamas with a heavy wool robe thrown over them. She'd taken the time to throw on a pair of boots, though.
"Now we're in for it. I've been waiting for the questions to start flying. Sara Mae doesn't like to be left out of the loop." Woodrow pulled into her driveway and rolled down his window. With a forced smiled, he motioned toward the bandages on three of her fingers. "What happened?"
"These?" Sara Mae shook her head, and her gray curls bounced merrily. "I got an order for a big, stained glass window, so I've been cutting lots of glass. Cyrus distracts me sometimes, but what's a few nicks and cuts?"
Lily remembered Jackson telling her about Sara Mae's new suitor. The side door opened and Cyrus took a step outside to see what Sara Mae was doing. She gave him a quick wave. "Be back in a minute, sweetie."
Lily didn't know why, but she was sort of surprised that Cyrus had spent the night. But then, why shouldn't he? Sara Mae was over seventy. It's not like she had to worry about her reputation any more. She and Cyrus could do whatever they wanted, as long as it didn't hurt anyone. And from the happy look on both of their faces, it was doing each of them a world of good.
"Are you two getting serious?" Woodrow asked.
"It's silly to take anything too seriously at our time of life," Sara Mae said. "But it sure is nice not being lonely." She switched to the true reason she'd waved them over. "Heard your roommate's gonna jump the broom. Dora told me when I had my hair done yesterday. Has he set a date?"
"Jump the broom?" Lily asked.
"An old saying, like getting hitched. Is he going to marry Caroline Litton?"
"This coming Thursday at the justice of the peace."
"No frills and whistles, huh?" She rubbed her hands over her arms. She had to be getting cold, standing outside in only her PJs and robe.
"Nope, just family. They wanted to keep it simple."
Sara Mae grinned. "Good for them. I always said that Jackson had a head on his shoulders. So does Caroline—a smart, no nonsense girl." She stretched to peer at Lily in the passenger seat. "What about you two? You've been spending some time together."
"Lily's been cooking supper for me and Jackson so that she doesn't have to eat alone."
"Good for her. I hate cooking for one person. End up eating junk in front of the TV. So it's nothing serious, huh? You two don't have any plans?"
Woodrow took her questions in his stride. He'd known Sara Mae for years. "Not us. Not yet."
"Well, you're young yet. Not like Jackson. That boy must be pushing thirty. If he wants a family, he'd better get to it." She turned her attention back to Lily. "How's your mom doing? Is Claire coming home?"
"Mom got an apartment for her at Golden Hills," Lily said. "She hopes to be back soon."
"That's good news." Sara Mae shivered and stomped her feet. "Better get back in. I was fixing breakfast for Cyrus when I saw your van. Take care now." She turned to hurry back into the house, but hesitated to give Woodrow a wicked smile. "Almost forgot to tell you, kiddo, but you have a nice ass." She chuckled as Woodrow turned beet red, then went to join her friend.
Woodrow swung too wide as he backed out of her drive. He almost hit his own mailbox before he started out of town. "Rumor has it that woman has binoculars and watches everyone on the street. I never believed it until now."
Had Sara Mae watched Lily lick her window to tease Woodrow? Lily could feel her own face grow warm. She thought back to what she'd done since her mom was gone. If she remembered right, Woodrow and Jackson had always come to her house together. She and Woodrow hadn't been alone long enough for anyone to get suspicious and for gossip to fly. Or worse, for Sara Mae to call her mother.
"This is a small town," Woodrow said, interrupting her thoughts. "Everyone knows everybody else's business, but damned if I thought they saw everything." He took Lavendar Lane to the main highway, lost in thought.
He was probably doing the same thing she was doing, Lily thought, going over all their movements since she got back to Emerald Hills after Christmas break. With relief, she decided their comings and going must look pretty tame, especially compared to Sara Mae's.
Woodrow flipped on some music, and Lily sipped her coffee to the sound of Heart.
"That's a pretty old CD," she told him during a pause between songs.
"No can beat that woman's voice." He pushed the donut bag toward her. "Only one left. Finish it off."
A cake donut with chocolate frosting. Who could say no to that? She nibbled happily while the CD finished. They drove the next few miles in silence. Country side was flying past them when the van started to feel weird inside, as if all of the air was being sucked out of it. Lily tried to breathe in through her mouth, but her lungs begged for relief. Woodrow cracked his window, and a cold breeze whipped inside, but it didn’t help. He pulled off the road onto the berm. "Get out."
They both gulped in deep breaths when they stumbled out of the van. He and Lily stomped their feet to stay warm. "Is the van having problems?" Lily asked.
"I don't think so. I don’t think it’s the van. I think it’s your doll." Woodrow looked through the window at the white box lying on the back seat. "I think Blair's in trouble."
She stared at him in surprise. "You can feel the dolls?"
"I don't see soul mates, but I'm as sensitive to vibes as you and your mom. It's part of what I do. And Blair's giving off some strong energy."
They waited until the interior of the van was a complete vacuum. Then everything went still. When the van began to breathe again, they got inside and rolled down their windows. Air rushed in.
Lily glanced at the white box. No, no, no! Her voice trembled. "She's gone, isn't she?" She’d rushed this order. How could she be too late again?
Woodrow's expression was grim. "That's what it feels like. We'll know soon enough. We're not that far from the hospital. He's meeting you there, right?"
"He told me to ask for him at the main registration desk. He wasn't sure where he'd be when we got there." Lily fidgeted the rest of the way. Fear prickled her skin.
Twenty minutes later, Woodrow pulled into the parking lot. "Let's find him."
When they got to the information desk, though, the lady said, "He's not here this afternoon. He did rounds in the morning and then got called to the clinic."
"Which clinic?" Woodrow didn't look any too happy.
"It's just down the street. It's an outpatient treatment center. I'll call so that he'll be expecting you."
Woodrow's lips pulled into a straight line. As they walked back to the van, he grumbled, "He could have called and told us. He knew you were coming."
"Maybe it was an emergency. Maybe he didn't think about anything but saving someone's life."
Woodrow didn't look convinced. He drove the short distance to the clinic, his brows furrowed in a deep scowl. "Get the dolls. Let's hope Cross isn't so pissy this time."
Lily wondered what their reception would be, too. Would he want this doll or tell her she was too late again? There was no way she could have made it any faster. But that wasn't her main concern. As they walked to the front door, a heaviness settled over her. She'd grown to like Blair. She was sorry she couldn't get Damian's doll to her in time. She felt sure it would have helped her.
Cross met them in the clinic's foyer. He consulted the clipboard under his arm. "Your timing's perfect. I'm scheduled to see Blair later this afternoon. I can give her the doll then." Under his white, hospital jacket, he was dressed in dark slacks and a gold dress shirt. The gold complemented his light brown eyes.
Woodrow and Lily exchanged glances. "That might not be possible," Woodrow told him.
Cross frowned. "What does that mean? Is the doll ready or not?"
"It's ready." Lily glanced at the white box in her arms. The soul mate doll dangled over her coat sleeve in its plastic bag. "But Blair's energy just dropped and then went out."
"What?"
"That's what happened with Sunny. Her doll's energy bounced off the walls and then died."
Cross took off his wire-rimmed glasses, cleaned the lenses, and then put them back in place. He studied Lily carefully. "What exactly are you telling me?"
"I'm worried about Blair."
"Because you feel some kind of connection between a doll and the person it looks like?"
"Yes."
"Most people would question that."
"It doesn’t matter. But will you check on her? See if she's all right?"
"No need to. She called me to make this appointment a couple of hours ago. She was fine."
"Maybe then. Not now. Will you call?"
"This is extremely odd." But Cross pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He scanned its index and pushed the call button. No one picked up. His frown deepened. He went to the desk and asked the registration nurse for Blair's check-in information. "Wasn't there a friend who lived across the hall from her? Someone we could call in an emergency?"
The nurse handed him the number and he called the number. After a brief conversation, he said, "Blair isn't answering her cell phone. I need to talk to her. Can you get her for me?"
There was a pause while he waited, then a rush of words on the other end.
"I see," Cross said. "If you call 911, I'll be there as soon as I can." When he flipped his phone shut, his eyes narrowed. He looked from Woodrow to Lily. "She overdosed a little while ago. Blair's dead."
Lily took a deep breath. Her gut told her that's what happened, but she didn't want to believe it. She was hoping….what? That Blair was lying somewhere unconscious? That she and Woodrow could send her help in time?
Cross looked at the bag dangling from Lily's arm. "What's that?"
"Just an extra that I thought Blair might enjoy."
He turned his back on them. "If you don't mind, I don't want to pay for another dead girl's doll. Just take it away."
Lily's limbs went limp with relief. She didn't want to give the doll to Cross. She wanted to find Damian to give it to him. "I understand. We'll leave now. You have things to do."
Cross didn't answer. He stalked away, an angry expression on his face.
