Sisters (18 page)

‘I do, indeed,’ said Alex. She put her coat on a hook, adjusted the fitted jacket and skirt on her black suit, and followed him down the hall and then down the steps into the family room.

The scene which greeted her made her stop short. Dory was sitting beside Elaine on the sofa. Elaine sat up straight, her back rigid. Her eyes looked bruised and wary. On the opposite side of Dory, Alex was startled to see Seth, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He caught Alex’s eye. She glanced at him and looked away. Chris, Therese and Joy were also in attendance. The Ennis family had apparently been recruited to join in the celebration and were doing their best to appear enthusiastic.

Dory looked up at Alex as she came in. ‘Hi, Alex,’ she said.

Alex summoned all the friendliness she could muster. She walked over to Dory, bent down and gave her a hug. ‘Congratulations,’ she said. ‘I’m so happy for you.’ She deliberately did not speak to Seth, who was so close she could inhale his familiar, disturbing scent.

Dory grabbed her hand as she was straightening up. ‘Thanks, Alex,’ she said. ‘I mean it. I owe you.’

‘Not at all,’ said Alex. ‘I’m just glad it worked out.’

‘I’m glad I have a sister,’ said Dory with uncharacteristic warmth.

Alex saw a grimace of distaste twist Elaine’s face. She hunched her shoulders, as if to escape from Dory’s arm that pressed against her.

‘Me too,’ said Alex. ‘I’m glad too.’

Garth approached with a glass of champagne and handed it to Alex. She took it and began to sip.

‘So, Dory,’ said Joy, who was still dressed in her rumpled work clothes, but was wearing bedroom slippers. ‘What do you do now?’

Dory shrugged. ‘Get back to my life, I guess. Try to connect with my old customers. Maybe meet some new people.’ She looked pointedly at Seth, who smiled briefly and looked away.

‘You going to continue living with Alex?’ Chris Ennis asked.

‘I don’t know,’ Dory said evasively. ‘If I want to get my old customers back, I probably need to live here. Besides, Alex has probably had enough of me.’

Alex felt cornered as all eyes turned to her. I have had enough, she thought. But she would never say it in front of these people. In fact, looking at the way in which Elaine seemed to recoil from her daughter’s touch, Alex felt the old sympathy for Dory rising again. ‘We didn’t do that bad,’ she said.

Just then the doorbell buzzer sounded again.

Garth looked around the room. ‘Who’s that? Who else did you invite?’ he said pleasantly to Dory.

Dory shook her head.

Garth dutifully began to mount the stairs again.

Therese, who was sitting on a wooden chair beside her mother, spoke quietly into Joy’s ear. Joy nodded and patted her daughter on her bony knee. ‘We will,’ she said, a half-smile lifting the dimple and beauty mark on one side of her face. ‘We’ll leave in a few minutes.’

Seth, excusing himself to Dory, pushed himself up out of the corner of the sofa and came over to where Alex was standing. Alex looked at him coldly and refused to ask the obvious question.

Seth did not wait to be asked. ‘I saw your car in the driveway so I stopped by your house this afternoon. I wanted to find out how your interview went at the gallery,’ he explained in a low voice. ‘Dory told me you got the job and you started today. How come you didn’t call me?’

Alex remembered thinking that she had wanted to call him, but had convinced herself that she would sound needy and foolish if she did. ‘It didn’t occur to me,’ she lied.

‘How did the first day go?’ he asked.

‘Fine,’ said Alex. ‘I think I’m going to like it there. So, you were hanging out with Dory this afternoon?’

‘We weren’t “hanging out,”’ he protested. ‘We were talking a little bit, and I was still at your house when the call came. Dory was all excited, naturally enough, and wanted to tell her parents herself. So she asked me to drive her here.’

‘You don’t have to explain,’ Alex said, feigning indifference.

‘Yes, I do,’ he said. ‘I saw your expression when you saw me here.’

‘I was just surprised,’ Alex protested.

‘Anyway, that dog she bought nearly bit my head off,’ Seth said.

Alex nodded grimly. ‘Remus. He’s a handful.’

‘I was trying to imagine your delight yesterday when you came home and were greeted by that barking maniac.’

Alex smiled. ‘You’re right. It was bad.’ Then she could not resist adding: ‘I wasn’t pleased about the dog either.’

Seth burst out laughing.

Dory turned to look at him. ‘What’s so funny?’ she asked suspiciously.

‘Nothing,’ said Alex.

Seth composed himself and waved off Dory’s concern. When she looked away again, he spoke in a low voice to Alex. ‘So, are you relieved?’ he asked. ‘She’s free to go now.’

Alex nodded slightly. ‘To be honest, yes,’ she said.

Not looking at her, Seth put his arm around her waist and gently tugged her toward him. Alex allowed him to hold her like that for a second and then pulled away. Dory turned and gazed at them with an alert, flinty expression in her eyes.

Just then Garth reappeared at the top of the short staircase, flanked by two men, one white and one black, in overcoats and suits. The three of them descended the steps, their faces grave, as silence fell on the festivities.

‘Um, folks, we have an official visit here. This is Detective Spagnola and Detective Langford,’ said Garth.

‘More cops? This is overkill,’ Chris Ennis exclaimed.

Therese looked warily at the two detectives and burrowed against her mother.

Alex had to stifle a gasp herself. What now? she thought.

Dory looked at the policemen in alarm. ‘What’s going on?’ she demanded. ‘Why are you here?’

‘I called them,’ said Elaine. ‘I asked them to come.’

TWENTY

D
ory jumped up from the sofa and stared at her mother, who was looking quite satisfied with herself. ‘You called them?’ she cried. ‘Why? This thing is finally over.’

Elaine’s gaze seemed to crackle. ‘Over? It’s not over for me. In case you’ve forgotten, your sister, Lauren, was murdered. Just because the charges against you were dropped does not mean that this case can be put to rest. What happened to my baby? I still want answers. If it wasn’t you who killed Lauren, who was it? They’re the police. They need to start all over again.’

Garth frowned at his wife. ‘Couldn’t you have let Dory have this one day?’

Elaine sniffed. ‘I thought you, of all people, would understand.’

‘You were right to call us,’ said Detective Spagnola. ‘We are officially reopening this case. We’ve been over the file, and we need to question again all the people we talked to three years ago.’

Chris Ennis stood up abruptly. ‘Well, I guess the party’s over.’ He turned to Joy and Therese. ‘We may as well head back upstairs.’ Following his lead, Joy and Therese stood up to go.

Detective Langford frowned at him. ‘You live in this building?’

Chris nodded. ‘My wife and my daughter and I.’

‘And your name is . . .’

‘Christopher Ennis. And this is my wife, Joy. And my daughter, Therese.’

Detective Langford consulted a list he had on a clipboard. ‘Mr Ennis. You were living here when Lauren Colson was murdered.’

‘Yes, we were,’ said Chris. ‘But we answered all these questions when it happened. We really have nothing new to offer. None of us were home at the time it happened.’

‘Why don’t you just sit back down for a minute,’ said Detective Langford.

‘Why do we have to stay?’ Therese asked her mother.

‘Look,’ said the detective. ‘Obviously somebody messed up when they were questioning witnesses and suspects, and now we need to re-question friends, family, anybody who was in the building or had access to the building. What about you, ma’am?’ he asked, turning to Alex.

‘What about me?’

‘Name?’

‘Alex Woods.’

‘You a friend of the victim’s? Or the family?’

Alex knew better than to give him the long version. ‘I never met the Colsons until a few weeks ago. I never knew Lauren Colson at all.’

‘Me neither,’ said Seth. ‘Seth Paige. I just gave Dory a ride here today.’

Dory glared at him. ‘Thanks a lot, Seth. We’re not even friends?’

‘I didn’t mean it like that, Dory,’ he said. ‘I only meant for their purposes.’

The detective consulted his list. ‘You two can leave,’ he said.

‘Thanks,’ said Seth. He turned to Alex, as if to ask her if she was coming. Alex was looking at Dory.

‘I’m sorry this had to happen right now,’ she said.

Dory shook her head. ‘Lauren. It’s like she’s still here.’

‘Are you staying with your parents or coming back to my house tonight?’ Alex asked.

‘I don’t know,’ said Dory irritably.

‘Well, if you want me to I can bring your stuff to town tomorrow. But you still need to pick up the dog.’

Dory looked at Alex and shook her head. ‘You said you liked animals. What a joke. You’re too selfish. I can’t imagine you ever having a dog of your own.’

‘Dory,’ Garth warned her. ‘Where did you get the dog?’

‘My old customer. Regina Magill. She brought him out there.’

‘We’ll get Regina to take the dog off your hands,’ said Garth. ‘Don’t worry.’

‘I’ll decide what happens to my dog,’ Dory said.

‘Fine,’ said Alex grimly. ‘I’ll wait to hear from you.’

Out on the street Seth said, ‘Can I give you a lift? I’m parked right at the end of the block.’

Alex hesitated. Then she said, ‘OK.’

She followed him to his car and clambered into the front seat, grateful when the heat began to rise. She couldn’t stop shivering. As Seth maneuvered the car out of the space, Alex closed her eyes and tipped her head back, exhausted after the sleepless night before and the upheavals of the day. Before she knew it, she was asleep. She opened her eyes again when the car jerked to a halt in her driveway.

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t much company.’

‘Doesn’t matter. You were tired,’ he said.

‘I was,’ she replied. ‘Well, thank you.’ She opened the car door.

‘I think I better go in with you,’ he said.

‘Why? Don’t be silly.’

‘Remus might be in an ornery mood.’

As if Remus had heard what Seth said, he began to bark frantically from inside the house.

‘What can you do?’ Alex asked doubtfully.

‘I’m a dog whisperer,’ he said.

‘Right.’

‘Just wait,’ he said, getting out of the driver’s side.

Alex didn’t want to admit it, but she was glad he was coming in with her. She followed him up the shoveled walk to the front door, opened it and let him precede her into the house. Remus barked like he was possessed by the devil, the shrill noise echoing up the stairwell.

Seth began murmuring and, in a short time, Remus was quiet. Seth straightened up and turned to Alex.

‘Ahem,’ he said. ‘What did I tell you?’

‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I’ve got to hand it to you.’

Seth hesitated in the doorway.

‘Can you stay for something to drink?’ she asked.

‘I can’t stay long,’ he said. ‘I have to pack.’

Alex shrugged. ‘Beer?’

Seth nodded and followed her into the kitchen. Remus, his nails clacking on the floor, brought up the rear.

Alex got them each a drink and they sat down at the kitchen table.

‘Nice party at the Colsons, eh?’ he asked.

She laughed in spite of herself. ‘That was horrible. Poor Dory.’

‘She brings it on herself,’ he said.

‘Maybe,’ Alex admitted. ‘But her mother just won’t cut her any slack.’

‘There’s worse things than losing your mother, I guess,’ he said.

Alex raised her glass and clinked it with his beer bottle. ‘True,’ she said.

They sat in silence for a moment, each contemplating their own losses. Then Alex said, ‘So, is it Friday you’re leaving?’

‘Actually, I’m leaving tonight,’ he said.

‘Tonight?’

‘Yeah, I’m not flying. I’m going to drive out. Obviously it’s going to take a lot longer to get out there, so I’ll just do five or six hours tonight and then I’ll stop somewhere and pick it up tomorrow.’

‘Guess you’re in a hurry to get going,’ she said.

‘The sooner I go, the sooner I get back.’

Alex looked up at him and frowned. ‘Get back?’

‘I’m going back to resign from my position. I’m driving the SUV so that I can clear out my place and bring back my stuff.’

Alex felt her heart leap in her chest. ‘What are you talking about? You’re coming back here?’

Seth nodded. ‘This thing with my dad was kind of a wake-up call. You know, I’m pretty fond of that old guy, and I can see that his health isn’t all that it might be. And he’s the only parent I’ve got left. I guess talking to you made me hyper-aware of that this vacation. And there’s Janet and the kids. They’re my family. It’s important to be around them. I’m tired of living so far away.’

‘So you’re just quitting your job and moving home?’

‘You make me sound like a slacker,’ he teased her.

Alex blushed.

‘No. Remember the other day on the train when I told you I was having lunch with my old advisor? He’s been trying to get me to come back and teach in his department at the university for several years now. This time I told him I was ready to do it. It’s semester break so I figured I better make the leap before the new semester started.’

Alex stared at him. ‘You’re really moving back here?’

‘Yep,’ he said. He was quiet for a moment. ‘What do you think?’

Alex could not meet his gaze. ‘I’m . . . really glad,’ she said.

‘Good.’ Seth smiled, then extended his hand across the table. ‘Because my family isn’t the only reason I want to come back here,’ he said.

Alex could feel the warmth of his gaze on her. She hesitated before reaching out and putting her hand in his. She felt as if her hand was going to burst into flame. ‘It isn’t?’

Seth shook his head. ‘Nope.’

They sat like that for a moment, both tongue-tied. Then Seth let go of her hand and stood up. ‘So as much as I’d like to stay here and discuss this with you, I’ve got to get a move on. It’s a long drive.’

Alex stood up, smiling, and walked with him to the front door. ‘I’m so happy you’re coming back,’ she said.