The Lake

FIFTY-THREE

“He’s sick, Deana. He wanted money…”

“Where is he?”

“He left. I called Mattie—I feel awful about that. He was just a pathetic human being. Real sick.”

“You called Mattie? Not Mace?”

“No, honey. Not Mace.”

Something in Leigh’s tone made Deana hesitate. There was a tension in it she didn’t like. If there’s a problem with Mace, she thought, I need to know about it. “Mom. About Mace—” she got out.

“How’s Warren?” Leigh interrupted, a little too quickly. Deana closed her lips. Maybe now wasn’t the time to say anything about Mace.

“He’s okay.” She pictured the fag-hag and her band of trolls, tucked away in the twilight zone. Best keep them under wraps, too. Mom doesn’t look like she can take any more shocks.

She led Leigh to the living room. “Guess you could use a drink,” she said, going over to the wet bar and decanting a cognac into a balloon glass. “Anyway,” she said, rapidly changing the subject. “How’re things at the office?”

“Er… I didn’t go today, hon.”

“No?”

“No. Something came up.”

“Oh? Like what?”

“Deana, better grab yourself a drink, too. There’s something I should tell you.”

Brriinngg… Brriinngg…

Leigh’s heart lurched.

“The phone, Mom,” Deana reminded her gently. “Shall I get it?”

“No, dear. It’s probably for me.”

It was.

Mattie.

“We got Nelson, Leigh. He’s in a bad way. Something terminal, I guess. But he’ll be looked after, where he’s going. Don’t you worry about him. Thing is, looks like he’s still harboring some kinda grudge. Swears he’s gonna get you—when he comes out. Which he won’t, of course. Come out, I mean.”

“Thanks for that, Mattie,” Leigh said. She gave an uneasy laugh. “Makes me feel a whole lot better. I don’t think.”

“Nelson’s going noplace, Leigh. Trust me—and you can take that to the bank. He’s real sick, and he’s behind locked doors. So, no chance he’ll bother you or Deana, ever again.” Mattie hesitated, then asked, “You okay? Musta been quite a shock…”

“Yeah. Right.” A pause. “And Mace?”

“He’s gone, Leigh. Vacated his apartment. Skedaddled. Vamoosed.”

“Oh my God…”

“Keep your doors locked, Leigh.” Mattie spoke quietly. Leigh, catching the urgency in her voice, felt a little faint. Mattie was asking, “Has he got a key to your place?”

Leigh’s heart missed a beat.

“Yes… No. I don’t know. I never gave him one. But he knows where I keep a spare.”

Mattie’s silence spoke volumes.

“Maybe you should have a minder,” she said. “I’ll get somebody over there. Whoever it is, I’ll bring them over myself, so when I call, you’ll know it’s okay.”

“Right.” Leigh shivered, bringing a hand to her throat. “This is getting worse, Mattie.”

“It will do. Until we nail Mace. And doing that won’t be easy. He’s one slippery chick.”

“You’re not kidding,” Leigh murmured, then said, “Okay, Mattie. See you soon.”

“That Mattie?”

Leigh nodded. Hugging herself, leaning against the door frame, going over the conversation. Deana studied her, frowned, and said, “Mom, you look awful.”

Leigh managed a bright smile. “Gee, thanks, honey. That’s all I need to know.”

“Here, take a sip of this.” Deana handed the glass of cognac to her mother. “You look as if you need it.”

“Thanks.” Leigh took a swig and winced. “How people can drink this stuff, I’ll never know.”

“Mom. You had something to tell me… What is it?” Leigh sighed. She wasn’t feeling up to repeating the whole thing over again.

“It’s a long story, honey.”

Here we go again: “Here lies Leigh West. Hers was a mighty long story…”

She sighed, and felt sick, going over what happened today. But Deana has to know. Best get it over with now…

Easing into the sofa, she took a sip of cognac and shuddered. At the other end, Deana faced her, her legs drawn up, chin resting on her knees. Her glass lay untouched on the table.

An uneasy silence hung on the air.

“Honey,” Leigh began in a quiet voice. “You’ve always wanted to know more about Charlie, your father. Well, today I learned the truth of the matter—straight from the horse’s mouth. Or, put another way, straight from the pen of Edith Payne, Charlie’s mother.”

Wide-eyed, Deana stared at Leigh. “And?”

“When I was your age, I was a bit of a rebel. Mom and Dad packed me off to Aunt Jenny and Uncle Mike’s in Milwaukee. It was there I met your father…”

Leigh’s hand reached out to touch Deana’s. She gave a hesitant smile.

At last, the tale came tumbling out. All of it. No holds barred. Leigh hoped to God Deana could deal with it. She watched her daughter’s face, afraid she’d see disgust, bewilderment, even contempt. Afraid things between them might never be the same again.

But what Leigh saw was Deana growing up before her eyes. She’d been listening intently, a small frown creasing her brow as she absorbed the details.

“And you never once suspected that Mace was Charlie’s brother?”

“Never. Not in a million years would I think such a thing could be true. Until…”

“Until what?”

“Until I saw Mace’s body last night.” She felt a little awkward talking to Deana like this, but as she’d gotten this far, she felt she had to carry on. “You know, like he’s a blond? Well, he had black hair. Pubic hair and stuff? He was a different person. He has a tan, but with the black hair, his bronze body looked so natural… Like he was born with it—nothing to do with the sun.”

She paused, realizing Deana would spot the link.

She did.

Black hair. Black body hair. Like her own. Deana grimaced. The awful truth was beginning to hit her.

“And I’m related to that creep?”

Gently, Leigh said, “That’s right. He’s your uncle, Deana.”

“Oh my God!!!”

The doorbell rang. Shattering the silence.

Their hearts raced.

Leigh rushed to the hallway.

Mattie was on the stoop.

“I’m alone, Leigh. Decided to go it alone. I know Mace’s mind better than anyone.” Quickly, she stepped inside the hallway. “We put out an all points,” she explained. A moment’s pause, then quietly she asked, “Does Deana know?”

Leigh nodded.

“How’s she taking it?”

“Well, I think. Probably hasn’t hit her yet. When it does, there’ll be repercussions—bound to be. But at the moment, she’s okay. It’s quite a story for her to deal with, Mattie.”

“Yeah, a pretty tough one to swallow, I agree. But she’ll pull through. She’s a sensible gal for her age. Best she knows what we’re up against; that way she’ll be aware of what might happen.”

“The devil you know, et cetera.”

Mattie frowned. “Something like that,” she said quietly.

They went into the living room.

“Hi, Mattie.”

“Hi yourself, Deana.”

“Deana, huh? Sure that’s not Charlie?”

“No, honey. No more Charlies. Enough of them around as it is, huh?”

Leigh broke in. “Hey. It’s been a busy day—and night. How about a nightcap before we turn in?”

“Sounds good to me. Thing is, I don’t reckon I’ll be doing much sleeping…”

“Me neither,” Deana put in.

Leigh went over to the sound system. She put on some Sinatra. Sexy ol’ Frank. “My Way” was her favorite. A good one to relax to at the end of a hard day.

They chatted and laughed. Trying to chill out. Trying to ignore what had happened earlier. But, beneath it all, their minds were on Mace. Wondering where he was.

What he was doing.

Finally blocking him out of her mind, Deana switched over to Warren. Thinking about how they almost made love.

Yeah. Almost.

Then she pictured Mommy Dearest and her band of old broads.

Forget her, she told herself. She’s history…

Deana’s thoughts slipped back to Warren.

Wishing he were here. Promising herself she’d tell him the whole story just as Mom told it to her.

A terrifying thought crossed her mind.

Warren could be in danger himself… Mace knows about him. Knows where he lives, too.

He might threaten Warren.

Harm him, even.

Oh God—that couldn’t really happen. Could it?

“Mom,” Deana said hurriedly. “What about Warren? Mace knows about him being my boyfriend and everything.” She turned to Mattie. “D’ya think he’s in any danger?”

“Warren?”

“Yeah. I met him recently. He’s a nice guy. Has a dog called Sabre. And a sister called Sheena. She’s a bouncer at a nightclub in San Jose.”

Mattie’s ears pricked up. This was a new angle. One that could complicate matters.

“Perhaps we should warn this… Warren? Got his number?”

“Yeah.”

“Best give him a call, Deana.”

“Okay.”

Deana went to the hallway. She dialed Warren’s number.

Two short rings. Then:

“The Hastings residence. How may I—”

“Warren?”

“Hi, Deana. How ya doin?”

Her heart warmed. He sounded so calm and sensible.

“Warren. Sorry to call so late. But we, er… might have ourselves a situation here. Mom’s boyfriend—pardon me, former boyfriend Mace, from Mill Valley PD?” Deana rolled up her eyes and made a face. Come on, Warren. You must remember…

“Yes?”

“Well, I can’t explain now, but he’s on the run. Gone apeshit. And he knows about you. We thought he might try to contact you.”

“Really?”

Deana got worried. If only she didn’t have to involve him like this. Worst-case scenario, it could mean good-bye to Warren. And they hadn’t even made love yet. Not properly, anyhow.

“Deana. Are you and Leigh okay?”

She breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t sound as if he was about to disappear out of her life forever.

“Sure. We have a police officer here.” Turning, she looked through the doorway and smiled in Mattie’s direction. “She’s keeping guard over us.”

“Deana. I’m coming over.”

“You sure? What about Sheena?”

“She’s not due in until five-thirty.”

“Yeah. You said…”

Putting a hand over the mouthpiece, she told Mattie, “Warren’s coming over. Okay?”

“The more the merrier!”

Deana spoke into the phone.

“Sure, Warren,” she said. “But be careful. Bring your car down the driveway. We’ll be waiting for you.”

“Right. Be there in about fifteen minutes?”

“Sure. Oh, Warren?”

“Deana?”

“What about Sabre?”

“I’ll leave him here. Intruders come a-callin’, they might change their minds and go home.”

Deana giggled. “Sure. Let Sabre guard Sheena. Or should that be the other way around?”

At the other end, Warren smiled grimly.

“Intruder breaks in here, Deana, it’d be a question of who gets him first—Sheena or Sabre!”