Tonight You're Mine (25 page)

“Jill is spending the night with a friend. I thought you might find it creepy being back here, so I decided to spend the evening with you.”

Nicole smiled. “It's a pleasant surprise. Just the three of us girls, hangin' out.”

“Us girls and Jesse,” Shelley said, burrowing between Nicole and Carmen on the couch, reaching forward for the popcorn bowl and offering it to Carmen. She stared at it for a moment then dived in, obviously not worrying about the diet tonight. When the bowl was empty, they turned to the yearbook. Shelley looked at her mother's senior picture—stiff, unnatural, her young face crowned with layered, puffy hair—and laughed. “Your hair doesn't stick out like that anymore, Mommy.”

“No. Styles change, thank goodness. You don't know how much time I spent trying to get my naturally straight hair to curl and pouf. I hate to think of how much hair spray I used. Your Aunt Carmen was blessed. Her hair curled all by itself.”

They looked at Carmen's photograph. Her hair was indeed full, her face thinner. “Aunt Carmen, you look sad in that picture,” Shelley said.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” Carmen said softly.

Nicole remembered the day those photos were taken. Carmen and Bobby had had a fight in the morning. Carmen was upset out of all proportion, it had seemed to Nicole. She didn't know then that Carmen thought, probably correctly, that Bobby would immediately turn to another girl.

“Let's look at some more,” Shelley said. “Are there any other people in here I know?”

“I don't think so,” Carmen told her. “But there are others of your mother and me.” Carmen flipped pages. “Here's your mother—the head cheerleader all the boys wanted to date.”

“Oh, sure,” Nicole laughed. “I sat home lots of Saturday nights. I was afraid I wasn't even going to be asked to the prom.”

“That's because your parents scared off everyone,” Carmen said. “Boys nearly had to be cleared by the FBI before they could date you.”

“Blame that on Mom. The general taught her interrogation techniques that would frighten off the bravest soul.”

“Were you a cheerleader, Aunt Carmen?” Shelley asked.

“No, I was in the band. I wore a heavy uniform and hid behind a saxophone.”

“Were you a good player?”

“No, I was awful.”

“Then how come you did it?”

“I guess I just wanted attention.” Carmen turned more pages. “Oh, look, Nicole. Here we are in that Thespian Club play.”

Nicole peered closely. “We are? What play?”

“Don't you remember? The principal's son was a drama major in college. He wrote that horrid play about the Salem witch trials, and the principal nearly forced the Thespian Club to put it on. It was long, boring, factually inaccurate.” Carmen laughed. “There we are—Witch Number One and Witch Number Two. We had to wear hoods, Shelley, which the real victims of the witch trials never wore.”

“Hoods?” Shelley echoed as Nicole felt herself going hollow.

“Yeah. Hoods to symbolize death—we all had to come back and give a speech after we'd been hanged, and the hoods were sort of gruesome reminders to the audience that we were dead. You made such a big deal about it all, Nicole. About the hanging, and especially about the silly hood. You hated it. You were nearly obsessed with it. You threatened to burn yours after the play.”

“I'd forgotten,” Nicole said weakly. “In the play we were hanged as witches and wore hoods.”

Carmen suddenly frowned. Shelley touched Nicole's arm. “Mommy, why do you look so weird? And how come you're so cold?”

Nicole couldn't answer. She simply stared at Carmen and saw one word mirrored in her eyes: “hood.” Hoods exactly like the ones Magaro and Zand wore fifteen years ago. Hoods like the one Izzy Dooley wore yesterday morning as he hung from the tree in her yard.

1

Phyllis half rose from the couch. “Nicole, he's raising his leg again,” she said nervously.

“Shelley, take Jesse outside,” Nicole said for the fifth time since they'd arrived an hour ago. As Shelley called for Jesse to follow her into the large fenced-in back lawn, Nicole looked at her mother apologetically. “Sorry, Mom. I guess we shouldn't have brought him.”

“No, that's all right,” Phyllis said insincerely, “but I thought he was house-trained.”

“He is. He's only putting a drop here and there to mark his territory.”

“Oh, how charming.”

Nicole smiled. “Mom, you're making a tremendous effort today, but we'll go soon. I know you don't like animals.”

Phyllis shook her head. “I don't want you to leave. I've been so worried about you. And I
don't
dislike animals. Kay finally told me about her illness last night, and I've promised to take her cats when she's no longer able to care for them.”

Nicole looked at her mother in shock. “Her cats!
Both
of them?”

“Well, don't look at me in such amazement, Nicole. I do have a
few
warm bones in my body.”

“I think they're all warm, although you try not to show it. What about your animal allergy?”

“Apparently the allergist made a mistake. Kay's cats didn't bother me in the least. It might be nice to have them here.”

“Pets are a big responsibility.”

“I'm not a child, Nicole, I know they are. But what am I supposed to do with my life now?”

“You still have Shelley and me.”

“Shelley is getting older. She'll be dating soon and wanting to run around with her own friends. When you get out of this mess with Roger, you'll start dating again, too. The last thing either of you will want to do is spend every Saturday or Sunday entertaining me.”

“But what about your friends?”

Phyllis hesitated. “My only real friend was your father. He's gone. I could have been great friends with Kay, but I waited too long to find that out.”

“But what about all the ladies in your reading club?”

“Oh, like Mildred Loomis? Good heavens, every visit from her would clean out the kitchen. And she's a dreadful gossip. The others? They're involved with their own families. So what do you suggest? I've explained why I don't want to keep the store. I don't believe anyone is going to hire a sixty-year-old woman who has never had a professional job, who can't even type much less work one of those wretched computers. I really don't see myself sitting here day after day watching soap operas and crocheting doilies.”

Nicole smiled. “Some days that would sound like heaven to me.”

“That's only because your life is so full and you don't
have
to do it. No, I don't want to drain other people, but whatever I occupy my time with, I want it to be warm and alive, someone, or something, who can love me in return.”

Nicole had never felt she loved her mother more than at that moment. She knew how proud of her Clifton Sloan would have been, as well. Nicole's father had adored animals. Maybe that was figuring into Phyllis's offer to take Kay's cats, too.

A thought suddenly struck Nicole. “Mom, before Shelley comes back in, I need to ask something.” Phyllis raised a penciled eyebrow. “Do you remember a play Carmen and I were in during high school?”

“The senior play?”

“No. Something the Thespian Club produced. It was a dreadful thing about the Salem witch trials—”

“Oh,
yes
!” Phyllis burst out. “The worst play I've ever seen. And the gruesome costumes! A lot of pretty girls wearing those awful hoods.”

Nicole grew tenser. “It's about the hoods I'm concerned. Do you know what happened to mine?”

“Your hood from that play? Why on earth would you want it?”

“I just want to know if
you
know where it is.”

Phyllis raised her hands. “Well, I made it—”

“You
made
my hood?” Nicole asked in surprise.

“They don't sell glamorous hoods like that in local department stores,” Phyllis said dryly. “Yes. I had to make it. On the first try I got the eye holes too low. The second one was all right.”

“So there were
two
hoods?” Nicole asked slowly. “What did I do with them
after
the play? Throw them away?”

Phyllis was looking at her strangely. “Why are you so interested in those hoods?”

She's forgotten about the hoods on Magaro and Zand, and she knows nothing about the hood on Dooley, Nicole thought. “Carmen was over last night. She brought our senior yearbook. There was a picture of us wearing the hoods. I'd completely forgotten about it, but I got curious. It's not important.”

“I don't think he could squeeze out one more little drop of water,” Shelley exclaimed, bounding back into the perfect living room with Jesse, who let out a noisy sneeze.

Shelley looked at her grandmother. “Sorry. Sometimes he sneezes when he doesn't like someone. Sometimes he sneezes when he's happy. It's kind of a problem.”

“Jesse has many problems,” Phyllis said forbearingly, “but he's still a good boy who loves his mistress.”

Shelley beamed. Nicole sat astounded by her mother's good will. Jesse looked as if he were going to sneeze again in pure joy.

The phone beside the couch rang and Phyllis picked it up. She listened for a moment, then said in a tense voice, “Yes, she's here. What's the problem?” Another pause. “Well, I don't see why not. I
am
her mother.”

Nicole rushed to the phone and took the receiver from her mother's hand. “This is Nicole Chandler.”

“Mrs.
Roger
Chandler?”

“Yes. To whom am I speaking?”

“Mrs. Chandler, this is the Texas Medical Center. Your husband has just been brought in. He was in a bad car wreck and has serious injuries.”

2

Nicole hung up. “Roger's been in a car accident. I have to go to the hospital.”

“
You
have to go?” Phyllis said indignantly. “Why?”

“Because he's still my husband.”

“Daddy's hurt?” Shelley asked, her voice distressed and guilty at the same time. She thinks I'll be angry with her for caring, Nicole thought.

“Yes, Shelley, he's hurt. I know you still love Daddy and you're upset, but I'd like for you to stay here with Grandma while I go to the hospital.”

“Why can't I go?”

“Because I might have to sit around for hours in an emergency room, and that's no place for a child.” Nicole went to her, kneeled, and put her hands on Shelley's shoulders. “I'll call you the minute I know something. Okay?”

Nicole glanced up at Phyllis, who looked as if she'd like to keep Nicole from going, too, but she only said, “Yes, Shelley, stay with me. Emergency rooms are full of germs. You don't want to get sick, do you? How will you take care of Jesse?”

“I don't want Mommy to get sick, either.”

“I won't,” Nicole said. “I'm older and tougher than you.”

“But you got hurt last night,” Shelley argued, reaching out to touch her mother's jaw.

Phyllis's gaze snapped to the spot. “Nicole, I thought I saw a shadow on your face, although you've tried to keep that side turned away from me. What happened?”

“I banged my jaw on a cabinet door,” Nicole said quickly, winking at Shelley.

But Phyllis wasn't fooled. “You're so creative, Nicole, I wouldn't think you'd use the oldest excuse in the book for that kind of bruise. And you're rushing off to
see
him?”

Nicole stood. “Mom, he's Shelley's father.” She kissed Phyllis lightly on the cheek. “I'll call soon.”

Nicole drove quickly to the hospital, surprised by how much concern she still felt for Roger's welfare. He'd never been the love of her life, and for the last two months, he'd embarrassed her, deserted her, threatened her, and even hit her. But she still cared. She didn't want her marriage resurrected, but she wanted Roger's health and well-being restored.

As soon as she entered the emergency waiting room, her eyes fell on Lisa Mervin. She sat huddled in a corner chair, her legs tucked beneath her, her long hair pulled over one shoulder so she could comb her fingers through it nervously.

“Lisa?” The girl looked up with mascara-smudged eyes. She was deathly pale and she held her right arm as if it hurt. “Lisa, were you in the car with him?”

Lisa shook her head mutely. “I fell down,” she said like a child. “He got mad and went tearing out to the car. I was running after him and I fell.”

“Was he drinking?” Nicole asked, sitting down beside her.

“No. But he was so
mad
.” She looked away. “You had him arrested last night.”

“He tried to take Shelley and he hit me. But he would have been arrested even if I hadn't pressed charges. He also assaulted a police officer.”

Lisa tensed. “He hit you
and
a cop?”

“He hit me and he
tried
to hit a cop. Why? What did he tell you?”

“That you had him arrested for coming near the house just to check on Shelley.”

“Good old Roger and his lies,” Nicole sighed. “Have you had word on his condition?”

“Not yet. I'm not next of kin, anyway. They wanted next of kin.”

“How did you know to reach me at my mother's?”

“I didn't. When you weren't home, I called Vega's. Carmen said you might be at your mother's house and gave me the number.”

“Oh.” Nicole sat down beside her, feeling awkward. The two women in Roger's life, one the wife, one the mistress, and both were worried. What did you say in a situation like this? Nicole couldn't bring herself to try to comfort Lisa, so she fell back on questions. “Where did the wreck happen?”

“At the end of the street. Roger just pulled out of the apartment-house parking lot, went shooting down the street, and didn't stop at the intersection. I saw the whole thing because I was chasing after him since he was so mad and all. Two cars hit him.”

Nicole looked at her in amazement. “He didn't stop at the intersection? He'd be pulling onto a busy street. Are you
sure
he wasn't drunk?”

“Absolutely. He just paced around all morning drinking coffee, raving about you and…well, how he was going to take Shelley away from you for good because you were a crazy woman and everyone knew it, what with you carrying on about Paul Dominic, who is dead, and those murders at your house…”

Nicole raised an eyebrow and Lisa's face reddened. So Roger was accusing her of being crazy and saying that's why he had a right to take Shelley away from her. Hadn't Carmen claimed that was his game plan? To prove her unstable so he could have full custody of Shelley? And the whole thing had started with the prowler in the wolf mask.

“Lisa, I'm going to ask you something and I need to know the truth.” The girl looked at her warily. “I want to know about the wolf mask you bought at Vega's. Did you really buy it for Roger?”

Lisa blinked blank green eyes. “Wolf mask?”

“Yes. The heavy Indian wolf mask. Bobby said you bought it for Roger.”

Lisa continued to look maddeningly blank. “I don't know what you're talking about.” Her voice held the ring of truth.

“I believe Roger might have worn a wolf mask you bought to scare me.”

Lisa looked at her as if she were indeed the crazy woman Roger claimed. “Why would he?”

“I don't know. You tell me.”

Lisa seemed to draw away from her slightly. “Look, Nicole, I'm not saying someone didn't do that, but if they did, they weren't wearing a mask
I
bought.” She frowned. “
Bobby
told you I bought a mask?”

“Yes. Well, actually, he told Carmen and she told me.”

“Oh. So you really heard this from Carmen.”

“Yes.”

Lisa shrugged. “That explains it.”

“What are you implying?”

“That I wouldn't believe anything Carmen has to say.”

Nicole stiffened. “Carmen is my best friend. Besides, you don't even know her.”

“Who says I don't know her?”

“She does.”

Lisa huffed. “Carmen has known me since I was a little kid.”

Nicole stared at her for a moment before she said, “I don't believe you.”

“I don't care what you believe, but when I was a kid, Mrs. Vega baby-sat for a lot of people. I was in the Vega house every weekday. Carmen was always there, drooling around over Bobby.”

“Lisa, you couldn't have been more than five when Bobby and Carmen were dating.”

“So what? I wasn't deaf and blind. Besides, they lived with the Vegas after they got married. Mrs. Vega didn't like her. She told my mother that Bobby didn't want to marry her, even when she got pregnant. She said although it was the right thing to do and she encouraged him, she didn't think he would have gone through with it if that band Bobby was in hadn't fallen apart.”

“Maybe you misunderstood. You were so young.”

“It was hard to stay young at my house. My parents didn't believe in protecting children. But I didn't have to be told. Even when I was little I could tell Carmen acted funny around Bobby. She was obsessive. I think she got pregnant on purpose. I don't know what she would have done if Bobby had
still
refused to marry her, pregnant or not.”

Nicole sat in silence, torn between further questions and hot denial. She and Carmen had been almost like sisters since they were six. Carmen was the only person she'd told when she was involved with Paul. She was the first person Nicole had called when she'd accepted Roger's proposal, the matron of honor at her wedding, the person with whom she'd been in constant contact during her pregnancy with Shelley, the first who knew Roger was leaving her. Why would she lie about knowing Lisa Mervin or claiming that Bobby said Lisa had bought the wolf mask?