Without Any Warning (A Samantha Jamison Mystery Volume 2) (14 page)

Chapter 43

Parceling Packages, Words & People

After lunch, I must have dozed off on my chaise lounge, again
.
I wasn’t sleeping well after that confession from Mona about the disc. Sleepless, night after night, I tried to figure out what I was supposed to be looking for. Even harder than that, where? I also double-checked my locks and alarm, jumping every time I heard a strange noise.

My ears perked up at the sound of the front door opening and closing. A minute later, I heard next to me, “Good Lordy! Look what the mailman just delivered.”

Startled, I sat upright. There stood Martha, staring down at me expectantly, holding out a plain brown, taped box. I took it, and guessing by the heft of it, immediately became suspicious.

Martha pushed my feet to the floor and sat down next to me. “Well? Are you going to open it? What could it be? Who could have sent it? Hey, help me out here, would you? I forgot my glasses! Where’s it from?”

“Hold on!” I said, slowly turning it over.

My last stomping grounds!

“It says, Highlands, North Carolina,” I replied. “Other than that, there’s no return name or address anywhere on it.” I tried to shake off an odd feeling I was getting. I could think of any number of people, but which one had sent it, and for what reason?

Martha was prepared with a knife to slit the tape. “Let’s see what’s in this baby. Here,” she said, handing it to me.

I looked at her. Her eyes were riveted on the box. “How convenient,” I chided.

She gently punched my arm. “You already know how nosy I am. Why would I change now? Come on! Start slicing that thing!”

Just then the doorbell rang. We silently turned and looked each other.

“Damn!” complained Martha. “What lousy timing!”

“I’ll get it,” I said, standing up. Martha could not tear her eyes from that box sitting on the chaise lounge. I could already visualize what would take place the minute I left it with her. “I think I’ll carry this with me,” I said laughing, and then quickly snagged it up in my hands.

The doorbell rang insistently again and again. Martha slumped in disappointment, knowing she would have to wait. “You might as well go see who it is,” she said, crestfallen.

I quickly descended the stairwell to the lower floor with Martha shadowing me closely. I guess she didn’t trust me with the box either. “Get rid of whoever it is,” she said. “Tell them we have more important matters to attend to.”

I turned toward her. “You know, patience is a virtue.” I turned back and open the door single-handedly.

Then stepped back hastily. I could hardly believe my eyes. There stood Betty and Hazel, the two elderly friends from Highlands, who worked in Clay’s bookstore.

 
“…What …are you two doing here?” I asked, moving to the side as they entered the foyer.

Peering over my shoulder, Martha gaped. “Well, I’ll be! If it isn’t the bookworms from Highlands.”

“Very funny,” said Betty, tucking in strays on her bun, and smoothing down her skirt. “That’s no way to treat friends, Martha. You know, sarcasm never did play well with me.”

“Who said we were friends?” laughed Martha. “Aren’t you two too old to be traveling all this distance all by yourselves?”

“Tsk! Tsk!” chastised Hazel, fussing with her slightly disheveled, curly gray hair. “We’re the same age as you, you old curmudgeon! You gave us the slip.”

I stared, as they went at it again, swiveling my head with each remark. Somehow, I had to take charge. “Ladies! Why the commotion? You’re friends! Why are you here?”

Betty stepped forward, pointing an accusing finger in Martha’s direction. “She waited until we were out of town and took off for your place without us. That’s what!”

“She promised not to leave without us,” accused Hazel. “We were in Atlanta visiting and she took off in the middle of the night. Because of that, we missed primo beach time.”

“Why, everybody knows it’s too early!” said Martha, eyeing me and winking. “This is New Jersey!” She laughed and then turned back to them. “It was a pretty good exit plan, though. Don’t you think? Besides, I had to get a jump on you two to get the first fish in the pond over at Atlantic City. You both have a reputation as geriatric magnets, and I couldn’t afford to take any chances. I needed an edge of at least a few weeks to maintain the goal I set for myself.”

I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. “Ladies, please! I…” I never finished, as I suddenly spotted luggage at their feet,
lots of luggage
.
When was all that dragged in?
I had fleeting thoughts of my still somewhat slim manuscript slowly fading into the sunset.

Martha shrugged. “Hey, we can settle this later. If we all pitch in, I think we can lug this stuff up the stairs.” She turned to me. “Which bedroom should I put them in?”

Like I really had a lot left to choose from.

I sighed. “There’s only one left, the one near the end of the hall. Is that okay, ladies?” I asked, as another small box was discreetly shoved into my hands.

“Why, that will be just fine, Samantha” replied Hazel. “Here, this gift is for you.”

“My! My! Will you look at this place!” exclaimed Betty, looking all around, as she began hefting some of her bags up the stairwell. “This place is definitely uptown!”

“Hey! Be careful!” warned Martha. “Watch the statues! Mark my words! They’re an accident waiting to happen!”

I juggled the two parcels as they all talked at once about the locals and gossip from back home in Highlands, catching snippets here and there as we slowly made our way up the stairs.

“…Hey, watch that suitcase!”

“You don’t say!”

“My word!”

“…Her?”

“Well! …I never would have guessed!”

“…Lordy!”

“What? …She’s pregnant?”

“…Must be something in the water.”

Chapter 44

Ketchup & Catch Up

“Hey, how about passing the ketchup,” ordered Martha. “It’s almost all gone!”

Dutifully, Betty handed it over. “You haven’t changed one smidgen. You still put ketchup on everything.”

Martha ignored her and smothered her hotdog and fries with the red gooey stuff. “…Whatever!” she huffed.

I had grilled a quick dinner, considering the unexpected company and the burgeoning population now occupying my house. I quickly defrosted hot dogs and burgers, tossed a salad, cut up some fruit and opened up a few bottles of chilled wine. It worked for me and, apparently, it worked for everyone else.

After a while, I hoisted my wine glass in the air where we were all seated around the table out on the deck. The air was mild and refreshing.

“I’d like to make a toast! Here’s to unexpected get-togethers. May they always bring good fortune!”

…
I may have had one too many.

Mona was unusually silent. Everyone talked pretty much simultaneously, as remarks were thrown recklessly around to stir up trouble, while more wine was poured. She turned to me as we ate with question marks written all over her unspoken thoughts. Her raised eyebrows said, ‘explain!’

I leaned back, whispering, “Aren’t they great? I’ve missed all this chaos. This is what I tried to explain when I told you about these women from North Carolina. They know what they want and they go out and get it. Nothing stands in their crosshairs. They bond and verbally tangle all at the same time. God forbid a man should get in between! I’ve known a few that have. Trust me when I say, it wasn’t a pretty sight!”

Following some funny, but humiliating, stories and much laughter, the air was silenced by the loud intrusion of my doorbell ringing insistently, nonstop.

Everyone sat there. A lot of staring traveled around.

Martha reluctantly turned to me. “Should I get that?”

“No, I’ll get it. You sit tight. Excuse me everyone. I’ll be right back.” The clamor of conversation and laughter immediately resumed as more wine passed between them.

I eased my chair back after taking another sip for fortification. I was developing a strong aversion to answering the door and needed stimulus for whatever awaited me at the bottom of the stairs. I was a fast learner.

Well, maybe I wasn’t. But my past was my past. Eventually, I did get the message. I headed down the stairwell. My thighs were like steel lately from all this up and down. As I swung open the door, my jaw dropped.

There stood Barbara, all the way from North Carolina. She was without her significant other, Jack, my former house contractor in North Carolina, friend, and, believe me, as close as a member of a family can get.

“What are you doing…?” I said, shocked, unable to finish.

“How about, I’m glad to see you!” Barbara said, as she gathered me into a firm hug. Slim and athletic, with her dark hair gathered at her neck and dressed impeccably as usual, she handed me a package. “Jack tried to stop me, but I had to come and see what all the fuss was about with your ocean retreat. Besides, I missed you and didn’t think you would mind some extra company. Wow! This is really something you have here!” She looked around.

I stared down just then, noticing her
luggage.
“I can’t believe this!” I said, stepping back. My mind was racing, mentally scrambling where I could put her.
Ah!
The cabana with the convertible queen sleeper!
It was the last room at the inn.

Barbara glanced up the stairwell. “What’s all that racket up there?”

“Like the old saying goes,” I replied, laughing. “The gang’s all here. Come on in. Let’s go up and catch up.”

Chapter 45

A Novel Mystery Of Three

After some more wine and an abundance of gossip, everyone gradually drew silent, and kept glancing at those three boxes in the middle of the table. Like an obvious cliché, the air was thick with anticipation. I sensed restlessness simmering all around me.

Mona, as usual, spoke first. “Well, Sam, what are you waiting for? Do you need a gold engraved invitation, or what? I’d be more than happy to rip them open myself.”

Then Martha chimed in. “I don’t know about you, but I’m sure I can speak for everyone here that we’ve all waited long enough.”

I turned toward Betty and Hazel. They demurely nodded, for once in total agreement with their reputed arch-rival, Martha.

How unusual.

“I had no idea you all were bringing something too!” exclaimed Barbara. “My, how exciting! And to think, I thought I was the only one delivering a package to Samantha.”

I turned to face Barbara. “What do you mean, delivering? Isn’t this your package?” I glanced down at the three boxes.

Why, they were all exactly the same size!

“Well, it’s really from Jack,” explained Barbara. “I told him that since I was coming here anyway, I would deliver it to you personally. I sure am curious about what it is.”

“You mean you don’t even know what’s in it?” I asked.

“Well no, not really. He wouldn’t let me peek either. But knowing Jack, I bet it’s something real special.”

Martha caught my eye. “Don’t forget the mystery box you received earlier today.”

“What mystery box? Which one on the table is that?” Mona asked, staring at the other two identical packages.

Martha pointed, as Mona quickly snatched it up, inspecting it more closely. “From Highlands, North Carolina,” she announced. “There’s no return name or address on it. That’s kind of odd.”

Betty turned to Hazel. “My gracious! How exciting! Three identical boxes! Why, this feels just like one of those mystery novels!”

Chapter 46

One For Money

I was about to grab the box that was delivered earlier in the mail when Martha immediately placed her hand on top of mine. “Wait! My money’s not on this one!”

We all turned to look at her, wondering what was up. “Why not?” I finally asked. “I thought you couldn’t wait to tear into this one the moment it was delivered.”

Martha’s eyes darted around the table. “Well, I didn’t expect you to receive three identical boxes. I only thought it might be fun to open them in reverse order. That’s all.”

“What do you mean, reverse order?” Sometimes, I couldn’t figure where Martha was coming from because she challenged all coherent, rational thought processes.

“Why not open the boxes starting with the last one delivered and work your way up to the first. It might be more interesting. How about it, girls?” Martha eyed all the women seated at the table.

I could tell, as they all nodded vigorously, they were into the secretive three-box idea and what they might contain too. To tell you the truth, at this point, I was itching myself, eyeing the blade of the knife that was lying innocently on the table next to me. “Fine! That works for me!” I replied impatiently.

I quickly slid the last box over to where I sat at the table. I picked up the knife and gingerly slit along the tape that bordered the edges. I glanced up. All eyes were riveted on my hands and the package. I set the knife down and started to lift the flaps and then slowly removed the tissue paper. All of them cautiously leaned in.

“Oh!” I gasped, as I looked inside.

It was the former glass framed picture of Stephen that I had smashed against a wall in frustration and anger after his death. The sight of it hit me like a blow to my solar plexus. My eyes teared up as I gently pulled it out of the box. It was now set in a frame that was made from intricately carved dark walnut. I couldn’t speak. Not one damn word.

Martha said, “Why, Sam, that frame is just perfect. Jack sure picked a real winner there.”

Barbara leaned forward. “I hope Jack didn’t offend you for doing this. He has a good heart, Sam. I’m sure he meant well.”

I lightly ran my fingers over the delicately carved frame. I smiled, remembering. “No. It was a very thoughtful gesture on his part, doing this for me.”

Hazel cleared her throat. “Remember his legacy to you was a belief in a future full of possibilities. Why, Jack chose just the right gift.”

“I agree,” said Betty. “He will always be a part of your history, Sam. Don’t ever forget that. I think it was a very appropriate and touching thing for Jack to give.”

Mona smiled. “Sam, they’re absolutely right. Even though you were left with a void in your life, it’s been transformed into so much more, with people who care about you and love you. Don’t ever feel that you’re alone. Not anymore.”

Martha coughed loudly. “…Okay everybody, let’s not get too lovey dovey here,” she remarked. “Like your life, Sam, I think it’s time to move on to the rest of what lies before you.” She pointed to the two remaining boxes. “I don’t know about anyone else, but my curiosity is just about killing me. Somebody pour me some more of that Pinot Grigio! Let’s get moving and get this show on the road!”

I wiped away a tear and laughed. For some inexplicable reason, Martha’s flighty impatience always kept me grounded in a crazy sort of way. “…I’m game!” I agreed. “Where’s that knife?”

“A toast!” announced Martha. “To unexpected surprise packages! The first of which was one for the money!”