The voice on the other end of the phone mumbled something that sounded like he was glad he didn’t have to kill anyone on Thanksgiving. Isabelle was so light-headed, she had to sit down.
Stu Franklin’s voice was soft, cultured, intimate sounding. “Somehow or other, Isabelle, I thought you would have gotten in touch with me in a more conventional way. But, I admire your aggressiveness. I’m glad you called. Are you having a nice Thanksgiving?”
“I did…I am…I was until…oh, never mind. I didn’t spoil yours, did I?”
“No. I just had a hot dog with all the trimmings on the beach. Did you have the whole enchilada, meaning a turkey with all the trimmings?”
“I did. I love hot dogs with all the trimmings, too.”
“I saw that picture you did of me. Pretty good. Are you an artist?”
“No, I’m an architect. I feel…I feel kind of foolish and pushy right now. Maybe someday I can explain what made me…what I mean is…”
“Just for the record, I would have gotten in touch, but I didn’t know how. I was hoping you might take me up on my offer one of these days.”
“That’s kind of hard, but I’m working on it. We have two feet of snow where I am right now.”
“It’s sunny and eighty degrees where I am. There’s not a ripple in the ocean, and it’s sapphire blue. There aren’t many people here right now, which is unusual. I guess the economy is as bad as they say it is.”
“Has anyone told you that you’re free from prosecution? If not, you can come and go as you please. We…we took care of that for you.”
The silence on the other end of the phone lasted so long, Isabelle had to say, “Are you still there?”
“I’m still here. No, I didn’t know that. Well, this is a wonderful Thanksgiving, after all. But, how do I know it’s true?”
“Because I tracked you down to tell you. I don’t lie. I think we might, I say might, be going to Washington soon.”
“Is that an invitation? If it is, I accept.”
“It is. If you give me your phone number, I can call you if it happens. You can call me anytime but not at this number.” She rattled off a number, which Stu Franklin said he memorized.
“Let’s talk, Isabelle. I want to know what happened that day at the casino. I want to know all about you.”
And so Isabelle told him while Annie pretended to snore lightly on the sofa.
Chapter 3
While their faces were rosy pink with the frigid temperatures, they were also glum. Except for Annie and Isabelle, who for some reason spent the whole holiday weekend smiling.
The snow had finally stopped late Saturday afternoon. Sunday was spent clearing it away with snowblowers. Now they had single-file paths that led to the different buildings. It had taken them hours, but they had managed to clear out a wide path to the cable car. All that remained to be done was to deice the gears, oil the machinery, and hope it didn’t start to snow again before the assembled guests were due to depart.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in my whole life,” Jack said as he trudged back to the main building. He looked over at Nikki, who looked just as tired.
Inside the main building, Charles was waiting with rum cake, hot coffee, and a pot of hot chocolate loaded with marshmallows. Food to go had been packaged for those who wanted to eat turkey during the coming week. Only Maggie and Jack had said they wanted food.
The Sisters were moaning and groaning about being frozen to their bones. Myra looked around, an indulgent smile on her face. She knew the girls would curl up in front of the fire that she and Annie would tend after their guests went down the mountain.
“They’re so tired, Myra. We need to tell Charles that morning will be time enough to get down to business. Do you agree?” Annie asked.
“I do agree. What I’m thinking is you, Charles, and I can work and get things set up, laid out. And then we just present it to the girls tomorrow morning.”
“What about that mysterious guest Charles said is coming to the mountain at dawn tomorrow?”
“I guess we deal with it tomorrow morning. The girls are adaptable, you know that. Look at them. They can barely keep their eyes open. I think that once our guests are gone, they’re all going to go to sleep and sleep through the night. Even the dogs are exhausted,” Myra said, pointing to Murphy and Grady, who were stretched out in their dog beds near the hearth.
Myra and Annie were always sad, even gloomy, when it was time for their guests to leave. That day was no different.
Two hours later they watched as everyone pulled on boots and heavy jackets.
Charles appeared with a carton that held thermos bottles full of hot chocolate. “You’ll need it when you get to the bottom of the mountain. More snow is predicted after midnight, so it’s a good thing you’re getting a head start. Please, all of you, drive carefully, and check in when you’re home safe and sound.”
Everyone promised to do so.
Nellie and Elias were the last to leave. Myra hugged her old friend and whispered in her ear. “I know you won’t forget, Nellie, but if you can’t find it, call me. I want to get married in my daughter’s wedding dress. I think…I think she might like to know I’m getting married in her dress. At least I hope so. It was so beautiful, Nellie. All those seed pearls that were hand-sewn.”
“Don’t worry, Myra. When I come up next weekend, I will have it with me.”
“Nellie, if I’m not here, just hang it in your room. We might be…Well, we might be off the mountain, working. I don’t want Charles to know. It’s a surprise.”
“Understood. Thanks for a wonderful weekend. Elias and I will treasure the memory. Stay warm, my friend.”
“You too.”
A last round of hugs and kisses followed. The two dogs slept through the departure. By the time the door closed behind their guests, the girls were making a mad scramble to the living room, where they snatched at pillows and comforters to make nests for themselves.
The moment the table was cleared of the cake plates and cups, the girls were sound asleep.
“The fire will last a good three hours, so I suggest we adjourn to the command center, where I can brief you on our agenda. If we’re to accomplish our goal, we’ll need to stay on a very tight schedule,” Charles told Myra and Annie.
The trio bundled up, then checked on the girls one last time before they left the building. The first thing Charles did was rebuild the dying fire in the main room of the command center.
“Myra, I don’t know if I should feel special right now or if I should feel dismayed that you and I are the only two at this orientation,” Annie grumbled. “So much can be lost when we translate for the girls.”
“Not to worry, Annie. I think the two of us are articulate enough to make it happen where the girls are concerned. If not, oh, well,” Myra said, throwing her hands in the air in a devil-may-care gesture. “And, may I say you are looking particularly…sparkly this evening, Annie. Did something happen I don’t know about?”
“Whatever in the world are you talking about, Myra Rutledge? What could have happened up here on this damn mountain that you wouldn’t know about?”
Annie’s face was so pink, and she was so flustered, Myra knew she was onto something. “You have a point, dear, but you do look…uh…guilty.”
“I do, do I?”
“Yes,