214 Palmer Street(31)

Phil had assured her that his plan would work, but she still found it unbelievable that a woman would accept an offer from a complete stranger and get into a vehicle with someone she didn’t know. How could Maggie be so na?ve? Didn’t she know evil lurked everywhere? In a way, Sarah found it reassuring that there were still trusting souls out in the world and that one of them was Maggie. Lucky for her that the old woman was so gullible because it got her out of her house and away from the Caldwells’ backyard.

A car coming down the street slowed noticeably as it passed, then sped up again. People could be so nosy.

As the van sped off, Sarah put her hand up against the glass. “Goodbye, Maggie. Enjoy your trip. Don’t hurry back.”





NINETEEN





THEN





Kirk tried ignoring her texts, but it got his attention when she sent one that said:

We need to talk. It’s about Sarah.





He was fairly certain this was just her usual cry for attention, but the fact that she now was bringing his wife into her craziness made him livid. This had to end.

There were some back-and-forth messages between them after that, but ultimately, he agreed to meet. He set the terms. It would be during the day and in public: lunch at a local family restaurant far enough away from his business that it was unlikely he’d see anyone he knew. Even if he did, he had a ready explanation: he’d been running some work-related errands, stopped for a bite to eat, and ran into an acquaintance from high school. They’d chatted and she insisted on joining him for lunch. Ever the gentleman, he’d agreed. A convincing story, he thought and completely plausible.

Sometimes he wondered if he’d ever be rid of Clarice. He’d go months or even a year or more without seeing or hearing from her and then suddenly, at the most inopportune times, she’d show up. When Sarah came home from work talking about the new hire, Clarice Carter, he felt a sudden pain in his chest. His initial thought had been that he was having a heart attack, and wouldn’t it be ironic if Clarice caused his death? The physical pain passed soon enough, but the horror of knowing Clarice was back in his life stayed, a dull throb that never quite went away. This was no coincidence. She’d deliberately gotten the job because Sarah worked there. Another way to insert herself into his life. When Clarice and Sarah became fast friends, that prolonged the pain. He wanted to warn his wife but couldn’t be completely forthcoming so all he’d said was, “If I remember correctly, Clarice had a bit of a reputation for being two-faced in high school.”

Sarah, sweet Sarah, who always saw the best in everyone, had answered, “But that was a long time ago. People change. She seems really nice now.”

Some people only wanted what they couldn’t have, and that was Clarice. Always grabbing for the brass ring. He was pretty sure she was hooking up with Gavin again. He would have thought that would be enough for her, but for some reason she wanted to have Kirk panting after her as well.

When he pulled into the parking lot of the family restaurant, he could see Clarice already waiting in a booth by the window. He walked inside, bypassing the front register and the glass pie case with the revolving shelves, and went straight to the booth. He slid into place on the vinyl-clad seat opposite her without saying a word.

She winked at him. “Hey, Kirky, you’re late.”

“Were you worried I wouldn’t show?”

“Oh, I knew you’d show. Some things in life are certain.” She lifted her chin triumphantly and snapped her fingers. “You said you’d come and you’re a man who is true to his word.” A young woman with a friendly smile came with two glasses of water and a pair of laminated menus. “I won’t need a menu,” Clarice said. “I know what I want.”

“Just coffee for me,” he said.

Clarice frowned. “No. We’re having lunch. That was the agreement.” She turned her attention to the server. “A Caesar salad for me and my darling boyfriend will have a cheeseburger medium rare with fries, and a side of ranch dressing. And I’ll have a diet cola.” Addressing Kirk, she asked, “Did you still want coffee with your burger?”

Kirk sighed. “Forget the coffee. Just the burger and water will be fine.” He glanced up at the server. “Just for the record, she’s not my girlfriend. We’re just friends from high school.” He held up his left hand. “I’m happily married.”

The waitress, clearly not interested, said, “Alrighty then,” and gathered up the menus.

After she walked away, Clarice said, “You’re so quick to disown me, but who else would have known exactly what you would have ordered? How many people in the world know about your penchant for dipping French fries in ranch dressing?”

“First of all, I’m not and never have been your boyfriend. Secondly, I rarely eat red meat and I haven’t had fries in years. You don’t know me nearly as well as you think you do.” His eyes darted around the restaurant, checking for familiar faces. When he didn’t see any, he relaxed, but only a little. “The only reason I agreed to see you is to impress upon you how serious I am about ending whatever this is between you and me.” He waved a finger between the two of them. “It’s over. If I never see you again that would make my life complete.”