A Longer Fall (Gunnie Rose #2)(55)

“But that’s different from picking people out of a crowd and deciding that person isn’t worthy of life,” Eli said.

“What makes it different?” When Eli didn’t answer right away, I went on. “What’s the difference between me deciding someone has to die because they’re shooting at me, and me deciding someone has to die because they don’t believe people different from them are human?”

“Aren’t there any people you don’t think are as good as you?”

“That isn’t a real high standard, most people would say.”

“What do you think?”

I had never questioned my right to make my own decisions about people. “I think I’m as good as anyone if you’re talking about rich and poor,” I said. “I see the differences, but I don’t think they make me worse or better. If you’re talking about morals, I try to do what I think is right. I don’t know how else to act. And I think it’s right that rapists and people who try to hold down other people should die.” I’d messed that all up, but I hoped Eli understood what I meant.

An invisible arm found my invisible shoulders. We were silent the rest of the walk back.





CHAPTER NINETEEN


Getting into the hotel was not as tricky as getting out because there were fewer people around now. The kitchen staff had left, but there were still some workers, and the guests were sitting around the public parts of the downstairs. The Mercers had an apartment at the back of the hotel. Its door was right where the stairs came down. There was a little plaque that said PRIVATE on the door. Just as we passed it, the door opened and hit Eli in the shoulder—at least, that was my guess, because I heard the sound of a stumble and the chair sitting against the opposite wall scraped its legs against the floor as it was pushed sideways.

Nellie Mercer stood frozen in the doorway, her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide. If she’d been a horse, I’d have said she was about to bolt. In fact, she stepped back into the apartment and shut the door. I could hear Eli right himself and then he was back by my side. We could not speak, of course, but I was sure there were a few words he’d like to say. I wanted to laugh, but at the same time I felt a little sorry for the woman. A little.

We had to wait at the foot of the main stairs for a guest to come down, then a maid, and finally, when the stairs were clear, we could see someone on the gallery above. I sighed, and shifted from foot to foot. After seven or eight minutes, we had a clear path and we went up the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible. At the door of our room we waited, looking, and then Eli unlocked it and we scooted in. Closing the door and locking it behind us made me real happy.

Eli said, “Bathroom,” and I heard him peeing a minute later. Now that we were alone, I would be glad when we could see each other again. I had to give Eli credit, this spell was lasting a long time.

I wanted a shower, after pouring sweat and pushing through all the weeds—no telling what was in my hair. I’d just gotten my clothes off when I realized I could see my hand, and then the rest of me became visible. Eli was also taking his clothes off, and he turned to look at me. “Oh, great!” he said, and then we proceeded from there.

About an hour later I took my shower with Eli.

We went down to breakfast the next morning early. Eli wore his vest. Our laundry had been returned, and I again wore my white blouse and blue skirt. Now I almost didn’t notice them. I still missed my guns, though.

I heard a guest at the next table say, “Honey, you know that blond woman we were talking to at the Western Union office?”

“The woman you thought was so pretty?” his wife said, in a tone as dry as toast.

“Oh, honey… she was pretty, but you are my wife,” he said, and she laughed a little.

I half-turned my head to get a look at them, and saw a young man, brown hair, blue eyes, well dressed. The wife was just the same. I looked hard at Eli, and he nodded slightly, to let me know he’d heard.

“What about the blond?” the wife asked.

“I went over to Melvin’s hotel last night to ask him if he’d heard from Mama, and he told me she and her man friend had gone missing. Stuff still in their rooms, but they hadn’t come in or out for hours.”

I wasn’t keen on Travis Seeley and Harriet Ritter, but I had to admit this worried me. Also, they knew a lot about us, and that could become common knowledge if someone really persuasive had got them.

Dr. Fielder was waiting for us in the lobby when we came into the hall from the dining room. He was holding his hat in his hand, looking uncomfortable.

“It’s good to see you again,” Eli said, sounding calm and matter-of-fact.

The doctor did his best to look calm. “Sorry to interrupt your morning, but I wonder if you have a moment?”

“Of course we do,” I said. “We were just about to take a little walk; it’s such a pretty morning. Come with us.”

I hadn’t been lying—it was nice and cool that morning. It was even pleasant to be wearing a skirt, because the cool air just flowed up under it. We strolled down the sidewalk until we came to the park across from the courthouse, and there we picked a pair of benches. We sat opposite the good doctor.

“Something’s going on out at the Ballard house,” Jerry Fielder said.

We nodded. “We heard,” Eli said. “But we don’t know what.”