Dovetail: A Novel(43)

That night, Ricky was already awake when the light went on next door in Kathleen’s upstairs bedroom. He watched the lights go on and off, following along as she moved through the house, ending with a lamp in the living room. He quickly got dressed to go outside and get a closer look. Was she expecting a middle-of-the-night visit from a lover? The thought momentarily filled him with fury, but then he calmed himself with the thought that this wouldn’t be Kathleen’s style. She was more the early-to-bed and early-to-rise type. Sometimes she didn’t even make it through the ten-thirty news. The idea that she’d have a nighttime rendezvous was unlikely. So it had to be something else. Maybe she just had a touch of insomnia and was going to drink some warm milk to settle herself. That was a trick his mother had taught her in the early days of their marriage.

He slipped out the patio door, sliding the door slowly so as not to wake Miss Whitt. Once he was outside, he watched the living room window to see Kathleen sling her purse over her shoulder and head to the front door. He glanced at his watch. Ten to four. There weren’t any businesses open at this hour. Was she meeting someone?

She walked with purpose, striding down the sidewalk in the direction of downtown. He followed at a safe distance, keeping off the sidewalk and waiting as she turned the corner onto Main Street. What was she thinking, walking alone at this hour? It was still dark. No one was around. She could easily get assaulted or raped, and no one would hear her cries for help. Of course, he thought wryly, that would be his chance to save her. His plan could be executed without any manipulation on his part.

Ricky stood in the shadows as she let herself into her shop. She turned the lights on and went inside, then came back out about fifteen minutes later and headed back toward her house. Odd.

Again, he kept his distance. This time he was on the opposite side of the street, cutting through backyards and ducking behind bushes. When she reached her house, he couldn’t resist letting out a whistle. She stopped to look, and he paused, noting her look of surprise. His whistling had always been something that got her attention when they were married. He whistled again, and she continued on to the front door and hurried inside. The sound of the door closing and the lock clicking pierced the night air.

Did she know it was him? She would soon enough.





CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR





1916


In the theater, Pearl watched John and Alice at the piano with rapt attention but didn’t notice Frank until he’d actually yanked John off the bench. By the time John got to his feet, Floyd Kramer had rushed in to intervene. Frank had his hands clenched into fists, and Alice had stopped playing the piano and now stood next to John.

“Frank, really!” she said, mortified. “What’s gotten into you?”

Floyd had a similar question. “What’s going on here?” The motion picture was now only a backdrop. No one in the audience was paying attention to it anymore. All eyes were on the small-town drama now unfolding in front of the screen.

“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Frank said angrily. “This hired hand, this stranger, had his hands all over Alice.”

“That’s not true,” Alice protested. “John was just sitting next to me watching me play. He didn’t touch me. I will vouch for him.”

“Sure, you’d vouch for him.” Frank spat out the words.

John said, “I would never do anything to hurt Alice’s reputation. I swear to you that my interest was in her piano playing. I was not even sitting close enough to touch her.”

“Maybe he didn’t touch her, but he wanted to! He was moving in to kiss my girlfriend. I’m not standing for it, I tell you. I’ll kill any man who lays a hand on her.”

Alice said, “I’m not your girlfriend, Frank. I never was and never will be.”

Floyd sighed heavily. “You’re changing your story, Frank. A second ago, you said you saw him do something. Now you say it didn’t happen yet. Seems like you’re just causing trouble.”

“It would have happened if I hadn’t stopped him,” Frank argued, a finger poking at John. “He’s the one causing all the trouble.”

“This is absurd.” John shook his head. “Nothing happened.”

A boy’s voice rang out in the darkness. “Fight, fight, fight!” Someone shushed him.

Floyd said, “I’m going to ask you two gentlemen to take it outside, and don’t come back. I can’t have this kind of thing going on during a show.” Neither of them moved, and he added, “Don’t make this difficult for me, Frank. I’d hate to tell your father. Out you go.” He pointed up the aisle to the exit doors.

John led the way, with Frank on his heels. When they were nearly to the last row, Frank shoved John’s back, making him stumble, but John quickly regained his balance and stepped nimbly aside. “After you,” he said, gesturing with a grin. Frank grumbled but took the lead.

Alice returned to the piano and began playing, seamlessly joining the story in progress. Her head drooped, though, and her posture showed a decided lack of enthusiasm.

Pearl leaned over and whispered to Helen, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. You’re in charge of the younger girls until I return.” She didn’t wait for a response but slipped out of her seat and hurried after Frank and John, eager to see what would happen.