Dovetail: A Novel(62)
The officers suggested that they all go inside, and so Kathleen followed them, staying close to Joe’s side. The buzz of the alcohol was long gone, and now she had a sick feeling from the violation of someone having been in her home.
They walked through each room, with Kathleen doing a quick check to see if anything was moved or missing, but it was all just as she’d left it that morning. Her jewelry, Aunt Edna’s silver candlesticks, and other antiques—nothing of value had been touched.
“Why would someone break in and not take anything?” Joe wondered aloud.
Officer Rank said, “It could have been kids on a dare. Or someone who was going to rob you but was spooked and left.”
“Spooked?”
“We’ve seen it happen,” his partner said. “Maybe they heard a dog barking outside or a car go past.”
“Have you seen it happen where every light in the house is on?” Joe asked. “That seems odd to me.”
“No, that’s a new one,” the officer admitted. “It almost seems like someone is trying to scare you. Miss Dinsmore, has anyone given you trouble lately? Threatened you in any way?”
“No trouble, no threats,” she said. “Everyone in Pullman has been very welcoming.”
“Any disgruntled customers at the store? Any old boyfriends with a grudge?”
“No. I mean, my ex-husband had a terrible temper, but I haven’t seen or talked to him in over a year. And he lives hundreds of miles away and doesn’t know where I am.”
The officer frowned. “Is there some way he could find you? Is your phone number unlisted?”
“It’s still listed under Aunt Edna’s name in the phone book. I didn’t have the post office forward my mail or anything. The only ones who know I moved here are my parents, and they know not to tell anyone.”
Officer Rank said, “It sounds like it’s not likely to be him, but we’ll keep an eye out anyway. Can you give me a description of your ex and the kind of car he’s most likely driving?”
Kathleen filled him in, and Joe’s eyebrows rose when she mentioned Ricky’s massive size—six foot four and built like a football player. Was he jealous or just surprised that a woman as petite as she would wind up marrying such a large man? Well, it didn’t make a difference. She wasn’t dating Joe, and even if she were, or did so in the future, it was unlikely the two men would ever meet.
After the officer left, Joe suggested they cover the broken windowpane with cardboard. She found a box she hadn’t yet unpacked. Joe cut out a square, and they secured it with masking tape.
“I can go to the hardware store in the morning and get a piece of glass cut to size and fix it for you,” he offered.
“But if that person comes back tonight, they’ll still be able to get in,” she pointed out, putting the roll of tape on her wrist like a bracelet and nervously twisting it.
“The chances of them coming back are slim,” Joe said. “We can put a chair under the knob. That should help.”
“There’s something else, something I didn’t tell Officer Rank because I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to sound paranoid.” She took a moment to breathe, noticing how patiently Joe waited for her to finish her thought. “It’s about Ricky. I thought I saw him the other day, across from the Pine Cone when you and I were having lunch. Then a truck went by, and the man was gone. Just for a second, it looked just like him.”
“That was when you said you thought you saw someone you knew.”
“Yeah.” She nodded, her gaze dropping to the floor. How was it that Ricky, even just the thought of Ricky, still had power over her? She’d been so sure she’d moved beyond this. “I mean, it’s silly because I’m sure it wasn’t him . . .”
There was silence between them, and he finally said, “Why don’t I stay for the night? I can sleep on the couch. Would that help?”
“Yes, I would like that.” His offer, Kathleen knew, came from the spirit of wanting to be helpful rather than an opportunity to make a move on her. With a start, she realized she trusted Joe. Trusted him more than she had ever trusted Ricky, and she had been married to Ricky. Oh, what a mess she’d made of her life. Thank God her aunt had given her the opportunity for a fresh start.
“Then it’s settled.”
She gave him a hug. “Thank you, Joe. You’re a very good friend.”
He shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I’m glad to help.”
Curled up on the couch, with his head on a borrowed pillow, a lightweight blanket covering him, Joe was certain he wouldn’t be able to sleep, which was good. If the intruder came back, Ricky or whoever, he wanted to be prepared to jump him. He was irate on Kathleen’s behalf. How dare someone shake her sense of safety and the sanctity of her home? Was it someone who knew she lived alone? He thought about installing dead bolts the next day when he was repairing the glass. He’d have to get her permission to do so first, but she would probably think it was a good idea.
When sleep finally came, he fought against it, but it was beyond his control. His eyelids grew heavy, and although he struggled, his breathing slowed, and he sank further and further until he was deep in sleep and having a dream.
One of those dreams.
When he was awake, he referred to this one as the Death Dream, the most troubling, awful dream of them all. Joe was no longer Joe but had become the mystery man, helping the woman, the piano woman, out of a rowboat and onto dry land. It was nighttime, and the moon hung low in the sky. He saw the scene through the other man’s eyes and noted the slight flare of her skirt, the hem of which fell so low, he could see only a flash of ankle covered by a stocking. Despite the fact that she was more modestly attired than women in 1983, Joe could tell the man thought she was a knockout, absolutely gorgeous, the most beautiful woman in the world. He loved her.