“Alturis told me about
his brother,” Megan said. When Andy
frowned, she asked him, “Did you know what was going on?”
“Not until we found the Bergens. Even then we didn’t know it was
him until someone tipped us off. But I thought he’d come after
me—I never thought in a million years that he’d go after you.”
“Well, he didn’t
really. He was just confused. He said good henchmen were hard to find.”
Andy laughed
bitterly. “I guess so.”
“It’s not like you
can advertise for them.”
“No.”
“But are you going
to be all right about the Bergens?
Because it wasn’t your fault.”
Andy’s smile
faded.
“Don’t let it ruin
your life,” Megan told him. “They
wouldn’t have wanted that.”
“Yeah,” Andy said. He gazed out of the rain-streaked hotel window. “Anyway, don’t worry about me. You just worry about yourself. I guess you’ll sell the house?”
“It was time,
anyway. Hopefully it won’t take too
long. A friend of mine who’s a real estate agent
says that everything that happened will only make it more attractive to
potential buyers. I guess there are
people out there who like houses with a back story.”
Andy shook his
head. “People are strange.”
“Sometimes.”
“Will you stay in
town, though?”
“I don’t
know. I have a friend who’s a principal
in Madison and they just had a teacher suddenly retire due to illness, so she’s
offered me the job. I think I might take
it.”
“Well, good
for you. I hope it all works out.”
“Me, too.”
In the silence
that followed Megan thought again about the cat who Andy had released all of
those years ago. She wondered if he remembered it now, or if he had moved too far forward from those memories. So many creeping along the path behind them, just waiting for their chance...
Andy shifted, as if aware of where her thoughts had gone. “So, anyway,” he said, “I just wanted to stop by, because I’ll be heading off to Chicago tomorrow.”
Andy shifted, as if aware of where her thoughts had gone. “So, anyway,” he said, “I just wanted to stop by, because I’ll be heading off to Chicago tomorrow.”
“Does that you mean
you’ve made a decision about your job?”
“I talked to my boss when he was here. We have everything worked out.”
“I talked to my boss when he was here. We have everything worked out.”
“That’s great,”
Megan said. “I’m sure you did the
right thing.”
“Thanks. And, Meg—it was good to see you again.”
“You, too.”
Andy headed for the door, but stopped when he reached it. “So I guess
you’re going to hate me forever, huh?”
“Oh, no. Not at all.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“You’ll let me
know if you ever need something?”
“Definitely.”
“Good,” Andy answered, and let himself out of the room.
Megan sat down on the edge of the bed. It was technically summer outside, but the hotel room was cold. She wondered if she would ever feel warm again.
Megan sat down on the edge of the bed. It was technically summer outside, but the hotel room was cold. She wondered if she would ever feel warm again.