Seeing Red by Dana Dratch

Author:Dana Dratch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2019-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

I figured the quickest way to get Marty off my couch and back to his natural habitat—whatever that was—was to supply him with the resources he needed. I showed him my home office setup.

“Nice!” he said. “I like that rolltop desk. And a landline. You don’t see many of those anymore. It’s solid, and you always know where it is. Don’t know why they ever went out of style.”

What does it say about me that I have more in common with an old curmudgeon than my own peers? But I loved my landline. Last St. Paddy’s Day, when a drunk in an eighteen-wheeler took out the local cell tower, I was one of only two people in the neighborhood with a working phone.

Of course, Trip pointed out that the other one was a ninety-five-year-old woman with five cats who thinks Nixon is still president.

“So this is where you’ll find scrap paper, pens, and pencils. I have more notebooks in here,” I said, opening a large drawer in the bottom. “Just help yourself.”

“If it’s OK with you, I’m gonna call my physical therapist first. I gotta get that back on track.”

“Let me know if you need a ride,” I said, jogging toward my bedroom. Now for the hard part. I had to break the news to Baba.

I actually thought about saying nothing. But the minute she hit me with those catlike brown eyes, I’d crack like cheap glass. Besides, I owed her.

She was tidying up the bedroom. Alistair was asleep in his crib, and Lucy was snoozing nearby. When she started to make the bed, I grabbed the other side of the comforter that served as my bedspread.

What I’d never tell Baba: Most days, I didn’t even make the bed. I just pulled up the big, puffy indigo comforter.

“Marty is a good guy. He just had a knee operation. He’s having some problems with his family—his niece. I told him he could stay here for a couple of nights if he sleeps on the sofa. And behaves himself. And wears pants.”

She stopped fluffing the bed and looked at me. That look could have burned a hole in the wall. I could feel the heat coming to my face. I’m guessing it was redder than my hair.

“He’s afraid his niece is trying to kill him. I know he seems a little unusual. But he just got out of the hospital. He’s not exactly at his best. And he really is a nice guy. I’m taking over his column while he’s on sick leave. He recommended me.”

She picked up the comforter again and started moving double time. Like I wasn’t even there. At this point, I preferred the laser glare.

“Baba, I’m trying to do the right thing. He’s a good man. I really do think he’s in trouble. Of some sort.”

“Little boys tell stories,” she said. “Bigger boys tell bigger stories.”

“I listened to him. Really listened. I’m not saying his niece is a homicidal maniac. But he honestly does believe she tried to kill him.

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