The Woman She Was by Rosa Jordan

Author:Rosa Jordan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-926972-47-3
Publisher: Brindle & Glass
Published: 2012-03-15T04:00:00+00:00

FORTY-SEVEN

CELIA parked the convertible at the curb, relieved to see that the Fiat was now in the driveway. “Hello?” she called through the screen door. “Anybody here?”

“Celia?” Franci called from the hallway even before she saw her. She emerged pulling a purple tank top down over white shorts. “Hey, girl! What brings you here again so soon? Why didn’t you call so I could meet the train?” Not waiting for answers because the answers didn’t matter, Franci wrapped Celia in a hug. “Come in. I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you! How did you get here? Don’t you have a bag?”

As Celia opened her mouth to speak, the telephone rang. Franci snatched it up. “Oh, Philip, guess—”

Franci’s eyes widened in alarm. “I’ll be right there!” She hung up the receiver, grabbed her car keys, and turned to Celia. “That was Philip. Come. Something has happened at work.”

“Is he—?”

“It’s not him. At least, that’s what he said. But some kind of emergency. He needs me there as quickly as possible.”

As Franci backed out of the driveway into the street, she saw the convertible. The top was up and road grime dulled the glossy yellow paint but it was still an eye-catching car. She frowned and turned her gaze on Celia. “That can’t be how you got here.”

“It is,” Celia admitted.

“And it belongs to?” Franci stomped on the gas, causing the Fiat to leap forward. “Don’t lie! That is a José Lago car if I ever saw one.”

“It is José’s car, but it’s not what you think, Franci.”

“What I think is that it better not be what I think!”

“Franci,” Celia said, reaching for the seat belt. “You have other things on your mind. So drop it. For now, okay?”

“Okay,” Franci agreed. Every part of her body, even her blown-out Afro hair, seemed electric with tension. “He should have told me something. He must have known I’d worry every second till I get there.”

“Maybe there was somebody there he didn’t want to talk in front of.”

“Oh! That could be. In fact, that’s how he sounded.”

Celia grabbed the armrest as Franci swerved around a horse-drawn cart, cutting it so close with oncoming traffic that she flinched. Fortunately it was not far to Philip’s office. Celia drew a breath of relief as they approached the nondescript government building at the mouth of the harbour—then went rigid with fear when Franci drove right past the sentry without so much as a nod. He looked startled, and Celia could have sworn he lifted his rifle in both hands before he realized who it was and waved.

By then Franci had braked to a stop in front of the harbour master’s office. She was halfway up the steps before Celia caught up. They entered Philip’s office together, expecting anything, perhaps, other than what the room was about to reveal.

Philip, looking much as he always looked when he was in uniform, sat at his desk. He rose and held out his hands to Franci. Before she could ask anything, he said, “Just stay calm and act natural.

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