“When did you get these?” LuAnn stared at the new set of luggage stacked in a corner of the hotel suite.
Charlie grinned. “You can’t go on your big trip without the proper baggage. And this stuff is super-durable. Not that expensive crap that falls apart if you look at it wrong. One bag is already packed with things you’ll need for the trip over. Things for Lisa and what-not. I had a lady friend of mine do it. We’ll have to do some more shopping today to fill up the other bags, though.”
“My God, I can’t believe this, Charlie.” She gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek.
He looked down in embarrassment, his face flushed. “It wasn’t such a big deal. Here.” He handed her passport to her. She solemnly looked at the name inside, as though the fact of her reincarnation were just sinking in, which it was. She closed the small blue book. It represented a gateway to another world, a world she would soon, with a little luck, be embracing.
“Fill that sucker up, LuAnn, see the whole damned planet. You and Lisa.” He turned to leave. “I’m going to go check on some things. I’ll be back shortly.”
She fingered the passport and looked up at him, her cheeks slightly red. “Why don’t you come with us, Charlie?”
He turned slowly back around and stared at her. “What?”
LuAnn looked down at her hands and spoke hurriedly. “I was thinking I got all this money now. And you been real nice to me and Lisa. And I never been anywhere before and all. And, well, I’d like you to come with us — that is, if you want to. I’ll understand if you don’t.”
“That’s a very generous offer, LuAnn,” he said softly. “But you don’t really know me. And that’s a big commitment to make to someone you don’t really know.”
“I know all I need to,” she said stubbornly. “I know you’re a good person. I know you been taking care of us. And Lisa took to you like nobody’s business. That counts for a durn lot in my book.”
Charlie smiled in the little girl’s direction and then looked back at LuAnn. “Why don’t we both think on it, LuAnn. Then we’ll talk, okay?”
She shrugged and slid several strands of hair out of her face. “I ain’t proposing marriage to you, Charlie, if that’s what you think.”
“Good thing, since I’m almost old enough to be your grandfather.” He smiled at her.
“But I really like having you with me. I ain’t had that many friends, least that I can count on. I know I can count on you. You’re my friend, ain’t you?”
There was a catch in his throat when Charlie answered. “Yes.” He coughed and assumed a more businesslike tone. “I hear what you’re saying, LuAnn. We’ll talk about it when I get back. Promise.”
When the door closed behind him, LuAnn got Lisa ready for her nap. While the little girl drifted off to sleep, LuAnn restlessly walked the parameters of the hotel suite. She looked out the window in time to see Charlie exit the building and head down the street. She followed him with her eyes until he was out of sight. She had not seen anyone who appeared to be tracking him, but there were so many people around, she couldn’t be sure. She sighed and then frowned. She was out of her element here. She just wanted to see him back safe and sound. She began to think about the press conference, but as she envisioned a bunch of strangers asking her all sorts of questions, her nerves began to jangle too much and she quit thinking about it.
The knock at the door startled her. She stared at the door, unsure what to do.
“Room service,” the voice said. LuAnn went to the door and squinted through the peephole. The young man standing there was indeed dressed in a bellman’s uniform.
“I didn’t order anything,” she said, trying hard to keep her voice from quaking.
“It’s a note and package for you, ma’am.”
LuAnn jerked back. “Who from?”
“I don’t know, ma’am. A man in the lobby asked me to give it to you.”
Charlie? LuAnn thought. “Did he ask for me by name?”
“No, he pointed you out when you were walking to the elevator, and just said give it to you. Do you want it, ma’am?” he said patiently. “If not, I’ll just put it in your box behind the registration desk.”
LuAnn opened the door slightly. “No, I’ll take it. She stuck out her arm and the bellman put the package in it. She immediately closed the door. The young man stood there for a moment, upset that his errand and patience had not resulted in a tip. However, the man had already rewarded him handsomely for it, so it had worked out okay.
LuAnn tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter. The message was brief and written on hotel stationery.
Dear LuAnn, how’s Duane feeling lately? And the other guy, what’d you hit him with anyway? Dead as a doornail. Sure hope the police don’t find out you were there. Hope you enjoy the story, a little hometown news. Let’s chat. In one hour. Take a cab to the Empire State Building. It’s truly a landmark worth seeing. Leave the big guy and the kid at home. XXXOOOs
LuAnn ripped off the brown packing paper and the newspaper fell out. She picked it up and looked at it: It was the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. It had a page marked with a yellow piece of paper. She opened to that page and sat down on the sofa.
In her agitation at seeing the headline, she jumped up. Her eyes fed voraciously on the words, occasionally darting to the accompanying photo. If possible, the trailer looked even dingier captured in grainy black and white; in fact it looked like it had actually collapsed and was merely awaiting the dump truck to cart it and its occupants away for burial. The convertible was also in the photo, its long hood and obscene ornament pointed straight at the trailer like some hunting dog telling its master: There’s the kill.
Two men dead, the story said. Drugs involved. As LuAnn read the name Duane Harvey, a teardrop splattered onto the page and blurred some of the text. She sat down and did her best to compose herself. The other man had not yet been identified. LuAnn read quickly, and then she stopped searching when she found her name. The police were looking for her right now; the paper didn’t say she had been charged with any crime, although her disappearance had probably only increased the police’s suspicions. She flinched when she read that Shirley Watson had discovered the bodies. A canister of battery acid had been found on the floor of the trailer. LuAnn’s eyes narrowed. Battery acid. Shirley had come back to avenge herself and had brought that acid to do the job, that was clear. She doubted, though, if the police would care about a crime that had not occurred when they had their hands full with at least two that had.
While she sat staring in shock at the paper, another knock on the door almost made LuAnn jump out of her chair.
“LuAnn?”
She took a deep breath. “Charlie?”
“Who else?”
“Just a minute.” LuAnn jumped up, hastily ripped the news article out of the paper and stuffed it in her pocket. She slid the letter and the rest of the newspaper under the couch.
She unlocked the door and he entered the room and shrugged off his coat. “Stupid idea, like I’m going to be able to spot somebody out on those streets.” He slid a cigarette from its pack and lit up, thoughtfully staring out the window. “Still can’t shake the feeling that somebody was tailing us, though.”