Read Online Murder at the Tremont House (A Blue Plate Cafe Mystery) by Judy Alter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Judy Alter
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was on the verge of tears, and Henry just looked down at the tablecloth every time someone new approached. Marj agreed to close for me, giving me a tight hug and adding, “I’m saying a prayer.”
I thanked her, gathered up the children, and sneaked out the back door. It had grown chilly, and as we crossed the lot to Gram’s house, Jess asked in a tiny voice, “Do you suppose Ava is cold?”
“ I hope not,” was all I could say.
I settled them with grilled cheese sandwiches, poured myself a glass of wine, and called my sister ’s house. Tom answered, and I hated that for a minute I had gotten hope up in his mind. “Tom, the kids are settled, eating grilled cheese. If it’s okay with you, I’ll bathe them, put them in some of my T-shirts, and tuck them in Gram’s bed. Their homework can wait. This is an extraordinary situation. Homework be damned.”
Behind me, I heard Henry gasp.
Tom’s voice was tighter and more controlled than I’d ever heard it. “Yeah, Kate, and this isn’t a place for them to be right now. I’m grateful. I’ll talk to their teachers tomorrow—after we see what tomorrow brings.”
Neither Henry nor Jess were interested in bathtub games—Henry was too old and insisted on taking a shower “in privacy,” while Jess was just plain pitiful. As I toweled her dry, she clung to me, her thin body trembling, and cried. “I’m scared, Aunt Kate. Scared for Ava, and I guess scared for myself.”
“ It’s all right to be scared, sweet girl. I’m sure we’ll find Ava, but right now, we’re all scared. And look at the bright side—you don’t have to practice your spelling tonight.”
“ Yeah.” It wasn’t an enthusiastic reply.
We got teeth brushed and headed for Gram ’s room to say prayers and get in bed, though Henry protested he was too old to sleep with his little sister.
“ Henry,” I said gently, putting an arm around his shoulders, “Jess needs you right now. She needs comfort.”
“ Okay.” He reached out and patted his sister’s back. “I’ll take care of you, Jess.”
She looked at him with pure trust.
I wish I had that kind of relationship with my sibling!
I flipped on the light in Gram ’s room…and there she was. Ava was sound asleep in Gram’s bed. The light wakened her, and she sat up, dazed, slowly recognizing us.
“ What’s going on? Why are Henry and Jess here?”
I threw my arms around her. “Better question, sweetie. Why are you here? Do you know the whole town’s looking for you? Your parents are worried to death, and so was I. You could have come here if you’d asked, but why did you just leave your mom waiting for you at school? Chief Samuels has put out a bulletin. We were afraid you’d been kidnapped. We’ve all been terrified.”
Ava rubbed her eyes. “Really?” Her face brightened just a bit, as though the news that people worried about her was reassuring. Then she slumped. “I’ve caused a big problem, haven’t I?”
Now that she was safe, I wasn’t inclined to let her get away with much. “Yes, you have. And you owe a lot of us an explanation. First, I have to call your parents and Rick…and Sara Jo, who’s waiting at the B&B. You all go in the kitchen, and I’ll fix hot cocoa.”
I made the calls, quickly giving my message. Rick and Sara Jo were relieved; Tom shouted, “Hallelujah!” and Donna cried. They wanted to rush right over, but I suggested they wait a bit, maybe half an hour, until I could get the children settled. That was because I was listening to Gram.
“ Kate, keep those children with you tonight. They need love and peace.”
“ Yes, Gram.”
Donna ’s voice rose to shrill heights. “Why do I have to wait? I’m the child’s mother.”
Tom grabbed the phone and said, “I think you’re right, Kate. Get the younger ones in bed, feed Ava…I bet she’s starving…and then we’ll be over.”
And that ’s just what I did. Henry and Jess went to bed over loud protests, but they went, and
I thanked her, gathered up the children, and sneaked out the back door. It had grown chilly, and as we crossed the lot to Gram’s house, Jess asked in a tiny voice, “Do you suppose Ava is cold?”
“ I hope not,” was all I could say.
I settled them with grilled cheese sandwiches, poured myself a glass of wine, and called my sister ’s house. Tom answered, and I hated that for a minute I had gotten hope up in his mind. “Tom, the kids are settled, eating grilled cheese. If it’s okay with you, I’ll bathe them, put them in some of my T-shirts, and tuck them in Gram’s bed. Their homework can wait. This is an extraordinary situation. Homework be damned.”
Behind me, I heard Henry gasp.
Tom’s voice was tighter and more controlled than I’d ever heard it. “Yeah, Kate, and this isn’t a place for them to be right now. I’m grateful. I’ll talk to their teachers tomorrow—after we see what tomorrow brings.”
Neither Henry nor Jess were interested in bathtub games—Henry was too old and insisted on taking a shower “in privacy,” while Jess was just plain pitiful. As I toweled her dry, she clung to me, her thin body trembling, and cried. “I’m scared, Aunt Kate. Scared for Ava, and I guess scared for myself.”
“ It’s all right to be scared, sweet girl. I’m sure we’ll find Ava, but right now, we’re all scared. And look at the bright side—you don’t have to practice your spelling tonight.”
“ Yeah.” It wasn’t an enthusiastic reply.
We got teeth brushed and headed for Gram ’s room to say prayers and get in bed, though Henry protested he was too old to sleep with his little sister.
“ Henry,” I said gently, putting an arm around his shoulders, “Jess needs you right now. She needs comfort.”
“ Okay.” He reached out and patted his sister’s back. “I’ll take care of you, Jess.”
She looked at him with pure trust.
I wish I had that kind of relationship with my sibling!
I flipped on the light in Gram ’s room…and there she was. Ava was sound asleep in Gram’s bed. The light wakened her, and she sat up, dazed, slowly recognizing us.
“ What’s going on? Why are Henry and Jess here?”
I threw my arms around her. “Better question, sweetie. Why are you here? Do you know the whole town’s looking for you? Your parents are worried to death, and so was I. You could have come here if you’d asked, but why did you just leave your mom waiting for you at school? Chief Samuels has put out a bulletin. We were afraid you’d been kidnapped. We’ve all been terrified.”
Ava rubbed her eyes. “Really?” Her face brightened just a bit, as though the news that people worried about her was reassuring. Then she slumped. “I’ve caused a big problem, haven’t I?”
Now that she was safe, I wasn’t inclined to let her get away with much. “Yes, you have. And you owe a lot of us an explanation. First, I have to call your parents and Rick…and Sara Jo, who’s waiting at the B&B. You all go in the kitchen, and I’ll fix hot cocoa.”
I made the calls, quickly giving my message. Rick and Sara Jo were relieved; Tom shouted, “Hallelujah!” and Donna cried. They wanted to rush right over, but I suggested they wait a bit, maybe half an hour, until I could get the children settled. That was because I was listening to Gram.
“ Kate, keep those children with you tonight. They need love and peace.”
“ Yes, Gram.”
Donna ’s voice rose to shrill heights. “Why do I have to wait? I’m the child’s mother.”
Tom grabbed the phone and said, “I think you’re right, Kate. Get the younger ones in bed, feed Ava…I bet she’s starving…and then we’ll be over.”
And that ’s just what I did. Henry and Jess went to bed over loud protests, but they went, and
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