Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [130]
“She’s sure going to be surprised when she sees us. Especially you. Me, I’m just the guy that made the earth move. Christ, Jake, I feel like some damn teenager. I really like that woman. You know what else, there’s more to this than her coming here for a college reunion. She’s coming back to the scene of the crime hoping to draw that crazy guy out in the open. That’s what this is all about. Trust me. Great little car, huh?
“Did I always talk to you like this, Jake? Weren’t there any people in our lives these past few years? Guess not. Damn, I wish you’d hold up your end of the conversation.”
Clay drove aimlessly, up one street and down another until he made his way to the Four Seasons. He’d stayed here many times before he retired to the farm. He wondered if any of the old staff would remember him. He didn’t have long to wait to find out. The moment he pulled to the curb, the doorman stepped back and then forward, a huge smile on his face.
“Mr. Mitchell, nice to see you again. It’s been a long time. How’s your brother?”
“Living in the land of sunshine and playing golf every day. This is Jake, Carl. Do you think I’ll have a problem? When I made the reservation they said they accepted small dogs. I left the Great Dane at home knowing he wouldn’t qualify.”
“Why don’t I check you in and you take Jake up in the freight elevator. I know for a fact you’re on the fifteenth floor. I’ll send one of the boys up with the key. They’ve been talking about you all day, ever since your reservation came in over the wire. That means you’re preregistered.”
“Thanks, Carl. By the way, would you happen to know if some friends of mine checked in yet? Two young ladies, a little girl with a tiny dog, and a frail old man.”
“Several hours ago. The ladies went out, and the gentleman is still in his room.”
“Would you do me a favor, Carl? Tell the desk clerk to leave a message for Miss Clark. Mr. Richardson might be sleeping, and I don’t want to wake him. Just say I’m here and to call my room.”
Clay slipped the doorman a twenty-dollar bill. He was in good hands now.
“Let’s go, Jake. We walk down to the dog run, then we’re going upstairs for a nice cold beer.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Annie helped Elmo into the king-size bed. He looked so awful, so frail, so sick she wanted to cry. “It’s time for your pills, Elmo.”
“I’m not taking any more pills, Annie. That’s it. I’m going to take a nap, then I’m going to get up and have a double scotch on the rocks. I know you have things to do, so go out and do them. I’m all right. It’s not my time yet. I’d know it if it was. I never lied to you, girl,”
He looked incredibly tired and weary. Annie smoothed the sparse hair back from his forehead with gentle hands. “I know that, Elmo. I shouldn’t be more than an hour, two at the most. Jane said she’d stay here with you.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m going to sleep. You young people came here to do things, so go out now and do them. I’m just fine. Plus, I know how to press the zero on the telephone if I need help.”
Annie kissed his wrinkled cheek. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair. In a perfect world, good people like Elmo Richardson would live forever.
In the sitting room she met Jane’s worried gaze. “He wants us to go out and do whatever we came here to do. He refused to take any more medication. There’s no way I was going to try and talk him into it. He’ll sleep for a while. You and Daisy have plans and . . . I have a few of my own. How about if we meet up, in let’s say, three hours. I told Elmo I’d be back in two hours. I’m giving myself an extra hour. I think he’ll sleep for a good three or four hours. The room’s cool and I closed the drapes. No one is going to call, so the phone won’t wake him. On second thought, I’ll call down and tell the desk not to put any calls through. Tom might try to call, though, so I’ll call him when I get a chance. I’ll rent us a car. Is all this okay with you, Jane?”
“It’s fine. Daisy and I are going to walk. If we get tired, we’ll hail a cab. Don’t give either of us another thought. You go ahead. I want to