Luck Be a Lady - Cathie Linz [76]
“Uh, Megan, this is uh, Logan. Happy Thanksgiving.” He quickly disconnected.
Connor shook his head in mocking awe. “You are such a romantic sap. That was sheer poetry. I don’t know how any woman could resist you.”
Logan reached for another pillow.
“Dinner,” their mom yelled from the kitchen. “Come in here and help us with this heavy turkey. I can’t carry it by myself. First one in the kitchen gets the wishbone.”
Logan hopped over the back of the couch and raced his brother into the kitchen, jockeying for position the way they had as kids.
“I thought you didn’t believe in wishes,” Connor said.
“I don’t,” Logan said. “I believe in winning.”
“Was that your phone?” Faith asked Megan in between coughs.
“I let voice mail pick it up. You sound horrible.”
Faith coughed some more. “It’s just a little cold.”
“Then why are we out here? We should be inside.”
Faith put a hand on Megan’s arm. “I have news.”
“About my mother?”
Faith nodded. “I found her.”
Megan’s breath caught. She was shaking inside. “Where is she?”
“In Washington, D.C. I e-mailed you her contact info. She works at a think tank there.”
“Is she doing some sort of top secret government work?”
“I’m not sure.”
“How did you find her?”
“I told you I was good.”
“Was the fact that she works at this think tank the reason there wasn’t any information about her?”
“I don’t know. I do know she doesn’t drive or own a car so there were no DMV listings. And she doesn’t own a home or have a mortgage. So nothing there. And she doesn’t seem to have a bank account or credit cards. These are all signs of someone trying to disappear. Are you going to call her?”
“No. I need to see her in person.”
Faith looked worried. “Don’t do anything impulsive. Wait and I’ll go with you. We’ll talk to her together. But I think it would be best to touch base with her ahead of time.”
Megan shook her head. “She could just tell me not to come. I can’t take that chance.”
“You need to think this through before you go and do something crazy. Pinkie swear you won’t do anything foolish.”
“I pinkie swear. Now come on, let’s go back inside before you get pneumonia or something.”
“It’s almost sixty out today. Remember that year we had snow on Thanksgiving?”
Megan nodded as she held the back door open for Faith. They entered the kitchen, where the delicious smells made Megan’s mouth water. Faith’s mom was busy concocting her maple Brussels sprouts specialty. She’d been avoiding direct eye contact with Megan, who’d done the same. Faith’s mom had known the truth but had not revealed the lie, which made things awkward. But not as awkward for Megan as being near her dad, although she was actually more afraid of her uncle rocking the boat. Gram gave her a reassuring smile, silently communicating the fact that she’d warned everyone involved that a truce was in place today.
Which was fine with Megan. She hugged the knowledge to herself that she now knew where her mother was located. “You did a great job with the Thanksgiving centerpiece again this year, Megan,” Gram said. “I especially liked the way you spread a few maple leaves in with the pair of little gourds and pumpkins.”
“I pressed the leaves last year in the pages of an old dictionary between sheets of waxed paper.”
“That was clever of you. And the wooden candlesticks with creamy beige candles go together wonderfully.”
“Thanks.”
The oven timer went off, which galvanized Gram into action. “The bird is ready.”
Ten minutes later, they were all seated around Gram’s large table, with all the side dishes and the turkey. Gram had gotten out the good Swedish china that she usually only had out for Christmas, when she did her traditional julbord, or Christmas smorgasbord. That multicourse extravaganza included ham, meatballs, smoked salmon, pickled herring with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, pickled cucumbers, cabbage rolls, beetroot salad and Gram’s favorite, dried codfish. Gram was the only one who ate that last one, while Megan’s favorite were the Swedish meatballs. But today’s meal was all-American. Faith brought the sweet potatoes,