Dave could think of only one explanation: her clothes had been removed elsewhere, then carried to the chair.
Hold it, he told himself. Hold it just a second here. Don’t get crazy. Gloria probably took them off in the bathroom, had a shower, and brought them in herself.
He hurried to the bathroom and searched for the button. He didn’t find it.
Doesn’t mean I’m wrong.
Makes a lot more sense than thinking someone else was involved.
He opened the medicine cabinet. Gloria’s toothbrush stood upright in a mug. He rubbed its bristles. They felt dry. She hadn’t brushed her teeth this morning.
He stepped to the bathtub. The bottom of the tub looked dry. Gloria’s washcloth, draped over the shower-curtain rod, wasn’t even slightly damp.
Too many things wrong.
She
had
to come back last night. Her car’s in the driveway.
Dave left the bathroom. His heart was pounding. He felt tight and sick inside.
He walked the entire house, searching for Gloria.
For her body? No. Come on, you’re making too much out of this.
But he looked in every room, in every closet, behind and under furniture where there were spaces large enough to conceal a person.
Along the way—partly, he suspected, to protect himself from the knowledge of what he was
really
looking for—he kept an eye out for any detail that might prove she had returned alive and well last night.
He found Gloria’s keys and purse on the dining-room table. The eighty dollars in the billfold convinced him that robbery wasn’t a factor. But the presence of the purse told him nothing more. She probably hadn’t taken it with her yesterday. Joan said she’d been carrying a grocery bag.
The only grocery bags he found were neatly folded and clipped to a plastic holder on the back of the utility-room door, or being used as liners for her wastebaskets. None of the wastebaskets contained wadded sacks. The one she’d been carrying and the two she’d worn on her feet were missing.
She might’ve discarded the makeshift booties before heading home. But what about the other? Could’ve left it in her car.
I’ll check the car.
He wondered if it was locked.
And suddenly realized he’d seen her keys on the dining-room table.
Her keys are here. Gloria isn’t. And the house was locked.
Too damn much is wrong.
He took the key case with him and hurried outside. He peered into the side windows of the Volkswagen. A grocery bag, stuffed full, was on the floor behind the passenger seat. He opened the driver’s door, sat down, swung the seat back forward, and lifted the bag onto his lap.
It contained nothing except the old blanket that Gloria usually kept in the car’s trunk.
Where’s her cassette recorder? She never went anywhere without that.
He checked inside the glove compartment. No recorder.
Maybe it’s in the house, and I missed it.
But something
else
was wrong.
Dave reached out and gripped the steering wheel. He stretched his legs until his feet touched the floor pedals.
The wheel and pedals were the right distance away for him. Too far away for Gloria.
Someone had adjusted the seat’s position to give himself leg room.
Someone Dave’s height had been the last person to drive Gloria’s car last night.
He squeezed his eyes shut, slumped in the seat, and heard himself groan.
The telephone jangled, startling Robin awake. She saw the ceiling above her, realized that she was in a bed instead of her sleeping bag, and knew where she was. She also knew who was calling. She rolled onto her stomach. Propping herself up on an elbow, she reached to the nightstand and brought the telephone’s handset to her ear. “Hello?”
“This is your wake-up call.”
“Hi, boss.” Her raised position allowed cool air to come in, so she shoved the pillow under her chest and sank onto it.
As she reached back to cover her bare shoulders, Nate said, “Did you get a good night’s sleep?”
“Not very. And it’s all your fault.”
“My fault?” He sounded perplexed, amused. “How could that be? Bad choice of motels? Was it too noisy? Was the bed lumpy? What? I got you back early. I left right away.”
“That’s the thing. You stayed.”
“Huh?”
Robin shifted her body a little, just to feel the caress of the warm pillow and sheets. “I couldn’t get rid of you. You kept me awake half the night.”
“Wish I’d been there to enjoy it.”
“So do I.”
The earpiece went silent except for the empty, distant sound of white noise.
“You still there?” Robin asked.
“Sorry. I was busy punching myself.”
“Aw, don’t do that.”
“Boy, do I feel like a dope.”
“You’re not a dope. You’re a sweetheart.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I wish I’d known how you felt.”
“You knew. Didn’t you?”
“Yeah. I guess so. But I just didn’t want you thinking the whole idea was so I could…stay. I mean, that’s how it would’ve looked. Right? Getting you the room.
Hiring
you. I didn’t want it to look like I was just pulling cheap tricks to get you in bed.”
“Whereas we understand, of course, that that’s precisely the case.”
The soft whuff of a laugh came through the phone. Robin could almost feel the breath of it against her ear.
“You’re something else,” Nate said.
“You too.”
“Are we still on for breakfast?” he asked.
“Sure. I’m ready when you are. How fast can you get here?”
“Ten minutes, if I push it.”
“So push it.”
Robin hung up and scurried out of bed. The chill morning air gave her goose bumps. She shivered as she hurried into the bathroom, used the toilet, and brushed her teeth. A bath would feel wonderful. She didn’t have enough time. She knew she could’ve asked Nate to wait awhile, but the bath didn’t matter. All that mattered was being with him again as soon as possible.
When he had left last night, Robin felt as if he’d taken part of her with him. It was peculiar, not to feel quite whole. But it didn’t hurt much, because she knew the missing piece would be restored to her when he showed up again.
The missing piece is Nate, she thought as she washed at the sink. Or maybe it’s my heart. How about both?
She wondered if there might be a song in the concept of the missing piece.
He borrowed my heart and he walked away, but he’ll bring it back when he comes to stay…Bring it back on a silver tray?
Screw the tray, sounds like John the Baptist.
With my heart in his pocket, he walked off that night. I reckon he’ll return it in the morning light. If his dog don’t eat it, I’ll be all right.
Robin grinned at her wet face in the mirror, then grabbed a towel and dried herself. She left the bathroom. Wanting to look her best for Nate, she decided to wear her new dress. The dress with the Funland emblem would, she thought, also be more appropriate for her new job as an actual employee.
She had just finished knotting the sash at her hip when she heard footsteps on the balcony. There was a knock at the door. “Hold on a minute,” she called. Stepping in front of the mirror, she brushed her hair. Then she rushed to the door and opened it.
Nate stepped into the room. And into Robin’s arms. She squeezed herself hard against him. Their mouths joined. The part wasn’t missing anymore.
She was all together again.
Easing herself backward, she looked up into his eyes and whispered, “I missed you.”
“I missed you more.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Yes I did.”
“Yes you did.”
He laughed. She felt his breath on her lips.
His hands moved gently down Robin’s back. They didn’t stop at her sash. They curved over her rump, then pressed it, bringing her tight to his body.
Wanting to look at him but reluctant to break the contact, she bent backward from the waist. “I haven’t packed my stuff yet.”
“You’ve got plenty of time. Checkout’s eleven, and it’s only eight now. You might want to relax here for a while after breakfast.”
“Ah-ha!”
She saw a bath in her future, after all.
“What time do I have to start earning my keep?”
“When you’re ready. Just come to the arcade. I’ve got a back room where you can leave your things.”
“Sounds good.”
“Yeah. So. Ready for breakfast?”
“Starving.”
“Good.”
She kissed him again, then left him for a moment while she got her handbag and room key.
Holding hands, they walked along the balcony. The day was clear, but a cool breeze made Robin shiver until they left the shadows of the motel and started across the parking lot. There, the warmth of the sun took the chill away.
Nate led her to the passenger side of a red Trans Am.
“I guess you weren’t kidding when you said you’re loaded.”
“Nope.” He opened the door for her.
“There’s a really good place right across the street, you know.”
Smiling, Nate threw the door shut. “You’re the breakfast expert.”
They crossed the street and entered the coffee shop. They sat facing each other at a window booth. A waitress filled their mugs. Robin took a sip of coffee, gazing over the mug’s rim at Nate. Steam drifted upward, hot against her nose and eyes.
“I don’t know when I’ve ever felt this good,” she said.
“You should stay in motels more often.”
“It’s not just the motel. It’s everything. Most of all, it’s you.”
Nate blushed. “I’m not all that wonderful.”
“You beat up old ladies?”
Though he smiled as he said, “Worse than that,” Robin saw a grim look come into his eyes.
“Are you all right?”
“Just hungry.” He picked up one of the menus and studied its back.
Robin looked at her menu.
“What do you recommend?” he asked. “Being the breakfast expert that you are.”
“Number one. The two eggs, country sausage, and hash browns.”
“I should’ve known. And I bet you like your eggs sunny-side-up.”
“Righto.”
The waitress came, and they ordered. When she was gone, Nate stared out the window.
“It’s a beautiful day,” Robin said.
“Yeah.” He looked at her. “Too bad we have to waste it working.”
“It’s all right with me.”
“We can quit at five. I’ve got Hector coming in.”
“Hector the doufuss? I thought you didn’t trust him to run things?”
“Well, in an emergency…”
“What’s the emergency?”
“I have to be alone with you. I’m gonna go crazy.”
Robin felt a warm, swelling sensation inside. Her throat tightened. She reached across the table and held Nate’s hand.
“I thought we might go over to my house,” he said. “I’ll barbecue a couple of steaks. We can swim in the pool.”
“I think I might be able to live with that.”
“Great. Great.”
“You mentioned something about being alone with me. Where are your parents while all this is going on?”
“Where they are right now. San Francisco. They won’t be back till next Wednesday.”
“Wednesday?” Robin’s heart suddenly began to pound very hard.
“You can stay till then. If you want to. We’d have the run of the place.”
She murmured, “God.” She was trembling. Along with the terrible excitement and hope, she felt nervous.
It’s happening so fast.
“You don’t have to,” Nate said. “I mean, I don’t want to push you into anything. We have a couple of guest rooms. Or if you’d rather stay in a motel until we can find you a place…”
“I’m just a little overwhelmed, is all. Jeez.”
“Well, don’t try to decide right now. About staying over. But you’ll come for the steaks, won’t you? Then…whatever you want. See how you feel when the time comes.”
When the time comes.
“Okay. You can count on me for dinner. And…we’ll see about the rest.”
The waitress came with the food. Robin stared at her plate.
“What’s wrong?” Nate asked.
“I’m not sure I can eat.”
“I’m sorry. Look, if it bothers you about tonight…” He shook his head, frowning. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll go back, when we’re done eating, and register you for a couple more nights. I’ve got tomorrow off. We can spend the day apartment hunting. Okay? You’re still planning to stay, aren’t you? I haven’t…scared you off? Me and my damn mouth. I
knew
I shouldn’t have tried to get you to…Shit, I really blew it this time. It’s not like I wanted you to shack up with me. I know that’s how it must look, but…” He stopped. He looked perplexed. “What’s so funny?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“All rambling and flustered.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”
“If you ask me, you’re doing fine.”
A corner of his mouth turned up. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I just don’t want you to think I’m trying to…”
Smiling, Robin raised her hand. “Hush,” she said. “Eat.”
He shrugged, looked as if he might start to speak again, but stopped himself and began to work on his breakfast.
Robin, too, began to eat. Her heart was slamming. She could hardly swallow, but she washed down the food with water and coffee, and kept shoveling more into her mouth, determined not to let Nate notice her turmoil.
He looked pleased. “You got your appetite back?”
“So it would seem. I think your speech cured me.”
“Now that you don’t have tonight hanging over your head.”
“Guess so.”
“Well, I never should’ve—”
“Eat, okay?”
“Was this motel all right?” he asked, nodding at it through the window. “We could check you into a different one if—”
“This one’s just fine.”
Nate finished his breakfast in silence. He kept looking at Robin and trying to smile. She could see that he was not only disappointed but also embarrassed.
Robin walked behind him to the front counter. He paid. He held the glass door open for her.
Outside, she took his hand. “Come on, cheer up,” she said. “It’s not the end of the world.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”