Willow Pond (12 page)

Laura jumped to her feet, trying desperately to think of some way to help. Her hands flew to her head and she removed the hatpin from her cream-colored cloche. She jammed the hatpin into the back of one of the assailants. He shuddered and clawed at his back, trying to remove it, but she’d pushed it all the way in and he couldn’t grab hold of anything. He stumbled toward the curb and she felt a kind of wild elation when she saw the back of his shirt turning red.

After a fierce blow to the left side of Erich’s head and a couple of kicks to his ribs, the three men made a mad dash to the black Cadillac and sped away before Laura could see more than the first letter of the license plate number.

She turned her attention to Erich, who lay unconscious and bleeding on the sidewalk. She sat next to him and cradled his head in her lap, gently cleaning his bloodied face with a handkerchief. She nodded when a man ran into a nearby store, signaling his intent to call the police. When Erich opened his eyes, she felt a rush of tenderness.

His voice was a whisper. “Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine. Now don’t talk. Save your strength.” She clutched one of his hands, the one that didn’t look too badly hurt. “A nice man just went to call for an ambulance.”

Each time he tried to take a deep breath his face contorted in pain. Laura leaned forward and kissed his forehead, praying he’d be all right.

***

Waiting areas outside emergency rooms are not designed for comfort. Even though she’d only been there a couple of hours Laura was weak from exhaustion. She couldn’t help thinking about the time she and her sister had held hands in the same kind of room while they waited for word on their parents’ condition. Virginia had arrived at the hospital moments before the doctor told the girls their parents were dead.

Now she was here again, waiting. It was a terrible place to be. She glanced up quickly when the doctor called her name, then jumped to her feet.

“How is Erich?”

“He’ll be all right,” the doctor assured her.

He had suffered three broken ribs, a couple of broken bones in his hand, and a concussion. One of the ribs had just missed a lung. They had set his hand, and a couple of the lacerations on his forehead had needed stitches. She wanted to see him and was told he was groggy from painkillers, but had been asking to see her.

She wondered if he were asleep when she walked into the room. A sheet covered him up to his chin, and his swollen eyes were closed. Seeing him like this made her want to cry. His handsome face was purple with bruises. She slipped her hand under the sheet and covered his hand with hers. The moment he felt her there, his eyes blinked open.

“Oh, Erich. How do you feel? Are you in much pain?”

He tried to smile, but she could tell it was painful. “It still hurts like hell, but not as much as it did when I first got here. But I’m worried about you.”

“Why be concerned about me? You’re the one who was beaten up. I’m worried about you.”

“Just be careful.”

“What happened tonight could have had something to do with your investigation into Todd’s kidnapping. After all, it obviously wasn’t a mugging. They didn’t take anything from you. Those bootleggers you were talking to earlier this evening may be responsible.”

“Maybe.” He sighed. “Let’s talk about it some other time.”

She frowned. It wasn’t like him to avoid a conversation. “Are you keeping something from me, Erich?”

He closed his eyes and didn’t move. For a moment she thought he might have passed out. Her heart picked up its pace.

“Erich?” Not knowing what else to do, she peeked out into the hall and yelled for the nurse.

“I’m okay, Laura,” he said groggily. “I just need to rest. I’m very sleepy. Probably all the meds.” He yawned. “The guy who held me down was driving the car the other night when I saw your aunt.”

“You saw Virginia?”

A nurse came in to see if anything were wrong. She adjusted the transfusion apparatus while she was there. Erich waited until they were alone before he said anything more.

“She told me she’d teach me a lesson if I kept seeing you.”

“She did what?”

“And I recognized one of the guys from when I saw Virginia the other night.” His eyelids fluttered. “I can’t stay awake, Laura. I’m sorry. Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Of course, Erich.” She kissed him lightly on his cheek. “Sleep well.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

She took a cab straight to Virginia’s brownstone. She had never been so furious with her aunt. She tried to control her anger, but it threatened to overwhelm her. Every time she felt herself begin to relax, she thought of Erich and his bruised face. The fury inside her simmered even hotter.

This wasn’t the first time her aunt had disapproved of someone she was dating, but it was the first time she’d tried to harm one of Laura’s boyfriends. They’d argued about it in the past, and when Laura was younger Virginia sometimes got her way. But that hadn’t happened in a long time. And it wasn’t about to start. Laura intended to keep seeing Erich whether Virginia liked it or not.

The cab pulled up in front of the brownstone and she paid the driver, then stepped out onto West 77
^th
Street and climbed her aunt’s cement steps. Just before she tried the door, she heard the wail of an ambulance siren. It reminded her of how frightened she’d been on the way to the hospital earlier that night.

Laura stormed into the brownstone without knocking. A light was glowing in the kitchen, and the teakettle had just started to whistle. She barged into the room and glared at her aunt.

Virginia spun around to face her, her beautiful face twisted with a combination of welcome and concern. “Do you have news about Todd? Have the police—?” She held out her arms, but Laura didn’t move into them as she usually did. “What have you been doing?” she asked. “My goodness! You look exhausted.”

“Exhausted? Yes, I suppose I am.”

“I know what will help. I bought a new blend of cinnamon tea yesterday that tastes just like the one your mother liked so much. Would you like a cup?”

Laura stood without moving. “Three men beat Erich up tonight. You’re responsible, aren’t you?”

“That reporter?” Virginia turned and took two mugs from the cabinet, then looked back at Laura. “You do know how to attract good-looking men, Laura. But looks aren’t everything.” She lifted her chin a little higher. “I don’t approve.”

“He’s in Lennox Hill Hospital in so much pain he can barely talk. He told me he recognized one of the men because he’d been with you when Erich saw you the other night. Is that true?”

“Is what true? And why would you think I had anything to do with what happened?”

Laura’s anger reached the boiling point. “Don’t take me for a fool. I’m talking about whether you saw Erich.”

“He wanted to confront me.”

“He told me you threatened to teach him a lesson if he kept seeing me.” Laura’s lips curled into a mocking half smile. “What happened to him tonight is a bit too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”

Virginia turned away and picked up the tea kettle, pouring tea into two mugs. “How do I know how many enemies he’s made? He’s a ruthless reporter who doesn’t care who he hurts with his lies. Many people may be out to get him.”

“That’s a lie. He’s a well-respected journalist.”

Virginia set the tea kettle down and focused hard on her niece. “Laura, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you or anyone you care about. And I’d have to be blind not to see that you care about this man.”

Laura shook her head. “There are two inescapable facts.” She lifted one finger. “First of all, Erich was beaten up tonight by a guy Erich saw with you.” A second finger joined the first. “Second, you had threatened him. Why shouldn’t I believe you’re responsible? It makes perfect sense to me.”

“I’m telling you I didn’t. I’ve never lied to you.”

“Neither has Erich.”

“You haven’t known him that long.”

Laura’s green eyes softened. “That doesn’t matter. I feel like I’ve always known him.”

“I’ve always been there for you. I’d never do anything to hurt you,” Virginia said irritably. She sat and sipped her tea. “I don’t trust him, Laura. He could be using you to further his career.”

“He isn’t.”

“How can you be so sure? You’re too trusting.”

“Don’t change the subject. You haven’t answered my question about Erich yet.”

Virginia gave a half snort. “I’ve disapproved of some of your other boyfriends and never harmed any of them. Why should things be different now?”

“It is different this time because I love Erich. Do you hear me? I love him. I won’t let you do anything to hurt him. Stay away from him.”

“Laura, we’re both telling the truth. I won’t deny threatening him, and, though I’m sure you don’t approve, I did it to make sure he knows that if he doesn’t treat you right he’ll answer to me. But I didn’t have him beaten up. With all you’ve been through do you think I’d put you through that, too?”

“No, I honestly didn’t think you would. At least I’d hoped you wouldn’t. But it just seems like too much of a coincidence. I want to believe you,” she said. “I do.” She glared at her aunt, who sat quietly watching. “All right. Let’s leave this for now. I’m tired. I’m going home to get some sleep.”

She walked out without even looking at the cup of tea.

Chapter Twenty-Three

When Laura stepped outside the next afternoon, the weather had changed. Heavy, gray clouds now loomed overhead, and it had been so windy during the night the sidewalk was littered with leaves and twigs. She walked toward Fifth Avenue where she hailed a taxi to the hospital.

She unbuttoned her coat as she got off the elevator on the fourth floor and walked past the nurses’ station to Erich’s room, hesitating to stare at a closed door across from Erich’s. Behind it she heard a woman sobbing, and almost cried herself. Only the loss of a loved one could cause that much pain. Laura knew that kind of pain. She had lost Todd; she had almost lost Erich.

Erich looked even worse this morning, covered with bruises and bandages. She handed him a box of chocolate-covered caramels and leaned in to kiss him. It was a gentle kiss, but more than a friendly peck. When she pulled away, he reached up and stroked her face with his left hand.

“You’ve never kissed me like that before. It’s worth getting beaten up for.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Well, all right. Almost worth it. You’re better for me than any of this stuff,” he said, gesturing at the hospital room. He patted the bed and she sat on the edge.

“I talked to Virginia last night,” said Laura. “I don’t think she had anything to do with what happened to you.”

“I’d rather have another kiss than talk about your aunt.”

Of course he would, but his attitude was frustrating. Laura wanted to explain. She wished he’d at least try to understand her feelings about Virginia.

For years Laura had been trying to convince people that Virginia’s work life had nothing to do with her personal life. A friend had once asked her if she approved of what Virginia did for a living, and she hadn’t been able to answer. She still wouldn’t be able to if she were asked today, but she had always been able to separate the loving aunt from the other. Now it was getting more difficult.

“Well, I think you need to find out who’s responsible,” she said.

“I will, Laura.”

“Did the doctor say when you could go home?”

“If I’m still alive in another week, the doctor will give me my walking papers. Unless I run away with the nurse before that.”

She raised her eyebrows at him. “You’d better not.”

“She’s going to be disappointed.” He winced as he tried to find a more comfortable position.

“Erich, I …” She hesitated, suddenly shy. “Last night when I thought you might die, I realized how much I care about you.” She avoided his eyes and played with the hem of the pillowcase instead. “I’m angry with myself and at you for the way I feel, but I can’t do anything about it.”

“I like the sound of that, except the angry part.”

“How else can you expect me to feel? My son is missing and I have no business getting involved with a man.” She got up and began buttoning her coat.

“Do you have to go already? I like to have you here so I know you’re safe.”

“I am safe. I’m just not sure how safe you are.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

A couple of weeks later, Laura sat outside, holding the Willa Cather novel she was reading, Death Comes for the Archbishop. She glanced up when she heard Erich walking toward her. They’d spent almost every day together since he’d left the hospital and she looked forward to every moment they shared. He was like no man she’d ever met before.

“Oh, there you are.” She stood up, book in hand. “I was starting to worry.”

He smiled and reached for the small cloth satchel she held.

“Are you sure you should be carrying things? What did the doctor say?”

He looked at the bag with its delicate floral print and chuckled. “He said I’ll live to be a hundred, and I can manage this pretty little thing.” He took her hand. “Must be something going on around here, because I had a real problem finding a place to park. I hope you don’t mind a bit of a walk.”

“On such a beautiful day? How could I mind?”

She felt her optimism soar as she walked hand in hand with Erich, enjoying the perfect day. When they found Todd, how would he react to the new man in her life? He’d need his father, obviously, but Phillip hadn’t needed Todd. A new film or a new woman had always been more important to Phillip. Erich could fill that void in her little boy’s life.

Erich chatted happily as he walked beside her, filling her in on what he’d been doing. “I interviewed those two French aviators yesterday and they were as sick as dogs. On Thursday they stood in the rain for hours posing for photographers. If I start sneezing or coughing, send me home.”

“If you say so. What was it like to interview them?”