Dreams: Part Two (19 page)

“Hah. Look at me. I’ve got dozens of medical professionals running around here and hardly any of them know what they’re doing.“

Colby wandered over to the window. “If you’ve got incompetents here, it’s your own fault, Margaret. Fulbrook money built this hospital, and you sit on the board of directors. If you haven’t got good doctors, it just means you’re not paying decent salaries.“

“Listen to the expert,“ Margaret scoffed. “What would you know about running a hospital?“ But there was no real heat in her voice. Her eyes tracked Colby as he came to a halt and stood looking out over the panorama of mountains, river and town. The white veil of Chained Lady Falls could just barely be discerned in the distance.

“Why did you demand to see us, Margaret?“ Colby asked after a long moment of silence.

“I'm dying.“ Margaret Fulbrook’s voice was stark. “There are a few things I want to get cleared up before I go.“

“Don’t talk that way, Grandmother. You’re not dying.“ Brandon’s voice was vehement.

She patted his hand almost absently, her brown eyes still on Colby’s back. “It’s all right, Brandon. You'll understand some day that we all have to deal with death sooner or later. There’s no point in denying the reality of it.

There’s not much we can do about it, except get through it with as much dignity as possible. Colby?“

“Yeah, Margaret?“

“I
want you to keep that business about dignity in mind, do you understand? No telling what these fools around here might try to do if they’re left to their own devices. Doctors don’t always understand about dignity, and they do so love to play with their stupid machines. I want someone strong-minded in charge of making the decisions that might have to be made. I don’t know anyone more strong-minded than you. I also don’t know anyone who understands pride better than you do.“

Colby glanced back over his shoulder. His eyes met hers in a level look of mutual understanding. He hesitated and then nodded once. “I'll handle it, Margaret.“

Margaret Fulbrook seemed to relax a bit. Her mouth twitched at the corners as she looked over at Diana. “Do me a favor, my dear. Don’t let him get carried away and pull the plug too quickly.“

The macabre humor got to Diana. She found herself smiling in spite of the situation. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t get too enthusiastic about his responsibilities, Margaret.“

Brandon’s brows were knit with anxious concern. “What are you guys talking about? What’s going on?“

“Never mind, Brandon.“ Margaret patted his arm again reassuringly. “Just some minor business I wanted to get out of the way before I go on to more important matters.“

Brandon looked bewildered. “What important matters?“

She studied him intently for a long moment. “I want to tell you that the greatest joy I have experienced in the last twenty years was meeting you, my boy. It will be easier to say goodbye to this world now that I know some part of me will go on through you. You’re a fine young man, and I know who to thank for the way you turned out. Colby?“

“Yes?“ He didn’t turn from his contemplation of the scene outside the window. Diana could see the tension in his shoulders.

“It’s time for me to say that my poor, confused Cynthia made a mistake when she abandoned you and Brandon to run home to her parents. You would have made a good husband for her. You did a fine job of raising my grandson. I owe you for that, Colby.“

“You owe me nothing.“

“That’s not true. I owe you an apology for twenty-odd years of foolish pride, and
I
owe you my thanks for ensuring that Cynthia’s son turned into a man any grandmother could be proud of.“

There was a long moment of silence before Colby said quietly, “Forget it, Margaret.“

“No, we will not forget it, damn it. You will accept my apology and my thanks, do you hear me?“

Colby swung around slowly, the faintest trace of a smile edging his mouth. “I hear you, Margaret. You always could issue orders in a loud, clear voice. Ill accept your apology if you’ll accept mine.“

“That won’t be necessary. Perhaps you’re right. We’d best forget the whole thing. Let’s leave the regrets and the pride and the mistakes in the past where they belong. Agreed?“

Colby inclined his head. “Agreed.“

Satisfied, Margaret turned to Diana. “And you, my dear. I also owe you my thanks. You are the one who made it possible for me to meet Brandon and to get to know him. I also want to thank you for last Christmas. It was the happiest Christmas I have known since my daughter died. It was good to feel like part of a family again. I shall carry that pleasure with me to my grave.“

“You’ll be here next Christmas, too,“ Brandon declared roughly. He looked around at the others in the room, challenging all of them. “Isn’t that true?“

Colby suddenly chuckled. “Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me. Like I’ve always said, Brandon, your grandmother is one tough old broad.“

The nurse who came through the door at that moment was startled by the sound of the laughter that filled the somber hospital room.

“Heard you were back in town, Colby. Bet the old lady wanted to see her grandson before she died, right?“ Eddy Spooner wiped his hands on a grease-stained fag and reached for the gas hose.

“That’s about it.“ Colby climbed out of Diana’s Buick and leaned against the front fender as Eddy began filling the vehicle’s tank. “We’re staying over tonight. Well head back to Portland in the morning.“

“Where’re Brandon and Diana?“

“Visiting with Margaret Fulbrook. I took a break to come into town and see how you were doing.“

Specter put his head over the front seat and surveyed Eddy with a calm, unreadable gaze.

“I’m doin’ okay, Colby. Okay. I see you still got that big dog of Diana’s.“

“Yeah, Specter’s a born mooch. He won’t be moving out anytime soon. I’ve given up trying to encourage him to leave.“ Colby idly reached over to scratch the dog behind one shaggy ear. “But he and I have come to a gentlemen’s agreement.“

Eddy eyed the dog with respect. “He always looked like a mean one to me.“

Colby glanced down at Specter. “I think he could be, under the right circumstances. How are your plans coming, Eddy?“

Eddy looked up quickly, peering at Colby from under the brim of his beat-up fatigue cap. His glacial blue eyes were narrowed to slits. “Plans?“

“Yeah, you know. The plans you told me about last summer, remember? The last time you and I had a few beers at your house, you said something about being onto something big.“

“Oh, yeah. My plans.“ Eddy concentrated on putting gas into the car. His shrug said it all. “You know how my plans always work out, Colby. They don’t go nowhere.“

“That’s too bad.“ Colby wished he’d kept his mouth shut. He should have known that whatever Eddy had going last summer had fallen through. But he honestly hadn’t been able to think of any other topic of conversation, and some part of him felt compelled to try to touch base with his old boyhood companion.

“Is it true that old lady Fulbrook’s probably going to die?“ Eddy kept his attention on the nozzle of the hose.

“I don’t know, Eddy. The doctors said she’s holding her own, but they still haven’t pinned down the exact nature of her chest pains. Margaret thinks she’s going to die, though.“

“Reckon she left you and Brandon all her money, huh? Now that she’s talkin’ to you again? Got to hand it to you, Colby. You sure played your cards right. Skip town for twenty years, and then come back just in time to inherit the Fulbrook fortune.“

“Brandon and I don’t need or want her money and she knows it,“ Colby said harshly.

“That don’t mean she won’t leave it to you.“

Colby glanced down the main street of his old hometown, thinking that no matter what had happened earlier in the hospital room, he’d never be able to spend a dime of Margaret Fulbrook’s money. “She’ll probably leave whatever’s left of the Fulbrook fortune to Fulbrook Community Hospital. The place could use it,“ he said carelessly. In fact, he added to himself, he’d have a little chat with Margaret this afternoon and make sure she did exactly that.

“Harry says she started talkin’ last summer about changing her will. She went to see a lawyer about it a few months back,“ Eddy said slowly.

“Did she?“ Colby asked vaguely, losing interest in the topic. “Hey, Eddy, you ever find out anything about that black ‘vette that tried to run Diana and me off the road last summer?“

Eddy pulled the nozzle out of the tank. “Some.“

Colby watched him intently. “Come on, Eddy. Give. What did you find out?“

“Not much. That’s why I never called you. Figured it wouldn’t do you much good.“

“Well?“ It was like pulling teeth, Colby decided.

“The ‘vette’s been seen again a few times at night on River Road. Some of the local hotshots have tried out their wimpy little Camaros against it. No one’s ever beaten the ‘vette, though.“

“Anyone ever end up in the river? I told you that car was out for blood.“

“Nah. No one’s gone over the bank. Just a few close shaves on some of the curves. Same routine as twenty years ago. You remember how it works, Colby? You should, you’re the one who set it up. The black ‘vette picks up any takers down at the old turnout under the cliff. Same place you used when you were running things out there at night.

The parking area at the base of Chained Lady Falls is the finishing line.“

“Who’s driving the ‘vette, Eddy?“ Colby kept his voice casual as he slid his wallet out of his jeans pocket. He didn

’t want to let Eddy see just how interested he was in the answer.

“Nobody knows who’s drivin’.“

“Nobody’s seen the driver?“ Colby was astounded.

“Nope.“ Eddy shook his head as he made change. “The dude’s not racing for money, I guess. Just for the hell of it.

He hangs around the cliff turnout until some local yokel comes looking for action. The ‘vette and the challenger line up and take off. The ‘vette wins and just keeps going on into the night. Never comes back to collect any money or gloat or nothin’. He’s just gone. Like a ghost.“

“Think he’s from around here or out of town?“

Eddy shrugged. “The kids I’ve talked to who have seen the ‘vette don’t know. They say there aren’t even any tags on the car.“

“That new sheriff, Barnes, has he tried to stop the races?“

“Hah. Sheriff Barnes ain’t like old Gil Thorp. Barnes has got more important things to do than come all the way over from Vickston in the middle of the night to break up occasional drag races on River Road. I’ll tell you something, Colby. That black ‘vette is becoming a legend, just like you were twenty years ago.“

“If I ever get my hands on the new legend of River Road, I’m going to shorten his career real quick. I owe him for what he did last summer. He could have killed Diana.“ Colby opened the car door and dropped onto the front seat.

“You tell him I’m lookin’ for him if you ever meet him, Eddy.“

“What happened to you and Diana took place last summer, Colby.“

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve got a long memory.“

Eddy pulled the brim of his cap down lower to shield his eyes. “I’ll spread the word, Colby.“

“Do you really think she’s going to die, Dad?“ Brandon sat on the edge of the lumpy armchair in Aunt Jesse’s house and looked at his father, who was seated on the sofa beside Diana.

“I don’t know. As far as I can figure out, no one knows at this point.“

“I thought her color was much better tonight.“ Diana stirred and shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position. There were very few such positions these days, she’d discovered. And today she couldn’t seem to find a single one. Colby was massaging her lower back with an automatic motion. He always knew when she was hurting.

She leaned into his warm palm, savoring the small comfort.

“You okay, honey?“ Colby asked with concern.

“I’m fine. Just the usual aches and pains. I’ll be so glad when this baby gets here.“

Colby grinned. “This from the woman who’s been worrying about surviving labor pains for nearly nine months?“

“I’ve reached the point where I just want to get it all over. Even if it hurts to get it over,“ Diana admitted wryly.

“You two settled on the names?“ Brandon asked. “You’re still going to call the baby Josh if it’s a boy, and Tabitha if it’s a girl?“

“Tabitha Jane,“ Diana said, drawing out each word with loving care. “Do you like it, Brandon?“

“Josh sounds old-fashioned, but it’s okay. You do realize that if it’s a girl everyone’s going to call her Tabby?“

Brandon pointed out. “Tike a cat?“

Colby was about to respond when they all heard the sound of a car in the drive. Specter’s ears snapped forward and he got up to prowl toward the front door.

“Who is it?“ Diana asked.

“Might be Gil Thorp. He’s probably heard we’re in town and decided to stop by and say hello.“ Colby stood up and went to join Specter at the door.

A moment later there was the sound of a man’s heavy boot on the front porch and Colby pushed open the door.

“Eddy,“ he said. “What’s up?“

Eddy Spooner appeared on the threshold. He was turning his camouflage cap in his hand and he had a concerned expression on his face.

“‘Evenin Diana. Brandon.“

“Hi, Eddy.“ Brandon got to his feet.

“Hello, Eddy. Won’t you come in?“ Diana smiled at him.

“Can’t. Thanks, anyway. I just came by to see Colby about somethin’.“

“What’s this all about?“ Colby opened the door wider. “You’d better come inside. It’s cold out there.“

“Thanks. Yeah, it’s plenty cold out there. Supposed to get snow in a couple of days.“ Eddy looked at Colby. “You said you wanted to know if I ever heard any more about that black ‘vette on River Road.“

Diana frowned as she saw Colby’s quiet, keen attention. “Eddy? What’s this all about?“

“Never mind, Diana. I’ll explain it later.“ Colby watched Eddy closely. “You’ve got something?“

Eddy nodded quickly. “One of the kids came by the station just as I was closing. Said he’d heard the ‘vette would be out looking for action tonight. The kid’s been workin’ on his car for six months, and he’s been itchin’ to try it out against the ‘vette.“