The Shadows Trilogy (Box Set: Edge of Shadows, Shadows Deep, Veiled Shadows) (8 page)

Ellie thought the gesture was stiff, and something about it felt off, but Linda didn’t seem to notice. Her laugh tinkled above the din of the others.

“Ellie! What are you doing over there? Are you too good to talk to all of us now that you look sexy as hell?” Melanie’s brash voice caught her attention.

Ellie was mortified by Melanie’s comment, but relieved to have an excuse to move away from Randall and Linda, who were now whispering to each other with amused expressions on their faces.

“I’m sorry. I was just talking to Randall,” she apologized as she moved to stand next to David.

Melanie, Kevin, and Eric all rolled their eyes. Herbert looked dazed (as usual), and David appeared confused. The group aura had started to shift at the mention of Randall’s name. Deep orange streaks appeared. Randall made everyone anxious.

“Am I missing something?” David asked.

Melanie glanced around Ellie’s shoulder and lowered her voice. “We’ve all known Linda awhile now. She was widowed not too long ago. From what she said, she and Lloyd had one of those picture-perfect marriages. They were married a long time—something like thirty years.”

Melanie checked around Ellie again before continuing. Her lowered voice was almost eerie compared to her usual over the top speaking volume. “She told me that she was crazy depressed after that happened. She said she lost her will to live. She told me things got better once she started working for Ellie; helped to give her some purpose again. Well, a couple of months ago, Linda starts showing up at work wearing new clothes. Like designer new and bright colors. Then she was taking long weekend trips and whistling to herself when she was working. She’d always been warm and friendly, but this was obviously a woman in love. I couldn’t help but notice, since it was such a drastic change.”

Ellie suddenly felt awful. She hadn’t noticed these signs that Melanie made seem too glaringly obvious. She relied so heavily on people’s auras that she often missed the most basic signs of people’s emotions. She knew that was one of her fundamental flaws, and was certain that was why she had a hard time relating well to other people. Plus she had been wrapped up so completely in her own little hell dimension for the last year that the others around her had almost ceased to exist. She felt a small tug on her arm, and saw that Kevin knew exactly what she was thinking. He winked at her, and she realized he was telling her to let it go.

“We were all delighted for her, although cautious. After all, Lloyd had only recently passed on. But it was good to see Linda moving on with her life instead of watching everyone making a mess of theirs and trying to play the part of their mother.” Melanie looked pointedly at Ellie.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I’ve ever asked her to take care of me. Geez.”

“So far I think I’m still missing it,” David said, clearly trying to run interference.

Ellie was appalled that Melanie would talk about her so blatantly. But then David looked at her and she was torn between a sharp retort or letting Melanie finish. She decided it wasn’t worth getting into anything in front of David so she nodded at Melanie to continue.

"I haven’t gotten to the good stuff yet,” Melanie said. “So then this car starts showing up outside the coffee shop to pick Linda up on the days that she works. It’s a new Lincoln Town Car with tinted windows, so you couldn’t see who was inside. She’s all aflutter about it and wouldn’t tell anyone what was going on, but every day she’d leave in that car.”

Kevin suddenly jumped in. “I couldn’t stand it anymore, so one day I asked Linda if she had joined a cult and was ashamed to tell us about it.” They all laughed quietly. “And she finally fessed up about Randall. After that he’d come into the store and wait for Linda to be done with her shift.”

The whole group turned in unison to look, but Randall and Linda had disappeared.

“She won’t tell us how she met him or anything about him. All’s she would say was that she had met a nice man, and she was enjoying herself again,” Kevin added.

“Doesn’t sound so bad,” David said, shrugging.

Ellie caught a look pass between Kevin and Melanie. After a short pause, Kevin made a small nod in Ellie’s direction. Ellie wondered if David wasn’t the only one missing something.

Melanie seemed uncomfortable, and then she sighed. “You’re right. If that’s all there was to the story I don’t think any of us would have thought another thing about it. But it was Randall’s other interest that concerned us.”

“What other interest?” David asked.

“Ellie,” Kevin said in a low tone. “It was pretty clear that he was paying an awful lot of attention to Ellie. Linda never seemed to notice, but I didn’t like it at all.”

All eyes had shifted to Ellie, and she realized that this was the cause of the anxiety. Her friends were worried about her. “I’ve always thought that Randall was creepy,” Ellie said slowly. “And I did catch him staring at me a few times. Why didn’t you guys say anything?”

This time it was Melanie and Kevin’s turn to look embarrassed. Ellie stared at them hard until Melanie finally met her eyes. “Look, doll. You know we love you. But you haven’t been fully present for a while now and we didn’t know how to tell you. We didn't want to upset you more than you already have been. It seemed easier to just keep an eye on things ourselves. We would have said something if there was any chance of things getting wacky. Randall is mysterious and creepy, but he seemed pretty harmless.”

Ellie had no idea how to respond. She felt David put his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him.

“I think it’s great that Ellie has such good friends. Sounds like you all look out for each other. Being somebody new in town, I can say that’s something I miss,” David said.

Ellie was grateful that Melanie’s confession hadn’t made him think she was a total self-centered loon.

“It’s just so odd how everything about him is so secretive and mysterious, and Linda refuses to answer any questions about him. And when you do talk to him, you just feel…yucky,” Kevin added.

“Yucky?” David questioned.

“Yucky,” Ellie agreed with a small smile at Kevin.

“What’s yucky?” Linda appeared from the back of the room.

“Oh, uh, Ellie and I found a mouse in the storeroom yesterday morning. Good thing you weren’t there, Linda,” Kevin said smoothly.

Everyone else in the circle shot him a look of gratitude. Ellie crinkled up her nose. She wondered how many times he may have told her a white lie to protect her feelings. No matter what everyone else thought about Randall, he had obviously made Linda feel better and she knew this was the point where being a good friend meant you had to be willing to overlook other eccentricities. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Randall’s interest in her was no good.

“That is unpleasant,” Linda said, wrinkling up her nose. “Let’s talk about nicer things, shall we? Our remaining guests have arrived, so dinner is ready.” And with a graceful spin, she motioned for her guests to follow her across the hall to the dining room.

Linda led the group into the formal dining room that held a massive cherry wood dining table and had twelve chairs around it. Each place setting for the ten guests was set with what appeared to be very expensive china. An exquisite vase sat in the middle of the table and was overflowing with gorgeous bright flowers.

Randall was talking with a middle-aged couple at one end of the table, and he smiled as the group entered the room. “I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m starving. I hope you are all hungry.”

“I’ve placed name cards around the table so everyone knows where to sit,” Linda said, pointing to the small white linen cards at the top of each place setting.

“I also want to introduce you all to Joe Klein and his wife, Carol.” She gestured to the couple standing with Randall. “Joe is my real estate agent and introduced me to this beautiful property.”

David couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw Joe wink at Linda during the introduction. Very odd. He quickly forgot about it as everyone found their respective spots at the table. Linda had definitely gone all out for this, and he sensed that Ellie was feeling uncomfortable after the exchange in the library. He put his hand against the small of her back and led her to the table. She smiled at him gratefully.

David found himself sitting next to Ellie, who was sitting to the left of Randall. David wondered if Randall had any input into that. Linda had also placed Randall at the head of the table. He nodded politely to Randall but he planned to keep an eye on him and any unwelcome behavior toward Ellie. Linda was to Randall’s right, across the table from Ellie. Joe Klein was across the table from him. Joe’s wife sat next to Joe, and then Melanie, with Herbert sitting next to David. Kevin and Eric were on the end facing each other.

Once they were seated, Randall stood with his wine glass in hand. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming together on such short notice. I can’t tell you how much this means to Linda, and how much she enjoys and respects each and every one of you.”

David was surprised that Randall was giving the toast. The man’s relationship with Linda appeared more serious than anyone had let on. Linda just sat and gazed up at Randall with a satisfied smile on her face.

“So if everyone would be so kind as to raise your glass, I’d like to make a toast to the beautiful woman at my side and her wonderful friends.” Randall raised his glass just a touch higher, but David thought he saw a brief glance down at Ellie.

Everyone else took their wine glasses in hand, and murmured a second to Randall’s toast before taking a sip.

David saw that Ellie hesitated before taking a sip. “I’m not usually a fan of red wine,” she whispered to him. “Linda, this is an excellent wine,” she said a bit too loud across the table to her friend.

David wondered what had happened to her in her life that made her worry so much about outward appearances. He thought that the small digs that had been taken at her expense in the library may be weighing on her, and it surprised him to feel a twitch of anger. Ellie seemed so strong at times, but so frail at others.

“Thank you, but I can’t take credit. Randall picked it out,” Linda said as she raised her own glass.

“Of course he did,” Melanie Wilson uttered in a low undertone.

“What, dear?” Linda glanced down the table at Melanie.

“Nothing, nothing, Linda. I was also complimenting Randall on his fine wine selection,” Melanie said into her wine glass.

From what David could tell from his short acquaintance with Melanie Wilson, it seemed almost impossible for her to keep a rein on her tongue. He saw a look on her husband’s face that was a mixture of chagrin and exasperation.

If Linda heard the sarcasm, or sensed the tension at the table as everyone waited for her response, she appeared not to notice. “Of course,” she said, smiling at Randall.

At that moment Jeffrey and a female server appeared in the doorway carrying plates. They gently set a lush green salad in front of everyone and Linda seemed pleased. “Please, everyone, let’s eat.”

The tension bled away, and everyone was quiet for a time as the dinner began in earnest. David was feeling full by the third course, but the food didn’t seem to be stopping. Linda herself ate little, even with a gesture from Randall. She seemed more focused on the real estate agent at her side, and then ensuring that her guests were having a good time. Soon multiple conversations were going on again, and a comfortable buzz filled the air.

“Linda tells me you’re a doctor, David.” Randall’s soft voice cut through the din like a knife.

David cleared his throat and wiped his linen napkin across his lips. “Yes, that’s correct. I’m finishing my residency at the hospital downtown.”

“Excellent. Being a doctor is a fine profession.” Randall nodded appreciatively. He raised his wine glass and spun the rich liquid within for a moment, looking into its depths. “It is very demanding of you, though, I’m sure. I mean time and energy wise.”

“I manage.” David shrugged. “I enjoy what I do so that makes it all very worth it.”

David saw Ellie smile at him with a look of pleasure. David hoped that the person that he would ultimately choose to spend his life with would appreciate that. He knew it was a hard choice to be with someone who had a job that was practically a marriage itself. But he thought Ellie may be different given that she was a business owner and he was sure that required a lot of her time.

“Are you hoping for a family someday?” Randall persisted.

“Of course. Just because I have a demanding job doesn’t mean that I don’t want to have a wife, kids, house, the whole thing,” David said. He didn’t understand where Randall was going with his line of questioning. The rest of the table had quieted and everyone else was listening now as well.

“But being there at life’s crucial moments; now that’s the stuff that makes life worth it. Seems like it would be a shame to start a family and then not be able to be there when it matters,” Randall said, swirling the wine in his glass.

David saw that although Randall was trying hard to appear nonchalant, he was actually watching Ellie’s reaction closely. Was it possible that the man was trying to warn Ellie away from him?

“There’s no reason I can’t be there when I need to be.” David was starting to get annoyed. He didn’t understand why he had to justify himself to this man. Plus he remembered having a similar argument with his father. His father had said something about…sacrifices. And being willing to make difficult decisions.

“I don’t mean to offend.” Randall held up his hands in a mock gesture of peace. “I just know that when the demands of a career come knocking, other things will be…sacrificed.”

Randall’s word choice was strange, especially given David’s memory of the disagreement with his own father. “Are you talking from experience?” David retorted. He felt everyone at the table lean forward in anticipation. Ellie’s hand came from under the table and rested on his forearm, and he wondered if she thought he was going too far. But David didn’t like to be bullied, especially by someone he had only just met.

“The ramblings of an old man,” Randall laughed. “Feel free to ignore me. The energies of youth are beyond my grasp now.” He looked at Linda and smiled. “Other things are much more important to me these days.”

David shook his head. He should have expected Randall’s deflection. The intensity of the emotions the short conversation raised within him surprised him. He could tell that the time for questions had passed, and as the negative energy welled inside him he realized that he felt…yucky. It was exactly the feeling the group had been trying to explain to him.

“Is everyone enjoying their supper?” Linda asked, looking away from Randall. Her gaze settled on Joe Klein, although the question had been directed to everyone. Murmurs of approval came from around the table. David noted that Joe seemed annoyed about the interaction between Linda and Randall. Although no words were exchanged, he saw Linda pat Joe on the arm. He wondered if Linda’s natural exuberance had rubbed off a bit on the agent, and if he wasn’t a bit sweet on her. Everyone seemed sweet on Linda.

“Well, if everyone is finished, then, I’d like to give you the grand tour. We can finish with coffee and cognac in the library,” Linda said. “And if you are all very good, there will perhaps be a little sweet thing waiting as well for dessert.”

“Oh goody.” Kevin clapped his hands together in anticipation, and everyone laughed.

As they stood, Jeffrey and the server emerged from the kitchen and started clearing away the dishes. Linda led the guests back to the great hall where they had entered.