The Unkindest Cut (18 page)
Authors: Honor Hartman
She stopped poking with the branch and stared down at something about six feet away from where I sat. ‘‘There’s a really big rock here, and it looks to me like somebody dropped it here recently.’’ She bent down for a closer look. ‘‘I bet it weighs about ten pounds. Something like that thrown at you could certainly knock you over.’’
‘‘Come help me up,’’ I said, reaching out a hand.
‘‘Are you sure you’re ready? Maybe you should sit there a little bit longer.’’ Sophie came over to me, but she didn’t offer to help me up.
‘‘Yes, I’m ready. This ground is cold and a little bit damp. I’ll be okay,’’ I said.
‘‘All right.’’ Sophie dropped the branch and took hold of my hands. With her aid I got to my feet, though I was a bit wobbly for a moment.
‘‘Okay?’’ Sophie asked.
‘‘Yes. My back is stiff from that cold ground, and from the rock someone threw at me. But a hot shower will help.’’
‘‘What about your head?’’ Sophie said. ‘‘I’m afraid you might have a concussion.’’
‘‘I don’t think so,’’ I said, thinking about it for a moment. ‘‘My head is clear now, and my vision is fine. The back of my head is a bit sore, but I don’t have a headache or anything.’’
‘‘You blacked out, didn’t you?’’
‘‘Yes, but I don’t know for how long.’’
‘‘Then you need to see a doctor,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘I’m going to get you back to the hotel, and we’ll see about having your head examined.’’
I couldn’t help laughing at that.
‘‘Emma, you know what I meant,’’ Sophie said, sounding exasperated.
‘‘I know,’’ I said, ‘‘but it just struck me as funny.’’
‘‘Come on,’’ Sophie replied. She slipped an arm around my waist. ‘‘Let’s go back to the hotel.’’
‘‘Where’s my purse?’’ Suddenly I remembered that I’d had a bag with me.
‘‘Right here,’’ Sophie said. Releasing me for a moment, she stepped a pace away and bent down to pick up my bag. Straightening, she handed it to me. ‘‘You should probably check to see if anything has been taken.’’
‘‘Let’s get out of these woods first,’’ I said. ‘‘It’s getting cooler in here, and I want to feel some warm sunshine.’’
‘‘Of course,’’ Sophie said. Once more she put her arm around me, and off we went.
We reached the edge of the woods about seven or eight minutes later. I had gone farther along the trail into the woods than I had realized.
I stood blinking in the sunlight for a moment while my eyes adjusted. My vision was clear, and my eyes didn’t seem to be unduly sensitive to the light. I opened my bag and rummaged for my sunglasses. Once I had them on, I examined the contents of the bag more carefully while Sophie watched.
‘‘Looks like everything’s here,’’ I said. ‘‘All my credit cards, my cash, everything.’’
‘‘Okay,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘Then let’s get back to the hotel and see about that doctor.’’
Slowly we made our way back to the hotel. My back would probably be stiff as all get-out by tonight, but I hoped that would be the worst of it.
‘‘Why did someone throw that big rock at me?’’ I asked. ‘‘And who was it?’’
‘‘I was wondering the same things myself,’’ Sophie admitted. ‘‘But I didn’t want to say anything, in case you didn’t want to talk about it right now.’’
‘‘If someone wasn’t trying to rob me,’’ I said, ‘‘then why?’’
‘‘Maybe someone’s angry with you.’’
‘‘I guess so,’’ I said. ‘‘But who could I have made angry?’’
Sophie snorted with laughter. ‘‘Well, Veronica Hinkelmeier, for one. You told her how the cow ate the cabbage yesterday, didn’t you?’’
‘‘Yes, I guess I did,’’ I said, recalling the scene in the dining room when Veronica had tried to embarrass Paula over her credit card.
‘‘She strikes me as someone who’s probably vindictive, ’’ Sophie said.
‘‘She struck me the same way,’’ I said, then laughed at the unintentional pun. Sophie joined in.
‘‘Seriously, though,’’ Sophie said after a moment. ‘‘Who else could it be? Is there anyone else you’ve had a run-in with?’’
‘‘No,’’ I said. ‘‘Unless someone is trying to warn me off from being nosy. Gosh, I feel just like Nancy Drew. She got hit on the head a few times, didn’t she?’’
‘‘Yes, she did, but don’t you start making a habit of it,’’ Sophie said in a wry tone.
I thought of an important question. ‘‘Did you see anyone out here when you came looking for me?’’
‘‘No,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘There wasn’t anyone on the grounds when I walked across to the woods. I figured you might be walking through the woods, so I came straight to them. There wasn’t anyone in the woods either.’’
By now we were approaching the front of the hotel. I paused on the veranda to remove my sunglasses and stick them in my bag. Sophie opened the door for us, and I preceded her inside. Still shepherding me along, she headed for the reception desk.
Monica was on duty, and her eyes widened with pleasure when she saw me. ‘‘Good afternoon, ladies. What can I do for you?’’
‘‘Do you have a doctor on call for the hotel?’’ Sophie was brisk, but polite.
‘‘Yes, ma’am,’’ Monica said, startled. ‘‘Is one of you sick?’’
‘‘Mrs. Diamond fell in the woods’’—Sophie cut her eyes sideways at me, and I gave a slight nod—‘‘and I think she ought to have a doctor look at her and make sure everything’s okay.’’
Her eyes full of concern, Monica stared at me a moment. ‘‘I’ll call the doctor right away. Is it an emergency?’’
‘‘No, probably not an emergency,’’ Sophie said, ‘‘but I think she should be seen very soon. Just in case she might have a concussion.’’
Monica nodded. ‘‘I’ll call now. Why don’t you go on up to your suite and rest until the doctor arrives? Is there anything else I can do for you, or get for you?’’
‘‘No, not at the moment,’’ Sophie said.
‘‘Thank you, Monica,’’ I said, smiling at her.
She returned the smile as she reached for the phone. We left her punching in the number and made our way to the elevator.
Marylou was evidently still playing bridge. Our suite was empty.
‘‘I’m going to take a hot shower,’’ I said as Sophie escorted me into the bedroom.
‘‘How’s your head?’’ Sophie asked as I dropped my bag on the bed.
‘‘It’s okay,’’ I said. ‘‘My head is clear. It’s just my back that’s bothering me a little.’’
‘‘Okay, then,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘But I’m going to pull a chair up close to the bathroom door. You call out if you need anything.’’
‘‘I wouldn’t mind some water before I get in the shower,’’ I said, and almost before the words were out of my mouth, Sophie found me a bottle of water and opened it.
‘‘Thanks,’’ I said, then drank about half the bottle.
Sophie took it from me when I headed toward the bathroom. She was watching me anxiously. ‘‘I’ll be just fine,’’ I said. ‘‘I wouldn’t mind some hot tea when I get out of the shower.’’
‘‘Right,’’ Sophie said. I knew that giving her at least one little task would make her feel better.
I slipped into the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar. I knew better than to argue with Sophie about her monitoring me while I showered.
The hot water felt wonderful on my back. The showerhead adjusted to several settings, and I experimented until I found the one I liked best. Then I stood there and let the water beat down on me.
While I enjoyed the shower, I thought back over what I had been doing just before I was hit by the rock.
I had been mulling over the different suspects in the murder. I had reached Paula when I heard a sound from behind me on the trail.
That’s when I was struck by the rock and went down.
The fact that I could recall what happened immediately before I blacked out was a good sign, I knew. I figured the doctor would examine me and say that I just needed to rest for several hours and stay awake. I would have to be aware of the symptoms of concussion, though, because some of them could occur later.
I was a bit surprised that I had blacked out. The only other time I could remember fainting was the night when the police came to tell me that my husband had been killed in an accident on the Gulf Freeway in Houston. Recalling that, I felt the tears threatening to stream down my face. I steadied myself mentally. Now was not a good time to get upset.
I wasn’t aware how long I was in the shower, but I heard Sophie calling me. I slid the shower door open a bit and stuck my head out. ‘‘Yes?’’
‘‘The doctor’s here, Emma,’’ Sophie said.
‘‘Be right out.’’ I shut off the water and stood there for a moment, dripping. The doctor had responded quickly, or else I had been in the shower a lot longer than I thought.
Stepping out of the shower, I reached for one of the luxurious hotel towels and dried myself off.
I emerged from the shower a few minutes later, wearing one of the hotel robes, a lush terry-cloth affair that hung past my knees. Sophie had appropriated the smaller one, but I didn’t mind. This one suited my purposes just fine.
Sophie introduced me to a rather nondescript man in his mid-sixties and explained that he had been en route to the hotel when Monica’s call came. Apparently one of the elderly guests had suffered an attack of gout, and someone had already called Dr. McKenzie to attend.
‘‘Thank you for coming, Dr. McKenzie,’’ I said. ‘‘I think I’m probably okay, but I guess it’s best to check.’’
Though plain, his face had a kindly expression. ‘‘Your friend told me you tripped over something in the woods and hit your head when you fell.’’
‘‘Um, yes, that’s more or less what happened,’’ I said. For a moment I was baffled; then I realized Sophie was right not to broadcast that I had been attacked by an unknown assailant.
‘‘Right, then, let’s have a look at you,’’ the doctor said. Setting his bag down on the bed, he motioned for me to have a seat in the chair Sophie had pulled up for me.
In the next several minutes he examined me carefully and asked me numerous questions. When he finished, he studied me for a moment before speaking.
‘‘The fact that you blacked out, even briefly, concerns me, but all the signs are good otherwise.’’ He frowned. ‘‘I’d like you to stay awake as long as possible, say until midnight. Take it easy, and no stimulants or depressants.’’
‘‘In other words, no caffeine or alcohol,’’ I said, smiling.
‘‘A little caffeine perhaps,’’ he said. ‘‘Some hot tea would be fine. A light meal this evening. If you feel light-headed or have blurry vision, headaches, nausea, or anything like that in the next few days, call me at once.’’
‘‘Thank you, Dr. McKenzie,’’ I said, and Sophie added her thanks. She saw him out, and when she came back, she found me tucked up in my bed.
‘‘I’ll have your tea for you in a minute,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘I’m surprised you didn’t argue with the doctor and try to get up and do things.’’
‘‘I may have got a bump on the head like Nancy Drew, but unlike her, I’m not a perennial teenager. I know good advice when I hear it.’’
‘‘Good,’’ Sophie said as she fussed over the tea things on a table near the bathroom. ‘‘I’m glad you’re being sensible.’’ Moments later she brought me my tea, with milk and sugar.
I sipped at it gratefully.
‘‘Merci beaucoup.’’
‘‘Merci beaucoup.’’
‘‘De rien,’’
Sophie responded. ‘‘The doctor said you should stay awake. What shall we do to keep you awake?’’
Sophie responded. ‘‘The doctor said you should stay awake. What shall we do to keep you awake?’’
‘‘Canasta,’’ I said. ‘‘I brought some cards. They’re in my bag in the closet. Let’s play for a while.’’
Sophie retrieved two decks of cards, then found a pencil and some paper, and we settled down to play.
Marylou appeared around six thirty, startled to find me in bed. Sophie explained what had happened to me, and Marylou fussed over me for a few minutes. Finally I was able to reassure her enough that she agreed to go down to dinner and then on to more bridge as she had planned.
‘‘I’ll stay with Emma,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘You go on.’’
‘‘If you’re sure,’’ Marylou said, hesitating in the doorway of our room.
‘‘I’m going to throw something at you if you don’t go on,’’ I said, pretending to look around.
‘‘I’m gone,’’ Marylou said, throwing up her hands in surrender before she disappeared.
‘‘She’s such a dear,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘I wonder what it would have been like to have Marylou for a mother.’’
‘‘I think we do,’’ I said, smiling at her.
‘‘You’re right,’’ Sophie said, giggling.
We played canasta until nearly midnight, taking a break only when the food we had ordered from room service was delivered. Marylou came in at one. I was still awake, but Sophie had dozed off on her bed, fully clothed.
Marylou tiptoed into the room. ‘‘How are you?’’ she whispered.
‘‘I’m fine,’’ I said. ‘‘I think I’m going to go to sleep now, though.’’
Nodding, Marylou approached Sophie and gently shook her awake. Sophie sat up on the side of the bed and stared blankly at us for a moment.
‘‘Time for bed,’’ I said.
‘‘Are you sure?’’ Sophie asked, alert at once.
‘‘I’m fine,’’ I said. ‘‘My head is perfectly clear, no headache, only a little stiffness in my back. We all need to get some sleep.’’
‘‘Well, good night, then.’’ Marylou came over to my bed, bent down, and kissed my forehead. ‘‘Sleep well, Emma, dear.’’
‘‘Thank you,’’ I said. ‘‘You, too.’’
Sophie and Marylou bade each other good night. I slid down in my bed and got comfortable while Sophie changed into a nightgown.
‘‘G’night,’’ she said, and in moments she was sound asleep again.
Not for the first time, I envied her that quick ability to fall asleep. I was tired, but my mind wasn’t quite ready for sleep yet.
As I lay there, courting sleep by trying to still my mind, I suddenly realized that I had never told Sophie or Marylou about my conversation with Will Trowbridge. That could wait until morning, of course.
Determined to fall asleep, I concentrated on emptying my mind. There shouldn’t be any voices coming through the air vent this time to disturb me. I shivered, then scolded myself for thinking about that.
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