| 10:07a |
@@@@@He said he could stay in touch with
Miss
@@@@@He said he could stay in touch with
Miss Eastlake via walkie-talkieI told him it
could wait a littleIt was important, I said, but
not urgentNot in the 911 sense, at leastIf Tom were to commit suicide on his
cruise, there was little I could do to prevent it
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But I didn't think he'd do it as long as his
mother and brother were with him
I had no intention of telling Wireman about my
furtive hunt through my daughter's purse; that was
something of which I'd grown more rather than less
ashamedBut once I started, beginning with LINKBELT,
I couldn't stopI told him almost
everything, finishing with Tom Riley standing at
the head of the stairs leading up to Little Pink,
pale and dead and minus an eyeI think part of
what kept me going was the simple realization that
Wireman couldn't commit me to the nearest lunatic
asylum - he had no legal authorityPart of it was
that, attracted as I was by his kindness and
cynical good cheer, he was still a stranger
Sometimes - often, I think - telling stories that
are embarrassing or even downright crazy is easier
when you're telling them to a strangerMostly,
though, I pushed on out of pure relief: I felt
like a man expressing snake-venom from a bite
Wireman poured himself a fresh glass of tea with a
hand that was not quite steadyI found that
interesting and disquietingThen he glanced at
his watch, which he wore nurse-style, with the
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face on the inside of his wrist"In half an hour
or so I really have to go up and check her," he
said"I'm sure she's fine, but-"
"What if she wasn't?" I asked"If she fell, or
something?"
He pulled a walkie-talkie from the pocket of his
chinosIt was as slim as a cell phone"I make
sure she always carries hersThere are also Rapid
Response call-buttons all over the house, but-" He
tapped a thumb on his chest"I'm the real alarm
system, okay? The only one I trust
He looked out at the water and sighed
"She's got Alzheimer |