Sweet Liar Part 10

aYou donat like electric razors?a she asked, picking up a bottle of his aftershave, English Leather, opening it, and smelling it.

aI inherited my fatheras thick beard, an electric wonat touch it.a Standing there, leaning against the wall that ran beside the mirror, playing with the bottle, she watched him stroke the razor over his face, then rinse the blade in the sink. Once, he looked at her in the mirror and winked.

Smiling at him, she thought, What a lovely moment. Sometimes she felt more married to Mike than she ever had to her husband. Her husband had had ironclad rules, and one of his rules was that a man and woman were never to be in the bathroom together.

aHave you decided?a aMmmmm?a she asked dreamily, watching him.

He finished shaving, then held a washcloth under the hot water and wrapped his face in the cloth for a minute before wiping away the last of the lather. Turning to her, he bent so his face was close to hers. aWhat do you think?a He turned his face first one way, then the other.

Smiling, Samantha put her hands on his cheeks, feeling the freshly shaved skin, and was tempted to run her thumbs over his lips, maybe even to kiss him. aBaby soft.a aAre you sure?a Bending closer, he rubbed his cheek against hers, first one side then the other.

Putting her hands on his shoulders, she felt his warm skin and closed her eyes for a moment.

aNo stray whiskers to hurt a ladyas skin?a aNo, none,a she said softly, leaning her head back against the wall. aPerfectly smooth.a Abruptly, he moved away from her, and in spite of herself, Samantha frowned. Usually he tried to kiss her, but he didnat kiss her this morning. She had no way of knowing that her early-morning nearness was more than Mike could bear. If he wasnat to touch her, he had to step away. But Samantha didnat understand Mikeas abrupt movement, so on impulse, she looked in the mirrora"then squealed. Her mascara was under her eyes, and her hair, damp when she went to bed last night, was standing on end. Grabbing one of Mikeas combs, she ran it under water then tried to make her hair lay down. Behind her, he laughed, then kissed her neck.

aYou look beautiful,a he said honestly.

aAs beautiful as Vanessa?a she asked, then put her hand over her mouth in disbelief. She had not meant to say that.

Mike raised one eyebrow. aBeen snooping? Going through peopleas drawers? Looking at peopleas private possessions?a aMost certainly not. IaI wanted a pair of socks, thatas all. I didnat want to disturb you, so I thought Iad look in the cabinet. I had no idea you would object to lending me a pair of socks.a She stopped because he was smirking at her. With her nose in the air to let him know what she thought of him, she pushed past him to leave the bathroom. aI couldnat care less who Vanessa is. Iam sure you have a thousand girlfriends. What do they matter to me?a When he was silent, she turned around to see him standing in the bathroom doorway, leaning against the jamb, smiling at her in a know-it-all way. aWould you leave? I need to get dressed.a aSo do I and my clothes are in here, but I have an idea you know that.a aI know nothing of the sort.a She started toward the door that led into the hallway, but he caught her arm.

aWhere are you going?a aTo my own apartment, not that itas any of your business.a Catching her in his arms, he held her loosely while she struggled against him. aNow look what youave done,a he said.

Samantha was not going to look, because she knew very well that his towel had fallen to the floor. Resolutely, she kept her eyes on his. aI would like for you to release me,a she said stiffly, holding herself rigid.

aNot until you answer me.a He bent forward as though to kiss her neck, but Samantha turned her head away.

aI have answered you: I care nothing about Vanessa.a Laughing, Mike pulled her a little closer to his big, warm, naked body. aI didnat ask anything about aNessa, you did. I asked you what you wanted to do today.a He was holding her loosely, but when she moved, she was almost close enough that her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were touching his chest. Because he was now completely and absolutely naked, Samantha kept her eyes fixed on a place to the right of his head. She wasnat going to start wrestling with him, but she did think of telling him that he shouldnat have spent time in the sun to get the golden color to his skin, then she wondered if perhaps that was his natural color of skin and he was golden all over. aI have a very interesting book I plan to read,a she said, her lips pursed together.

Mike was looking down at her body that was about a quarter of an inch away from being pressed against his, at the very thin fabric that separated them. aYou know, I may change my mind about blue nightgowns. I like that one. Is it silk?a aCotton,a she said stiffly. aOld-fas.h.i.+oned, boring, or, as you say, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm cotton.a aOh? Vanessa wearsa"a He didnat finish his sentence because Samantha hit him in the ribs with both her fists.

Wincing, he gave a grunt of pain, then laughed, but he didnat release her from the circle of his arms. aSammy, baby, youare the only woman in my life. Vanessa was a long time ago.a aIt doesnat matter to me at all. Would you stop playing Tarzan and release me? Iad like to go upstairs and get dressed.a Moving just a bit forward, he put his face close to her neck so she could feel his warm breath on her skin. aTarzan? How about if we stay in today and play Indian brave and uptight missionaryas daughter? All your family could be killed by Indians, then Iad save you, but youad hate me at first until I made you cry out in ecstasy, then wea"a Try as she would, she couldnat keep from laughing. aOh, Mike, youare crazy. And what in the world have you been reading?a aCrazy with wanting you,a he said, nuzzling her neck, but he still kept a breath of s.p.a.ce between them, as though he had to keep distance between them. aIf you donat like Indians, I could show you a few tricks with red silk scarves. Or I could be a pirate andaa He stopped talking because his mouth was on her neck.

When he began to relax, Samantha ducked under his arm and moved away from him, hiding a smile at the groan of misery he emitted when she left the circle of his arms. Keeping her back to him so she wouldnat see him in his present bare state, she left the bedroom and went upstairs to get dressed, smiling all the way.

She had no more than pulled on a pair of jeans than Mike knocked on the outside door of her apartment. His knocking was certainly only a formality as the door had a foot-size hole in it. Even at that formality, he didnat bother to give her time to open the door before he entered and made himself at home in the living room. When Samantha entered the room, still b.u.t.toning her blouse, Mike was sprawled in a chair, his feet on the ottoman.

aYou make up your mind yet?a aYou mean about which book Iam going to read? Thereas what looks to be an excellent biography here on Captain Sir Frank Baker, the Victorian explorer. I thought Iad start that.a Mikeas frustration showed on his face. aWhat does a guy have to do to get a date with you? My bony cousina"a aRaine asked me,a she said pointedly. aHe asked me politely and gave me twenty-four hoursa notice. Women appreciate that sort of thing. Asking a woman on a date shows a little more finesse than saying, aUh-oh, my towel has fallen off,a or aLetas play doctor.a a Slowly, Mike got out of the chair and stood before her. Taking her hand in his, he kissed the back of it with exaggerated politeness and courtesy. aMiss Elliot, may I have the honor of a day spent in your company?a aWith or without red scarves?a she asked with narrowed eyes.

aIt is miladyas choice,a he said, again kissing her hand, but this time he touched her skin with the tip of his tongue.

Smiling in spite of herself, Samantha looked down at his tumble of black curls. aWhat will we be doing on this date?a Mike looked up at her in disgust. aNot swings and ice cream.a After kissing her hand a third time, he smiled up at her mischievously. aWe could always visit Vanessa.a aOnly if I can bring Raine,a she shot back at him with an equally impish grin.

Mike laughed and straightened. aHowad you like to see more of New York? Chinatown, Little Italy, the Village, that sort of thing. Believe it or not, thereas more to this city than Fifth and Madison avenuesa"both of which, I might say, you have adjusted to with amazing adaptability.a aLet me change clothes anda"a aNo, jeans are perfect for where weare going.a He slipped his arm in hers and in another minute led her out the front door.

Samantha had her first experience of New York on the weekend. It seemed that on the weekend, midtown Manhattan emptied of all the beautifully dressed and groomed people and was refilled with what were unmistakably tourists. There were women wearing baggy dresses or shapeless trousers with elastic waistbands hanging onto big-bellied men with four cameras strapped over their polyester s.h.i.+rts.

aWhere have they gone?a Sam asked.

aCountry houses and neighborhoods around the city,a Mike answered, leading her north. First he took her to a street fair on Sixty-seventh near First Avenue, and Samantha saw table after table full of costume jewelry from the thirties and forties. She fell in love with a silver basket filled with flowers created out of colored stones. aItas Trifari,a the woman said as though that meant something. Samantha wanted the pin, but shead already spent too much the day before, so reluctantly she put the little basket down.

Mike didnat hesitate as he bought it for her, but when he handed it to her, Samantha protested that he shouldnat have, that head already done too much for her. When he urged it on her, she refused to take it. aYouave done so much for me, I canat take any more.a Mike shrugged. aOkay, maybe Vanessa would like to have it.a With a glare at him, Samantha s.n.a.t.c.hed the pin out of his hand, closing her palm around it so tightly the pin bit into her flesh. Smiling, Mike lifted her hand, pulled her fingers from around the pretty pin, then fastened it onto the collar of her s.h.i.+rt. The sparkling pin wasnat right for her casual attire, but she couldnat have cared less as she happily took the arm Mike offered and walked beside him.

They walked down First Avenue together to Sutton Place. Mike led her into a pretty little park that had a few women with baby carriages; the women were obviously nannies and the town houses around them were obviously for the very rich.

As Samantha stood at the wrought-iron fence and looked up at the bridge over the East River, watching the barges along the river, Mike came up behind her and slipped his arms about her waist. As she always did when his touches became too intimate, she started to move away, but he said, aDonat, please,a in a rough voice that she couldnat deny. She stayed where she was, allowing him to hold her, the back of her body pressed down the length of the front of him, and for a moment she allowed herself to enjoy his nearness.

As he pointed out things to her across the river, they stood locked together, his arms around her, her hands on his bare forearms. Leaning her head back against his shoulder, she could feel the warmth of him, the solid st.u.r.diness of him, knowing how safe she felt when he was near, as though nothing or no one could ever hurt her again. aMike, thank you for the pin.a aAnytime,a he said, his voice soft and low, as though he were feeling some of what she was.

Samantha started to say more, but a child, a toddler about two years old, came hurtling toward the fence, running on unsteady legs and not looking where he was going. His nanny yelled, but the child didnat stop running. As easily as though head done it a million times, Mikeas hand scooped down and caught the childas head, keeping him from hitting the fence.

Safe but startled, the child looked up at Mike, then his eyes widened and welled with tears, while Mike knelt in front of the child. aYou were running pretty fast there, Tex,a he said. aMight have made a hole in that fence. We couldnat let that happen, could we?a Nodding, the child sniffed and smiled at Mike just as his nanny, at least seventy pounds overweight, came trudging up to her charge.

aThank you so very much,a she said, then took the childas hand and led him away. The little boy looked back over his shoulder and waved at Mike, who waved back.

When Mike turned to Sam and held out his hand for her, she didnat hesitate in entwining her fingers with his. They started walking south, leaving Sutton Place behind.

aDo you know that Iave never so much as changed a babyas diaper?a she said, thinking of how familiarly Mike had dealt with the little boy.

aItas not exactly a highly skilled task,a Mike said, then looked at her. aIall tell you what, weall go to Colorado and visit my family, and you can change all the nappies you want. Iad place money on it that my whole family will let you learn on their kids. Inside a week youall be an expert.a aIad like that,a she said seriously. aIad like that very much.a Squeezing her hand, he led her to the curb, caught a cab, and gave directions to the driver to take them to Chinatown.

By four oaclock Samantha was tired, but very happy, for she had spent yet another heavenly day with Mike. They had walked until her legs hurt and seen and done more than Samantha could remember. Mike had fed her until she was ready to pop. He had made her laugh, made her see things she never would have seen without him. He took her to tiny, out-of-the-way stores, such as the Last Wound Up, which had nothing but wind-up toys. He showed her statues and parks and street fairs; they listened to street musicians and saw performers who were very, very good. She tried on hats at a stall and talked Mike into buying a s.h.i.+rt made of Balinese cotton. And as they walked and saw things, they talked.

The talking was what had pleased Samantha most. For the first time since shead met him, Mike didnat try to be Sherlock Holmes and get every little piece of information out of her that he could. He didnat ask her a single question about her father or her husband or about what her years in high school had been like. The absence of questions made Sam relax, and as she relaxed, she asked him questions about his life and childhood. Mike didnat seem to have a secret in the worlda"with the exception of other women, that is. If shead not been able to look at him, not seen the way other women in the street looked at him, she would have thought head never so much as had a date before, for all the mention he made of the women in his life.

He told her about his brothers, all eight of them, and his three sisters; he told of his parents and his many cousins. He told about what head studied in college and his many years of graduate school. He told her anything and answered everything she asked, but he didnat mention women.

At four oaclock they sat down at an outside table in a little restaurant, and when a very good-looking, well-built young man walked by, Samantha glanced up at him, only to turn back to see Mike scowling at her. aThink heas a bodybuilder?a she asked with exaggerated innocence.

Glancing over his shoulder at the man as he took a drink from a gla.s.s of beer, Michael Taggert, who, if allowed, would eat nothing but beef and beer, muttered, aLooks more like a bellybuilder to me.a Laughing, Samantha gave her order to the waitress.

Over c.o.kes and m.u.f.fins, Samantha fiddled with her straw and said idly, as though it meant nothing to her, aYou havenat been married?a He didnat answer, so she looked at him. He was staring at her intently, with no humor in his eyes.

aSam,a he said softly, aIam thirty years old, and Iam heart-whole. Iave had affairs with womena"Vanessa and I were together for two yearsa"but Iave never been in love. In my family we take marriage seriously; we actually believe in those vows a man and woman exchange. Iave never asked a woman to marry me; Iave never met one I wanted to spend my life with. Iave never met a woman who I thought was good enough to be the mother of my kids.a Reaching out, he took her hand in his. aUntil you.a Her breath held for a moment, she pulled her hand back. aMike, I donata"a aIf youare again going to give me that c.r.a.p about not wanting to commit, save it. I donat want to hear it.a He looked down at his plate. aSam,a he said softly, aI want to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly.a She braced herself. aAll right.a aDid your father everatouch you? s.e.xually, I mean.a For a moment, she felt anger race through her, but then she calmed herself. In a time when every magazine brought a new confession of some woman who had been a victim of incest, it wasnat a bad question. aNo,a she said, smiling at him, amy father never crawled into bed with me, never touched me in any way except with affection and love. He was a very good father, Mike.a aThen whya?a he began, but closed his mouth. He had started to ask her why she was so turned off by him, but he didnat want to hear her answer. Maybe it was just him. Maybe she didnat like him and that was the reason she continually pushed him away. aIs it me?a he said in spite of himself. aDo you like a different type of guy?a He looked up at her. aRaine maybe?a aMike, youare the most beautiful man Iave ever seen in my life. Why would any woman like Raine better than you?a He didnat smile. In fact, her answer seemed to make him more confused. Although head found out a great deal about her, there were still missing pieces of the puzzle that was Miss Samantha Elliot. But the more time he spent with her, the more he was sure she was worth the effort.

Standing, he put money on the table. aYou ready to go? I have to get back and get cleaned up. I have a date tonight.a Slowly, she stood. He talked to her about marriage vows and children in one breath, then told her he had a date in the next.

19.

I n the silence in the taxi on the way back to the town house, Samantha had time to think, but at first all she could do was feel, and what she felt was old-fas.h.i.+oned, gut-wrenching jealousy. This was a new emotion for Sam, and it didnat take much a.n.a.lyzing to know that she didnat much like the sensation. Of course, to be jealous, she told herself, you had to feel as though you owned another person, that you had a right to that personas time and attentionaand love. But she certainly didnat own Mike and he didnat own her. Wasnat this lack of owners.h.i.+p, this freedom from possession, what she had worked so hard to achieve? Hadnat she fought him at every turn just so she wouldnat be tempted to have any feelings for him?

Samantha was well aware that right now she was as vulnerable as a person could get. After all, shead recently lost the last person on earth who had any connection with her; her husband, her relatives, all of them were gone. Being alone in the world and grieving could make a person do odd things, such as think you were in love with a person when actually you were merely very grateful. Thatas what she was to Mike: grateful. Shead told him that when head kept her from sleeping for whole days at a time, she was merely tired, not depressed, but even then, even when shead said it, shead known she was lying. She had been so depressed that she hadnat wanted to continue living; although she had never actually contemplated suicide, she had wanted to sleep without waking up.

Mike had taken her out of herself and forced her to wake up by using a combination of enraging her and just plain, ordinary paying attention to her. He had also given her hope, which was something that had been missing from her life after her father died. Mike had given her hope that she would be able to find her grandmother, that she could find the last person on earth who had a link to her.

Of course, to Mikeas way of looking at it, everything he had done, all the kindnesses, all the attention, had backfired because head involved Samantha in something that had turned out to be dangerous. But Sam didnat regret any of it. If her life was going to be threatened, shead rather have it threatened by an outside force than by her own hopelessness.

Now, looking at Mike in the taxi, she did her best to squelch her feelings of jealousy. He had said that he was heart-whole, that he wasnat in love with another woman, but then you didnat have to be in love to go out on a date, did you? Of course it was none of her business whether he dated or not since she was just his tenant, but it seemed odd that he seemed to enjoy her company but now wanted to spend time with someone else.

aHave you had this date a long time?a she asked, trying to sound as though she were just making conversation. Maybe his mother had arranged a date with a friendas daughter.

aThree weeks,a he said tersely.

aAh. Then you must go?a Is it an obligation? is what she really wanted to ask.

aYes.a He turned to her. aJealous?a She saw that he was trying to be lighthearted, to be his usual teasing self, but Samantha sensed tension under his words. Heas hiding something from me, she thought, trying not to frown. Thereas something he doesnat want me to know. Immediately, her first thought was, heas going out with Vanessa and he doesnat want me to know about it. How silly that he should try to hide it, she told herself. What he does with his time is absolutely and utterly none of my business. He could date actresses, models, whomever, and it would mean nothing to her.

As she thought about Vanessa or any other woman who might be in Mikeas life, she realized that every muscle in her body was rigid. This is absurd, she told herself, utterly ridiculous. Mike and I areafriends, thatas all. Weave been forced to spend a great deal of time together and weave made the best of it, and thatas all there is between us. Of course he was probably lonely living in that big house by himself and he was grateful to have some company, which is why weave spent so much time together going places, doing things, laughing together, touching each other, kissinga"

She broke off as she looked at his profile. Mike would never in his life be lonely. He was too likable, too gregarious, too caring, tooa"

aDonat look at me like that,a he whispered, not even turning to look at her.

Self-consciously, Samantha turned away to look out the window of the cab. Something was bothering him, but she didnat know what it was. In that moment she knew what was wrong. Heas lying, she thought. He doesnat have a date. But why is he lying?

She knew the answer the moment she thought about it. Heas lying to protect me. Warmth spread through her. Not just warmth, but joy, pure undiluted joy ran through every vein in her body. Just as shead known that if she could signal Mike when the man was choking her he would come for her, she knew that now Mike was trying to keep her safe. What was it Mike had said to her? aYour father gave me the care of you and I mean to be worthy of his trust.a She knew he felt that the attempted murder was his fault because head not considered the old gangster legend about the missing money. Since the attempt on her life, Mike had done everything he could to get her to safety. Head so much wanted to protect her that head been willing to send her away with his cousin Raine, who he dislikeda"at least Mike disliked Raine when it came to Samantha, she thought.

Leaning her head back, trying not to smile, she remembered the last time Mike had gone out on a date. That night head wanted her to be jealous and had been disappointed when she hadnat been. Later head told her that his adatea was an eighty-six-year-old woman who he thought had worked in the nightclub where Maxie had worked.

aIam going with you,a she said just as they reached the town house.

aLike h.e.l.l you are,a Mike answered, and the way he said it made Sam sure she was right: Wherever he was going tonight had something to do with Maxie. She would have been hard-pressed to be able to think of a time in her life when the knowledge that she was right made her so thoroughly happy. She could have danced a jig in the street and run along the top of the fence railing crooning, aSingina in the Rain.a But she behaved herself. As Mike paid the fare, she sedately walked up the stairs and got out her door key, but Mike elbowed her aside and used his own key. Smiling, she watched him, guessing that his old-fas.h.i.+oned ethics extended to door locks. She could see that he was angry, and the more angry he was, the happier she became. If he were going out on a areala date, he wouldnat be angry, head be laughing at her.

aWhat do you think I should wear?a she asked brightly. aA suit or a nice pair of trousers?a aA nightgown and a bathrobe,a he said through clenched teeth as he closed the door behind them. aThatas all you need for staying in tonight and watching TV.a aThere is absolutely nothing on on Sat.u.r.day night, so I guess Iall just have to go with you.a aSamantha,a he said, giving her a threatening look. aYou are not going with me.a aVanessa might be annoyed?a For a split second, a look of puzzlement crossed his face, then he grinned, but Samantha knew him well enough by now to know how false that grin was. No Vanessa. Hallelujah. aFor your information, Iam meeting Abby for dinner.a aWhere?a aYou wouldnat know the place. Upper West Side. Very posh. I probably wonat be home until late, or maybe Iall spend the night.a aThe nursing home will allow you to do that?a The quick, horrified look on his face made Sam know that shead guessed right. He managed to get his face under control quickly, but not before Samantha was looking at him smugly. While he was saying things like, aAbby doesnat live in a nursing homea and aSheas one hot lady,a Sam just stood there and smiled at him. No Vanessa. No actress. No model. No anybody else at all. Just Mike trying to find her grandmother.

ad.a.m.n you, Samantha,a Mike said, sounding as though he were on the verge of tears. ad.a.m.n you to h.e.l.l and back. You cannot go with me. This woman may have known your grandmother. Docas men might be watching her. She mighta"a aShe might be my grandmother for all you know.a When he turned away from her, she knew that he was trying to think of arguments to persuade her that she should not, could not, go with him, and she knew that whatever he said was going to have no effect on her decision. aI donat know why youare looking so pleased with yourself,a he said when he turned back.

Stepping closer, she smiled up at him. aI donat know why I ever thought you were an accomplished liar. Youare not at all good at lying.a Mikeas face and body expressed his rage: His eyes flashed, his nostrils flared, his hands were fists at his side. aMaybe not, but Iam d.a.m.ned good at tying up little girls who are too stupid to know whatas good for them.a He took a step toward her.

Samantha swallowed, for he did indeed look as though he meant to do her bodily harm. aYou couldnat hurt anyone if you tried,a she said with as much bravado as she could muster. She held her ground when he was standing so close he was touching her, looming over her.

Mikeas anger dissolved in a rush, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her so tight she almost couldnat breathe. For once, Samantha made no effort to get away from him, but instead, held onto him, snuggling her cheek against the hollow in his chest. They fit together so well, she thought. Her ex-husband had been tall and thin. They had looked odd together; they hadnat fit at all. But Mike was perfect.

aLook, baby,a he began, aI donat want you involved more than you already are. I donat even like leaving you here in the house alone tonight. In fact, I was going to suggest that you spend the evening with Blair or Vicky ora"a aRaine?a she asked, her eyes closed, smiling as she thought of the thousand times shead wanted to snuggle with Mike. He felt better than shead imagined.

aNo, the idea of your spending the evening with that stick never crossed my mind.a Still holding her, he bent his head back to look at her. aYou donat really like that guy, do you?a aNo,a she answered honestly for the second time that day, but who was counting? Smiling, he put his head back on the top of hers.

aOkay, hereas what Iall do. Iall go see this old woman by myself since this is probably a wild goose chase anyway.a He shook his head in disbelief. aThis woman will be the seventh old lady Iave been to see. With each one somebody had sworn to me that shead been at the club the night Scalpinias men shot the place up, and each time either the woman was daffy or she was too young or shead never heard of Jubilee. Itas all been a waste of time, and Iam sure this one is too. Iall take you to Blairasa"she lives on the West Sidea"then, after I see this old lady, Iall come back and pick the two of you up and take you out to dinner. Iall take you anywhere in the city you want to go. We could go to the Quilted Giraffe or the Rainbow Room ora"a aNo,a she said. aIam going with you.a aSammy, sweetheart, please listen to me.a He was stroking her hair and her back as his big body was leaning over hers so she was nearly encased in him. She hoped he would spend the next three hours trying to persuade her not to go with him.

aMmmmm, Iam listening. Maybe we could go out to dinner after we meet her. Iad like to go to the Sign of the Dove.a Mike released her; he was really angry now. aYouare not going with me.a aAll right, then I wonat go with you. If you donat want us to search for my grandmother together then Iall have to go by myself. How many nursing homes on the Upper West Side can there be? And, by the way, west side of what?a Standing there, Mike stared at her for a moment, his face running the gamut of emotions, knowing that she would do what she said. Head never in his life seen anyone as stubborn as she. aWear a suit,a he said tightly as he turned away from her.

aSo we can go out to dinner afterward?a she asked, but he didnat answer.

Samantha didnat like the nursing home. For one thing, it was ugly, sterile ugly. Everything in it had been chosen for use with no consideration for beauty. The floors were those hideous gray plastic tiles that some creature from h.e.l.l had invented, and the walls were painted in a white that was so glaring it could have been lit with neon. All the lighting was overhead and fluorescent, and every tube in the building hummed with that sound that was guaranteed to drive a sane person crazy within three days.

Besides the look of the place, there was the smell: disinfectant and medicine. Samantha sometimes wondered how people managed to make a place smell of medicine. Did they empty pills out of those little brown bottles on the floor then crush them?

Holding her hand, Mike looked down at her and saw the disgust on her face. aThis is one of the better homes,a he said. aSome of them smell like urine.a Shaking her head in disbelief, Samantha looked at the ceiling. The adesigneraa"desecrator, actuallya"of the nursing home had managed to completely disguise the fact that the ahomea was in a beautiful old building. High above their heads were lovely moldings, and the walls were that heavy, thick plaster that helped to make old buildings quiet. But the walls were covered with horrid photocopies of rules and schedules: no lights after nine in the evening; no loud music, in fact, no rock and roll at all; no dancing in the dining room; no running; no chewing gum. While Mike was at the desk asking about the woman he was to see, Samantha read the notices and wondered what had happened to cause notices to be put up outlawing gum and dancing and rock and roll.

aOh, Abby,a the nurse was saying with a little smile. It was the smile you used when speaking of a wayward pet that often got into trouble but you were fond of the mischievous little darling anyway. The nurse was standing behind a desk covered in plastic laminate that was chipped, scarred, and tattooed with marks from a thousand ball-point pens.

aAbbyas doing all right now. For a while we thought we were going to lose her, but she pulled through. Come along, Iall take you to her, but donat be surprised if sheas a bit contrary. Sheas a feisty one.a Samantha walked with Mike, following the nurse down the hall, and wondered whether Abby was r.e.t.a.r.ded or senile.

The nurse opened a boring gray door, and they stepped into a room that was as ugly as what Samantha had already seen. The room was so clean that Sam thought a little dust would be a nice decorative touch. Overhead, fluorescent tubes whined, and their light showed every barren inch, from the gray tiles to the bare white, white, white walls to the stainless-steel furniture.

aThere we are,a the nurse said in a hearty-hearty voice. aI hope weare feeling good tonight, for we have visitors.a aDrop dead,a said the woman in the bed, her voice strong.

aNow, now, Abby, you mustnat say those things in front of your company. Theyave come a long way to see you.a aEast Side, huh?a The womanas voice was heavy with sarcasm.

As the nurse chuckled, Samantha looked around her to get a look at the woman on the white-painted metal bed, lying on the white sheets. The only acolora in the room was the gray tiles.

She was a small thin woman, and there was a tube running out of her arm and wire hung from under the sheet, leading into a dial-laden machine that perfectly matched the rest of the decor. The woman was old, her cheeks were sunken, and her skin was wrinkled, and she had an unhealthy greenish-gray cast to her skin. In spite of the unhealthy look of her, Samantha could see that shead once been pretty. Even though her body now seemed to be giving out, there was intelligence in her eyes.

The woman was looking up at the nurse, but when the nurse moved to one side, she saw Mike, looked him up and down, dismissed him, then looked at Samantha. For a moment she stared at Sam, almost as though she were surprised by her, then abruptly she looked away and back at the nurse. aGet out of here,a she said. aI want to talk to my guests alone.a Turning away, the nurse winked in conspiracy at Mike, as though to say, Isnat she cute? then left the room.

ah.e.l.lo, Iam Michael Taggert. I contacted you some time ago, but they said you were recovering from surgery and couldnat see me.a aProbably told you I was going to die, didnat they?a Mike smiled at her, but Abby didnat take her eyes from Samantha. aAnd who is this lovely young lady?a Samantha said the first thing that came to her mind. aI donat like this place and I donat like that woman.a Her eyes sparkling, Abby chuckled. aI can see that you and I agree on many things. Why donat you come over here and sit by me? No, not in the chair, on the bed beside me so I can see you. My old eyes, you know.a Samantha didnat hesitate. Some people are afraid of older peoplea"maybe they remind them of what they will someday becomea"but Samantha wasnat. Shead spent a lot of her life with her grandfather Cal and with her father when the cancer was making him age daily. Now, she didnat think twice as she climbed on the bed beside the woman and wasnat surprised when the woman took her hand and held ita"held it rather tightly.

Abby looked at Mike. aI take it you were the one who wrote me about Maxie.a aYes,a Mike said softly, standing at the foot of the bed, looking from one woman to the other, watching their movements. aI want to know what you know of her.a aWhy?a Abby shot out, and Samantha saw the needle on the machine flicker.

For some odd reason, Mike just stood there watching the two women and didnat answer Abbyas question.

aHeas writing a biography of Doc,a Samantha answered for him. aAnd he wants to know about Maxie. And I want to find her too because Maxie is probably my grandmother.a Her voice lowered. aIt was my fatheras dying wish that I look for his mother.a Abby didnat say anything, but the needle on her machine went all the way to the right and stayed there for a second or two.

aMaxieas dead,a Abby said after a moment. aShe died about eighteen months ago.a Samantha let out her pent-up breath. aYouare sure?a aAbsolutely. We were friends since the twenties. Well, not really close friends since then, but back then we used to be close and we kept in touch over the years. She died out in New Jersey somewhere and the home where she stayed sent me notice of her death.a She looked up at Samantha. aWhy in the world would a pretty young thing like you want to know about an old woman like her? You ought to marry your young man here and have babies and forget about the past.a Sam didnat look at Mike. aHeas not my young man.a aOh?a Abby said. aThen whatas this?a Lifting Samanthaas left hand to the light, the big diamond sparkled.

aOh. That. IaWell, weaa aMy uncle Mike wanted me to look for Maxie,a Mike said, breaking his long silence.

aAnd who would your uncle Mike be?a Abby asked without much interest in her voice.

aMichael Ransome,a Mike said softly.

Slowly, Abby turned to look at him, her eyes hard, glittering like dark coals. Her body might be ill, but her spirit and her mind were obviously very healthy. aMichael Ransome died that night. Died on the twelfth of May, 1928.a aNo, he didnat,a Mike said. aScalpinias men nearly shot his legs off, but he lived. The day after the ma.s.sacre, he called my grandfather in Colorado, and Gramps sent a plane for him, then saw to it that the world thought Michael Ransome was dead.a After a long, thoughtful moment in which Abby seemed to be digesting what Mike had said, she narrowed her eyes at him. aIf your grandfather could do that, he must have some moneya"and power.a aYes, maaam, he does.a aAnd what about you? Can you support this lovely child?a aYes, maaam, I can. Would you please tell me about my uncle Mike?a Abby, still holding Samanthaas hand, leaned back against the clean, crisp, sterile pillows. aHe was a handsome man. Handsome Ransome all the girls called him.a aAs handsome as Mike?a Samantha asked, then lowered her eyes, embarra.s.sed at blurting out her first thought. aI meanaa Abby smiled. aNo, dear, not quite as handsome as your young man, but Michael Ransome was wonderful in his own way.a aWhere did he come from?a Mike asked, utterly serious. aUncle Mike would never tell anyone about his past.a aHe was an orphan. No family. All he had were his looks and the ability to dance as though he were floating on air.a She paused, then almost whispered. aAnd he had the ability to make women love him.a aDid you love him?a Samantha asked.

aOf course. We all did.a It didnat take anyone with ESP to know that Abby was being evasive, as though she didnat want to tell anything about herself.

aDid Maxie love him?a Mike asked.

Abby fixed him with a sharp, piercing look, as though she were trying to read his mind. aYes,a she said after a moment. aMaxie loved him very much.a Taking her purse from the chair beside the bed, Samantha withdrew a photo from inside, a photo that was yellow with age and had one corner burned away. She handed the photo to Abby. aIs this Michael Ransome?a When he saw the photo, Mike nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise as he s.n.a.t.c.hed it from Samas hands before Abby could get a good look at it. The photo was one of those studio portraits of a handsome man, a very suave-looking man wearing a tuxedo, a cigarette in his hand. Mike had only known his uncle when he was older, but he knew that the man in the picture was the man head loved so much. aWhere did you get this?a he demanded of Samantha.

She didnat like his tone that said she should have shown him the photo before presenting it to someone else. aFor your information, my father left me a box full of my grandmotheras things and this was in it. Dad stuck a note on it saying that when he was a little boy his mother had burned a bunch of things and head managed to save this from the pile.a aWhy didnat you show it to me before?a aFor the same reason that you keep secrets from me,a she snapped, glaring at him. aEvery day you reveal something else that youave kept from me so why shouldnat I keep a few things from you?a aBecausea"a Mike stopped, his face turning red with embarra.s.sment when he heard Abby begin to laugh.

aHeas not your young man?a Abby asked, teasing, as she looked from one to the other.