Her Last Letter Part 27

We were a half-hour late, but I'd called Linda and made up an excuse, said we couldn't find the car keys. She didn't seem to care, probably into her second martini and feeling happy.

Jazz, the deep resonant notes of a saxophone, ba.s.s fiddle, and drum trio, greeted us at the door, opened by a teenaged boy in a tweed sport coat. "Good evening," he said, waving us in. "May I take your coats?" I didn't recognize him, but later learned he was the son of the bartender.

I searched the crowd for Caroline, curious to see if she'd brought her new guy friend, Nate, to Linda's party.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Josh, then glanced quickly back at Trevor, who was picking a piece of lint from his sleeve.

Wolfgang worked his way toward us.

"Dressed to kill," he said, eyeing us both. "Hope you brought something warmer for later. I've got some mean machines parked out back."

"We did," said Trevor. "But Gwyn probably won't be going snowmobiling. She's catching a cold."

"Oh, that's too bad," he said. "You'll miss out on all the fun."

"I still might go," I said. "I haven't decided. Where's Linda? I don't see her."

Wolfgang turned and pointed toward the corner of the room by the Christmas tree. "Over there, last I looked."

But Linda wasn't by the tree, so I tried the kitchen, then spied her walking quickly away from me down the hall. "Linda," I called out.

She stopped and turned around. "Oh, hi, Gwyn."

Something about her didn't look right, as if she were trying to hide tired eyes behind too much makeup. I wondered if she might be getting sick too. "Sorry we're late."

"Well, you misplaced your keys. I'm sure you didn't do it on purpose, right?"

"Well, no."

"So what do you think? How's it look out there? Is everyone having a good time? I haven't had a chance to check."

"It's going great, and the jazz combo is awesome."

"Isn't it?"

"You look nice," I said, noting that she appeared thinner than ever. "Pretty dress. I love that shade of turquoise on you."

"Thanks, you look nice too."

"I'm catching a cold, so don't breathe too deeply around me. Are you getting sick?"

"Sick? What makes you think I'm sick? First you compliment me, then you tell me I look sick. Thanks a lot." She shook her head and turned back down the hall.

"Linda, I didn't mean it that way. Linda, please stop."

She did. "No, I am not sick. I'm just tired. Excuse me, Gwyn. I have to use the bathroom."

"Okay. I'll see you out there."

I made my way to the bar set up in a corner of the living room and asked the bartender for a gla.s.s of merlot, then meandered to an empty chair and sat down, kicking my high heels off, hoping no one would notice.

I felt a hand lightly touch me on the shoulder. "h.e.l.lo, gorgeous." Josh stepped around in front of me. "Sore feet?"

I smiled up at him. "Yes, but you weren't supposed to notice," I said, slipping the heels back on.

"Oh, leave them off. Who's going to care? Certainly not me."

I looked behind him, wondering if he'd brought a date. Considering how handsome he looked tonight, I figured the woman would be rus.h.i.+ng over to claim him by now. His blond hair fell casually over his forehead, framing eyes that sparkled with devilish mischief.

"I don't know any of these people," he said, kneeling at my feet, his hand cupping my left knee for balance.

"Yes, you do. You know as many as I do. And Caroline will be here soon."

"She's already here. But she has a date."

"Where? I didn't see her."

"She just walked in."

Josh looked me over. "You're more beautiful than ever, Gwyn. You have to promise me a dance later."

"Of course ... if I can."

"Oh, your husband will survive it. Looks like he's preoccupied already."

I turned in the direction Josh was nodding. Trevor was standing at the bar with Bob Morris and Sylvia Breslin. Last year, Bob had attended Linda's party, but unfortunately, this year he'd brought Sylvia. "Sure, Josh, we can have that dance. Why not?"

Josh laughed. "She's a troll compared to you."

"She's a business a.s.sociate of Trevor's," I said. "In fact, we spent a weekend in Aspen with them recently, as their guests ... well, her guest, actually."

"Is that her guy?"

"Her date, not her guy. It's purely platonic, Trevor says. I like Bob though. He's nice."

"Looks like you need another gla.s.s of wine. I'll get it for you. Merlot?"

"Yes, thanks."

He rose and approached the bar, shook Trevor's hand, then made introductions with Sylvia and Bob. Trevor noticed me watching the four of them and waved, then stepped away from the group and walked over.

"Why don't you join the party?" he asked, taking a seat on the arm of my chair. "You took off and left me with Wolfgang. That wasn't very nice. He was giving me the make and model of every snowmobile he's rented for tonight, and I'm thinking I won't even go."

"Sorry."

"You should be."

"I didn't know Sylvia would be here."

"And neither did I," he said, emphasizing each word, "but I have to be polite, don't I? It might look a little ungrateful if I just ignore them."

A moment later, Caroline came around the corner of my chair with Nate. Trevor rose to his feet. "Oh, don't get up," she said, her eyes twinkling as she brought her guest forward.

Nate reached out to shake each of our hands. "h.e.l.lo, Gwyn, Trevor. Nice to see you again."

Caroline whispered down toward my ear. "Where's Linda? I wanted to say h.e.l.lo, but I haven't seen her."

"I don't know. I talked to her earlier. Must be busy with something." I scanned the roomful of people, but Linda wasn't among them.

"Oh, well, I'll find her eventually." She turned to Nate. "Want something to drink?"

"Sure." He turned to us. "Could we get you anything while we're up there?"

We shook our heads. "Thanks, we're good," said Trevor.

Nate led Caroline away.

I tapped Trevor on the arm, but his gaze had moved in the direction of the hors d'oeuvres table. "She likes him," I said. "I haven't seen her look that happy in a long time."

"That's nice. Let's get some food. I'm starving."

I noticed Josh making his way toward me with the gla.s.s of wine he'd promised. "One second," I said.

Trevor spotted Josh also, but grimaced, manufacturing a smile as Josh neared. "Hey, Josh," he said, watching as Josh offered me the winegla.s.s. "So what's been going on with you? How are you these days?"

"Great. And you?"

"Can't complain. Didn't expect to see you here though. What brings you to Glenwood?"

"Oh, visiting the family, enjoying the holidays."

"How are they?"

"Fine."

"That's good. You planning on going out with the guys later, on Wolfgang's snowmobiles?"

"No, I thought he was joking."

"Don't think so."

"I didn't bring a change of clothes," Josh said.

Trevor waved a hand. "I'm sure Wolfgang's got extra stuff you can borrow. You're not going to stay inside with the women, are you?"

"I thought the women were invited too?"

"Yeah, but Gwyn's not going. She has a cold."

"I haven't decided that for sure," I said, "but you're right, probably not."

"Sure, I'll go," Josh said, "if Wolfgang can suit me up. What the h.e.l.l?"

"Yeah, what the h.e.l.l," Trevor said, smacking Josh on the back so hard his drink slopped over the side.

Josh narrowed his eyes at Trevor, then excused himself and walked off toward Caroline and Nate.

"Doesn't that guy ever bring a date?" said Trevor. "If he wasn't your ex, I'd swear he was gay."

"I thought you said you weren't going out, that you'd changed your mind."

"Well, I changed it back."

"It's a bad idea and you know it. It's freezing out there and you've had too much to drink. How many is that anyway?"

"Don't worry. I'm fine. I'm hungry and I'm getting some food. You coming?"

"Yeah, I guess."

After the snack, I ditched Trevor and searched for Linda. I'd spied her once, briefly, when she'd stopped to talk to a few guests, but just as quickly she'd disappeared again.

I looked for her in the kitchen, then in the rooms off the hall on the main floor. Finally, I found her in the room Linda referred to as the library, a grouping of chairs and loveseats surrounded by bookcases only partially lined with hardbound books.

"What are you doing in here?' I asked.

"Nothing, trying to find a little s.p.a.ce."

"Oh. Just wondered where you were. I can leave if you'd rather be alone."

"It's okay. Go ahead. Sit if you want."

I noticed a weird odor in the room, masked somewhat by the heavy scent of Linda's perfume. "This room smells a little funky, don't you think?"

She sniffed the air. "Yeah, guess it does. Books are probably moldy. n.o.body actually reads them. If I opened one up a moth would probably fly out. It feels cold in here too, doesn't it?"

"A little chilly."

"I'll start a fire." Linda rose and turned on the gas jets for the fireplace. "If this d.a.m.n thing works."

After a few seconds, flames ignited. We sat quietly, staring at the fire.

"Looks real," I said.

"It should. I spent enough on it."

It was then that I noticed a tear slip down her cheek, then another.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?"