“Who?”
“That man from the old movies you told me about.”
“Svengali,” Louise corrected. “Yes, our neighbor is definitely one of those. He’s got some sort of hold on her.”
“Women are stupid when it comes to men,” said Zona. Herself included.
Why was the redhead back? Zona sat down at the table in a seat facing the window, and randomly picked up a puzzle piece.
“I hope she doesn’t stay,” said Louise.
“At least she’s not dead.”
“Yet. That man has suppressed violence. Oh, my gosh. Look.”
Louise didn’t have to tell Zona to look. She already was. The front door of Alec James’s house burst open and ejected the redhead. It was obvious that she was crying as she ran to her car.
There it was again, the ugly side of Alec James.
“Don’t you be giving him any more lemonade,” Louise cautioned as the PT Cruiser backed out of the driveway at top speed. “Or cookies. And no more dog training. We want nothing to do with that man.”
They certainly didn’t.
Louise’s friend Susan was coming over for dinner and cards, and the doorbell rang, announcing her arrival. Zona opened the door and let her in. Darling was on hand to greet her but settled for plopping down and thumping his tail on the floorwhen Zona stepped in front of him and commanded him to sit. Alec James would have been proud of both of them.
Svengali James.
“I brought appetizers,” Susan said.
“Those look great,” said Zona, eyeballing the plate of stuffed mushrooms.
“We’ll save you a couple,” Susan said as she walked to the table, Darling trotting along beside her.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Louise said. “These look great. Let me try one.” Susan held out the plate and Louise plucked a mushroom from it and took a bite. “Oooh, yum.” Darling moved next to her, looking longingly at what was left in her hand. “No, these are not for you. Zona, will you get him a treat?”
“So, what’s new with the neighbor?” Susan was asking when Zona returned. She’d picked up a puzzle piece and was searching for its spot in the half-formed picture of a dog.
“The woman who was with him returned,” Louise informed her. “But she didn’t stay. We think he hit her.”
What was thiswestuff? “Mom,” Zona scolded. If they weren’t careful, they were going to be back to Louise checking the man’s yard for fresh bones.
Seeing what was in Zona’s hand, Darling forgot his lessons and jumped on her. “Down,” she commanded, and walked him back onto all fours, then made him sit before giving him his treat.
“I said wethink.”
“Youthink,” Zona corrected her. “And you need to stop thinking.”
Louise ignored the scold and bit into another mushroom. Then closed her eyes and groaned. “So good.”
“Okay, I’m getting one now. Mom’s right. There won’t be any left by the time I get back,” Zona said and sampled a mushroom. It was delicious, and she half wished she could stayhome and play cards and eat curried chicken salad and stuffed mushrooms. “These are great,” she told Susan.
“Stay and help us eat them,” Louise urged. “You could use a break.”
“I could use money more. You two have fun. I’ll be back by midnight.”
“Don’t hurry on my account,” said Susan. “I’m staying until I win at Hands and Buns. Which means I could be here until dawn.”
Zona chuckled as she went to get her purse and keys. When it came to games, Susan was competitive.
