trails in the Sierra where she used to backpack with her sister. Before Roy. The way Roy acted in the mountains, she quickly lost the taste for the wilderness. Once she was rid of him, she should have taken up backpacking again. Maybe soon…
She climbed steps to the porch of the motel office and saw a telephone booth at the far end. She headed for it. The wood groaned under her feet, sounding like the weathered planking of an aged pier.
She stepped into the booth, dropped coins into the telephone slot, and dialed Operator. She charged the call to her home phone. The call went through.
“Hello?”
“Morning, Karen.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Is that any kind of greeting?”
“Don’t tell me, your car broke down.”
“You’re clairvoyant.”
“Do you need a lift?”
“No, I’m afraid I’ll have to beg off, for today.”
“Poor loser.”
“It’s not that.”
“They changed your days off? And we were having such good times on Mondays. What’ve you got now, Friday-Saturday, Tuesday-Wednesday?”
“Your clairvoyance has slipped.”
“Oh?”
“I’m calling from the glamorous resort town of Malcasa Point, home of the infamous Beast House.”
“Are you crocked?”
“Sober, unfortunately. As near as I can figure, we’re about a hundred miles north of San Francisco. Give or take fifty.”
“Christ almighty, don’t you know?”
“Not exactly. I’m sure, if I could see a map…”
“What are you doing way the hell-and-gone up there, anyway?” Before Donna could answer, Karen said, “Oh God, is he out?”
“He’s out.”
“Oh my God.”
“We thought we’d better make ourselves scarce.”
“Right. What do you want me to do?”
“Let Mom and Dad know we’re okay.”
“What about your apartment?”
“Can you have our stuff put into storage?”
“Sure, I guess.”
“Call Beacon, or someone. Let me know what it comes to, and I’ll send you a check.”
“How am I gonna let you know anything?”
“I’ll keep in touch.”
“Are you ever coming back?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could they let him
“I guess he behaved himself.”
“Christ!”
“It’ll be all right, Karen.”
“When am I gonna
“This’ll blow over.”
“Sure it will. If Roy happens to drop dead of a coronary, or drives into a bridge abutment, or…” A sob broke her voice. “Christ, this sort of thing…how can they let it happen?”
“Hey, don’t cry. Everything’ll be fine. Just tell Mom and Dad we’re okay, and we’ll be in touch.”
“Okay. And I’ll…take care of your apartment.”
“Take care of yourself, while you’re at it.”
“Sure. You too. Tell Sandy hi for me.”
“I will. Good-bye, Karen.”
“Bye.”
Donna hung up. She breathed deeply, fighting for control of her own shaken emotions. Then she crossed the porch. As she started to climb down, she heard the squeak of an opening door.
“Lady?”
She looked around at a teenage girl standing in the office doorway. Probably the owner’s daughter. “Yes?”
“Are you the lady with the car trouble?”
Donna nodded.
“Bix from the Chevron called. Him and Kutch went after it. Bix said he’d see you when he gets back.”
“They don’t have the keys.”
“Bix doesn’t need ’em.”
“Did he want me to do anything?”
The girl shrugged one shoulder. It was bare except for the strap of her tank top. She was obviously wearing no bra, her nipples pressing dark and turgid against the thin fabric. Donna wondered why the girl’s parents allowed her to dress that way.
“Okay. Thanks for the message.”
“Any time.”
The girl spun away. Her cut-off jeans were slit up the sides, revealing tawny leg almost to the hip.
The girl’s going to get herself raped, Donna thought. If Sandy ever dressed like that…
Donna climbed down the porch steps and crossed the parking area to their cabin. She had to wait while Sandy finished in the bathroom.
“Do you want to eat here at the Inn?” Donna asked. “Or should we try our luck in town?”
“Let’s go into town,” Sandy said, her voice eager. “I hope they’ve got a Dunkin’ Donuts. I’m dying for a doughnut.”
“I’m dying for a cup of coffee.”
“Java Mama.”
They went outside. Sandy, squinting, opened her denim handbag and took out her sunglasses. Their round lenses were huge on her face. Donna, who rarely wore sunglasses, thought they made her daughter look like a bug—a
“What did Aunt Karen say?” Sandy asked.
“She said to tell you hi.”
“Were you gonna play tennis today?”
“Yep.”
“I bet she was surprised.”
“She understood.”
They reached the roadside. Donna pointed to the left. “Town’s that way,” she said. They started toward it. “From the way Aunt Karen sounded, I don’t think she’d ever heard of Malcasa Point. It is a beautiful place, though, isn’t it?”
Sandy nodded. Her sunglasses slipped down her nose. With a forefinger, she poked them into place. “It’s pretty around here, but…”
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“No, tell me. Come on.”
“How come you told Aunt Karen?”
