The Web

'Not anymore,' said Dennis. 'Just stay here and don't cause problems.' Growling now. His enormous shoulders bunched.

He looked up at us again. Focused on Pam, then scanned the banister from end to end, eyes darting like the geckos.

'What's going on?' I said.

He chewed his lip.

Moreland's head was down and he was holding it as if to keep it from falling off his neck.

Pam said, 'What's happened? What's happened, Dennis?'

Dennis seemed to consider an answer, then he looked back at Moreland, now leaning, face to the wall.

'A bad thing,' he said, putting one foot out the door. 'Daddy can tell you all about it.'

The door slammed and he was gone. Moreland remained in the entry, not moving. The chandelier turned his bald head metallic.

Pam rushed down to him and we followed.

'Dad?'

She put her arm around him. His color was bad. 'What is it, Dad?'

He mumbled something.

'What?'

Silence.

'Please, Daddy, tell me.'

He shook his head and muttered, 'As Dennis said. A bad thing.'

'What bad thing?'

More headshaking.

She guided him to an armchair in the front room. He sat reluctantly, remaining on the edge, one hand scratching a knobby knee, the other shielding most of his face. The visible part was the color of spoiled milk and his lips looked like slices of putty.

'What's going on, Daddy? Why was Dennis so rude to you?'

'Doing his job…'

'A crime? There was a crime, Dad?'

Moreland dropped both hands in his lap. Defeat had stripped his face of structure; each wrinkle was as black and deep as freshly gouged sculptor's clay.

'Yes, a crime… murder.'

'Who was murdered, Dad?'

No answer.

'When?'

'Tonight.'

I said, 'Another-'

He cut me off with a hand-slash. 'A terrible murder.'

'Who?' said Jo.

'A young woman.'

'Where, Dad?'

'Victory Park.'

'Who was the victim?' pressed Jo.

Long pause. 'A girl named Betty Aguilar.'

Pam frowned. 'Do we know her?'

'Ida Aguilar's daughter. She works Ida's stall at the Trading Post. She came in for a checkup last week, I introduced you to her when-'

'My God,' I said. 'I just spoke to her today. She was three months pregnant.'

Robin said, 'Oh, no.' She was holding on to the sash of my robe, eyes belladonna-bright.

'Well, that's certainly dreadful,' said Jo. Not a trace of slur. Off the sleeping pills?

'Yes, yes,' said Moreland. 'Very dreadful, yes, yes, yes…' He grabbed for the chair's arm. Pam braced him.

'I'm so sorry, Daddy. Were you close to her?'

'I-' He began to cry and Pam tried to hold him, but he freed himself and looked over at the big dark windows. The sky was still deep blue, the clouds larger, lower.

'I delivered her,' he said. 'I was going to deliver her baby. She was doing so well with prenatal care- she used to smoke and…' He touched his mouth. 'She resolved to take good care of herself and stuck to it.'

'Any idea why she was killed?' said Jo.

Moreland stared at her. 'Why would I know that?'

'You knew her.'

Moreland turned away from her.

'Why does Dennis want you to stay up here?' I said.

'Not just me, all of us. We're all under house arrest.'

'Why, Daddy?' said Pam.

'Because… they- it's…' He listed forward, then sat back heavily, both hands glued to the chair's arms. The fabric was a rose damask, silk, once expensive. Now I noticed the worn spots and the snags, a stitched-up tear, stains that could never be cleaned.

Moreland rubbed his temples the way he had after his fall in the lab. Then his neck. He winced and Pam put a finger under his chin and propped it. 'Why are we under house arrest, Daddy?'

He shuddered.

'Da-'

He reached up, removed her finger, held on to it. Shaking.

'Ben,' he said. 'They think Ben did it.'

24

He hid his face again.

Pam left and returned with Gladys, who carried a bottle of brandy and glasses.

Seeing Moreland in that state frightened the housekeeper.

'Dr. Bill-'

'Please go back to bed,' said Pam, 'we'll need you in the morning.'

Gladys wrung her hands.

'Please, Gladys.'

Moreland said, 'I'm fine, Gladys,' in a voice that proved otherwise.

The old woman chewed her cheek and finally left.

'Brandy, Dad?'

He shook his head.

She filled a glass anyway and held it out to him.

He waved off the liquor but accepted some water. Pam took his pulse and felt his forehead.

'Warm,' she said. 'And you're sweating.'

'The room's hot,' he said. 'All the glass.'

The windows were open and scented air flowed through the screens. Chilly air. My hands were icy.

Pam wiped Moreland's brow. 'Let's get some fresh air, Dad.'

We moved to the terrace, Moreland offering no resistance as Pam put him at the head of the empty dining table.

'Here, have some more water.'