Mannheimer gestured with his head, causing the hood of
his parka to slip down and reveal overlong gray hair. “Back
at my place. Where else?”
“Um…Nowhere,” Judith said. “That is, the weather’s been
terrible. Ah…Why are you here now? I thought you had
orders to stay away.”
Mannheimer lowered his head, as if to charge the cousins.
Instead, he answered the question in his ragged, jerky voice.
“It’s my job, dammit. Orders can change. Like when a blizzard hits. Guests are still my responsibility. Safety first.
Couldn’t get through since Friday. The first floor’s still
snowed in. I saw a light up here. I thought I’d give it a try.”
“You might have asked first,” said Renie, her usual spunk
returning. “You didn’t have to break the blasted window.”
Mannheimer snorted. “You’re not real friendly. So tell me.
Is everything okay?”
“Oh, brother!” Renie twirled around, holding her head.
“Actually, it’s not,” Judith said with regret. “There’s been
some…trouble.”
“Trouble?” Mannheimer’s close-set blue eyes bulged. “What
kind of trouble? Frank doesn’t like trouble.”
“You know Mr. Killegrew?” Judith asked in surprise.
Mannheimer flipped the rifle from one hand to the other.
“Sure. We go way back. To Korea. Same platoon. So what’s
up?” Mannheimer glowered at the cousins.
“I think,” Judith said in an unusually high voice, “you ought
to talk to Frank. He’ll tell you.”
“So where is he?” Mannheimer’s head swiveled, as if he
expected Killegrew to pop out from behind the bathroom
door.
“Downstairs,” Judith answered promptly. “Go ahead, we’ll
stay here.” She gave Mannheimer a phony smile.
“Okay.” The caretaker headed for the door, the rifle now
cradled in his arms. He paused on the threshold, unlocking
the door the cousins had secured behind them. “Don’t worry.
I’ll fix that window. It’s my job.” Mannheimer left.
Renie sat back down on the bed. “I wouldn’t mind hearing
what happens when Frank tells Mannheimer what’s been
going on.”
“And so you shall,” Judith said, moving to the door. “Give
him a minute to get downstairs.”
The cousins used the back stairs. They tiptoed through the
kitchen, down the hall, and edged toward the lobby. Judging
from the sound of Frank Killegrew’s voice, the OTIOSE
contingent had regrouped in the game room.
“…real brave of you, Rudy,” Judith heard Killegrew say to
the caretaker. “What are our chances of getting out of here?”
Mannheimer must have been standing further away. His
response was muffled. “Melting…trouble…what…?”
