“Good morning, Evelyn.” Kay stood next to the table. “If its convenient, I’d like to visit with you about Jack.”
“That’s why you’re here, so I suppose now is as good a time as any.” Evelyn inclined her head. “Please join me.”
Kay sat on the opposite side of the table and opened her laptop. The breeze stirred Kay’s tousled black hair. Despite her informal clothing, a pale yellow cotton top and beige linen slacks, she looked capable and confident. Her dark eyes were bright with intelligence.
Evelyn gestured toward the cul-de-sac. “I wondered if the unfortunate accident last night might cut your visit short.”
Kay’s eyes narrowed, but her reply was swift. “I plan to stay until I have the material I need for the book. However, I promise to work as quickly as possible. I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality.”
“I believe it was Diane who invited you to stay here.” Evelyn’s tone was dry.
Kay looked wary. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Evelyn shrugged. “This was Jack’s home as well as mine and James’s.” The milky eyes behind the thick lenses of her glasses reflected no emotion. “How may I help you?”
“What is your earliest memory of Jack?”
The question clearly surprised Evelyn. It was a long moment before she replied. “I was eight when he was born…”
Kay’s skillful questions pierced a hard shell of time and distance.
Evelyn’s words came more quickly, painting a picture of a younger brother colored by both admiration and jealousy:”…reckless…fearless…quick to be kind…stubbornly honest…much too attractive to women…ruthless when he made up his mind…selfish…he thought of himself before others. Jack left it to me to take care of our father.” Her grievance was clear. “Then, when he came home for Dad’s funeral, Jack was disruptive.” Her glance at Kay was cold. “It was obvious there was something between him and Shannon Taylor. That made Jimmy angry. Jimmy had always thought very highly of his uncle. But not now.” Evelyn sighed. “Jack upset Diane and the Phillipses as well. I’m afraid you won’t get positive reports about his last visit.”
“Jack wanted the book to tell the truth, whatever I found. I need to create a framework for Jack’s final days, talk to everyone he saw. The conversations, whether ordinary or remarkable, will touch readers because he had no idea that his time was so short.” Pain flickered in Kay’s eyes. “Of course, the focus of the book will be his years in Kenya. However, his ironic death in a fall down the steps of his childhood home has to be chronicled. This will be my only opportunity to interview those who spent time with him during his final days.”
“I see.” Evelyn sipped her coffee. “I don’t know how helpful I can be. I wasn’t keeping a record of his activities. He had various conversations with those living at The Castle.” There was a satisfied look on her face. “His hostility to Laverne and Ronald Phillips reduced Diane to tears one evening. Jimmy, sweet boy that he is, came to his mother’s defense. I thought for a moment Jimmy and Jack might come to blows. Of course, Jimmy was furious about more than that discussion. I saw the Phillipses scurrying back to the house one morning and they both looked out of sorts. Jack looked furious as he came inside behind them.”
I bent near Kay and whispered in her ear.
After an instant’s start, she asked smoothly, “As Jack’s sister, I’m sure you had insight into his moods. Was there a change between the day he arrived and the day of his death?”
There was a look of disdain on Evelyn’s aristocratic face. “In some ways, there was no change. As always, there were women. I have no doubt Jack at one time knew Margo better than he should. If a man and woman—” She broke off. A tiny flush touched her cheeks. “I was sensitive to his behavior. Since Margo is in our employ, I expected him to refrain from inappropriate behavior. I was chagrined to realize he was attracted to Shannon and that was even worse. A young girl! I spoke to him sharply. He insisted the interest was on her part, not his. But he was in and out of his room at odd hours in the night. I almost spoke to him again, then I decided time would solve any difficulties. That last day, I was again troubled. He told me he was delaying his departure, but he wouldn’t tell me why.” For an instant, her lips tightened. “Despite what Jack said, Margo’s daughter certainly spent a great deal of time with him. Jack always treated women as if their conquest was a sport.”
I saw the flare of Kay’s eyes. Quickly, I reached out and gave her arm a sharp pinch. No matter how she felt about Jack, this wasn’t the moment to challenge his sister.
Kay’s arm jerked.
Evelyn didn’t react. Obviously her sight was not only blurred but was also myopic.
Kay glanced at her arm, gave a tiny shake of her head. She gazed at her hands. Both rested lightly on the keyboard of her laptop. I feared she was wasting time thinking about her occupied hands and the momentary discomfort of her arm, refusing to accept that she had not, in an aberrant moment, pinched herself.
I leaned down, hissed in her ear. “She said in one way there was no change. In what way was there a change?”
Woodenly, Kay asked, “In what way was there a change in Jack’s demeanor?”
“Saturday. The day he died.” Evelyn looked disdainful. “Make no mistake, I don’t believe in presentiments, despite the nonsense Laverne spouts. Jack certainly didn’t have otherworldly imaginings that he was doomed. Far from it. He looked tough and determined and deeply angry. Jack was terribly upset. I doubt anyone else was aware. But you are quite right. He was my brother and I knew. I saw a hardness in his eyes that I’d only seen twice before. Once when Virginia and Sallie died. Once when he told Dad he was leaving Adelaide. I went to his room and knocked. When he came to the door, I asked him what was wrong. He gave me an odd look and shook his head. ‘Nothing you can help, Evie. But thanks.’ He closed the door. That was the last personal conversation we had.”
I whispered again in Kay’s ear.
This time she took my instruction in stride. Without hesitation, she asked, “Did he renew old acquaintances in Adelaide?”
Evelyn shrugged. “I have no idea who he saw when he was around town. Possibly you might ask Shannon.” Her smile was sardonic.
