“Well,” LuAnne said, after we’d ordered our salads, “as much as I’m enjoying the solitary life—and I mean that, Julia—I do occasionally miss having somebody to talk to. I’m thinking of getting a dog—that would be close to having Leonard around. Neither would answer back.”
With LuAnne, one never knew when she was being serious, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I can tell you who might need a home.”
“Who?”
“Ronnie. Remember him—Thurlow’s dog?” And I went on to tell her how Ronnie had come to be a semipermanent guest in my home, and also hint a little about my concern for Thurlow.
“Well, first off, I don’t have room for a Great Dane. And second off”—LuAnne leaned forward to whisper—“do you really think Helen is robbing Thurlow?”
“No. No, I don’t, but Thurlow does. And that’s almost as bad.”
LuAnne leaned back in her chair with a look of consternation on her face. “You’re right. Even if he only thinks so, he could fire her and where would I be then? She’d want her condo back, and I’d be on the street. And just when I was really coming to love being settled by myself. I’ve even got a part-time job lined up—answering the phone, which I can do in my sleep. Oh, Julia, I wish you hadn’t told me. Now I’m going to worry myself sick.”
“Don’t, LuAnne, because that’s not going to happen. I’m sure Helen has foreseen just such a possibility. She has Thurlow locked in securely and legally, believe me. The only one I’m concerned about is Ronnie, because he’s used to being treated like a member of the family, and Helen has relegated him to a pen in the backyard.”
“Why don’t you keep him?”
“I may have to,” I said, sighing. “Except then I’d have to build a fence. But, speaking of fences . . .” And I went on to tell her about the Great Wall of China going up along the Pickenses’ side yard.
Chapter 15
“I’ll tell you what let’s do,” LuAnne said, cutting off my intention to enlist her help in taking Madge Taylor down. She sat up straight as her eyes brightened with a sudden idea. “Let’s drop in on Helen and visit with Thurlow. She asked me if I wanted a lease, and . . .”
“You don’t have a lease?”
“No, I saw no reason to go to the trouble. Helen and I are friends, you know.”
“Oh, my, LuAnne. That’s all the more reason to have one. Casual agreements between friends can lead to future problems. Just tell her that you’d be more comfortable keeping things legal between the two of you, and emphasize that it’s for her protection as the owner of the condo.”
“Well, I guess you know what you’re talking about with all the rental property you have. It’s a shame, though, that friends can’t trust each other.”
“It’s not a matter of trust,” I said. “It’s a matter of letting you sleep at night without worrying about a sudden eviction notice if Helen changes her mind.”
“You’re right,” LuAnne said, for once listening to my advice. “I’d be up a creek if Helen wanted her condo back. It’s really the only worry on my mind. And, I’ll tell you, Julia, I did not know how burdened I was in my marriage until I got out of it. And I’m not talking about Leonard’s dalliance with that Totsie woman. I’m talking about years and years of just plain incompatibility—and I didn’t even know what was causing my inner turmoil until I was rid of it—it was him all along. Now,” she said, taking another sip from her glass, “I’m feeling compatible with just about everybody.”
—
I pulled the car to the curb in front of Thurlow’s house, got out, and waited on the sidewalk for LuAnne to park behind me.
“My word,” she said as she walked over to me, “the place is certainly looking better than I’ve ever seen it. I rarely drove by here but when I did, I always thought it looked like a haunted house.”
“Wait till you see the inside,” I said, unlatching the gate and leading the way to the front door. “Thurlow’s apparently given Helen a free hand, or, more likely, given in to her demand for a free hand. Not that I blame her. Nobody, and certainly not Helen, as particular as she is, could’ve lived in such squalor.
“Now, LuAnne,” I said, as we approached the freshly painted front door, “let me suggest that if you mention a lease to Helen, you do it as subtly as you can. Put it as protection for her in that it will spell out your responsibilities in caring for her condo.”
“Oh, of course, Julia,” she said, a little testily. “I’m not at a complete loss when it comes to such things, you know.”
I wasn’t so sure about that, but I’d given all the advice she wanted to hear. I rang the doorbell, then asked to be announced to Mrs. Stroud when the maid answered the door.
We were shown into the morning room, and while Helen was informed of our visit, LuAnne looked around in amazement.
“This is gorgeous,” she whispered. “She’s restoring it to its original state, only I’m not sure it ever looked this good. Every club in town will want it on their house tour.” Then, in an even lower tone, she
