Dreams (Part Two) (Dreams #2)(41)
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

“That won’t be necessary. Perhaps you’re right. We’d best forget the whole thing. Let’s leave the regrets and the pride and the mistakes in the past where they belong. Agreed?“

Colby inclined his head. “Agreed.“

Satisfied, Margaret turned to Diana. “And you, my dear. I also owe you my thanks. You are the one who made it possible for me to meet Brandon and to get to know him. I also want to thank you for last Christmas. It was the happiest Christmas I have known since my daughter died. It was good to feel like part of a family again. I shall carry that pleasure with me to my grave.“

“You’ll be here next Christmas, too,“ Brandon declared roughly. He looked around at the others in the room, challenging all of them. “Isn’t that true?“

Colby suddenly chuckled. “Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me. Like I’ve always said, Brandon, your grandmother is one tough old broad.“

The nurse who came through the door at that moment was startled by the sound of the laughter that filled the somber hospital room.

“Heard you were back in town, Colby. Bet the old lady wanted to see her grandson before she died, right?“ Eddy Spooner wiped his hands on a grease-stained fag and reached for the gas hose.

“That’s about it.“ Colby climbed out of Diana’s Buick and leaned against the front fender as Eddy began filling the vehicle’s tank. “We’re staying over tonight. Well head back to Portland in the morning.“

“Where’re Brandon and Diana?“

“Visiting with Margaret Fulbrook. I took a break to come into town and see how you were doing.“

Specter put his head over the front seat and surveyed Eddy with a calm, unreadable gaze.

“I’m doin’ okay, Colby. Okay. I see you still got that big dog of Diana’s.“

“Yeah, Specter’s a born mooch. He won’t be moving out anytime soon. I’ve given up trying to encourage him to leave.“ Colby idly reached over to scratch the dog behind one shaggy ear. “But he and I have come to a gentlemen’s agreement.“

Eddy eyed the dog with respect. “He always looked like a mean one to me.“

Colby glanced down at Specter. “I think he could be, under the right circumstances. How are your plans coming, Eddy?“

Eddy looked up quickly, peering at Colby from under the brim of his beat-up fatigue cap. His glacial blue eyes were narrowed to slits. “Plans?“

“Yeah, you know. The plans you told me about last summer, remember? The last time you and I had a few beers at your house, you said something about being onto something big.“

“Oh, yeah. My plans.“ Eddy concentrated on putting gas into the car. His shrug said it all. “You know how my plans always work out, Colby. They don’t go nowhere.“

“That’s too bad.“ Colby wished he’d kept his mouth shut. He should have known that whatever Eddy had going last summer had fallen through. But he honestly hadn’t been able to think of any other topic of conversation, and some part of him felt compelled to try to touch base with his old boyhood companion.

“Is it true that old lady Fulbrook’s probably going to die?“ Eddy kept his attention on the nozzle of the hose.

“I don’t know, Eddy. The doctors said she’s holding her own, but they still haven’t pinned down the exact nature of her chest pains. Margaret thinks she’s going to die, though.“

“Reckon she left you and Brandon all her money, huh? Now that she’s talkin’ to you again? Got to hand it to you, Colby. You sure played your cards right. Skip town for twenty years, and then come back just in time to inherit the Fulbrook fortune.“

“Brandon and I don’t need or want her money and she knows it,“ Colby said harshly.

“That don’t mean she won’t leave it to you.“

Colby glanced down the main street of his old hometown, thinking that no matter what had happened earlier in the hospital room, he’d never be able to spend a dime of Margaret Fulbrook’s money. “She’ll probably leave whatever’s left of the Fulbrook fortune to Fulbrook Community Hospital. The place could use it,“ he said carelessly. In fact, he added to himself, he’d have a little chat with Margaret this afternoon and make sure she did exactly that.

“Harry says she started talkin’ last summer about changing her will. She went to see a lawyer about it a few months back,“ Eddy said slowly.

“Did she?“ Colby asked vaguely, losing interest in the topic. “Hey, Eddy, you ever find out anything about that black ‘vette that tried to run Diana and me off the road last summer?“

Eddy pulled the nozzle out of the tank. “Some.“

Colby watched him intently. “Come on, Eddy. Give. What did you find out?“

“Not much. That’s why I never called you. Figured it wouldn’t do you much good.“

“Well?“ It was like pulling teeth, Colby decided.

“The ‘vette’s been seen again a few times at night on River Road. Some of the local hotshots have tried out their wimpy little Camaros against it. No one’s ever beaten the ‘vette, though.“

“Anyone ever end up in the river? I told you that car was out for blood.“

“Nah. No one’s gone over the bank. Just a few close shaves on some of the curves. Same routine as twenty years ago. You remember how it works, Colby? You should, you’re the one who set it up. The black ‘vette picks up any takers down at the old turnout under the cliff. Same place you used when you were running things out there at night.

The parking area at the base of Chained Lady Falls is the finishing line.“

“Who’s driving the ‘vette, Eddy?“ Colby kept his voice casual as he slid his wallet out of his jeans pocket. He didn

’t want to let Eddy see just how interested he was in the answer.

“Nobody knows who’s drivin’.“

“Nobody’s seen the driver?“ Colby was astounded.

“Nope.“ Eddy shook his head as he made change. “The dude’s not racing for money, I guess. Just for the hell of it.

He hangs around the cliff turnout until some local yokel comes looking for action. The ‘vette and the challenger line up and take off. The ‘vette wins and just keeps going on into the night. Never comes back to collect any money or gloat or nothin’. He’s just gone. Like a ghost.“

“Think he’s from around here or out of town?“