I stared at the page in front of me, with the various lines of letters written in Nola’s clear, precise hand, then focused on the first line comprising the first letters. MOMSICK.
“Mom sick,” Ginette said quietly, repeating the two words that echoed in my own head.
“Weird, huh?” Nola said. “Considering it was Hasell who was sick, and we were pretty sure this was sent by Hasell.”
“Unless Anna was ill?” I turned toward my mother.
“No. And I know that for a fact. Her good health was a point of pride for her. She was always saying it was a blessing she was so healthy so she could take care of Hasell.”
I put a spoonful of minestrone in my mouth, not tasting it as thoughts twirled around my brain, stray thoughts bouncing around but none settling long enough to make sense. “Of course, there’re more kinds of illnesses and they’re not all physical.”
The house phone rang, and we all turned to look at the desk phone on the counter. “Nobody calls that number anymore.”
Ginette stood and seemed to walk with trepidation as she went to answer it.
“Hello?” She glanced at me. “Yes, Jack. She’s here. So is Nola. We’ve been trying to reach . . .” She stopped, listening, while both Nola and I half rose in our chairs. “We can be there in ten minutes. Are you sure . . . ?”
We watched as her hand tightened on the receiver before slowly lowering it into the cradle. She looked up at us, her eyes dark saucers. “We were disconnected.”
“Where is he?” I asked. “Is he all right?”
“I’m not sure,” she said. “The line was really bad. He said his cell phone had died, so he was using the landline in Button’s kitchen.”
“But it’s not in service anymore.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Exactly. He says Jayne needs our help, and he wants us over at the Pinckney house as soon as we can get there.”
I bristled. “He’s with Jayne?”
“Yes. Rebecca called him to tell him that she’d seen you, and told him everything she’d told you this morning. Including something about the attic stairs.” She frowned. “What about the attic stairs?”
“Rebecca dreamed she saw Hasell pulling up a board and lifting something from the bottom step.”
My mother paled. “He can’t go into the attic. Not by himself, and not with just Jayne.”
“You’re scaring me,” I said, standing. “You stay here with Nola and the babies and I’ll go.”
“No. He was very specific. He said he needed both of us.” She faced Nola. “Are you okay staying here with the babies? They need to be fed, but you can skip the baths because of the storm. Bedtime at eight, all right?”
Nola nodded.
Turning to me, Ginette said, “You can borrow one of my coats, since yours is soaked. And he said to bring the album.”
I didn’t have to ask which album he’d meant. “Why?”
“He was cut off before he could tell me. But he said it was important, that he would explain everything when he saw us.”
She threw on her raincoat and pulled on her gloves while I gave the babies quick kisses and hugged Nola. “You call Sophie if you need anything, all right? At any time.”
She nodded. “Be careful.”
I forced a smile, then picked up the still-wrapped album and followed my mother out into the storm, knowing with certainty that bad weather was going to be the least of our problems.
CHAPTER 33
We drove my Volvo station wagon, believing it to be the safest option available. The streets already sloshed with standing water, forcing me to drive in the middle of the street. This might have been more alarming if there had been any other traffic, but it seemed everyone else south of Broad was too sensible to head out in a storm like this.
What would have been a five-minute walk turned into a fifteen-minute drive as I inched down Legare toward South Battery. The unlit Pinckney house stood like a dark omen against an almost completely black sky, illuminated only by the flashes of lightning that forked through the sky with an uncomfortable frequency.
As I pulled into the driveway, my headlights passed over Jack’s minivan. It wasn’t until I’d stopped behind it that I realized the interior lights were on, and the driver’s-side door wide-open. I must have let out a cry or a shout because my mother was handing me a portable umbrella and telling me to go. I barely remembered to put my car in park and turn off the ignition before I jumped out and ran toward the open door to look inside.