Jack got the door open. “So who did you hear arguing? Was it Diana and Nicky?”
“Maybe.” Mr. Howland didn’t move and he seemed to be thinking hard. “It was Nicky’s voice but it wasn’t. The woman talked like she’d learned how.”
“You mean like she’d been in an accident and had rehabilitation?”
“No. Like me. How I’d sound if I studied how to speak like Prince William.”
“We Americans would appreciate it if you did that. You okay to...?” They both knew what he meant. Could he get ready for bed by himself?
“You think I could get something to eat?” Mr. Howland patted his big stomach.
“Sure. Mrs. Aiken—”
Mr. Howland let out a sound like a trapped pig.
Jack laughed. “I gotcha. I’ll make up a tray and bring it up myself.”
“Give me an hour,” the man said. “Things take me longer now.”
“Will do.” Jack stepped aside to let him go into the big room. “One hour and I’ll be back.” He closed the door and was tempted to lock it. In case he turns back into monster-mode, Jack thought. Tomorrow he’d look at sealing Mr. Howland’s windows.
As Jack headed back downstairs, he didn’t see that there was a person hiding in the shadows. By the time he reached the others, everyone was there.
Fourteen
It was Kate who saw the van. She’d been watching the doorway, waiting for Jack to return from taking Mr. Howland upstairs, and she was worrying about him. When she saw a flash of light through the window, she thought, Probably just a delivery. Then she remembered hearing that Willa always showed up on Fridays with a van full of food. That wasn’t necessary now though.
But then, Willa going back to who she was twenty-plus years ago wasn’t necessary either.
Kate put her drink down and headed toward the doorway. Sara was deep into conversation with Byon, and Kate didn’t want to hear it. Too much cat-fighting for her taste. Nadine was with Clive and looked quite bored.
She made it to the front door before Teddy caught up with her.
“Thank God!” Teddy said. “I wanted to get out of there. It’s like they’ve stepped into a time warp. If I hear them say, ‘Do you remember?’ one more time, I shall start screaming.”
Kate wanted to get rid of the girl so she could see if it was Willa who’d arrived. “I think dinner is about to begin.”
“Probably.” She was looking hard at Kate. “So you’re Jack’s sister?”
“His friend. No relation at all.”
“You two bed partners?”
Kate just looked at her, with no intention of answering.
“So you’re not.” Teddy was smiling. “Good to know. Who is that outside?”
“No one,” Kate said. “I wonder if your grandfather is all right.”
Teddy was staring at Kate. “Why do I feel that you want me to leave? Is this about Jack?”
Kate didn’t answer.
“Something is going on, isn’t it? I can feel it.”
“Your mother—”
Teddy waved her hand. “Has no interest in me right now. She’s trying to get Byon to introduce her to men. She needs a new husband—one with a fat bank account.”