Dean awoke Monday morning with Annie Quincy's words still ringing in his ears, and the phone ringing on his nightstand. He answered it, muttered a few words, and hung up. Still half asleep, he glanced at the clock and was shocked to see he'd failed to set his alarm. It was after eight, long past his usual wake-up time. With a disgruntled look on his face he hurriedly dressed and shuffled out to the kitchen where Fred O'Connor was munching on a doughnut and holding a glass of Ovaltine.
"Good afternoon," Fred said with a smile. "Thanks for covering for me," Dean muttered as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Who was on the phone?" "Get ready to grab your dust mop, Harriet. Us upstairs maids are on duty today." "Janet?" "Yup. That was Martha on the phone. It seems her aunt is a bit under the weather, again." "Too much time bellying up to the bar?" Fred drained his glass and stacked it in the dishwasher.
"Give the poor woman a break. She only goes tavern-traipsing on days that end in Y." He sat at the table and picked up a piece of pastry. "Where is everybody?"
"Let's see," said Fred, counting on his fingers. "The ice climbers decided to get in a quick climb and blame their delay returning home on the cops. Donald is out ice climbing, too. He flew out of here like a rock off a kid's sling shot. His son went with him. My guess is any place Edith ain't is where you'll find Ryland for a while. Edith is, as them English novels say, 'in seclusion'-probably plotting how to wrap up Donald and take him home. Miracle of miracles, Gladys is awake and it ain't even noon yet. She's pecking away on her story- has been, most of the night. She came down long enough to eat a dozen biscuits before she beat it back upstairs. The Quincys are out, taking pictures around town and then off to the library. So says Effie. Claire still's not talking to me."
"No sign of Corday and his army of storm troopers?"
"Nope. At least not yet." He looked over to his stepson. "You in the mood for a suggestion?"
"Sure. My mind isn't donating any words of wisdom that make a lick of sense."
"Take off for the day. It's beautiful out there, as warm as Patty at a picnic. I've got this place under control. If you ain't here, Corday and the police can't ask you questions you might not want to answer, like what's Cynthia's Indiana address. Stuff like that."
Dean smiled at the generous offer. "There's a lot to do around here with Janet AWOL and a bunch of newly empty rooms."