Ginny's Story A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright© 2016 Karen Lockhart All Rights Reserved.

CHAPTER 13

Ellen looked at me before answering her cell phone. “Hello Pete, you couldn't wait to call me tonight? I like that. Ginny? Yes she's right beside me, why?”

As I looked at her face you could see the change wash over her from top to bottom, just like in the cartoons.

Ellen continued listening to Pete, finally she said, “Tina has an apartment on Humphrey Street, almost directly across the street from our condo. Her phone number? Hold on I'll ask Ginny.”

She looked at me, “Let me have Tina's phone number please Ginny; it's important Pete gets hold of her as soon as possible.”

I got my phone from my back pocket and scanned through the directory quickly finding Tina's name. I read off the number with Ellen repeating it to Peter as I said the numbers.

As soon as Ellen ended the call ,(I almost said 'hung up') I started bombarding her with questions.

Ellen waved her hands and said, “That was Pete.”

“No fooling. Why did he call?”

“The lab was able to lift a fingerprint from the postcard”

“Was it Vinny's?” I asked.

“Stop asking questions, and I'll tell you everything. Now where was I?”

“Oh, yeah, the lab found a fingerprint on the postcard slipped into Tina's mail box. The print came back to Vinny's missing friend from Revere. Pete said if he's alive, then Vinny's alive too.”

I sat all the way back on the sofa. “See, I told you I saw him in a Dunkin Donuts!”

Ellen just smiled, “Yes dear.”

“Pete wanted to put Tina on her guard and to have her call in to the barracks on Revere Beach for a cruiser to sit in front of her apartment.”

“Only her?” I screeched. “How about us?”

“Of course he was worried about you and me, I was just teasing you to get a reaction,” Ellen smirked. “Got you.”

I was a little upset, so I jumped to my feet, spun around and headed for the bathroom.

I guess this surprised Ellen, she probably thought I'd give her grief back, but by leaving, she was left gulping like a goldfish out of water. I won!

I returned to the living room to a quiet Ellen who looked a little chagrined. I continued on to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator for a spring water.

“Ellen would you like a bottle of water?” I asked. She answered that she would. I handed a bottle to her before returning to my spot on the sofa.

As I sipped my water, she started to apologize, but stopped when she saw my grin.

“Oh you stinker, you had me going, shame on you.”

With that, I started to laugh out loud, “I got you, I got you.”

After a few minutes, we both sobered up and thought what Vinny being alive meant, and how it would affect us.

We didn't think Vinny would have a gripe with Ellen and Ginny Hanson. Except to a gynecologist, I'm a woman, so even if he was still after Gene, he was after a 23 yr old guy, which I'm certainly not. After all, he tried to pick me up twice at Cathy's farm, the second time he was obnoxious.

Ellen was just the lady that stuck a big pistol in his face, and started to pull the trigger. We agreed, he might respect that and chase her too except for her State Police boyfriend.

My cell rang to the sound of the Three Stooges' 'Three Blind Mice', you know, just like Renee Rouso's computer in “Lethal Weapon III”. I looked at the caller ID and looked up. “Oh good, Ellen, it's Tina calling.”

“Hi Tina, did Pete Smith call you? He did? What did he say? Okay, see you in five, I'll fill the kettle.”

I looked ar Ellen. “Tina's coming over, she wants to tell us both at the same time, and didn't want to do it over the phone.”

Ellen went into the kitchen to the stove, took the kettle, and filled it at the sink.

“I heard you say you were going to put the kettle on, so I figured I'd do it for you.”

Before I could answer, the doorbell rang, and I let Tina in.

“Why don't we sit in the kitchen, it will be easier for the tea, and I made a chocolate cake,” I said.

After we had tea, and a generous piece of cake, Ellen asked Tina to tell us what Pete had to say.

Tina took a deep breath and started, “I guess you know a fingerprint on the postcard came from Daddy's friend who went to the football game with him. The cops feel if he's alive, so is Daddy. Your boyfriend asked me to be careful, and if anyone tries to talk to me, for me to call the Staties right away.”

“He said a cop would be keeping me under surveillance for my protection. Ha, my protection, he really means to catch anyone trying to contact me.”

“Tina, I'm sure the police worry about your safety too. The surveillance is really for that too. You know they have an arrest warrant out for your dad, don't you?”

Tina nodded her head yes, and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I'm just upset.”

I leaned over and started rubbing her back. “It will be okay honey. At least it looks like your dad is still alive. Isn't that better that him being lost at sea.”

Tina grudgingly admitted I was right. “I don't know how I'd manage without you and Ellen. Alone, I'd go out of my mind.”

Ellen made the suggestion to have Tina sleep over tonight, rather that stay by herself in the apartment. Between us, we convinced her to stay over.

Tina was worried the police would wonder where she was. I told her to look out the window, sure she'd see a cruiser outside.

“Oh my gosh, you're right, a police car is parked across your driveway.”

I patted the sofa cushion beside me, “Sit, we'll watch TV for a while, that show “Elementary” is on at ten o'clock. I love Lucy Liu don't you?”

Ellen called from the kitchen, asking if anyone wanted a refill. Tina and I both said yes, so in came the teapot and creamer.

Ellen dozed off in her chair about 10:30 and I was ready to follow suit, but if I did, Tina wouldn't have a bed. I got a spare pillow and some blankets, then opened up the sofa bed.

“I sleep here so often, I should bring my own stuff.” Tina said.

“Well this is the same pillow you always use, it's already yours I guess. Let me wake Ellen up and we'll leave you alone.”

A groggy Ellen followed me to the bedrooms. Once she sat on her bed, I headed for the bathroom, washed,brushed my teeth, and removed my makeup before going to bed. I bumped in to Ellen in the doorway. Good, she was awake. I said my good nights to her, changed, and borrowed under the covers. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next thing I heard was the alarm going off at 5:30am. I moaned as I headed for the bathroom, thinking I'd check on Ellen after I was finished with my shower. I needn't have worried, half-way through my shower, Ellen was banging on the door. I yelled for her to come in, knowing she needed the loo. I got a 'thanks' as she left me in peace. I ran out wrapped in a towel with a smaller one around my hair.

I shouted next as I entered my room, passing Ellen in the hall. I guess Tina was still asleep in the living room.

I peeked out the bedroom window to see if the cruiser was still there. I saw a plume of steam rising past the window, so I knew the trooper hadn't frozen overnight.

I put on jeans and a flannel shirt and fished under the bed for my work-boots. That done, I was kitchen bound to put on the coffee, and toast a bagel. While the coffee was brewing, I put on some light pink lipstick and a quick swipe at my eyes with mascara.

That done, I peeked in on Tina to see if she was still asleep. To my surprise, the sofa was closed and the pillow and blankets were neatly folded on the coffee table, with a note.

“Thanks for everything, but I have to go to the Andover house and pick up a few things. I'll give you a call when I'm finished and heading back to Swampscott.

I looked outside, the cruiser was still there!

To be continued.