Colby chuckled. “You should have heard her yelling at me last night, though, when I finally got back here. She thought I’d been out drinking with some old buddies. She really started to let me have it with both barrels until she realized what had happened.“
Gil regarded him with amusement. “Wives tend to do those things. When they stop fussing over things like that, you got cause to worry. What did happen last night?“
Colby shrugged, and winced when his ribs protested. “It was all pretty straightforward. Harry caught me alone on the way back from Spooner’s. I was changing a tire.“
“Not the best position to be in when Harry’s around.“
“Yeah. That’s what I found out. Harry took the opportunity to try to get even for an old grudge. It was like an instant replay of twenty years ago.“
“Who won this time?“
“It was a draw. I encouraged Harry to be satisfied with that.“
“I doubt if he will be. Kind of convenient, him finding you out in the middle of nowhere fixing a flat tire.“
Colby looked at Gil for a long moment. “Yeah, that occurred to me, too. He might have followed me to Spooner’s, I guess. He could have put a knife into one of the tires while I was out back having a few beers with Eddy and then followed me until I finally realized I had a flat.“
“Want me to have a talk with Roy Barnes?“
“No, because I’m not going to do anything about it, and you know it. What happened was between Harry and me and goes back twenty years. It’s got nothing to do with Barnes or anyone else.“
“Kinda thought you’d feel that way. You might have a tough time convincing Diana to let it drop, though. She’s mad.“
“I can handle Diana.“
“Who says you can handle Diana?“ Diana glowered at him from the kitchen doorway, a tray of cups in her hand.
“Colby, this is not a matter of machismo. This is a matter for the law. I will not have that big ox thinking he can beat you to a pulp and get away with it.“
“Now, honey,“ Colby said soothingly, “there’s no need to get any more upset about this. It’s over.“
“It’s a long way from over.“
Gil interrupted. “If it’s any consolation, Diana, Harry didn’t exactly get off unscathed last night. Someone saw him when he drove Margaret Fulbrook into town this morning and he looks kind of skinned up from bouncing off the pavement. I hear the match ended in a draw.“
“This is not a professional prize fight we’re talking about,“ Diana fumed. “This was a clear case of unprovoked assault.“
“Diana, I think I need another one of those tablets,“ Colby said quickly. “Would you mind getting me one along with a glass of water?“
Instantly her attention was riveted on his physical condition. “Of course. Here, Gil. Help yourself to the coffee. I’ll be back in a few minutes.“ She set down the tray and hurried toward the stairs.
Gil watched her dash up the stairs and then he gave Colby a quick grin. “You can’t play the wounded hero forever, you know. Sooner or later the bruises will fade.“
“I’m going to milk it for all it’s worth in the meantime. By the way, Gil, Diana and I are leaving in a day or two.“
“I thought you were here for the summer.“
“I’ve changed my mind.“
“Because of Harry?“
“Hell, no, not because of Harry.“ Colby picked up his coffee mug. “Because of something else.“ He gave Gil a brief description of what had happened out on River Road.
“A black Corvette, huh? I can’t think of anyone who’s driving one around here,“ Gil said thoughtfully.
“Neither can Eddy Spooner.“
“He’d know if there was a car like that around.“
Colby nodded. “Yeah. But the fact that he doesn’t know anything about it is what worries me. It’s too much like no one knowing anything about those pranks that were played on Diana when she was living in the cottage.“
“You still think someone besides your son’s girlfriend was responsible for those incidents?“
“I don’t know, Gil. I just know that those pranks coupled with that damned fool who tried to take us on River Road add up to too many incidents. Someone besides Harry Gedge may be carrying an old grudge, but if that’s the case he’s not coming after me directly the way Harry did. He’s threatening Diana. I have to get her out of here.“
“I don’t blame you. None of it makes any sense, but I’d do the same in your situation.“
“You’ll keep an eye out in case anything new crops up?“
Gil nodded, his face grim. “You bet. I’ll give you a call if I hear anything.“
“Thanks.“
The sudden silence from upstairs made Colby glance over his shoulder. Diana stood on the landing, the bottle of pills in her hand. She was staring down at him, and he wondered how much she’d overheard.
“Colby?“
Colby smiled reassuringly and said the first thing he could think of that might distract her. “Relax, honey. You wanted to go back to work at Carruthers and Yale, didn’t you?“
The pleading call from the grotto was stronger than ever. She had to stay. Torn between the desperate, silent demand and the need to escape, she hovered at the edge of the hot spring. She could do nothing until the warrior came for her. She was helpless.
Her feet were damp. She looked down and saw that a thin ribbon of fluid was trickling along the cave floor, angling toward the entrance. The fluid was tinged bloodred and it came from between her thighs.
Soon the pain would start. She was so afraid of the pain.
Diana’s eyes snapped open. She lay still for a moment, trying to bring herself back to the reality of her Portland bedroom. It had been two weeks since Colby had hustled her and Specter back to the city. She had been back at work at Carruthers and Yale for over a week.
She waited a few seconds longer and then she couldn’t resist.
“Colby?“ she asked softly. “Are you awake?“
He groaned. “You, too, huh?“
“This is getting ridiculous. Nobody shares dreams like this. It’s spooky.“
He turned on his side, yawned and gathered her close. His hand stroked her with a familiar, sleepy sensuality.
“Relax, honey. It’s a little unusual, but it’s not anything to get nervous about. I told you, I’ve been having dreams about that damned cave for twenty years.“