Thirty-Four and a Half Predicaments
Page 73

It took her less than a second to say, “I’ll be right out.”
“Tell Maeve we had a landscaping emergency.”
“We have those?”
“We do now.”
But Maeve followed Neely Kate out to the truck. “A landscaping emergency, huh?”
I smiled at her. “It’s the darnedest thing.”
An ornery grin spread across her face as she held out her car keys.
I blinked. “What’s that for?”
“You’re hiding your truck for a reason. If you take my car, you’ll have a better chance of going undetected.”
I took her keys and held them to my chest. “Maeve, I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. I don’t want to know. Then I can deny any knowledge of your shenanigans.”
“You know I’m up to something and you’re helpin’ me anyway?”
She looked into my eyes. “We both know there’s a whole lot of something goin’ on. I saw you at the Bingo hall on Tuesday night, and I also saw you slip out the door.”
I blushed.
“Mason thinks you were there the entire time, and I covered for you.”
I shook my head. “Why? How do you know I’m not doin’ something wrong?”
“Because I just have this feeling.” She pursed her lips and looked away before turning back to me and taking my hand. “Mason and his father saw the world as black and white. Right and wrong. Mason’s rigidity has softened since you came into his life last summer, and that’s a good thing. You have a positive influence on him and everyone else you touch.” She glanced over at my friend. “Neely Kate, dear, would you give us a moment?”
Her mouth parted in surprise. “Yeah.” She wandered over to the back of the truck.
My stomach flip-flopped with nerves. What in the world did she have to say that she wanted to keep from Neely Kate?
“I know you have visions.”
Now my mouth dropped open. “What? How?”
She shook her head and waved her hand. “That’s not important. I just know you have them. And I think you’re using them to help people, am I wrong?”
“Well…yeah. I’m tryin’ to. At least lately.” I was still floored by her revelation.
She looked nervous as she took another deep breath. “Maybe you won’t find my own confession strange then. I’ve never told a soul save my beloved Van.”
“Not even Mason?”
“No. He of all people would find it foolish.” She forced a smile. “I have feelings, premonitions. Not visions like yours…it’s as if I can sense a rightness or wrongness about things. The impressions I get are vague, but they’re strong.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“You believe me?”
I released a short laugh. “Maeve, I have visions of the future. What you’ve told me doesn’t sound all that strange.”
Her grip tightened around my hand and tears filled her eyes. “I have a terrible feeling that something’s about to happen to Mason.”
Had Mason told her that his life was in danger? I doubted it. My heart leapt into my throat. “I don’t—”
“I’m not asking you to confirm or deny it, and it doesn’t matter what you say anyway. It only matters what I know.”
“What does that have to do with you helping me?”
“You’re the only one who can save him.”
A shiver ran down my spine. “Me?”
“Just like someone with arthritis can feel a storm coming, I can feel trouble. I knew something was going to happen to Van before his heart attack. I begged him to go to the doctor, but he refused. Then Savannah…” She paused and straightened her shoulders. “Here’s what I’m sensing now…” Her eyes burned bright as they stared into mine. “There are lots of things going on in this town right now, and many of them are interconnected. Mason is at the center of it all, but someone else is there with him. Someone with a lot of power.”
“Joe?”
She shook her head. “No. Not Joe.” She paused. “I don’t know who it is, but you’re the key to saving them both.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear this. I didn’t want to be responsible for saving anyone, especially Mason. What if I failed him? How could I live with that?
“So why are you givin’ me your car?”
“Because you need to do what feels right, even if other people are telling you it’s wrong.”
“I don’t know.” I glanced back at Neely Kate before returning my gaze to Maeve.
She cupped my cheek. “Trust your instincts.”
I nodded, still not sure what to make of what she’d said.
“You can come back now, Neely Kate,” Maeve called out, entering the code to open her garage door. “You girls be careful, and if you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll be here.”
I handed her my truck keys and grimaced. “You might not want to drive this for a bit. I’ll let you know when I get the all-clear.”
She winked. “Okay.”
She watched us back out of the garage and waved as we took off.
“What just happened?” Neely Kate asked, looking shell-shocked.
“This day has been nothin’ but strange.”
Unfortunately, I had a feeling we were just getting started.