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by Norma Tadlock Johnson
 Hardcover ISBN: 1-59414-220-3 |
 Softcover ISBN: 1-4104-0247-9 |
Book Club Edition |
“Surely you realized I'd notice the surplus of slugs near the loose board, didn't you?” Cyrus's voice from the other side of the Berlin Wall sounded fierce, but with an overtone of laughter.
I couldn't blame him, I guess. I had been both foolish and negligent. “You can take your clodhopper off my arm now. How long have you known?”
“Long enough,”he said, removing his foot. “And it's not a clodhopper. Actually, it's a very expensive shoe. I find it worthwhile to buy the best in footgear.”
“If you knew,” I asked, pulling my arm and the container back through the fence and straightening up, “why didn't you just nail the board?”
“Isn't carrying on this conversation through a six-foot fence unnecessarily cumbersome? Why don't you come into my lair for a change? You might even find it interesting.”
“I don't think I care to,” I said. “I asked you, why didn't you nail the board shut?”
“Because this little charade was much more entertaining, my dear Donna. I knew that sooner or later I'd catch you in the act.”
“But, why?” I wailed. THIS IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL--DO NOT REPRODUCE!
“The days are boring in retirement, don't you find? Anything to liven things up. Life has been much more fun since I moved next door to you.”
I stared at the uneven, graying boards between us. I wished I could see his face. Expressions can be so revealing. Although, if I could believe him, I would be the loser in that category.
“I don't even need to ask why you chose to be so generous with your slugs,” he said. “I know how angry you were about the fence. Believe me, I didn't plan it to upset you.”
“Was that meant to be an apology?”
“No, I don't think so. I don't feel I have anything to apologize for. You, however . . .”
“That'll be a cold day in hell,” I muttered.
“Donna! I'm shocked. Don't you think we should get together and discuss this?”
“Absolutely not. I wish I didn't have to see your—your puss again.”
“Actually, I find the whole situation laughable. Don't you? I won't hold it against you."
Defeated, I slunk away. As I departed, I heard him chuckle and say what I think was, “Humorless woman.”
Why, oh, why had fate put me in one house and Cyrus, with his rows of vegetables like soldiers and his high fence and his distorted sense of humor, in the house next door? Yes, he did have a sense of humor, I finally had to admit. It was just that it was—it was peculiar. Who else would laugh at my dismay when my neighbors and friends thought of me in terms of a murderess? Who else would think it was humorous to poke fun at me by naming that darling, sweet cat after me because it was loud? Who else would set me up for humiliation when he knew about the slugs all this time? All he'd had to do was admit he knew I was putting them in his yard. I'd expected him to be angry. That was the purpose of starting the whole thing to begin with. To annoy that supercilious man next door in retaliation. THIS IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL--DO NOT REPRODUCE!
Maybe I should put my house up for sale, and remove myself forever from Cyrus Bate's territory. But, no, I couldn't let him drive me away. I was here first. Cedar Harbor is my home. If Cyrus had been angry at me, thrown a temper tantrum as I might have expected, the result would have been that we'd ignore each other in the future and go our own ways. Well, so be it. That's what I'd do now. Ignore him totally. And I'd have what I'd wanted in the first place.
Except, said the little voice from inside that's always telling me things whether I want to hear them or not, he got the best of you.
