Chuck stared at him. His face as stern as a drill sergeant.
Neil made his decision.
“There still a priest on base?”
Chuck’s jaw dropped. “You’re shitting me?”
“Call him. I’ll be back in an hour.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
As much as Gwen adored all the alone time with Neil, it was nice getting away for an hour with another woman, even a woman Gwen hardly knew. Outside the commissary was a small boutique catering to the women on base. Ruth told her that most of the women simply left base to gather whatever they needed in Colorado Springs. The small clothing store had a surprising amount of fashionable selections from which to choose. And Gwen was more than happy to spend the money Neil had given her for shopping.
“How long have you known Neil?” Ruth asked as they made their way back to the white house on the hill.
“Several years now.” Most of which was while he was working for her brother…but Gwen didn’t think that fact was necessary to pass on.
“I’ve always liked him. The kind of man I wish our daughter had been attracted to.”
“You have a daughter?”
Ruth nodded with a smile. “She lives in Florida with her husband. I’m hoping to convince Charles to move there when he finally retires. I’d like to be closer to her.”
“How long has she been married?”
“Couple of years now. Keep hoping for a phone call about a grandbaby. But not yet.”
“Where does Charles want to retire?”
Ruth laughed. “He doesn’t want to retire at all. He’s fought me for years on the subject. I keep hoping that Annie will have a baby and Charles will realize there is more to life than the military.”
Gwen couldn’t imagine dedicating her life to something so passionately other than a family. “I’m sure he will come around.” Gwen wasn’t sure of anything…but it seemed the right thing to say.
“He despises Annie’s husband.”
“Oh…that’s not good.”
“Tell me about it. Andrew is a teacher. High school English. The two of them couldn’t be more opposite.”
“Your daughter and Andrew?”
“No. Andrew and Charles. Charles is a leader and Andrew is a follower. Or so my husband keeps telling me. Personally, I like him. He adores our daughter. But my husband thinks she should have married a military man. Between her life here and a relationship that ended abruptly with an enlisted man…Annie was ready for stability. A high school English teacher fit in her life. I think if Charles gave him a chance…moved closer so we could get to know him better, his view would change.”
“Did you know Andrew before they married?”
“Not very well. We met him when they were dating but didn’t think much of it. One day she said they were getting married and then the fighting started.”
Parents getting involved passionately never ended well. “She rebelled,” Gwen said.
“Yes. She did.” Ruth sighed. “They eloped and moved south. We’ve visited a couple of times. Stressful ordeals those were.”
“That’s too bad. Life is too short to quarrel.” As much as Gwen despised her father, she didn’t go out of her way to fight with the man when he was alive.
“I think once I get Charles off base his attitude will change.”
Ruth was old enough to know that people seldom changed, but Gwen wasn’t about to remind her of that. It was obvious Ruth was ready to move on with their life, even if her husband wasn’t.
“I’m sure it will work out.” Gwen was sure of no such thing…but if there was one thing she had learned after living in the States for nearly a year it was that Americans were wonderful at saying things they didn’t mean. To be fair, the British were, too. However, her friends in London wouldn’t think of sharing such private information with a mere stranger. Ruth was in obvious need of a conversation with a woman who didn’t know her husband. Perhaps Ruth knew if she spoke with people who knew him they’d offer a different opinion.
Gwen glanced at Ruth and noticed a small smile on her face.
“It will.”
When they arrived back at the house Gwen noticed the car she and Neil had driven there was gone.
Her heart jumped. He left? Maybe he moved the car?
No. The car wasn’t anywhere in the drive and when they walked into the house Charles said he’d left. She panicked for a moment before he told her that Neil would be back within the hour.
Gwen decided to spend the time alone in her room. When had she become so dependent on a man? On anyone? Maybe before moving to America she’d moved through life with an escort. Since the move, however, she’d found her independence and loved it. So why did the thought of moving around now without Neil feel so wrong? It was one thing to be infatuated with the man, quite another to not see herself without him. He was a dangerous gamble that came with a warning.
Working through the drama surrounding Neil required another set of ears. Karen’s or maybe Eliza’s. Even Samantha would offer sound advice.
The question was how could Gwen contact one of her friends and not risk exposing any of them before Neil was prepared to deal with the bird-killing man?
Blake met Dean and Jim at Karen and Michael’s home in Beverly Hills. Karen had called in a panic, saying something about dead birds and the need for Prozac. None of which made any sense.
Inside Michael’s home, Karen sat on a sofa with her knees curled up into her chest. Beside her Michael sat and stroked her back as the both of them talked to Dean and Jim.