Here I Stay by KATHY Read Free Book Online Page A

man in the house. I worry about Andy out there alone."
    "Do you have a lot of breakins?" Jim asked.
    "Not so many. But there are always a few kooks around."
    "I've never been nervous," Andrea said honestly. "After all, Cousin Bertha was there alone for years."
    "Who owned the house before Bertha?" Jim asked.
    "Her daddy, I suppose. Miss Bertha was living there alone, still hale and hearty, when I married Miller. She was always kind of queer. Not exactly a recluse, but she didn't encourage visitors." Reba chuckled. "Used to have one of those electric cars— remember them? She'd drive into town once a week to do her errands. I'd see her go by, same time, same day every week—sitting bolt upright in the driver's seat, and steering smack down the middle of the street."
    "What happened to the car?" Kevin asked eagerly.
    "It got smashed up the day she ran into Mr. Willis's old Chevy. She must have been past seventy then, and he was another of 'em, eighty if he was a day, still thought his was the only car on the road. It's a wonder they didn't crash before. I'll never forget that—I saw her coming like she always did, straddling the center line, and him steering straight at her from the other direction—it was like one of those old-time movies, the car and the train—you know they're going to hit and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. They crashed head-on, out there in front of the restaurant. They were both blind as bats in the daylight, but I think part of it was pure bullheadedness. Neither was going to give way."
    "Did it total the car?" Kevin asked.
    "Your concern for human life is touching," Reba said with a grin, "it didn't do either car any good, let me tell you. Neither of the old folks was hurt, but Mr. Willis climbed out and started screaming at Bertha, saying it was all her fault. He got so mad he had a heart attack and dropped dead at her feet. Shook the old lady up considerable."
    "I should think so!" Andrea exclaimed in horror. She was the only member of the group who found the story tragic. Jim was grinning and Kevin was obviously making mental notes for his book.
    "She gave up driving after that," Reba said. "High time."
    Three people spoke at once.
    "How did she manage without a car?"
    "Hey, maybe the car's still there, in one of the sheds. We didn't look in all of them, Jim."
    "Is she buried in the graveyard behind the house?"
    Reba was accustomed to multiple conversations. "Everybody kind of pitched in, ran errands for her," she told Andrea. "I don't know what happened to the car, Kevin; it could be there, she never threw anything away. What graveyard?"
    Jim explained. Reba shook her head. "No, Miss Bertha's decently interred in the Methodist cemetery. I didn't realize there was a graveyard at Springers' Grove. Never been used that I can remember. But there's lots of them around, or used to be. Somebody wrote a book about them, back in the thirties. I've got a copy of it, unless it's been stolen. You know those built-in bookcases in the lobby—I bought some old books at auctions, to give the place some class. Picked 'em up dirt cheap then; now they're worth money, and sometimes customers swipe them. Ready for dessert? Apple pie, cherry, raspberry, chocolate cake?"
    Egged on by an enraptured Kevin and primed by countless glasses of wine, Reba told story after story, some comical, some tragic. Jim said very little. He seemed to be enjoying himself, though, and he ate enough to satisfy the most anxious of mothers, so Andrea delayed breaking up the party until midnight approached.
    "We've got a busy day tomorrow," she said, rising. "I forgot to ask, Reba—what time is Mr. Greenspan arriving?"
    "Afternoon, I guess. He's reserved a table for dinner."
    "We'll be ready."
    They went out through the dining room, where the yawning waitresses were clearing the tables. When they reached the lobby, Jim pointed. "Are these the bookshelves you meant?" he asked.
    "What?" Reba turned from the door, which she had