and Pierre shrieked.
“Are you sure?” It was tricky dealing with this new fragile Alvin. Threats, insults, all the conversational conventions that had defined our relationship when Alvin was the world’s worst office assistant were now inappropriate. I had no idea how to communicate.
He said. “I must have been overtired.”
Mrs. Parnell patted his hand. I couldn’t get used to her new role as a handpatter either. It was a world gone mad.
“But you’re feeling better now?”
“I’m fine. And I want to thank both of you for everything.”
My jaw almost hit the ground.
Mrs. Parnell said, “We’d do anything for you.”
There were distinct limits to what I would do for Alvin, but it didn’t seem like the moment to mention that.
“I really appreciate it. But you know I’d better get going now.”
“Right,” I said.
“I’ve got to get home. They need me. Thanks for packing up my things, Camilla. That makes a difference.”
“You won’t be able to get a flight. Everything’s booked.”
Alvin narrowed his slanty eyes at me.
“Trust me,” I said.
“Is this another one of your tricks, Camilla?”
“What do you mean, another one of my tricks? Look, my travel agent struck out. And before you continue on, let me add that Mrs. Parnell has been on the web scouring every travel service possible, and she had no luck either. Apparently everyone who has any tie with Cape Breton has chosen to descend on the island this summer. The week around Canada Day is particularly popular for some reason.”
“What about stand-by?”
Mrs. Parnell glanced at me and shook her head warningly. I took a deep breath. “I have it on good authority the majority of flights are actually overbooked, and even ticketholders are likely to be bumped. Stand-bys are up the creek. If you want to wait until next week, that might be different.”
Alvin stood up. “Next week is too late. I’ll take a bus or something.” He looked a bit wobbly as he headed back to the bathroom.
I said. “Looks like Alvin’s okay.”
“Don’t be fooled, Ms. MacPhee. This bounceback of young Ferguson’s will turn out to be purely temporary.”
“He looks fine to me. It must have been the shock of Jimmy’s disappearance.”
She jammed another B & H into her holder. “It won’t take much to push him into the abyss again.”
“But he’s back to normal.”
“If, as you suggest, the news from home is bad, I fear for him.”
“Look, I’ll go down with him on the bus if we have to. I’ll see he gets some professional help.”
Mrs. Parnell clutched my arm in her vicelike grip. “You must listen to me, Ms. MacPhee. I know boys. Whatever is behind this will turn out to be something almost too dreadful to imagine.”
So what can you say to something like that? “Mrs. P., I think he’s come to grips with whatever it is, no matter how dreadful, and he’s doing the right thing by going home.”
“You don’t send them back to the trenches when they’re in this state. That’s when you lose them forever.”
She sure knew how to raise the stakes.
“Come on,” I said, “think about all the trauma Alvin’s had since he’s worked for Justice from Victims. He dealt with those situations very well.”
“Ms. MacPhee, this is different.”
“So what are you saying? He won’t be safe at home?”
“We must not throw young Ferguson to the wolves.”
“I don’t think you need to worry. I’ll get him there. I’ve already left a message for clients that Justice for Victims will be closed for the next two weeks. I’ll drive him if I have to.”
“Ms. MacPhee. I hear the call to duty. My decision’s made. It will be much better if I go along too.”
Seven
Oh, Alvin,” I said, when he had emerged from the bathroom. “I almost forgot to mention I picked up your mail. You have a postcard from Jimmy, and maybe it has...”
I wasn’t counting on his eyes losing focus and the strange humming moan he emitted.
“Oh shit,” I said.
That was lost on Alvin. He collapsed onto the carpet. I leapt to keep his temple from striking the metal and glass coffee table. “I was afraid this would happen,” Mrs. P. said. “It’s not necessary to say I told you so. I realize I should have waited,” I said when we had dragged and lifted Alvin back to his place on the leather sofa.
By this time, Mrs. Parnell was perched on the edge of the leather chair, breathing deeply on a fresh Benson and Hedges. “I was not planning to say I told you so. Neither of us knows Alvin’s private demons, so we have no idea how to avoid arousing them.”
“We know one thing: they involve Jimmy.”
• • •
“Don’t ask,” I said to P. J. when he called. “We have no option but to get Alvin home on the double.”
“But that’s a crazy idea. This is Monday. The Bluesfest starts this Friday. Even if you left now, how could you drive to Sydney and back by then? You’re going to miss Blue Rodeo. And...” Rustling noises followed. “And a bunch of other really really good stuff. Really good. You’ll never get here in time.”
“Unlike you, I already know who’s playing. But I have a situation to take care of, and I’m going to take care of it.”
P. J. said, “I thought you were excited about Bluesfest.”
“Let me remind you we are having a crisis.”
“Yeah, but you want to go to Bluesfest, right?”
“I can’t think about it at this minute.”
“Yeah, but listen, Tiger...”
“What is the matter with you? We have a terrible situation here with Alvin’s brother missing.”
“What do you mean, Alvin’s brother’s missing? You never mentioned that.”
“I’m sure I did. He may even be dead.”
“You
