The Mystery at Sag Bridge

Chapter 16

Angel only knows what she can see in this house, as if she were a visitor. She doesn't know what happens other places, just here, here where I am, in this house.

She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, looked at the floor, swayed, then turned in place and looked at the ceiling. Does that make sense? She wasn't sure, but...were Angel's powers limited to places she expected Cora to be? The vengeful acts didn't take place there, or their encounter with the wolf, but...she'd figure that out later. Maybe she could read Cora's mind only in her house, or witness things there, but could go elsewhere to do things, once she knew...and Cora and Frannie were plotting against her-what would she do about that? She couldn't let Frannie talk about Angel on the phone! She'd have to meet her somewhere else.

"What's going on there? You okay?" Frannie's voice came through the receiver.

Cora grabbed the phone. "No, I can't talk now, Frannie, or I'll be late. I have to do something right away before I meet you," Cora said, the words tumbling out. Please, please, Frannie, don't mention Angel!

Frannie caught on that Cora couldn't talk. "Uh...meet me...uh...where was that we're meeting again?"

"Oh-that's right-we never confirmed the place, just the day and time," Cora babbled, pacing the office as she spoke. "I thought we said Starbucks, but maybe not. It's a good thing you called to confirm."

"Uh huh...confirm...right," replied Frannie. "And...uh...what time did we say?"

"Right now. I'm running out of the house right now, and we have to hurry so I can get back before Cisco gets home for dinner." She walked over to her desk, picked up a pen for no reason, pushed papers around the desk aimlessly.

"So why don't I just come to your house then, wouldn't that be better?"

"No! Uh...no. I have to pick something up at Starbucks anyway, so it'll save time. See you there." Cora hung up before Frannie could say anything else.

She grabbed the list she had written that morning, a pad of paper, her purse, and raced out to her car.

---

Cora spotted a car backing out of the only remaining parking spot and rushed over to grab it. She waited as the driver slowly backed up...and backed up...and backed up some more, senselessly. Where is he going? She put her car in reverse, but another car pulled behind her and she couldn't move. She blew her horn to no avail. The driver struck her car.

She jumped out, marched angrily to the driver and demanded, "Where did you think you were going? I was sitting right there! You backed right into me!"

The man looked annoyed, as if she, not he, were the offender. He mouthed the word, "Deaf," and pointed at his ear, his eyes hard with anger.

She stared at him, pointed at her eye, and mouthed explicitly, "Can you see?"