It was Olivia.” He gave Chuy his amazed face, and Chuy laughed. But then he said, “Poor Olivia.”
Joe nodded. “I think we should help them out. It’s not like they ever asked us for anything.”
Chuy began drizzling on a honey-based dressing. “All right, sweetie. By the way, have you been over to the hotel yet?”
“Not since you and I took the tour with Ms. Whatever.”
“There are three old people in there, and two geek-type people doing contract work with Magic Portal. There’s one man whose purpose I can’t discern.”
They sat down at the table and Joe served himself from the bowl. “This looks great, Chuy. Do you think we need to do anything about this one man?”
“I think we need to find out what he’s up to. We have to protect the boy.”
“We do,” Joe agreed. “Okay, I’ll see what’s up at the hotel.”
“Good. I have an appointment this afternoon, Myra Shellenbarger.”
“She’s fun,” Joe said, smiling. “She knows everything going on in a twenty-mile radius.”
“Or farther. And she’s not afraid to name names.” Chuy smiled back. “I like her. What you see is what you get.”
“It can be tiring knowing so many people with hidden depths,” Joe said. “Some days, shallow is good. This salad is great, by the way.”
“Got it out of Southwest Cooking,” Chuy said. “I left out the roasted corn.”
After that, the talk turned to cooking, and whether the U.S. Postal Service would stop delivering on Saturdays, and where Lemuel might be in his research project to discover more about the magic books he’d finally found, the ones that Bobo had hidden without meaning to.
There was not a reporter in sight when they strolled down to Manfred’s house just after dark. They glanced over at the newly rechristened Midnight Hotel.
“It’s still strange to see it lit up,” Chuy said. He was holding Joe’s hand. This was one of the good things about living in Midnight.
“But kind of nice. Sometimes when I look into the past, I can see all the stores here, busy and bustling. People all around.”
“Horses in the streets.” Chuy chuckled. “And the smell of them. And people who don’t bathe.”
“Do you ever wish we could see the future?” Joe asked. “There’s so much of the past that lives with us still.”
“No,” Chuy said instantly. He stopped walking and faced Joe, taking Joe’s free hand. “I would go mad,” he said, meaning every word.
Joe’s eyes met Chuy’s. “Then that won’t ever happen,” he said quietly. “The past is burden enough.” After a second, they began walking again. “I saw Mildred today,” Joe said, clearly changing the subject. “She was letting Hattie Barnes in the back door.”
“Mildred,” Chuy said, a wealth of rueful comments in the one word. “What a woman, so mistaken in some ways and so ahead of her time in others.”
“She certainly left her house to the right person, though I doubt she ever imagined Fiji would be stronger than Mildred herself ever was. If I remember correctly, Mildred considered Fiji the best of a weak lot.”
Chuy shook his head. “Mildred couldn’t imagine the scope of Fiji’s power.”
“And Fiji herself doesn’t know it yet.” The two were both smiling when Manfred answered the door.
“Glad you all were able to make it,” he said. “Please, come in. You want some water or lemonade? I’ve got some wine, but I don’t advocate drinking any alcohol before an attempt to get in touch with those who’ve gone ahead.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Joe said, trying not to cast a sideways glance at Chuy, with whom he’d split a bottle of wine at dinner. “I don’t believe I need anything. Chuy?”
Chuy shook his head. “Is Olivia here yet?” he asked. “I haven’t seen her today.”
“I’m here,” she called from the kitchen, and Joe followed Manfred into his alleged kitchen. Joe looked around, trying to suppress his dismay. He couldn’t imagine cooking in the depressing and outdated little room.
“Do you cook much, Manfred?” Chuy said, managing to make his tone only inquisitive.
“No, I’m a microwave kind of guy,” Manfred said. “You cook, Olivia?”
“No,” she said, with a little astonishment in her voice. As if she couldn’t believe they were talking about something so unimportant when there was business to be done.
Joe sighed. He realized that once again, he was being reminded to be grateful for the love and nurturing of Chuy, who loved to cook and considered the preparation of good food to be an important part of his day. “So, we’re here to contact the dead,” he said.