just glad it all worked out.’
Alex reached in her pocket for her phone.
‘I’ll be going,’ said Marisol. ‘Good luck.’
Alex gave her a hug as she headed for the door. Then she punched in Dory’s number.
The phone rang a few times before Alex heard Dory’s voice. ‘Hello.’
Actually, Alex only heard Dory’s voice dimly, given the noise in the background. ‘Dory, it’s Alex. Marisol was just here at the gallery.’
‘Oh,’ Dory shouted. ‘Did she tell you?’
‘Yes,’ said Alex. ‘The charges aren’t going to be refiled. You’re free.’
‘Yes, I am,’ said Dory.
‘Are you excited?’
Dory said something unintelligible.
‘What’s all that noise?’ Alex asked. ‘I can barely hear you.’
‘We’re celebrating. I’m at my mother’s.’
‘Your mother is hosting a celebration?’ Alex asked, incredulous.
‘When I called them with the news, my dad insisted,’ Dory admitted.
‘Well, that’s very nice,’ said Alex. She wondered if Elaine had been consulted about this spontaneous celebration. Alex couldn’t imagine it. But she hoped, for Dory’s sake, that Elaine’s position might have softened as a result of this news. Alex knew how badly Dory wanted to have her mother’s approval or forgiveness or whatever it was that was missing between them.
‘What?’ Dory asked someone in the background who was speaking to her. ‘Oh, yeah,’ she said into the phone. ‘You can come over if you want, Alex.’
Not much of an invitation, Alex thought. But she thought she would go anyway. It was certainly an important event. For one thing, it marked the end of her official responsibility for her half-sister. She thought of last night, of waking up to find Dory and that dog beside her bed. She shuddered involuntarily. Not a minute too soon, she thought.
‘I’d be happy to,’ she said.
Alex walked over to the Colsons’ apartment in the South End, feeling grateful for how quickly the snow had melted and been packed down by the city traffic. The sidewalks were clear, and her high-heeled boots were not the same handicap they had proved to be this morning when she walked to the station.
She mounted the stairs to the vestibule and pressed the buzzer. There was a short wait and then the door opened. Garth Colson was standing there, holding a bottle of champagne and looking distinctly unburdened and about ten years younger than he had the last time Alex had seen him.
‘Alex, come in,’ he said. ‘We’re just having an impromptu celebration. I guess you heard. Dory will not have to stand trial after all. The charges have been dropped.’
‘I did hear,’ said Alex. ‘It’s great news.’
‘Come in. Hang up your coat,’ said Garth, pointing to the hooks beside the door. Then he smiled bemusedly. ‘You know where the coats go.’
‘I do, indeed,’ said Alex. She put her coat on a hook, adjusted the fitted jacket and skirt on her black suit, and followed him down the hall and then down the steps into the family room.
The scene which greeted her made her stop short. Dory was sitting beside Elaine on the sofa. Elaine sat up straight, her back rigid. Her eyes looked bruised and wary. On the opposite side of Dory, Alex was startled to see Seth, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He caught Alex’s eye. She glanced at him and looked away. Chris, Therese and Joy were also in attendance. The Ennis family had apparently been recruited to join in the celebration and were doing their best to appear enthusiastic.
Dory looked up at Alex as she came in. ‘Hi, Alex,’ she said.
Alex summoned all the friendliness she could muster. She walked over to Dory, bent down and gave her a hug. ‘Congratulations,’ she said. ‘I’m so happy for you.’ She deliberately did not speak to Seth, who was so close she could inhale his familiar, disturbing scent.
Dory grabbed her hand as she was straightening up. ‘Thanks, Alex,’ she said. ‘I mean it. I owe you.’
‘Not at all,’ said Alex. ‘I’m just glad it worked out.’
‘I’m glad I have a sister,’ said Dory with uncharacteristic warmth.
Alex saw a grimace of distaste twist Elaine’s face. She hunched her shoulders, as if to escape from Dory’s arm that pressed against her.
‘Me too,’ said Alex. ‘I’m glad too.’
Garth approached with a glass of champagne and handed it to Alex. She took it and began to sip.
‘So, Dory,’ said Joy, who was still dressed in her rumpled work clothes, but was wearing bedroom slippers. ‘What do you do now?’
Dory shrugged. ‘Get back to my life, I guess. Try to connect with my old customers. Maybe meet some new people.’ She looked pointedly at Seth, who smiled