Twelve Across Read Free

taken a vacation, much less one to a remote spot. She remembered short jaunts to Cape Cod with her parents, when she d been a child and remote had consisted of isolated sand dunes and sunrise sails. The trips she d taken with her husband had never been remote in any sense. Inevitably they d been tied to his work, and shed found them far from relaxing. Richard had been constantly on, which wouldqit have bothered her if he hadn't been so fussy about how she looked and behaved when she was by his side. Not that she d given him cause for complaint; she d been born and bred in the urban arena and knew how to play its games when necessary.
    Unfortunately Richard's games had incorporated rules she hadn't anticipated.
    But Leah wasn't thinking about Richard on the day in late March when she left Manhattan. She was thinking of the gut instinct that told her she was doing the right thing. And she was thinking of the farewell dinner Victoria had insisted on treating her to the night before.
    They d spent the better part of the meal chatting about incidentals.
    Only when they d reached dessert did they get around to the nitty-gritty. "you're all set to go, then? "
    "You bet: ' Victoria had had many a qualm in the three weeks since she d suggested the plan, and in truth, she was feeling a little like a weasel. It was fine and dandy, she knew, to say that she had LQAH's best interests at heart. She was still being manipulative, and Lqah was bound to be angry when she discovered the fact. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? "
    "LJH-huh: '
    "There isn't any air-conditioning. '"
    "In the mountains? I should hope not: '
    "Or phone: '
    "So you've told me, " Leah said with a smile. "Twice. I'll give you a call from town once I'm settled: ' Victoria wasn't sure whether to look forward to that or not. "Did the storage people get all your furniture?
    "
    "This morning: '

    "My Lord, that means the bed, too! Where will you sleep tonight? "
    "On the floor. And no, I don't want the green room. I've about had it with packing. Everything s ready to go from my place. All I'll have to do in the morning is load up the car and take off: ' A night on the bare floor. Victoria felt guiltier than ever, but she knew a stubborn expression when she saw one. "Is the car okay? "
    It was a demo Volkswagen Golf that Leah had bought from a dealer three days before. "The car is fine: '
    "Can you drive it? "
    "Sure can: ' " You haven't driven in years, Leah: '
    "It's like riding a bike-you never Eorget how. isn't that what you told me two weeks ago? Come on, Victoria. It's not like you to be a worrywart: ' She was right. Still, Victoria felt uncomfortable. With Deirdre and Neil, there had been a single phone call from each and they'd been on their way.
    With Leah it had meant three weeks of deception, which seemed to make the crime that much greater.
    But what was done was done. Lqah's mind was set. Her arrangements were made. She was going.
    Taking a deep breath, Victoria produced first a reassuring smile, then two envelopes from her purse. "Directions to the cabin, " she said, handing over the top one. "I had my
    secretary type them up, and they re quite detailed: Cautiously she watched Leah remove the paper and scan it. She knew the exact moment I.
    eah reached the instructions on the bottom, and responded to her frown by explaining,
    "Garrick Rodenhiser is a trapper. His cabir is several miles from mine by. car but the res an old logging trail through the woods that will get you there on foot in no time. In case of emergency you're to contact him. He s a good man. He 11 help you in any way he can: '
    "Goodness, " Leah murmured distractedly as she reread the directions,
    "you sound as though you expect trouble: '
    "Nonsense. But I do trust Garrick. When I'm up there alone myself, it's a comfort knowing he s around: '
    "Well-" Leah folded the paper and returned it to the envelope "-I'm sure I'll be fine: '

    "So you will be, " Victoria declared, holding out