The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-10
Chapter 20
Lunch Date

Chapter 20
Lunch Date
lust a minute sir" said Adam.
- "It's possible there's another
explanation for this thing"
Colonel Pennant stoppe d,
scowled. What do you mean, an
other explanation"
THE murder investigation, "
Adam reminded him gently.
The colonel was shocked out of
his anger.
II don't know what you mean, !"
he protested. But he did. An ex-
preston of uneaSineSS crept over
his face. He started to go IN,
glanced uncertainty from Julia 20
me and said, That's all for you
girls for the present"
They were deliberately silent
until we had left the room.
That's done it." said Julia, as
soon as the door of her room had
closed behind us, and burst into
tears.
I let her cry, her sobs muffied IL
the pillow, until she had exhausted
herself. Then, closing the door
softly behind me, / tiptoeG down
the hall to the bathroom. / was
coming back with wet WaShcloth
and a towel for Julia when one Of
the doors along the corridor
opened and Mimi, freshly dressed
for the day, came out
"Oh, hello, Kay" she said. Il
slept outrageouSly late this morn
ing, but we were up until all hours
last night. What's going on?"
Colonel Pennant and Adam
have been questioning us" / said,
hoping she would let it 60 at that.
did not want to tell about Sandra
again. wanted to get back to
Julia.
Colonel remnants voice at the
foot of the stairs provided q well
come distraction.
us that you, Mimi? Will you
come down here, please?"
Right away" she called back.
You'll stay and have dinner with
us, won't you, Kay? It's dinner on
Sundays, you know. And I'm
afraid it's quite soon. Cora has the
afternoon off"
/ thought of Julia'S tear-swoIlen
face and of the uncomfortable
curiosity of families. l made up ray
mind quickly.
I've asked Julia to have dinner
with me Somewhere-We thought
we'd like to go to Fieldstone LIN
If can borrow a car"
Take NINE" she said, as had
hoped she would. Fieldstone Inn is
an ultrarespectable roadhouse on
the Chicago road. ! thought she
looked surprised, but not suS-
piciouS. where is Julia?"
''In her room. Thanks for the Car
you're sure you won't be want
ing it this afternoon?"
mo. Stay as long as you like.
Only be back before dark. These
roads around here are not safe"
1t was in my mind that she did
a good bit of driving after dark
herself, but of course did not say
so. watched her start downstairs
and thought that, for all her care
full grooming, she looked her age
or a little more this morning.
Which might be merely the result
of lost sleep.
Julia was sitting on the side of
the bed staring at the floor when /
came in. gave her the damp cloth
and, while she scrubbed her face,
told her about our lunch date.
Nostalgia
DWELL" she said huskily. "Now
- l won't have to keep to my
room and answer dumb questions.
wouldn't want them to know
about this: they're so thick-why
Mimi has promoted this marriage
as if her life depended on it. Not,
she added with instructive fair
ness, that she could have brought
1t off without their cooperation.
I'm not fool enough TO blame her"
While she made herself present
able, and while we drove the ten
miles to FieldStone Inn encour-
aged her to talk about them
about jeff and Sandra, and about
Mimi. I learned much that had
been vague in my mind before
perhaps more than Julia knew she
was telling me. More, certainly,
than l had sense enough to recog-
niZe until later, when began put
ting the pieces together.
There was only one thing she
omitted, and l don't know yet
whether she simply didn't think of
it, or whether she kept silent from
sense of loyalty to her father and
Mimi. For it was not until a long
time later that | learned about
Mimi - where Colonel Pennant
met her. and how he came to marry
her. And that piece of informa-
ton was to make clear much that
puzzled me-
She talked now wistfully, with
nostalgia, of the years just con-
cluded at West Point. Colonel Pen
nant on duty at the post JEFF a
cadet, Mimi bride; Julia at home
week ends and vacations from
boarding school
/ had been there one never-to-
be-forgotten June Week the year
Charlie graduated; but / had not
known Julia then. Il was a strange
feeling to remember that week
the hops, the parades, the baseball
games, the horse shows. High