Walking with Ghosts

Dora welled up, the sense of her proximity turned his mind. His head was a cauldron of rage. He fabricated an image in which he waded knee-deep in her blood.
    He waited for the ghosts.
     

9
     
    Dora was awake upstairs and Sam was down in the kitchen making a pot of tea. He wanted to go to an AA meeting. Now- But it wasn’t possible. There were no midnight meetings in York. And even if there had been one, he wouldn’t have gone. He couldn’t leave Dora alone.
    Still, when the feeling came on it was difficult to shake.
    He’d go to the meeting tomorrow. There was nothing to drink in the house. All the pubs were closed. All the supermarkets. Booze was out of the question.
    Except he knew maybe a dozen places he could get something to drink right now. A dozen places? At least fifty.
    He rang Max, his sponsor. ‘You’re not in bed?’ Sam asked.
    ‘Yes, I’m in bed. I’ve got the light on, and I’m reading a book about Edward Hopper and watching the midnight movie and talking to an alcoholic on the telephone.’
    ‘Just so long as you’re not under pressure, Max.’
    ‘Pressure? Hell, I’m looking for a priest, here.’ He laughed. ‘You want to come over, Sam? Or shall I come over there?’
    ‘No need. I just wanted to talk to someone who was winning.’
    ‘That’s me. And you. How’s Dora?’
    ‘She’s great right now. Marie was with her for half an hour tonight. We’re gonna have some tea and a chat.’
    ‘Make hers how she likes it, but put sugar in yours. And Use a big mug. Tell her I asked about her. Give her my love.’
    ’Thanks, Max. You’re a lifeline.’
    ‘Hey, Sam, we sponsor each other, remember. How many times do I ring you?’
    ‘Plenty, I guess. You can go to sleep now. I’m not gonna drink tonight. One drink’ll be too much, and a hundred won’t be enough.’
    He heard Max laughing as he put the phone down.
    Sam made the tea like Max said, and took it upstairs to Dora. Tea with sugar was something he’d never get used to. But it was medicine. Something you had to take to remind yourself not to drink Scotch.
    Barney got to his feet when Sam entered the room.
    Dora was propped up with pillows. Her eyes were shining with anticipation. No pain for the time being, just Dora feeling good and looking forward to spending time with Sam. She stretched out a hand to him as he sat by the bed, and he took it in his. The thinnest hand in the known universe.
    ‘Tell me about the day,’ she said. ‘About the world and what’s happening.’
    ‘We’ve got a guy working with us, a writer. J.D. Pears. Everyone calls him J.D.’
    ‘Everyone except Marie,’ Dora said, laughing. ‘She calls him Mister Right Now.’
    ‘Yeah, she’s taken with him. The temperature goes up every time they look at each other.’
    ‘That’s nice for her. She’s usually so down on men. Expects more of them than they can give.’
    ‘Yeah, but that’s healthy,’ said Sam. ‘Keeps her out of trouble. J.D., on the other hand, appears kind of green. Like he’s got no idea what a woman in love will do.’
    ‘Well, he’s going to find out. She’s itching to get her hands on him.’
    ‘Christ,’ said Sam, shaking his head. ‘I promised Jill Sheridan she’d get a thorough investigation into Edward Blake. I hope Marie’s gonna concentrate on it.’
    Dora stroked the back of his hand. ‘She will, Sam. She might be counting the hours until knocking-off time, but she won’t shirk the job. You know that.’
    ’Yeah, I know. And I’m glad for Marie. She’s had a tough since Gus was killed. And J.D. seems to like her all right. But he’s a gambler.’
    ‘What does that mean?’
    ‘Means what it says. The guy’s a gambler.’
    ‘Horses?’
    Sam shook his head. ‘Five card draw. Plays in some heavy games around town. Including one patronized by Edward Blake.’
    ‘How do you know all this, Sam?’
    ‘It came out in our talk. I had to tell him about Blake, because he’s gonna be with Marie and Geordie, inquiring about the guy. And he said he knew him. Then he had to tell me where he knew him from. The two of them play in a Tuesday game in Patrick Pool.’
    ‘Isn’t there some conflict of interest there?’
    ‘I wondered about that,’ said Sam. ‘But J.D.’s not particularly friendly with Blake. And, anyway, he’s only tagging along as an observer.’
    ‘He’ll be OK, Sam. Marie’s not looking for a husband, you know. She’s just found someone irresistible.’
    ‘And he plays in a