Chapter 32 Chapter Thirty-One

Kelly and Diana wake up at the same time.Kelly sat up on the bed and looked at Diana over there: "Good morning. How did you sleep?" "I had some wild dreams." "Me too." Diana hesitated. "Kelly—you came out of the hotel elevator just as I was about to knock on the attic door—do you think that was a coincidence?" "Of course. And how lucky for both of us—" Kelly looked into Diana's face. "What are you trying to say?" Diana said carefully, "We've been very lucky so far. I mean, very lucky. It seems—someone, or something, is helping us, guiding us."

Kelly's eyes were fixed on her. "You mean—like a guardian angel?" "right." Kelly said patiently, "Diana, I know you believe in that stuff, but I don't. I know I don't have an angel on my shoulder." Diana said, "You just haven't seen it yet." Kelly rolled his eyes: "That's right." "Let's have some breakfast," suggested Diana. "It's safe here. I think we're out of danger." Kelly muttered, "If you think we're out of danger, you don't know breakfast in a small hotel. We'll eat out when we're ready. I think I saw a snack bar around the corner."

"Okay. I have to make a call." Diana went to the phone and dialed a number. The operator answers: "KIG." "I'd like to have Betty Buckle on the phone." "Please wait." Tanner saw the blue light and answered on the conference line. "Miss Buckle is out of office. May I convey?" "Oh, no need, thank you." Tanner frowned.Too fast to leave no trace. Diana turned to Kelly. "Betty Buckle is still working at KIG, so we must try to find her." "Maybe her home number is in the phone guide." Diane said, "Possibly, but the line could also be tapped." She picked up the guidebook on the side of the phone and turned to the letter she was looking for: "She's here."

Diana dialed, listened, and slowly put the receiver back. Kelly walked up to her: "What's the matter?" Diana waited a moment before answering. "Her phone line was cut." Kelly took a deep breath. "I think I need to take a shower." As Kelly finished her shower and was about to leave the bathroom, she realized she had left a towel on the floor.After a moment of hesitation, she picked up the towel and placed it neatly on the shelf.She walked into the bedroom: "It's all yours." Diana nodded absently, "Thank you." The first thing Diane noticed when she walked into the bathroom was that the used towels had been put back on the rack.Diana smiled.

She stepped into the bath, letting the hot water soothe herself.She recalled how she used to shower with Richard, how good it was to have their bodies in contact...never again.But the memory lasts forever.forever…… flowers. "It's beautiful, honey. Thank you. What are we celebrating?" "St. Swithin's Day." More flowers. "Washington Crossing the Delaware Day." "National Parakeet Day." "Celery Lover's Day." When the note inside the bouquet of roses read "Jumping Lizard Day", Diana laughed and said, "Lizards don't jump, baby."

Richard put his head in his hands: "Damn it! I was fooled." He also liked to write love poems to her.When Diana got dressed, in her shoes or in her bra or in her blouse, she would find a... Once when he came home from get off work, she stood inside the door, completely naked except for a pair of high heels on her feet.She said, "Honey, do you like these shoes?" He dropped his clothes on the floor and delayed dinner.them-- Kelly's voice came from outside. "Shall we go for breakfast or lunch?" They walked to the hotel.The weather was clear and cool, and the sky was a translucent blue.

"Blue skies," Diana said. "good sign." Kelly bit her lip to keep herself from laughing.Still, Diana's superstitions are adorable. A few doors down from the restaurant, Diana and Kelly passed a women's accessories store.They glanced at each other, giggled, and walked in. The saleswoman greeted her: "Can I help you?" Kelly said enthusiastically, "Of course." Diana warns: "Take it easy. Remember last time." "Yes. Don't go on a buying spree." The two visited the entire store, shopping for some necessities in a restrained manner.They left their old clothes in the fitting room.

"You don't want these anymore?" the saleswoman asked. Diana smiled. "No. Give it to charity." There's a convenience store around the corner: "Look," Kelly said, "disposable phones." Kelly and Diane went in and bought two, each with a thousand minutes of airtime preloaded. "Let's swap numbers again," Kelly said. Diana smiled and said, "Okay." It only took a few seconds. When she came out, Diane looked inside her purse as she paid the cashier: "I'm really running out of cash." "Me too," Kelly said.

"We can start taking credit cards," Diane said. "Wait until we find the magic rabbit hole." "what?" "nothing." They sat down in the restaurant, and the waitress asked, "What do you want, miss?" Kelly turned to Diana: "You go first." "I'd like orange juice, ham, eggs, toast and coffee." The waitress turned to Kelly. "How about you, miss?" "Half a grapefruit." "No more?" Diana asked. "No." The waitress leaves. "You can't live on half a grapefruit."

"Habit. I've been on a strict diet for years. Some models eat Kleenex to curb their appetite." "real?" "Really. But that doesn't matter anymore. I'm never going to be a model again." Diana studied her for a moment: "Why not?" "It doesn't matter now. Mark taught me what really matters, and—" She paused, struggling to hold back tears, "I wish you'd met him." "So do I. But, Kelly, you have to start living again." Kelly said, "What about you? Are you going to start painting again?" There was a long silence.

"I tried...it won't." Kelly and Diana had finished breakfast and were heading for the door when Kelly noticed the morning papers being added to the shelves. Diana was about to move on when Kelly said suddenly, "Wait." She turned and picked up a newspaper. "Look!" The headline of the day is an article on the front page. Kingsley International Group will hold a memorial service for recently deceased employees whose deaths have sparked much speculation.The ceremony will take place Monday, at 11:15 a.m., at KIG headquarters in Manhattan. "It's tomorrow." Kelly looked at Diana for a moment. "Why do you think they did this?" "I think they're trying to get us hooked." Kelly nodded. "I thought so too. Kingsley believed we'd be foolish enough to fall into—?" Kelly looked at the expression on Diana's face and said in a panic, "Shall we go?" Diana nodded. "We can't go!" "We've got to go. Betty Buckle will definitely be there. I've got to talk to her." "I don't want to be picky, but what do you expect to get out of there alive?" "I'll figure it out." She looked at Kelly and smiled. "Trust me." Kelly shook her head: "Nothing makes me more uneasy than hearing someone say 'trust me.'" She thought about it for a moment, then beamed with joy: "I have an idea. I know what to do." "What idea?" "I'll give you a surprise then." Diane looked at Kelly, worried. "You really think you can get us out of there?" "Believe me." When they got back to the inn, Kelly called. They didn't sleep well that night.Kelly lay on the bed, worried.If my plan fails, we'll both die.As she fell asleep, she seemed to see Kingsley's face looking down at her.Grinning grinningly. Diana was praying, her eyes tightly shut.Darling, this may be the last time I speak to you.I don't know whether to say goodbye or hello.Kelly and I are going to KIG tomorrow for your memorial service.I think our chances of getting out unscathed are slim, but I must go and try to help you.I just want to tell you one more time, before it's too late, that I love you.Good night, my dearest.