I brought over another chair from an adjoining table (I wondered for a moment whether the waiters and servers might have all gone home) and they sat down.
I only realized later that we never introduced Christy to them. She had been sitting with us for so long, I had forgotten that they had never really met her. Apparently, in their view, she was "the help," and therefore introductions were not appropriate.
"How did it go?" Jan asked.
"First of all, when does the next train leave?" Claudia asked.
I checked my watch. "Twenty-one minutes."
"I will tell you the very short version of the story, then we should catch that train, and then I can tell you all the details at our leisure."
"You're going with us?" my employer said with some surprise.
"Yes, we are returning with you tonight, to U-town. Our luggage is in the car." She held up a hand. "The case is resolved. Bobby is in custody, and he is certainly on his way to an asylum or some similar establishment. He confessed, in the hearing of witnesses, and then he... he suffered a..."
"He freaked out," Erika supplied quietly.
"Hush," Claudia said gently, kissing her on the forehead. "He became enraged and somewhat inarticulate, and attempted to attack or molest Erika."
"She decked him," Erika said happily.
"That is a vulgar and melodramatic way of putting it–"
"But not entirely inaccurate," I said, noticing the state of her knuckles.
"Not entirely inaccurate," she admitted. "I will just say thank God he didn't reach her, because I can't imagine what could have happened. The state police were called, my mother's lawyer came, we all gave statements and signed them. So, we are free to go, and go we shall." She stood up. "I do want to catch that train."
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