As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark Page B

Diana were on their way and to put the roast chicken on.”
    â€œThat’s exactly what I was planning to have.”
    After they placed their orders, Jon sipped his martini and Delaney sipped her wine. At their first dinner last month they’d compared their hobbies. When Delaney told Jon that her favorite ones were riding, hiking and skiing, Jon had said, “The last two I go along with. I never had the opportunity growing up to take riding lessons. Most of the ‘riding’ I did was on subways. My father and grandfather were detectives in the New York Police Department.”
    This evening they went deeper, talking about themselves. Jon was two years older. That had come out over dinner last month, but tonight he added, “I was an identical twin. My brother died at birth. I know my mother has always mourned for him. I see tears in her eyes at my birthday dinners.”
    Delaney had told Jon that she was adopted but had not expected to say, “I wonder if on my birthday my birth mother mourns for me.”
    â€œI’m sure she does.”
    It was two hours later that Jon paid the bill and walked her to her apartment. Delaney realized again how comfortable she felt with Jon’s arm under hers. While they were at dinner the September evening had become sharply colder.
    â€œSkiing season may be early,” Jon said, satisfaction in his voice.
    â€œI hope so,” Delaney said fervently.
    At her apartment building she invited him to come up for a nightcap but he shook his head. “I’ll take a rain check.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, then as the doorman held open the door for him, he turned and came back to where she was standing.
    â€œDelaney, do you believe in love at first sight?”
    He answered his own question before she could: “I do.”
    Then he was gone.

21

    A ngela Watts, the caregiver, was the next witness. To Delaney she seemed to be just as nervous as Carmen Sanchez had been. After establishing her background and experience as a home caregiver, the prosecutor asked about her relationship with the Grant family.
    Unlike Carmen, she answered the questions without embellishment.
    â€œYou were the caregiver for Dr. Grant?”
    â€œYes, I was.”
    â€œHow long did you work for him?”
    â€œThree years, two months and four days.”
    â€œWhat were your hours when you took care of Dr. Grant?”
    â€œI worked six days round-the-clock, then I was off on Sundays.”
    â€œWho took care of Dr. Grant on Sundays?”
    â€œMrs. Grant.”
    â€œWere you at the house the evening before Dr. Grant died?”
    â€œYes, there was a small birthday dinner for him.”
    â€œWho was at the birthday dinner?”
    â€œDr. and Mrs. Grant, Alan Grant and two doctors that Dr. Ted used to work with and their wives.”
    â€œHow was Dr. Grant on that evening?”
    â€œDuring cocktails in the living room, he suddenly became very upset, stood up and started muttering to himself and aggressively pointing around the room.”
    â€œWhat happened then?”
    â€œMiss Betsy put her arms around him and he quieted down right away. A few minutes later we went in to dinner.”
    â€œWere you seated at the table?”
    â€œYes, I was. Carmen Sanchez cooked and served the dinner.”
    â€œHow was Dr. Grant during dinner?”
    â€œAt first, all right. Quiet but all right.”
    â€œThen what happened?”
    â€œHe suddenly stood up. His face looked angry and almost twisted. He pushed back his chair so hard it toppled over. He lunged across the table and knocked over a lot of the plates and glasses.”
    â€œWhat was Mrs. Grant’s reaction?”
    â€œShe tried to pull him back, but he turned around and slapped her hard in the face. Then the other doctors and his son grabbed him and tried to calm him down. He was very, very upset and crying. As they were consoling him, I suggested that we take him back