"I tried changing into the character last night. It came off fine."
"What are you seeing a psychiatrist for, then?" he asked, his voice low.
"So I won't steal things any more."
He held the edge of the table for a minute, not meeting her eyes.
Finally he said, "I see. Well, that's fine, Beth. How've things been at
work?"
Beth grinned and told him.
* * * * *
The days were turning cool and the trees had started scattering dry
leaves into the wind. On a sharp weekend afternoon Pendleton was
killing time in the produce district before driving over to Beth's.
There was a coffee shop open and Pendleton thought about crossing over
for a cup of coffee. The whitewashed door of the place shot open and
a fat woman with an orange-fringed shawl came out. She was carrying
something wrapped up in a paper napkin. She glanced at Pendleton,
hesitated a second and then went running off toward a closed warehouse.
By the time she reached it, the short-order cook was on the street
looking after her. He threw a gesture after her and went back inside.
Pendleton shivered once slightly. He started walking for his car and a
block from it he found himself running. He got to Beth's place ahead of
the approaching dusk.
The downstairs door wasn't locked, but Beth's apartment door didn't
open when he tried it. Pendleton grunted, slapping his pockets for
something to pick the lock with.
The door opened. Beth, in capris and a striped sweater, looked out at
him, her head tilted slightly to one side. "Did I hear applause? You're
early."
"You know why I'm here early." He pushed into the room. "I thought you
were better. What the hell were you doing down there?"
"Where? What's the matter?" She backed across the rug to the fireplace.
A small fire was going and she turned to warm her hands at it.
"I just saw you steal something from that diner. Silverware maybe. You
want me to search the place?"
Facing him, her lips hardly parted, Beth said, "I should think you
would trust me, being we love each other and all. I was rehearsing
until a half hour ago and Alex dropped me off. I've been here since
then."
Pendleton's hands fell to his sides. "Well, nothing I guess is wrong.
I'm just jumpy. This changing thing bothers me."