The Haunting of Anna McAlister Read Online Free PDF Page A

she was in. In the past, Jeffrey’s gay act would always improve her mood. His straight act could be even funnier. Today, however, she wasn’t in a simple mood. She was in . . . Anna searched her mind for the right word. The only word that kept popping up was “trouble.”
    When 5 p.m. rolled around, Anna waited until 5:30 to leave.
    “Do you want some company?” Jeffrey said. “I mean after this morning’s coffee episode, Duncan’s out of luck anyway. He can be such a bitch when left, how shall I put this, undone?”
    Jeffrey was trying to be diplomatic.  
    “After I had my gum surgery he wouldn’t talk to me for two weeks.”
    “I thought you had another way you could take care of business,” Stacy had joined them. “ I mean, what’s the bottom line here?  
    “If you knew Duncan like I know Duncan, you wouldn’t even suggest what you’re suggesting.”
    “I guess size does matter,” Stacy laughed.
    “I don’t even let him walk to close behind me. ”
    “Got a minute?” Tony had come up to the group and started to scratch on the doorframe.
    Stacy, Jeffrey and Anna all pointed to themselves in a “me?” gesture.  
    “You,” he pointed at Stacy.  
    Stacy rolled her eyes and walked off toward Tony’s office. Tony followed behind, his eyes clued to the back of Stacey’s pants.  
    “Hey, Tony my man,” Jeffrey’s demeanor had again changed dramatically for Tony’s benefit. Now he sounded a bit like a Neanderthal on steroids. “Bowl on!”
    Now Anna smiled.
    Tony nodded and said, “I’ll have to get you in the alleys sometime. You’ll love it.”  
    “That’s what all the boys say,” Jeffrey switched on the swish as soon as Tony and Stacy disappeared. “Promises, promises, promises.”
    “You are so very, very weird,” Anna hugged her friend.
    “Thank you,.” Jeffrey hugged back. “Now what about my offer of company. Want to go play at your house.”
    If Jeffrey were straight, or she had a penis, Anna might have wondered about the true intentions of such an offer. As it was, Anna knew that Jeffrey just wanted to help.
    “No, I’ll be all right,” Anna pulled away. “I’m a big girl.”
    “Me too!”
    “And anyway, Tom should be there by seven at the latest.”
    “I could come over around eight and we could share.”
    “No!”
    “Nuts!”
    “Yeah, and his are all mine.”
    Anna kissed Jeffrey on the cheek, grabbed her purse and headed for her car. Traffic was terrible, but she found herself listening to the radio and enjoying the normalcy of the nuisance. She didn’t arrive at her house until shortly after six.  
    Anna walked into her kitchen and washed the coffee cups from the morning by hand instead of cramming them into the already packed dishwasher as usual. She then went through her mail, actually opening the BIG SALE announcements and the contest come-ons instead of throwing them away.  
    “Why is it so dark in here?” Anna turned on every light in the kitchen, hallway and living room before going upstairs.  
    In her bedroom, Anna changed her clothes. Then, she changed them again.  
    “Why is it so damn quiet?” Anna shouted and turned on the radio in the bathroom and the bedroom TV. She brushed her teeth, her hair and the lint off her black mohair sports coat. She lay down on the bed and started a book that she had been meaning to read for weeks. She read the first paragraph six times before throwing it to the floor.  
    “Who am I kidding?” Anna got up and headed directly toward the room she had so far managed to avoid.  
    As she walked down the stairs she listened, hoping to hear Tom coming home early. She heard nothing but the TV and radio, which she had left on. A moment later in the hallway leading to the dining room she imagined that the dread she was feeling was the same emotion that murderers must feel on their way to the gallows, or condemned souls as they sank through the depths of hell.  
    “You are such an idiot!” Anna slapped her own