Chapter 5 – "Who Would Notice If a Time Machine Appeared?"

"So there are two mysteries," Lily was summarizing. "The first is why Edmund was written off and the second is what happened to the time machine."

"Give the lady a cigar!" Edmund said approvingly. Lily was making communicating with the still-alive and still-employed easier than he had thought it would be.

"I don't want a cigar," Lily said at once. "I don't smoke. Not only because I'm too young but also because smoking is unhealthy and makes you cough. I don't like to cough. And even if I smoked, I don't think I would be smoking a cigar." She hoped Edmund's ghost wouldn't be offended.

"Lily, where have you been all my life?" he laughed, not sounding offended at all.

"You mean, where have I been all your afterlife," she said correctly, careful not to call him dead, which she was sure he did not like being.

"Boom?" Opal echoed. "The time machine is going to explode?"

"The time machine is going to make EVERYTHING explode," Lily told her. "Matter and antimatter cannot exist in the same place and time. I read that in a text book on quantum physics and string theory. Edmund is saying that unless it's turned off somehow, the time machine will bring matter and antimatter together, and that would result in total destruction."

"Total destruction of what?" Opal asked, just to make sure.

"Of all matter and antimatter," Edmund replied. "Which is --"

"Everything," Lily finished. "And I don't want a cigar, Edmund."

"But I want a drink," Opal decided, pushing aside the hairnets and cotton balls which filled one of the overhead cabinets. From inside it she fished out a half-consumed bottle of Jack Daniels. "Le chaim!" she toasted.

"That means "to life"," Lily told Edmund.

"I know," Edmund knew.

"I'd offer you two some of this, but you're underage, honey. And Edmund, you're – not drinking these days, I guess." Opal drained the bottle. "So I guess we'd better start hunting for that dang time machine before it goes haywire." She seemed glum since the prospect of actually finding said dang time machine, given that they didn't know what they were looking for, seemed remote, to say the least. "Boy howdy, if anybody had told me that today would be my Grand Finale, I would never have be--"

"Don't give up, Opal," Edmund urged her. "I came back to save the day."

"Like Ryan does," Lily observed. "Ryan saved me. And Greenlee and Kendall." She sighed. "But he couldn't save Jonathan or Braden or Aidan's friend Steve."

"Or me," Edmund added for the record.

Opal put the empty whisky bottle back in the cabinet and hiccoughed. "So where do we go from here, amigos?"

Lily gave that some thought. It was a puzzle and, of course, puzzles were interesting to her. "Whatever the time machine is, it wasn't always where it is now. Edmund brought it, and Edmund wasn't always in Pine Valley. Somebody who was here before might have noticed something new in town. Something that came here when Edmund came here. Who has been in Pine Valley a long time?"

"Phoebe, of course," Opal answered. "And Dr. Joe and Ruth. And Erica."

Lily spoke slowly, working the puzzle through. "But it can't be somebody who is so involved in their career or family that they wouldn't take the time to notice something new and different." She paused meaningfully. "It would have to be somebody who takes the time to study the small things as well as the big things."

"Stuart!" all three said as one.

"Stuart!" Marian was calling at that split second. "Did you see the checkbook? I can't find it anywhere!"

"In the cookie jar," Stuart replied at once. He was examining the Gallery's latest acquisition, a rather quiet still life, not the sort of painting he was generally drawn to, but he knew it would sell quickly. He sighed. Rent must be paid, and Adam was not as generous as he used to be. Pretending to be Adam so that he could get Tad the proof he needed to clear Jamie and Babe from that frame-up had caused a rift that was yet to be healed.

"Don't worry, Darling," Marian would tell him, "Adam has to forgive you. You're the only true friend he has!"

He believed her, of course. Adam would come around, he always came around. But meanwhile, funds had grown tight, especially since Marian hadn't sold a house in months. Stuart wasn't used to worrying about money. He never used to even look at their checkbook. But now he found himself studying it every day.

"Darling, why was it in the cookie jar?"

"I was snacking while I was trying to balance it. Marian, we may have to sell the house."

She had retrieved the checkbook and was wiping off oatmeal cookie crumbs. "We don't own the house, Darling. Adam does. I don't think we're allowed to sell it."

"Phooey," he said with all his heart.

"Well, don't you worry," she soothed. "Stuart, you're an artist. You are sensitive, caring and the sexiest man I've ever been married to. You shouldn't be focusing on the mundane. Something will turn up. Maybe you'll sell that god-awful still life."

Stuart couldn't help but smile. "You think so?"

"Absolutely," she cheerfully lied. "Now tell me. Are we going to bid on anything in the Edmund Grey estate sale?"

Stuart signed. "I've been meaning to go over to Wildwind and talk to Maria about that. But it's all so sad."

"I'll say," Edmund agreed.

"You'll say what?" Lily asked. They were outside of the Gatehouse, and Opal was about to knock on the door.

"I'll say just about anything," Edmund laughed. "But only you and Opal will hear me!"

"I need another drink," Opal grumbled, as she knocked. "Actually, I need another bottle!"

"Opal! Lily!" Marian greeted the two she could see. "How nice to see you both! Looking for a new house?"

"We don't live together," Lily said. "I live with Jack and Erica and Reggie and sometimes Greenlee. Opal lives with her son Petey above the Glamourama."

"That about sums it up," Opal said walking in past Marian. "Can we come in?"

"Of course, Darlings. Stuart, look who's here for some reason!"

Stuart looked up from the checkbook. "Either of you want to buy a painting?"

"Not today," Opal answered. "Stuart, do you believe in ghosts?"

"I believe in everything," Stuart said at once.

Edmund smiled.

"Could I have a drink?" Opal asked.

"Opal, it's barely three o'clock in the afternoon!" Marian said reprovingly.

"Okay then, can I have a cookie?" Opal countered.

Stuart sensed Opal's distress.

"Why did you ask me if I believed in ghosts?"

Lily spoke up. "Funny you should ask!"

Can Stuart and Marian help Edmund? Lots of chapters, lots of surprises still to come! Please read on! Your Review is welcome!