Free A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson Page A

fading, the knots untying in my stomach.
      I saw Anne lean against the wall.
      "You bastard," she said clearly and there was only amused relief in her shaky voice. "Oh, you double-dyed bastard."
      I swallowed.
    "Honey, I… thought she was in here."
      "Sure you did, ducky," she said. "Sure you did." Her hand patted me and I felt how it shook.
      She took a deep breath.
      "Well," she said, "shall we retire?" I knew from the sound of her voice that she would have screamed her lungs out if we'd seen anything.
      "In a moment," I said.
      She went back to bed. I heard her climb under the covers and heard her say, "Come on, Madame Wallace."
      "Right away."
      I went to bed and lay quietly beside her. I didn't tell her about the cold, damp breeze that had passed over me as I'd turned from the living room.
     
    NINE
     
      WELL, I GOT US A BABY-SITTER FOR TONIGHT, " Anne told me cheerfully when I got home Thursday afternoon. I lowered my gurgling son from my shoulder and put him on the floor. I kissed my wife.
      "Good," I said. "Fine. We can use a night out after what we've been through."
    "Amen," she said. "I feel as if I've done ten years' field work for the Psychical Research Society."
      I laughed and patted her. "And how's the little mother?" I asked.
      "A lot better now, thank you, Mr. Medium."
      "Call me that again and I'll punch you right in the belly," I said.
      It was a forced joke. I couldn't tell her about the dull headache I'd had all day, the small stomach ache, the continuing of awareness. She was too happy for me to start it again. And, for that matter, I wasn't certain. As always, it was vague and undefined. And I was damned if I was going to bring up feelings again.
      "Who's the sitter?" I asked while I was washing up for supper.
      "The girl Elsie told us about," Anne said. "She's really a deal too. Only charges fifty cents an hour."
      "How about that?" I said. I thought about it a moment. "You sure she's reliable?"
      "You remember what Elsie said about her," Anne said. " 'Real reliable.' "
      I remembered.
      I drove over to get the girl a little before eight. She lived about four miles from our house which wasn't too satisfactory but we'd been looking for a baby-sitter a long time and I wasn't going to quibble. We needed a night out badly.
      I braked in front of the girl's house and started to get out when the front door opened and she came out. She was heavy and the tight blue jeans she wore did nothing to conceal it. She was wearing a brown leather jacket and there was a faded yellow ribbon like a streak of butter through the drabness of her brunette hair. She wore shell-rim glasses.
      I pushed open the door and she slid in beside me and pulled the door shut.
      "Hello," I said.
      "Hello." Her voice was faint. She didn't look at me. I released the hand brake, checked the rear-view mirror, then made a fast U-turn and started back.
      "My name's Tom Wallace," I said.
      She didn't reply.
      "Your name's Dorothy?"
      "Yes." I could hardly hear her.
      I drove a few blocks before I glanced over at her. She was staring straight ahead at the road, looking very somber. I'm not sure but I think it was at that moment I began to feel uncomfortable.
      "What's your last name?" I asked. I didn't hear what she mumbled. "What was that?" I asked.
      "Muller," she said.
      "Oh. Uh-huh." I signalled, turned right onto Hawthorne Avenue and picked up speed again.
      "Have you sat for Elsie long?" I asked.
      "Elsie Long?"
      "No. I mean Elsie Leigh. Have you been babysitting for her very long?"
      "No."
      "I see." What was there about her that disturbed me? "I-uh-we were wondering if you had a time limit," I said. "We assumed that-"
      "No," she interrupted.
      "Oh. I thought maybe-with school and everything."
      "No."
      "I see. Your mother doesn't mind, then."
      She didn't answer. Suddenly I seemed to get an impression in