32. That’s New
That’s New
Melody
Miriam came every day. When I asked where Marcus was, she just smiled. “He’s working on something at the house.”
“Like…what?” I asked.
She shrugged, her smile a little mischievous, like she was keeping a secret. I had suspected that he just didn’t want to be here, but now…
“I’m not going to tell you what it is. You’ll just have to get better and come home to see it.” She crossed her arms, her smile triumphant.
I was too tired to argue.
Greg never came.
I knew he was staying over and watching the kids; he drove them back and forth and fed them. A lot of good food, apparently. A lot of takeout. I couldn’t even imagine what that was costing him.
Or how I’d pay him back.
But he wasn’t in here. Which meant that we were really over. He helped because he was a decent guy and saw the kids in need. He was just doing his good deeds.
I was another project. Like Mrs. Ratcliffe’s mailbox.
“I really like Greg,” Miriam said with a watery smile. She always cried when she visited. We watched TV, and she tried not to show her tears. But she was a sensitive kid, and this was hard. “He’s really nice.”
“He is.”
“You know…Marcus and I talked about it, and maybe…we could redo Mom and Dad’s bedroom. We’ll help. Maybe Greg could move in, instead of living in the barn? Or you could. I mean, it’s your house, and it’s a big room…”
“Oh, honey, I don’t think Greg wants to do that.”
“Why not?” She looked absolutely baffled by the idea that a grown man may not want to move in with a woman and her two teenage siblings.
I couldn’t answer. How could I explain no one wanted all my baggage?
Sometimes Miriam was too damn wise for her age, but other times, she was so very, very young.
“You’re dating, aren’t you?” Her eyes were so bright, so excited. “He wouldn’t be doing all of this for us if he didn’t want to, right? You always tell me that if he wanted to, he would. And Greg is!”
Maybe there was something I could do to bring him back. But after everything…After all of this…it’s too much for any sane person to deal with. Who would volunteer for all of this? Who would choose this?
Who would choose me?
I took her hand in mine and whispered, “Honey, in the time that he and I have been…hanging out”—going steady?
Courting? What the hell were we doing?—“we found out Luke was dead. Then Greg’s truck was shot at.
Then Ian kidnapped me and shot me. Now I’m in the hospital, and he’s having to take care of you guys—”
“I’m not hard to take care of!”
And God bless her, she was right. But even the easiest kid deserved care.
“I know, sweetheart, but it’s a lot for anyone to deal with.” I was a lot to deal with, too.
If I were a better prize, maybe it’d feel more certain that he would stay. Alas, no. Not this time.
“I just don’t want you to get your hopes up,” I murmured, knowing her hopes were already up.
So were mine.
“I’ll be home in a couple of days. We’ll figure it out then.”
Miriam called Greg, and for the fourth time in a row, I bit my lips to keep from asking her to let me talk to him. When she left, I took a pill and went back to sleep. Thank God for drugs.
In the morning, I started on my breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, and a rather sad little pudding when Sheriff Whitlaw darkened my hospital room door.
“Hey, Mel.”
“Sheriff,” I greeted through a mouthful of banana pudding.
“Hey, I know you don’t need to hear this, but just in case you did…
” She paused, giving me the chance to swallow.
“Old Man Smithy turned in his testimony saying he saw your stepdad on the water alone a year ago, and when he returned, the boat was empty. He said he just remembered it, so it’s now in the file that documented what happened as an accident. ”
If the new testimony confirmed it was an accident, why did she sound like the case was still open ended? Like she was waiting for me to correct her somehow? Like I had something else to say?
“An independent PI company hired by Turner Gray also corroborated not only that testimony, they also had some forensic person look at the boat and Luke’s truck—which was still in evidence—and their experts said all of that checks out, too.
They also threw in a lot of evidence about Ian Gray.
His phone, his computer. We seized it all this morning, and…
” She let out a low whistle. “Looks like the Grays were in some money problems, and Ian was sweating about not getting enough scholarships to go to Northeastern U. Someone put it in his head that if they got their hands on Marc and Miriam, the family would have access to their trusts and could use that on his tuition. Pretty clear motive there.”
Everything seemed to wrap up too well. It was too tidy.
“Open and shut.” She tipped her head, and I sighed. “We also found Ian and his gun washed up near Bridge Street. Bullets match what was found on your leg.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Open and shut, indeed.”
Whitlaw smirked, stepping farther into the room as she lowered her voice.
“Listen, I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but you have plenty to get yourself a protective order against a certain person we’re both acquainted with.”
My eyes widened.
She meant Turner. Who else did we mutually hate?
“I’m happy to put the final nail in this, Mel. Hope you feel better.”
She turned and walked away, leaving me in silence.
And this time, I did feel lighter. Like it really was over. At least this part.