‘Mary. What are you doing here? Where’s Tommy?’
The start Mary gave at the sound of Marlene’s voice almost sent the paper she was reading across the kitchen table onto the floor.
‘Oh. You’re up.’ What an inane remark. Of course she was up. She was standing in the kitchen.
But Marlene didn’t look as if being up agreed with her. Her face was blotchy, her hair tangled. She hadn’t changed into her nightclothes and the slacks and knit top she’d had on yesterday were rumpled. At least whoever had gotten her into bed had removed her shoes. Her feet were bare.
‘Tommy has gone down to the store to make sure everything is all right. He wants to talk to Dan as well. See if there’s any new information.’
Marlene stared at her. ‘Information.’ She shuddered and looked vaguely around the kitchen. ‘I think I’d like some coffee. Is there any?’
‘I just made some. Sit down. I’ll get it.’
Marlene did as instructed. She accepted the mug Mary slid in front of her without comment. Mary had no idea how Marlene took her coffee but she’d liberally laced it with cream and sugar, thinking she needed the extra energy they might provide. Marlene didn’t seem to notice.
‘Why are you here?’ She quickly went on, as if she’d heard herself and realized how rude that might sound, ‘Not that I don’t want you. But …’
Mary refilled her mug, paused to open the back door and let in both dogs then sat back down facing Marlene. ‘Tommy didn’t want you to wake up and find no one here. He’ll be back pretty soon.’
Marlene nodded, but not as if she cared very much. ‘Did he call Crystal?’
‘Yes. The shop will remain closed today. You can talk about what you want to do later.’
They sat in silence, each sipping their coffee. Mary was anxiously watching Marlene, who seemed to be staring into space. Mary was afraid to think what she was seeing.
Finally Marlene broke the silence. ‘Was he shot?’
Startled, Mary nodded.
Marlene looked up. ‘I don’t mean was he shot by a gun. I know he was. I mean, did someone shoot him? Someone else?’
The jolt that went through Mary was hard enough to make her hands shake. She set her mug back on the table and leaned forward a little. ‘You thought Jerry might have shot himself?’
Marlene answered with a shuddery sigh. ‘That’s what I thought when I found him. He’s been so … different lately, so unhappy and upset. I thought he might have.’ She paused, stared into her mug and set it back down. ‘I don’t know which is worse.’
‘That someone killed him or he killed himself?’
She stared at Mary but without seeing her. ‘That means I was right. Something had Jerry scared. I was married to that man for over twenty-five years. I knew what he was like. He was never very cheerful, always kind of a loner, but I didn’t mind. I’m not very social either. He never questioned me about how I ran the shop. I grew up in a jewelry store. My father owned one and he taught me. I never questioned him about how he ran his design business. Only it never did very well. It was after he bought the We Buy Gold shop that he began to change. He seemed depressed, irritable, almost fearful. I never understood it. That shop made money.’
Mary wasn’t sure she was following Marlene. That the gold shop made money she understood, but she thought … ‘I thought Heath and Gabe Grady own We Buy Gold.’
Marlene shook her head. ‘They were Jerry’s partners but had nothing to do with running it. They own a couple more of these kinds of stores down the coast and Heath ran the stuff to the smelter, but that’s about all. Jerry did everything else. Kept the books, registered all the purchases with the local police, made out the inventory list for the smelter, that kind of thing. It was just an investment for the Gradys. They didn’t have to do anything else because they knew they could rely on Jerry. He wasn’t very social but he was honest. Honest to a fault. So, who was he afraid of and why did someone kill him?’
That wasn’t a question Mary could answer. She added it to the other ones running around in her head that she had no answers to either. However, there was one thing she did know. She had to get Marlene going again, and she couldn’t do it in the condition she was in right that moment.
‘Marlene, why don’t you get in the shower and put on some clean clothes? It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel. I’m going to make you something to eat, and by the time you get cleaned up and eat something, Tommy will probably be back. Maybe he’ll have some news for us.’
Maybe he wouldn’t but, either way, a shower and food would be progress toward Marlene coping.
For a moment, she didn’t think Marlene was going to move, but the words seemed to sink in and slowly she nodded her head. She pushed back her chair, stepped over Ranger without seeming to notice him and walked back in the direction of her bedroom. Mary waited a few minutes then quietly followed. When she heard the water start, she went back to the kitchen. What she was going to feed her, she didn’t know, but there must be something in the pantry. If all else failed she knew there was toast.
Tommy came in as his mother was pushing scrambled eggs, fresh peaches and toast around on a plate. She looked up expectantly but soundless tears started down her cheeks when he shook his head. He knelt on the floor beside her chair, taking her in his arms, patting her back as if she were a small child he needed to comfort. Finally he took the napkin Mary handed him, gave it to his mother and got to his feet.
‘The shop is also under investigation. They’re looking for evidence there as well as at the gold shop. What that may be, I have no idea, but it looks as if we’re going to be closed for at least two more days. Maybe that’s just as well. I couldn’t work right now and I’m sure Mother couldn’t face a customer, let alone the store. I’m not sure what we’ll do, but if Les comes later this afternoon, that will help.’ He looked at his mother, dressed now in clean shorts and a T-shirt, her hair still damp, and almost smiled. ‘We’ll make it through this but it’s going to be a bitch.’
Mary blinked once or twice at his use of words but decided it expressed the situation very well. ‘Tommy, there are some messages on the phone table. People offering help, food, sympathy … I told them all thank you but you both needed a day or so. Ellen called. She says to keep Ranger as long as you want, but if he becomes a burden, let her know. And can she help in any way?’
Tommy smiled. ‘Small towns can be really nice, but right now I don’t know what anyone can do, except maybe help the police find out who did this. Ranger won’t be a burden. He’s been a real help to both of us. I’d like him to stay.’
‘In that case, I need to get going. Can I bring you back dinner?’
‘No, but thank you anyway. I stopped by The Yum Yum. Ruthie is sending over something. I don’t think either of us wants to eat much but we need to have something.’
Mary nodded. ‘I’ll call you in the morning.’ She snapped the leash on a reluctant Millie and, with a final pat on the shoulder for Marlene, she and Millie walked out to her car. She was anxious to get home but she had one more stop she wanted to make before that happened.