Gladys

First Mama tried the number on the lost dog flyer, but no one answered her message.

Next she tried Mrs. Marsh, who told her the name of the woman who owned the house where True had lived.

The woman turned out to be the mother of twins Mama had babysat years ago. She and Mama talked forever and a day about how the twins were doing now and how they still remembered how wonderful Ms. Suza was, and then she and Mama talked about how hard it was to get good tenants. Hearing about the abandoned dog, the woman gave Mama the motorcycle man’s name and number.

Mama tried to call him. Two, three, four times she tried, leaving messages he never returned.

Gladys reported all this to Jude.

“Do you think she’ll give up?” he asked.

“Never. She’s incredibly stubborn about certain things.”

“So that’s where you get it.”

“I’ll take that for a compliment.”