My stomach churned as I realized that I'd missed a chance to make a sale that could have kept my finances in the black for a couple of months. I admitted that I'd gotten my hopes up when Melinda had expressed interest in my paintings at the Roadrunner.
As Belle had suggested, I'd simply have to contact the mayor again, There was no point in dwelling on lost opportunity, but I wasn't in the best of moods when I went to bed, nor when I woke up the following morning, knowing I had missed an opportunity and not looking forward to attending a funeral in the afternoon.
Reflecting on the sad occasion, I felt glum, but my pets weren't about to let me get away with a down mood for long. They were as peppy as ever, anticipating the day ahead and, of course, a yummy breakfast.
After I fed them, I braced myself with some strong tea as I dawdled a bit over a muffin, but, finally, Laddie's eager anticipation of a morning walk kick-started me into action, so I dressed and took him for a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood.
I hadn't attended a funeral in years, not since my great-aunt had died. People didn't always wear black to funerals anymore, but I decided a dark color would be most appropriate, so, when Laddie and I got home, I pulled my navy suit out of the back of my closet and selected matching navy tights and shoes to wear with it. I left the ensemble out so that everything would be within easy reach when I was ready to go.
A few hours later, after I'd showered and dressed, I looked in the mirror and saw how severe I looked in my suit. I added a silver brooch and one of my abstract silk scarves in blue and green hues, and I was satisfied that the additions had softened my appearance.
Normally, I would have taken Laddie to Belle's for the afternoon, but, since she would be attending a Library Auxiliary meeting, Laddie would have to stay home with only Mona Lisa for company. My calico kitty was hiding under the sofa when I left, but Laddie accompanied me to the kitchen door, looking quite down as I prepared to depart.
“Be a good boy, Laddie, and take a nap,” I said on my way out the door. With nothing else to occupy him, I felt sure he'd be sleeping before long.
When I arrived at the funeral home for Eric's memorial service, I was a bit surprised to see how many cars were in the parking lot. Inside, an usher was directing people, and I realized that Eric's wasn't the only service being held. A small sign by the door confirmed that I was in the right room, which was almost full. Perhaps Eric had been better known than I'd assumed, or maybe the fact that his hemlock-induced death was so unusual had drawn a crowd.
I hoped Susan had arrived before me, but, on first glance, I didn't see her. I did spot the police chief, sitting in the back row with Dave Martinez and Lieutenant Belmont. I walked slowly up the left aisle, looking for Susan, and finally found her sitting close to the front. The chair next to her had a coat draped over it, and I stepped gingerly in front of a few people, inching my way across the row of chairs, until I made it to my seat. Susan picked up her coat and placed it over the back of her chair as I sat down beside her.
“I guess I should have started out earlier,” I whispered. “I had no idea it would be so crowded.”
“Neither did I, but Eric's lived in Lonesome Valley his entire life, and he knew a lot of people, even though I don't think he had any really close friends.”
We waited silently while soft music played in the background. From where we were sitting, I could see Josh and Kayla in the front row, along with Rebecca and Greg and a few other people I didn't recognize.
A pastor dressed in a black robe led the service. After prayers and a hymn, Josh took the podium to eulogize his uncle. Giving an elegant and well-crafted speech, he managed to hold himself together until he was almost finished, but he was choking on his own tears by the time he delivered the last line. He went back to his seat in the front row, where Kayla embraced him.
The pastor moved on quickly to invite others to share memories of Eric. For an awkward moment, nobody stood to come forward, but, then, just as I thought there wouldn't be another speaker, Josh's neighbor, Jack, stepped up and talked briefly about what a nice guy Eric had been. It struck me as a little odd since he'd told me he hadn't known him too well the night we'd discovered Eric's body.
Susan leaned over and said, “I think I should say something.” When the neighbor had finished, she stepped forward and talked about Natalie and Eric, how much he'd missed his wife, and that they were together again.
Tears were streaming down her face by the time Susan finished speaking, and she struggled to compose herself after she came back to her seat.
There was a short lull, and it looked as though the pastor was about to continue the service, when I heard urgent, hushed voices behind me. I turned around to see what was happening, and I wasn't alone. Everybody within earshot had directed their attention to the arguing couple.
“Don't do it, Kevin. This isn't the place.”
“Gina, I'm going to tell everyone what a low-down—”
“No, you're not! Quiet down. You're causing a scene.”
Kevin shrugged and rose from his chair. His wife grabbed his arm, but he shook her hand off and marched to the front.
“They say not to speak ill of the dead,” he proclaimed, “but I ask 'why not?' From what you've heard today, you'd think Eric Thompson was the greatest guy in the world. Well, I'm here to tell you that's a lie. He was a thief and a con man.”
“Sir,” the pastor said, flipping a switch to kill the mic, “that's most inappropriate. We're here today to celebrate a man's life.” He attempted to take Kevin by the arm, but Kevin eluded his grasp. By this time, the chief and Sergeant Martinez were on their way to the front.
Kevin saw them coming and shouted, “I have a right to speak!”
“You've said enough,” the chief told him. “I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Oh, yeah? Make me.”
Since neither Sergeant Martinez nor the chief was dressed in his uniform, Kevin had no way of knowing they were police officers, but when Dave Martinez flashed his badge, Kevin backed down.
“Fine,” he said. “I'll leave, but it doesn't change anything. Eric Thompson was a con man!”
As everyone looked on in shock, he stomped off down the aisle, but his wife didn't follow him, and the pastor calmly resumed the service, as though nothing untoward had occurred. After a final hymn and prayer to conclude the memorial, an usher led Josh, Kayla, Rebecca, Greg, and the others who'd been sitting in the front row out. He returned to dismiss the crowd, row by row, starting from the back, but it was slow going. Since Susan and I were close to the front, it was quite a while before we were invited to leave.
Right outside the door, Josh and everyone else who'd been sitting with him in the front row had formed a reception line to accept condolences.
After I'd expressed my sympathies to Josh, Kayla, and Greg, I came to Rebecca.
“Be sure to stop by our house for the reception,” she said in a low voice. “I was going to ask the pastor to announce it, but, when I saw how many people were here, I knew there were too many for us to accommodate. I had no idea so many would show up.”
Not wishing to delay the people behind me, I told Rebecca I'd be there and moved along, murmuring condolences to the others in the line, then stood aside and waited for Susan to join me.
“Are you going to the reception?” I asked her.
“I suppose so. Chip texted me about it before you came. I assumed they'd let everybody know, but it wasn't announced at the service. I wonder why.”
“Rebecca told me they didn't expect such a big crowd, so she couldn't invite everybody because there wouldn't be enough room in the house.”
“Yes, it was quite a tribute to Eric. Too bad his former partner had to show up.”
Susan and I walked out to the parking lot together. I blinked in the bright Arizona sunshine, which felt all the brighter since we'd been inside, in a room with dim lighting.
“Uh, oh. There's Kevin over there. He didn't get too far after he left.”
Kevin and Gina were engaged in a heated conversation. Finally, she'd had enough. Flouncing away from her husband, she climbed into the passenger seat of a large silver SUV and slammed the door. Kevin ignored her and turned his attention to the door through which Susan and I had just exited. He didn't have long to wait until Josh and his relatives came out.
Kevin rushed forward and confronted Josh. “You're Eric's executor, aren't you? He owed me money. You have an obligation to pay his debts.”
“With what?” Josh asked. “He died bankrupt. This isn't the time or place to discuss it, anyway. Now, get out of our way.”
Kevin planted himself firmly in Josh's path and crossed his arms.
“I'm not going anywhere!”