GLORIA

“I look familiar because you stopped by my car yesterday and gave me a flyer about Iris being missing,” Gloria said.

“Oh, you’re the homeless woman with the blue station wagon, right?” Evelyn asked.

Lexi’s glance was sharp, and Gloria recognized her reaction, somewhere between fear and blame. No time to worry about that now.

Gloria nodded. “Iris knocked on my window not long after you came by. She asked me for help. She said she was running away from her husband. But who are you?” Gloria looked at Gandalf.

“I live at Number Four,” Gandalf said. “I’m not really involved in this, I guess. I barely know any of you.”

Evelyn leaned over to touch Gandalf’s shoulder. “Stop saying that. You are involved.” She turned back to Lexi. “I don’t understand. Why was your mother running away? I have no use for your father. Actually, I hate the man. But what did he do to Iris?”

Lexi and Gloria started telling the story. Iris woke up and joined them, the three women interrupting each other, leapfrogging over years of secrets and lies, accusations and questions. Lexi sat close to Iris. Evelyn and Gandalf listened, heads turning back and forth between the storytellers. When they were finished, Evelyn stood up.

“I’m furious at Asher,” she announced. “I mean, even more than before. Let’s teach the bastard a lesson. Let’s kidnap him, feed him all those nasty meds he gave Iris, and keep him captive for a while.”

Gandalf visibly paled. Gloria shook her head. “That might kill him.”

“He essentially killed Harriet. So that would be fair,” Evelyn said. “We could hold a citizen’s court. You know, make him admit his crimes. And I’ve got another crime to add to the indictment.”

“Evelyn, remember you’re talking about my father,” Lexi said, her voice quivering.

Iris rubbed her eyes. “He did very bad things, but he doesn’t deserve being kidnapped or drugged. Or killed.”

“I suppose that Harriet might disagree with that, if she could speak for herself,” Gloria said.

“And Harriet’s daughter,” Lexi added. “She might want some justice too.”

“What daughter?” Iris asked.

“What daughter?” Evelyn, Gandalf, and Gloria repeated in unison.