Page 44 of Death on Riddle Road

Amid all the introductions, Clara said, “Do you mind if we join you?It will be tight, but—”

A chorus of protestations that they would like nothing better arose as Rich and a busboy arrived, each with a chair, sliding them into spots that put Clara at the foot of the table and me at her right hand.That left Carol to my right and Linda across from me.Violet sat next to Linda.

That geography meant we talked mostly as a group, though Violet and Carol now and then dipped into the conversation at the other end of the table.

They’d already ordered, so we were behind them.When the server came by, we put our orders in quickly, emerging from that vital task to pick up an exchange that vibrated with tension.

“—those two women.Mother or daughter, can’t decide which is worse—” Linda was saying.

Violet next to her jumped in.“And what about the Dorrios?They—”

Linda interrupted in turn.“His sentence was for life.And that’s what he got.Can’t say any different than that.”

Someone snorted delicately.So delicately, I couldn’t be sure who it came from.

Linda spoke up rigorously.“I for one agree with Clara and Sheila that murder is murder and should not be condoned.I’m glad they’re investigating.And I support them.”

“I support them, too,” Violet fired back.“And I don’t approve of murder, either,orof a convicted murderer, who killed his wife, not serving his full sentence, and being treated with kid gloves.”

“Convicted on flimsy evidence after the deputies decided—”

“Stop, both of you,” Carol said, “We agreed we wouldn’t talk about this.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Both women lookedabashed.

“You’re right,” Linda said.

Violet nodded.“We’re more important than that, no matter what.”She circled one hand into a wide circle.“All of us.”

She placed that hand on Carol’s arm and left it there, conveying the connection, while also turning toward the other end of the table to join in that conversation, giving them a break.

Clara devoted her soothing attention to Linda.

In a low voice, Carol said to me, “Violet’s cousins with the Carnells.Not first cousins, but blood ties nonetheless.And Linda’s kids grew up with Derrick and none of them ever have accepted he could have killed Jaylynn.”

The waiter arrived with their meals, ending further details while they were distributed and, at our insistence, the others began eating.

The next thing I heard was Linda saying to Clara, but with a nod that included me, “Who you should talk to is Evan Ferguson.”

“The boyfriend,” Carol said.“He was a teacher at the same school where she taught.”

“Boyfriend?”Clara asked.“Oh.Is that who Jaylynn was supposed to be, you know...with?”

The one Dova brought up, then said she knew nothing more about.

“Boyfriend, huh,” Linda scoffed.“We heard it described as an ob-sex-sion.”

While cringing at the provocation, I acknowledged the cleverness of the wordplay.

Violet’s eyebrows arched.“Not thatIever heard.What’s your source—”

Before that flared into another disagreement, I said, “So, who is this guy?How long did they know each other?Is he still around?Did he move away?Move on?”

Carol reinforced my efforts, saying, “He didn’t move away, but he must have moved on, because he’s married.Though only a few years ago.Three, I think.”

“She’s much younger,” murmured Linda, apparently drawn away from combatting Violet by such details.“And now she’s pregnant.”