Missing Pieces(22)

Jack’s face, Sarah noticed, was a pasty white. His hands were jammed in his pockets and his eyes were pinned to the lace curtains above the kitchen window. She realized that this was probably the first time Jack had stepped foot in this house in decades.

“I’ve known Sheriff Gilmore for years.” Hal was indignant. “I can’t believe he seriously thinks that one of us could have hurt Julia.”

Jack’s gaze went to the kitchen counter where Celia had tossed a dish towel hand embroidered with fall leaves.

“I don’t think he really does,” Celia said diplomatically. “But he has to investigate. It’s his job.”

“I’d just like to know who reported such nonsense,” Hal said, annoyed.

Jack walked over to the kitchen counter and picked up the dish towel to examine the intricate stitching.

“It must have been the doctors or nurses who reported it.” Dean paced the kitchen. “What a nightmare.”

“Has anyone talked to Amy?” Celia asked. “Where did she run off to?”

Jack brought the dish towel to his nose and Sarah realized the embroidered dish towel was once his mother’s.

Jack lowered the towel from his face and his eyes went to the basement door. He seemed to be in a trance.

“Jack? Are you okay?” Sarah asked with concern. She could see the small muscle in his jaw working. “Jack? What’s the matter?”

Before he could respond, he rushed past Sarah and out of the kitchen. Sarah followed him as he raced down the hallway and into the bathroom. He slammed the door and she heard his knees striking the tile floor and then the retching. The sound of deep, heaving spasms spilled out from beneath the bathroom door.

“Jack, are you all right?” Sarah rapped on the door and pressed her face against the cold wood. “What’s wrong?” she called.

But Sarah knew perfectly well what was wrong. There were too many memories here. Too much pain. Long-buried secrets. She couldn’t help but think it was a bad idea for them to come back to Penny Gate. They should have stayed home in Larkspur and let the family handle Julia on their own. It was all too much—for Jack, and for her—and yet she feared that this was only the beginning.





6

“JACK,” SARAH CALLED through the door again. “Are you okay?” The door opened and Jack emerged, sallow faced. “What’s going on?”

“It’s been a terrible day. I’m sure it’s just the stress,” Celia said as she handed Jack a glass of water.

Sarah bit back a sharp response. Sarah knew her husband, or at least thought she did. Returning to this house, to where his mother had died, had been murdered, that’s what had made him so violently ill.

Jack took a sip of water. “I’m better now, really.”

“Let’s go sit down,” Celia said, leading them all to the living room. Sarah noticed that Jack kept his eyes down as if purposefully trying to avoid catching sight of anything else that might trigger a memory.

“Has anyone heard from Amy?” Jack asked, settling into an armchair. Celia patted the love seat where she took a seat, inviting Sarah to join her.

“No, but she’s the one who found Mom,” Dean said. “I’d like to talk to her and I know the sheriff does, too.”

“They had their differences, but surely Amy wouldn’t do anything to hurt Julia,” Celia insisted.

Dean held up his hands. “Maybe, maybe not. But you have to admit the way she was acting today was downright strange. Christ, she practically attacked the nurse.”

“I’ve never seen her act that way,” Jack said. “She’s done some crazy things but...”

“That’s not fair,” Celia interjected. “Of course Amy is upset. Julia was the only mother that Amy has known since she was eleven.”

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to ward off a headache. “I’ll keep trying to call her. I’m sure she’ll show up.”

“So what happens next?” Sarah asked.

“The sheriff says he wants to talk to each of us,” Dean explained. “In the meantime—” Dean’s words snagged in his throat “—they’ll do the autopsy.”

“Well, I’d like to talk to Gilmore here and now,” Hal said defiantly. “I might just call him up myself right this minute. I want to know if he really thinks one of us hurt Julia. He knows us. He knows no one in the family is capable of this!”

“Look,” Jack said. “We obviously need to get to the bottom of this, but right now, we need to focus on Aunt Julia.”

“Jack’s right,” Celia added. “We still need to call everyone and start making funeral arrangements. I can stop at Saint Finnian’s and meet with Father Gordon if you’d like, Hal,” Celia offered.

He nodded, his eyes brimming with tears again, and he swiped them away.

“What can I do?” Sarah asked, knowing she had very little to offer. She didn’t know Julia well, didn’t know her friends or community.

“I guess we’ll need clothes for the wake and funeral,” Jack said, holding out the keys to the rental car. “Could you take care of that while we talk to the funeral home? Maybe run into Cedar City to pick up a few things?”