The River Widow(35)

Mabel looked doubtful but also the tiniest bit sympathetic, the tiniest bit vulnerable. What was going through her head? Could Mabel ever relent? Could she ever allow a crack to open in the wall between them?

“Maybe you could ask Buck about it.”

Mabel visibly bristled. “I don’t have to ask my husband’s permission for decisions I can make on my own. Now that you done said such a foolhardy thing, you made up my mind. You ain’t taking Daisy anywhere, not now, not ever.”

The next day, the hum of a car’s engine grew louder as it came up the drive. Adah had just started down the steps, holding on her hip Jack Darby’s laundry basket full of clean and ironed clothing and sheets. She was planning to go return his things, although she dreaded seeing him.

The sheriff’s department car came all the way to the house, bringing with it a more desperate shade of dread.

A man of about Buck’s age stepped out from the car. He was more white haired, taller, and thinner than Buck, but he had the same commanding manner about him, one that said he was fierce and would always get his way. His step was heavy, and his eyes were sharper than Buck’s, too, with an eaglelike intensity.

“Adah Branch,” he said in a calm, smooth tone that spoke of endless confidence.

“Yes, I’m Adah Branch.”

He strode up to her. “Manfred Drucker here.” He hadn’t needed to tell her; she already knew. Immediately she noticed his large-knuckled, big-boned hands and nails cut to the quick as if he’d groomed himself with a blade. If hands could be cruel, they would look like his. He asked, “How are you this sunny day?”

“Fine.”

“Good, good. So . . . what do you say let’s you and me sit down and talk for a spell.”

Adah fought for composure. Showing any signs of guilt would be devastating around this man. “Sure thing.” She gestured with her free hand toward the house. “Would you like to sit on the porch?”

“Now that’d be right nice,” Drucker said with a sly smile.

Adah led the way, and on the porch she set down the laundry basket, and they sat on the rocking chairs. Drucker turned his chair to face her more directly.

“What brings you here today?” Adah asked when it became obvious he was still studying her, trying to make her squirm.

Drucker sat back, stilled the chair, and, with his elbows on the armrests, steepled his hands in front of him. Steady as a stone. “You know, me and Buck go back a long ways,” he said while keeping his eyes fixed on her.

“I heard about that.”

A tiny hint of a smile curled one side of his lips. “You heard right. Me and him grew up together. Yep, sure did, and over the years we done some favors for each other.” He blinked once. “Too bad I wasn’t here when they done found Lester’s body.”

“Yes,” Adah said and gulped. “My husband.”

“Yep, I would’ve liked to been around so I could help out with the police for my old friend.”

Adah simply waited, trying to keep her expression as open and unguarded as possible.

“But since I come back, old Buck here, he done come around and told me some interesting stories and proposed some interesting theories.”

Adah never even shifted in her seat. She’d known something like this was coming, but Drucker’s scrutiny was worse than she’d imagined. And still she remained blank on the outside.

“He’s plumb convinced you had something to do with his son’s death.”

Adah allowed herself to exhale slowly. “Yes, I know. I think it’s very difficult for Buck to believe that something so random and cruel could’ve happened to his son. He can’t accept it, he needs someone to blame.”

One of Drucker’s eyebrows lowered. “That so? That your theory?”

“Yes.”

Now he sat forward and let his hands fall. “Buck says when he saw Lester’s body, it looked like his head had been bashed in.”

“Yes, I know that, too. But the police saw nothing of concern. Although I’m sure Buck and Jesse tried to change their minds.”

Drucker made a fist out of his right hand and gently bumped it against his thigh. Once, twice. “But I weren’t there to see for myself.”

He waited, and Adah had nothing to say to that at first. But then she picked up a thought. “The coroner was there.”

Drucker allowed a smile, as if enjoying this game. “Funny thing you mention that. I had me a talk with the coroner, and the way he sees it, Lester got struck in the head while he was caught up in the river before he drowned. He also had some broken ribs and a broken leg. He got pretty roughed up. You know about all that?”

Adah shook her head. “I didn’t want to know the details.”

“Oh, but the devil is in the details, honey.” He smirked. “The devil is in the details. What he said didn’t rule out what Buck suspects. The coroner done guessed it happened in the water, those injuries, but he don’t know that for sure. That’s the way I see it.”

Adah fought the urge to grasp her hands together, instead keeping them still in her lap. “I don’t think anyone else on the police force or in the sheriff’s department agrees with you.”

He laughed, a loud, menacing bark. “They don’t yet.” He scooted his chair closer and leaned in farther. “Let me tell you something, sweetheart. There was a rush to get Lester into the ground, condition he was. There was no autopsy done. They should’ve done it, but they didn’t. But his body can still be exhumed. There can still be an autopsy.” He paused. “That’s the only way to know for sure how he died.”