Murder by Yew (An Edna Davies Mystery #1)(15)

An idea came to her as she watched. “Have you ever had a pet?”

“No,” Mary answered, then added in explanation. “Father wouldn’t allow it.”

“Why? Was he allergic?”

“I don’t think so. He always said animals were a nuisance.”

“Did you ever ask him if you could have a cat or dog?”

“I did once. I wanted a dog, but Father said no. Mother agreed with him, and Miss Hattie said she would quit if she had to take care of a dirty animal. Said she had enough on her hands taking care of me.” Mary smiled up at Edna. “I used to hide from her.”

Mary’s mischievous grin made Edna laugh, while at the same time she realized how Mary seemed to regress into childhood when she spoke of her parents. Edna could easily imagine the little red-headed girl causing her nanny no end of trouble. “Why don’t you get yourself a pet now?” she asked. “A cat or dog would be wonderful company.”

At first, Mary looked surprised, almost shocked, but then a thoughtful look came over her face before she bent her head and continued to stroke Benjamin’s fur. Watching her, Edna wondered if Mary would ever feel liberated from her parents or their rules. She didn’t press the pet idea but made a mental note to broach the subject again sometime.

Setting the cups on the table and sitting down next to Mary, she laid a hand on her neighbor’s wrist. “Why don’t you drink some tea? It’ll warm you.”

At Edna’s movements, Benjamin jumped down and moved off toward his dish of dry food. Mary sat still for another few minutes while Edna sipped her own tea and waited, struggling to keep her mind off Tom. Speculation would be worse than facts.

Finally, after taking a long, quivering breath, Mary spoke in a quiet voice. “He’s in a coma. He was already in a coma when the ambulance got to his house. It was Nancy who called nine-one-one. When I talked to her, she said her father complained of stomach pains as soon as he got home this afternoon and went right upstairs to lie down for a while. About an hour later, she went to check and found him on the bathroom floor. She could see he’d been pretty sick. That’s when she called emergency.”

Edna was stunned. For several seconds she could say nothing. Then she asked, “What’s being done for him?”

“They pumped his stomach, but that didn’t seem to do any good.”

“You said he’s in a coma?” Edna’s mind flipped through information she’d stored over the years of being a physician’s wife. She’d heard many strange stories, but couldn’t remember ever hearing of gastrointestinal distress leading to a coma. She switched her mind back to what Mary was saying.

“Well, he was still in a coma a half hour ago when I left the hospital. I wanted to stay, but they said there’s nothing we can do. Nancy didn’t want to leave either, but she had to pick Danny up from the neighbor’s.” In a fresh burst of tears, Mary blurted, “I feel so helpless.”

“I know, I know.” Edna put out a hand and gently rubbed Mary’s back. When the younger woman’s tears finally lessened, Edna picked up her tea mug with both hands and felt its heat travel through her palms and up her arms, soothing and calming her as she pictured the strong, handsome man lying helplessly in a hospital bed. After a few minutes of silence, she set the cup down and spoke aloud the words that had begun to fill her head. “Our Father,” she began, “who art in Heaven.”

“Hallowed be Thy name.” Mary joined in.

Edna reached for Mary’s hand as they both sat and prayed for their friend.

Five

Edna was getting ready for bed that evening when the phone rang.

“Hi, sweetheart.”

The sound of Albert’s voice comforted her, something she badly needed after the last several hours of waiting in vain for word of Tom’s condition.

“Hello, dear,” she replied. “How was your flight?” She wanted to hear him talk, listen to him first, before she gave him the sad news.

“Not a hitch. No delays. Made it in plenty of time for the luncheon lecture.” She thought she detected a slight hesitation before he continued. “Edna, Honey, I’ve been invited by Dr. Isaacs, one of the pediatricians on my panel, to visit a children’s clinic in Denver. I’m thinking of extending my trip into next week. I’m going to call Grant, see if I can stay with them.”

There it was. Just a flicker of memory, but Dee’s words taunted her. You think he’ll be back on Sunday? Edna forced her attention onto Albert’s last words.

Grant was their son, their third child and the only one who lived more than a couple of hours’ drive away. He was the one Edna worried about most, having lost his first wife in a tragic accident and remarrying before he or his young daughter had had time to mourn properly, in Edna’s opinion. Or was she still angry that he hadn’t bothered to tell his parents about his second marriage until it was a fait accompli? His new wife was expecting a child in mid-December, not two months before their first wedding anniversary and only a year since Michele’s funeral. Edna had been very fond of Michele. Her fun-loving daughter-in-law had been a good foil for her overly serious son. Michele made Grant laugh. In fact, everyone’s mood seemed to brighten when Michele had been around.

Albert broke into her thoughts. “I know we’re driving out there for Thanksgiving, and you’re as anxious to see Grant and the family as I am, but I don’t know if Phil will be around during the holiday.” He’d apparently taken her silence as disapproval.