She held tighter.
“We only have a few minutes until we pull into the cemetery.” Vicky was tucking her handkerchief back into her sleeve, then cleared her throat.
Galen tried to sit up and she dug her fingers in, bringing him back down over her.
“If you hold any harder you will leave bruises.”
“Sorry.” Hiccupped out between breaths.
He kissed her head. “No it’s fine. I was hoping to make you laugh. Are you feeling better now?”
She nodded and squeezed once more before she had to release him. All vows to stay strong and not let anyone see her cry had left and all she wanted to do was stay curled safely in his grasp.
She sat up slowly, concentrating on inhaling and making the people around her stop swirling.
“Oh Maddy, you look like you’ve been crying.”
She looked at Rita like she’d lost her mind.
“Let me fix your makeup.” She was already fishing items out of her handbag. “Good thing about not wearing much make-up is you don’t have it smeared everywhere.”
Rita gently touched up her face then turned the mirror on herself. “You do have those glasses I insisted on.”
Maddy nodded and cleared her throat, not believing she what was about to say to Rita James—Rita Langley she corrected herself. “Thanks, Rita.”
Galen helped her out of the car and then Vicky. Each of them took an arm to escort the elderly woman to the gravesite.
“I don’t need an escort.” Vicky stated.
“No ma’am but you are keeping me steady.” Maddy took a good deep breath of fresh cool air.
“You realized it didn’t you? That they wouldn’t be separated anymore?”
The woman’s intuition never amazed her. Not sure she could talk as she blinked away the tears behind the sunglasses, she nodded.
“Now you just have to figure out yourself, baby.”
Her heart thumped again, when she called her baby. Why was everyone calling her baby today? Didn’t they understand how much that reminded her of Cassie talking to her? Maybe that was it, Mama was talking to her through everyone else.
They waited for the casket to be placed before they took their places around the grave. Not everyone from the funeral home made the trek over to the gravesite. Tess must have gone on to the house to greet those who went there. She’d yet to even hug the woman.
This time she actually heard what the preacher was saying. Galen’s strong hand resting on her back helped. He would catch her if she fell to hysterics again.
Her eyes continued to move from Pa’s spot to Mama’s, the thought of them being together held her together through the ceremony.
“In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our sister Cassie Ann Murphy; and we commit her body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless her and keep her, the Lord make his face to shine upon her and be gracious unto her and give her peace.”
Twenty
Maddy stayed by the grave as mourners greeted her and said their condolences. Not one person said a thing about Fredric, the payroll or Will.
“I’m going to go with Harland and pay our respects to Mama. It’ll give you a few minutes alone.” Galen held her hands as the smile eased to his lips. “Don’t think about running.”
She nodded. “I’ll be here or the car when you’re done.”
He was clearly disappointed when he walked away. Guess that was meant as a joke. She’d have to make it up to him when she was feeling a little jollier. The heaviness of the day was weighing on her and all she wanted to do was curl up on the bed of grass and sleep between her parents.
She moved out of the way of the gravediggers as they lowered the casket into the ground. The urge to see inside the casket was still there but she trusted Galen in the fact that she probably didn’t want to look. She took the jewelry out of her pocket, strung the wedding ring through the chain and put it on her neck.
The tears were flowing less than they had in the car. She leaned against the gravestone that would soon have Mama’s name next to Pa’s. Life had not been kind to them. Newlyweds with a child. The accident at the plant putting Pa out of work. Then once he came to terms with his lot in life, he passed, leaving Mama alone.
She stared across at Galen, Harland, and Rita standing over Kate’s marker. Fredric and Kate’s life hadn’t been much better. She blamed it on Fredric’s need for power and money, but it was still sad. So why do people go through it all?
Rita rubbed her hand across Harland’s back. Again newlyweds with family problem. Maybe not a child, but still problems. Yet, it didn’t seem to affect them. They were together and holding each other. She wondered what it would take to break them, that last straw that would cause the tears and the heartache.
She didn’t remember Mama crying. Pa drank, that was his escape from the pain. So had Kate. Maddy herself had run when she couldn’t take it. She was no better than they were. It might have been the best thing to do, but it was still an escape. Even Galen had run. At least he seemed to be atoning for that now. As well as setting everything straight for her, she hoped.
The bottom line was that life went on. Pa had died and Cassie continued. Cassie died and she went on. She’d thought Galen died and again she went on. Someday she would die and life would go on.
The people that each deceased soul left behind were their way of living on. She took a hard seat on the ground. She was all that was left of two people. The tears were dropping faster.
She’d run instead of standing up to Kate. She could have gone out to Will’s and made him confess. That’s what Galen had done, of course he had the banged up hand to show how hard that had been. Running had seemed like her only possible course of action at the time.
“Madelyn?”
“I ran.”
His hand smooth out her hair.
“I should have made Kate tell the truth. I should have confronted Will. Instead, I left her out there by herself, away from Pa. I let her down.”
“No, you didn’t.”
She didn’t want to hear him. “I should have been here. You came home and I wasn’t here.”
“You did what was best. God knows what Will would have done to you. Mama wouldn’t have told anyone else, I’m sure she was good to that promise.” He held her close, gently rocking her.
“I should have stood up to Fredric.”
Harland bent down. “Galen’s the only person who’s ever done that. I couldn’t even stand up to him and tell him I wanted to marry Rita instead of you. He intended for you to run. He knew you’d never go through with marrying anyone but Galen. Mama even said it that next morning. I just thought she was drunk.”
“Harland!” Rita glanced at the grave they had left.
Harland ignored her and continued, “She said something about he should be happy because he succeeded in getting rid of his biggest mistake. I didn’t know it then but I’m sure he was talking about the last link to Cassie.”
She held tight to Galen.
“You two go open the car door please.” He waited a few seconds and lifted her up. “You know Harland’s right. Dad had been trying to run us both out for a long time. He convinced me with a stable future and coming home to you a better man than I left.”
“There was nothing wrong with you when you left.”
Galen had been kind enough to park halfway up the driveway instead of anywhere near the garage. The street was lined up and down with visitor’s cars that filled the house. She heard laughter, which surrounded Vicky telling stories of Cassie when she was a child. She was sure a few of her own were mixed in.
“If you need me, I won’t be far.” Galen whispered then slipped down the hall toward the kitchen. Harland followed.
Rita stood by her looking smug. “Until he comes back, I’m your company.”
“I’ll be fine, Rita.”
The smile left her face. “No
w, I know when we were kids I was. . . mean to you but that doesn’t mean we don’t have quite a bit in common these days.”
She wanted a stiff drink. “You’re here to yell if I try to take off.”
“I can scream like you wouldn’t believe.” Her smile widened.
Maddy went down the hall assuming that the food and drinks were in the dining room. Rita fell in line behind her. She found the drinks and poured herself a glass of wine, not trusting what would spill out of her mouth if she took something stronger.
“Galen said you don’t drink.”
“I normally don’t.”
She took a good drink of the wine and watched the door swing as someone came out of the kitchen. The girl was young and she didn’t recognize her but she did know the potato salad that was placed on the table. She followed the girl back into the kitchen.
Tess stood over the stove, Rita’s mom was looking in the refrigerator and the girl was grabbing another dish.
Mrs. James closed the door and hugged her daughter then threw her arms around Maddy. “Look at you all grown up and my girl did very good on that dress.”
Rita’s smile was back.
“I helped on that.” Tess was next in line with arms open. “If I’d let her go alone that hem would have been a few inches shorter.”
“It’s a great dress.” She returned the smile to Rita then took another drink.
Tess took the glass from her. “None of that now.”
“I have to do something.” She objected.
“Good, I hear you’ve been cooking.” Tess smiled. “You can start with that onion.”
Maddy smiled and slid off the jacket, laying it in a chair at the table. Rita’s purse went in a chair, too.
“What can I do, Miss Tess.”
Tess laughed. Mrs. James handed her potatoes to peel.
“I can do this.” She said defensively when Maddy looked at her.
On the third potato, Maddy took away the knife. “You’re taking too much off it.”
She showed her how to do it better.
“That is a sight I never thought I’d see.” Harland said from the back door next to Galen.
“But should we really be trusting Madelyn with a knife today?” Galen’s eyes grew brighter.
She pointed the thing at him. “I’m doing just fine in here.”
“You should be out there.” He nodded his head toward the rest of the house.
“She’s just fine where she is.” Tess used her motherly voice on him.
“Not really.” Galen looked to the floor.
“Why not?” Maddy slammed down the knife on the counter.
Harland chimed in perfectly seriously. “Because he just set fire to the garage.”
Everyone stared at Harland. All at once, Rita and her mom went out the back door and Tess went for the phone.
“You did what?” Maddy didn’t hide the shock.
“You could have at least waited ‘til all the guests were gone.” Tess told him then spoke into the phone.
“Why?” Maddy put her hand on her head where it ached.
“I couldn’t stand it being out there.”
She nodded. “You know there are cans in there of paint and gas, that will explode?”
“We took those out.” Harland popped an olive in his mouth. “Actually almost everything but the work bench came out.”
“You helped him instead of stopping him?”
“I wanted it gone, too.” Harland said between chews.
Maddy picked the wine glass off the counter and drained the last of its contents before Tess could grab it. Galen took it from her and went out the door toward the dining room as Vicky came in the other door.
“You all know there is smoke flowing down the driveway?”
“Yes.” Maddy tried to smile.
“Alright.” Vicky went back out the door as if Maddy had answered for the smoke well enough.
“Someone should tell everyone out there, not to worry about it.” Harland continued to chew.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. I know your mama taught you better.” Maddy wiped her hands on a towel and went out the door Vicky had.
People were milling about the study, looking out the window and out the front door. Maddy passed them to the foyer so she could be heard in the parlor as well.
Mrs. Vickers was closest to the window. “What’s going on Madelyn?”
“There is a fire but don’t worry it’s not in the house.” She heard the siren coming closer.
“Where is it?” Mrs. Vickers continued.
“In the garage.” Maddy smiled and went down the hall back the way she came.
Galen stood alone in the kitchen, handed her a full wine glass, his own tumbler nearly empty.
“I’m not going back out there.” She took a drink.
“What did you tell them?” Galen watched the ice roll around his glass.
“That there was a fire…in the garage.”
“You didn’t tell them I set it?” His brow bunched as he looked at her.
“No.” She took another drink.
“Then I will.” He slammed the glass on the counter.
She caught his arm as he went by, heat apparent through the shirt. “No need to. They can think it was me. God knows I thought about it this morning before you got me out of this house.”
“I . . .” He shook his head.
She kissed his cheek feeling a little lighter. The garage was burning down, the fire trucks on their way, and he had done it without thinking she would appreciate it. Maybe to help alleviate some of her pain. In that case, it did what it was meant to do.
Twenty-One
The guests slowly left after the fire trucks finished putting out the flames. The chief let Madelyn off with a warning for setting fires on purpose then apologized for not making the funeral—duty and all.
Tess and Mrs. James stayed and helped clean up but excused themselves long before Madelyn had expected. She, Galen, Harland and Rita sat at the dining room table.
Galen’s expression remained macabre--he’d taken her pain with his actions. Pain she didn’t think would subside and he had done it in a moment of passion.
She wondered if Will had truly loved Cassie as she’d claimed. Perhaps his were also actions of passion. It wasn’t for her to decided, but the courts. The same courts that would decide if she’d stolen the money.
“Are you alright with that?” Harland looked at her from across the table expecting an answer.
“I’m sorry?” She shook her head.
“For me to be your lawyer tomorrow?”
She considered it for a moment. “I don’t think there is anyone more qualified.”
“Good. I saw the paperwork when Galen wanted my opinion on what to do.”
She glanced at Galen, his hands where clasped with his arms on his knees, his eyes planted on the floor.
“Dad doesn’t have a leg to stand on, which is going to help you greatly.” Harland continued.
“Glad he took it to you then.” She smiled, “I don’t need them back.”
She could hear the breath Galen released.
“I also know a good part of the story and already talked to Judge Coswell and Dad. Of course, Dad’s adamant that you took the money with all that paperwork. The judge doesn’t trust anything he says at this point. Dad hired one of his friends from Seattle to defend him. Anyone that would have represented him locally was in that book, and most have passed away, retired or are hiding away to stay out of it.
What hurts us is Mama’s gone, too. She can’t stand up and relay the ordeal, I’m not sure she would have if she were still here.”
“What should I expect?”
“Coswell is a fair man. I’m not sure what to expect. He’s seen the papers on Dad, he’s heard from me, Rita, Galen and anyone else I could think of to speak on your behalf, even people whose homes you cleaned. Nothing ever came up missing. I just hope it was enough.” He sat back in his chair.
“What’s the plan if he convicts her.” Galen said curtly.
“We appeal.”
Galen wrung his hands.
“Did you bring your financial records with you?”
“Lucien told me to, they’re upstairs.”
“Get them.”
She walked past the front door and took a deep breath. Galen was hurting and she couldn’t take his pain as easily as he had hers. She moved her clothes around the suitcase to get the envelope from the bottom.
“Run.” Galen’s voice made her jump. “Leave and don’t come back.”
“I can’t.” She shook her head.
“Let me stand in your place.”
“I think the lawyer downstairs would advise otherwise.”
His hand wrapped around her arms. “Damn it, I don’t care.”
“I do.” She closed her eyes, unable to take the anger and pain he held back.
His arms wrapped tight around her, crushing her into him.
“Why can’t you listen to me?”
“I won’t let you take the brunt of something I caused.”
“I won’t let you sit in jail.”
Galen woke up with the night still over the house. He stretched over the bed trying to figure out what wasn’t right. It took only a few seconds and he was out of the empty bed. He flipped on the light to find her suitcase missing.
How far of a head start did she have on him? He slipped on an undershirt and his shoes. He’d grab his coat and be after her. She wouldn’t get any transportation out of this county; he’d seen to that but any of the surrounding counties he hadn’t. Part of him wanted her gone, hoped he wouldn’t find her.
The door crashed into the wall when he swung it open. He’d cleared the landing on the stairs and halted when he saw her curled up lying against the wall.
“I tried to go. Tried to run like you told me to.” Her voice cracked with each word. “I couldn’t go any farther.”
The suitcase sat on a step lower than her. Her coat still on the rack by the door. He stepped closer.
“It was like each step I took was losing a little more of me. I was losing you all over again.”
He took another step.
Finding Madelyn Page 14