5
Walter looked incredulously at Adele and said, “What the hell are you talking about?”
Adele looked sheepishly at Walter and said, “She came to me right after she died. She implored me to take legal action against Peter. She told me what the school told her and that he more or less confessed.” Adele went to the bar and poured herself a drink. Walter came over to her and took it from her. He emptied the glass into the sink and slammed the glass down on the bar.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Walter asked.
Adele started to cry. She couldn’t hold back the tears and since Walter seemed unfit to respond, Marion went to Adele, put her arm around her shoulders and guided her back to the sofa.
“It’s okay,” Marion said gently, “Go ahead and tell us the rest.” Marion turned and gave Walter a stern look, as if to say shut up and let her get out what she needs to tell us. Walter sat in a chair across from the sofa and remained silent.
Adele’s sobbing slowed and she said she had promised to help, but felt afterward that the authorities would step in to do what was best for the children. While at her daughter’s funeral, Peter told her he was pulling the kids out of school and would have them home schooled. She feared for the girls but didn’t know what to do. Catherine came back to her and told her details that would prove to Peter that Adele knew the truth. Adele started sobbing again, harder this time. When she could speak again, she told them that Catherine had been at her home after her death and witnessed Peter’s abuse of the girls, Adele went to Peter’s office and told him what Catherine had witnessed. She told him to give her the kids or he would be sorry. She insisted Peter’s sister turn the kids over to her. He said he didn’t have the girls: His sister had taken them. She ran out of the office before he could respond further because that’s what Catherine told her to do. She only saw Peter a couple of times after that and he was drunk each time. It was no surprise when the police in Hartsdale called to inform her of his death.
“So I think it’s me you need,” Adele said.
Walter, who had been sitting quietly, now came alive. “Miss, er, Rogers, what was it you said about Hazel?”
Marion looked at them both, a little stunned at the change in subject, and replied, “Golda would like Morey Feinbaum to have her.”
Walter disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes, and then returned with a grocery bag and leash. “Let’s drive Hazel over and see what Mo says.” He turned to Adele, “We’ll be right back, Addy. Please don’t drink while we’re gone.” Adele nodded and Walter opened the patio door, went to Hazel, and fastened the leash to her collar. Marion smiled at Golda, and Golda understood.
“Thank you, darling. You’re a good girl.” And with that Golda faded away.
Marion went with Walter in his Suburban. Hazel seemed content to sit in the backseat. It took about 10 minutes to drive to Morey’s. Walter told her that Golda and Morey were good friends of his. He regretted he hadn’t thought to take Hazel to Morey sooner. “I just thought Cathy’s kids would enjoy having a dog.”
They pulled up in front of a two-story home with a front and back yard. It seemed a less affluent neighborhood than Adele’s, but the home looked good. A home with kids would do Hazel good, but only if the kids wanted a dog.
They parked the Suburban and were stepping out of the vehicle when the front door opened and an elderly man and a young boy came out to greet them.
“Hey, Walt! Never thought I’d see you today. What’s going on?” The elderly man looked genuinely happy to see Walter. No pretense.
Walter smiled, shook Morey’s hand and said, “I was hoping you could do me a favor.”
Morey looked surprised and responded, “Anything! What do you need?”
Walter opened to back door of the SUV and Hazel jumped
Walter looked incredulously at Adele and said, “What the hell are you talking about?”
Adele looked sheepishly at Walter and said, “She came to me right after she died. She implored me to take legal action against Peter. She told me what the school told her and that he more or less confessed.” Adele went to the bar and poured herself a drink. Walter came over to her and took it from her. He emptied the glass into the sink and slammed the glass down on the bar.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Walter asked.
Adele started to cry. She couldn’t hold back the tears and since Walter seemed unfit to respond, Marion went to Adele, put her arm around her shoulders and guided her back to the sofa.
“It’s okay,” Marion said gently, “Go ahead and tell us the rest.” Marion turned and gave Walter a stern look, as if to say shut up and let her get out what she needs to tell us. Walter sat in a chair across from the sofa and remained silent.
Adele’s sobbing slowed and she said she had promised to help, but felt afterward that the authorities would step in to do what was best for the children. While at her daughter’s funeral, Peter told her he was pulling the kids out of school and would have them home schooled. She feared for the girls but didn’t know what to do. Catherine came back to her and told her details that would prove to Peter that Adele knew the truth. Adele started sobbing again, harder this time. When she could speak again, she told them that Catherine had been at her home after her death and witnessed Peter’s abuse of the girls, Adele went to Peter’s office and told him what Catherine had witnessed. She told him to give her the kids or he would be sorry. She insisted Peter’s sister turn the kids over to her. He said he didn’t have the girls: His sister had taken them. She ran out of the office before he could respond further because that’s what Catherine told her to do. She only saw Peter a couple of times after that and he was drunk each time. It was no surprise when the police in Hartsdale called to inform her of his death.
“So I think it’s me you need,” Adele said.
Walter, who had been sitting quietly, now came alive. “Miss, er, Rogers, what was it you said about Hazel?”
Marion looked at them both, a little stunned at the change in subject, and replied, “Golda would like Morey Feinbaum to have her.”
Walter disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes, and then returned with a grocery bag and leash. “Let’s drive Hazel over and see what Mo says.” He turned to Adele, “We’ll be right back, Addy. Please don’t drink while we’re gone.” Adele nodded and Walter opened the patio door, went to Hazel, and fastened the leash to her collar. Marion smiled at Golda, and Golda understood.
“Thank you, darling. You’re a good girl.” And with that Golda faded away.
Marion went with Walter in his Suburban. Hazel seemed content to sit in the backseat. It took about 10 minutes to drive to Morey’s. Walter told her that Golda and Morey were good friends of his. He regretted he hadn’t thought to take Hazel to Morey sooner. “I just thought Cathy’s kids would enjoy having a dog.”
They pulled up in front of a two-story home with a front and back yard. It seemed a less affluent neighborhood than Adele’s, but the home looked good. A home with kids would do Hazel good, but only if the kids wanted a dog.
They parked the Suburban and were stepping out of the vehicle when the front door opened and an elderly man and a young boy came out to greet them.
“Hey, Walt! Never thought I’d see you today. What’s going on?” The elderly man looked genuinely happy to see Walter. No pretense.
Walter smiled, shook Morey’s hand and said, “I was hoping you could do me a favor.”
Morey looked surprised and responded, “Anything! What do you need?”
Walter opened to back door of the SUV and Hazel jumped
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