Flashpoint by Ed Gorman

against the couch and folded her arms across her chest. Her mother’s persistence was obviously starting to grate on her.
    â€˜Elise, listen to me. That’s exactly what he told me.’
    â€˜He said to you, “I didn’t sleep with her.”’
    â€˜Yes, he did. They weren’t, of course. But things were bad enough already.’
    â€˜But he was going to meet her at the cabin.’
    â€˜He was going to set her straight. That’s why they were meeting there.’
    â€˜And now the police think he murdered her.’ Was there the faintest note of satisfaction in her voice?
    This time when she leaned forward she put her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. Maddy took her in her arms but Elise stayed hidden. She probably wanted to crunch herself into the smallest configuration possible. And maybe just disappear.
    I remembered the dry bar in the far corner straight behind the grand piano. I walked over there and filled a small glass with bourbon and water. When I got back Elise was sitting up again, but from the gaze I wondered if she was in shock. The dullness of her eyes suggested it.
    She took the glass with both hands. Like a child. She began drinking right away.
    Maddy thanked me
sotto voce
.
    â€˜That’s all I need. To become an alcoholic.’
    â€˜Oh, yes, Mom. You drink so much. What’re you up to now – two drinks a month or something like that?’
    â€˜Honey, you know how many alcoholics are in my family.’
    â€˜Yes, but you’re not one of them.’
    Elise had drunk most of the small glass. She set it carefully on the coffee table and then sat back and closed her eyes.
    â€˜Are you tired, Mom?’
    â€˜Uh-huh. Very.’ Eyes still closed. Willing the world away and I didn’t blame her.
    â€˜How about if I take you upstairs and tuck you in for a while?’
    â€˜It’s funny, Dev.’ Her eyes suddenly opened and she was staring at me. ‘I knew there’d be a woman. My father was like that. He’d make promises to my poor mother but he’d always go back to whoring around. And then one day he announced he’d fallen in love with some girl at his office. I’d actually met her several times before that and liked her. Very pretty and smart. I felt so guilty that I’d had those thoughts when my father told my mother about her. As if I’d betrayed my mother somehow.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, Elise.’
    She stood up abruptly. But she was uncertain, almost falling over, which she would have done if Maddy hadn’t bolted up and grabbed her around the waist.
    â€˜Just lean on me, Mom. We’ll take it easy and get you tucked in.’
    Mother and child, roles reversed.
    As if I’d already gone, and as Maddy began slowly walking her out of the room, Elise said, ‘Tell Dev I’m sorry if I was a bitch.’
    â€˜You weren’t a bitch, Mom. And Dev is our friend. He wouldn’t think anything like that.’ She accompanied this with a glance over her shoulder. Another
sotto voce
thank you.
    Suddenly Mrs Weiderman came into the room and Elise broke from Maddy and rushed to the much larger woman, embracing her and putting her head to Mrs Weiderman’s chest. Elise began sobbing and the woman started stroking her small, fine head the way she would a child’s. Maddy stood in place watching them, a fond smile in her eyes and on her mouth. After two or three minutes Mrs Weiderman gently eased herself back from Elise and nodded to Maddy. Then Maddy took charge of her mother again.
    I watched them leave. I felt bolted to my chair. I was getting like Elise. I didn’t want to stand up and meet the world again. The world I knew was always a harsh and deceitful one, but this new situation was a treachery I’d never faced before. My footing was anything but sure.
    Mrs Weiderman came into the room and said, ‘I heard some of it, Dev, but I didn’t hear