already at the fire hall grounds. She’d be in her element, sitting in the booth surrounded by flowers, chatting with everyone who passed by.
So this was a perfect time for Meredith to get caught up on her current project, if she could just manage to keep her thoughts on the figures and not on last night’s curious events.
She couldn’t help glancing out her office window. The room had once been a back parlor, and it had the same view as the kitchen window from which she’d spotted Laura last night. A shiver traced its way down her spine.
Was Laura recovered today? Would she even remember the things she’d said in Meredith’s presence? Somehow she doubted it.
Jeannette’s reaction hadn’t surprised her. She’d been protective of Laura for as long as Meredith could remember. It was second nature for her to spring into action at the sight of her friend.
As for the discovery that Zach had been watching them... Well, she wouldn’t have to explain the situation to Zach, because the chances were that she wouldn’t see him again. He’d find some way of getting rid of the house that seemed such an albatross around his neck, and he’d leave.
If she did run into him— The pealing doorbell cut into her thoughts. She closed the file automatically, always aware of her clients’ privacy concerns, and hurried toward the front door.
Victor Hammond stood on the porch, his image distorted and magnified by the glass medallion in the front door. Meredith’s breath caught. Maybe she should have expected a visit from him after the incident with Laura. An echo of the panic she’d felt at the dam shivered through her. What was she going to say to Victor? Awkward didn’t cover it, even with someone she’d known as long as Victor.
She swung the door open, mustering up a smile. “Victor, good morning.” She stepped back. “Please, come in.”
He stepped inside, running his finger around the collar of his sport shirt. His round face wore an expression of reluctant determination, like a kid about to climb into the dentist’s chair.
“Thank you, Meredith. I won’t take up much of your time. I noticed your mother was already at the stand when I dropped off the flowers.”
“Yes. She always enjoys working the opening. I’m scheduled for a little later.”
Was the implication that he wouldn’t have stopped by if her mother had been here? Meredith led the way into the living room and gestured toward the sofa.
Victor adjusted the knees of his slacks as he sat, and then linked his hands loosely in a posture that should have looked relaxed but didn’t.
“I wanted to thank you. Jeannette told me that it was you who found Laura last night.” Somehow his tone invited her to explain just how that had come about. Well, that was natural enough, she supposed.
“I happened to glance out the kitchen window when I was doing the dishes, and I saw her going down the path.” She paused. Explaining why she’d followed Laura was a bit touchier. “I was concerned. The dam...” He could fill in the blanks, couldn’t he?
“The dam.” He said the words heavily, and his somewhat pudgy face was drawn with strain. “I was afraid of that. It’s always a sign that her condition is worsening when she becomes obsessed with the dam again.”
“I see.” Well, she didn’t, not really. How could she? The only things Meredith knew about Laura’s condition were the things everyone whispered about—the drugs, the alcohol, the visits to the rehab center.
Victor took out a handkerchief and mopped his forehead, then stared blankly at it as if not sure how it had come to be in his hand. The gesture shook Meredith. She’d been guilty of thinking about Laura as a piece of the puzzle to be solved, disregarding the widening circles of pain that still radiated out from Aaron’s death.
“If people knew what grief their suicide would cause, they’d never resort to it.” His words were nearly an echo of Meredith’s thoughts.
A wave of
So this was a perfect time for Meredith to get caught up on her current project, if she could just manage to keep her thoughts on the figures and not on last night’s curious events.
She couldn’t help glancing out her office window. The room had once been a back parlor, and it had the same view as the kitchen window from which she’d spotted Laura last night. A shiver traced its way down her spine.
Was Laura recovered today? Would she even remember the things she’d said in Meredith’s presence? Somehow she doubted it.
Jeannette’s reaction hadn’t surprised her. She’d been protective of Laura for as long as Meredith could remember. It was second nature for her to spring into action at the sight of her friend.
As for the discovery that Zach had been watching them... Well, she wouldn’t have to explain the situation to Zach, because the chances were that she wouldn’t see him again. He’d find some way of getting rid of the house that seemed such an albatross around his neck, and he’d leave.
If she did run into him— The pealing doorbell cut into her thoughts. She closed the file automatically, always aware of her clients’ privacy concerns, and hurried toward the front door.
Victor Hammond stood on the porch, his image distorted and magnified by the glass medallion in the front door. Meredith’s breath caught. Maybe she should have expected a visit from him after the incident with Laura. An echo of the panic she’d felt at the dam shivered through her. What was she going to say to Victor? Awkward didn’t cover it, even with someone she’d known as long as Victor.
She swung the door open, mustering up a smile. “Victor, good morning.” She stepped back. “Please, come in.”
He stepped inside, running his finger around the collar of his sport shirt. His round face wore an expression of reluctant determination, like a kid about to climb into the dentist’s chair.
“Thank you, Meredith. I won’t take up much of your time. I noticed your mother was already at the stand when I dropped off the flowers.”
“Yes. She always enjoys working the opening. I’m scheduled for a little later.”
Was the implication that he wouldn’t have stopped by if her mother had been here? Meredith led the way into the living room and gestured toward the sofa.
Victor adjusted the knees of his slacks as he sat, and then linked his hands loosely in a posture that should have looked relaxed but didn’t.
“I wanted to thank you. Jeannette told me that it was you who found Laura last night.” Somehow his tone invited her to explain just how that had come about. Well, that was natural enough, she supposed.
“I happened to glance out the kitchen window when I was doing the dishes, and I saw her going down the path.” She paused. Explaining why she’d followed Laura was a bit touchier. “I was concerned. The dam...” He could fill in the blanks, couldn’t he?
“The dam.” He said the words heavily, and his somewhat pudgy face was drawn with strain. “I was afraid of that. It’s always a sign that her condition is worsening when she becomes obsessed with the dam again.”
“I see.” Well, she didn’t, not really. How could she? The only things Meredith knew about Laura’s condition were the things everyone whispered about—the drugs, the alcohol, the visits to the rehab center.
Victor took out a handkerchief and mopped his forehead, then stared blankly at it as if not sure how it had come to be in his hand. The gesture shook Meredith. She’d been guilty of thinking about Laura as a piece of the puzzle to be solved, disregarding the widening circles of pain that still radiated out from Aaron’s death.
“If people knew what grief their suicide would cause, they’d never resort to it.” His words were nearly an echo of Meredith’s thoughts.
A wave of
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