him away, but I wasn’t very responsive either. Rational, I reminded myself. Pretend this is a business conference.
“One crazy thing after another happened today,” I said. “Yes, I finally had to make a list.”
Joe sat down on the comfortable couch AuntNettie had installed in the break room. I think he expected me to sit beside him, but instead I pulled a straight chair over and faced him.
“Shoot,” he said.
“Well, since you mention shooting—were you aware that your pal Pete Falconer packs a pistol?”
Joe’s face remained expressionless, so I went on. “I walked up on the porch when Pete wasn’t expecting me, and he was stowing a large pistolin his duffel bag. What gives?”
Joe grinned. “I’m sure he has a permit,” he said.
“A permit? Joe, Pete may have a dozen permits from the State of Michigan or the federal government or whoever else licenses firemen—I mean, firearms!”
I’d blown it. Joe knew I made those malapropisms when I was nervous. So much for my calm-and-rational act. I went on quickly. “But Pete does not have a permit tocarry a pistol in my house! Our house.”
“I didn’t know you objected to firearms, Lee. I can even remember one occasion when you grabbed a deer rifle and threatened three people with it. You saved the day. You’re a regular pistol-packin’ mama when you’re riled up.”
I tried to keep my voice level. “Yes, I was raised with guns in the house, and I’m not afraid of them—if they’re in the hands ofpeople who practice handling them regularly and safely. But why does Pete need a pistol to watch birds?”
“Hey! Pete is well qualified in the handling of firearms. Just don’t worry about it.” Joe grinned again, but the grin didn’t look natural.
“Do you know what Pete’s up to?”
“I have some idea. And it is okay. Trust me on this one.” Joe grinned even wider. “What’s next on your list?”
I lookedat it. “Gina.”
“What about her?”
“Why is she here?”
“She’s dodging her latest ex.”
“Is he dangerous? Because if he is, Gina needs to be in a shelter, not in a house with two teenage girls.”
“I don’t think he’s dangerous in the sense that he’ll come looking for her. He may be dangerous in the sense that she’s afraid he’ll talk her into calling off the divorce.”
“Who is he?”
“His name isArt Atkins.”
“Atkins? Like your grandmother’s maiden name?”
Joe laughed. “Yeah. Gina met him at a family reunion.”
“Joe! Will you be serious?”
He patted my hand. “I’ll try. Gina got acquainted with him through her antique business, though I think he actually is some sort of distant cousin.”
“She’s driving me crazy.”
“I know Gina is annoying. Do you want me to throw her out?”
“Not if shereally needs a place to stay. But will you try to convince her she should call your grandmother?” I described the episode when I’d been forced to lie to Joe’s grandmother, to tell her—or at least imply—that I didn’t know where Gina was, even though her missing daughter was running up my stairs.
Joe rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to Gina. What’s next?”
He still didn’t seem to be taking my concernsseriously, but I was down to one I thought would get his attention.
“Tracy overhead something at the grocery store that I found upsetting.” I repeated the gossip linking Joe’s mom to the burglaries along the lakeshore. “I made the girls promise they wouldn’t repeat that story to anyone,” I said.
I was surprised when Joe’s first reaction was a shrug. “It’s not like you to pay attention to gossip,”he said.
“Joe! This isn’t just gossip! This is slander! And it’s completely unfair. Mercy should snow. I mean, sue! She should take that woman to court.”
“Yeah, that would do a lot of good. That way the Gazette would write it up, and everybody in town would be talking about it. Like having a movie banned so you can sell more tickets.”
“But
“One crazy thing after another happened today,” I said. “Yes, I finally had to make a list.”
Joe sat down on the comfortable couch AuntNettie had installed in the break room. I think he expected me to sit beside him, but instead I pulled a straight chair over and faced him.
“Shoot,” he said.
“Well, since you mention shooting—were you aware that your pal Pete Falconer packs a pistol?”
Joe’s face remained expressionless, so I went on. “I walked up on the porch when Pete wasn’t expecting me, and he was stowing a large pistolin his duffel bag. What gives?”
Joe grinned. “I’m sure he has a permit,” he said.
“A permit? Joe, Pete may have a dozen permits from the State of Michigan or the federal government or whoever else licenses firemen—I mean, firearms!”
I’d blown it. Joe knew I made those malapropisms when I was nervous. So much for my calm-and-rational act. I went on quickly. “But Pete does not have a permit tocarry a pistol in my house! Our house.”
“I didn’t know you objected to firearms, Lee. I can even remember one occasion when you grabbed a deer rifle and threatened three people with it. You saved the day. You’re a regular pistol-packin’ mama when you’re riled up.”
I tried to keep my voice level. “Yes, I was raised with guns in the house, and I’m not afraid of them—if they’re in the hands ofpeople who practice handling them regularly and safely. But why does Pete need a pistol to watch birds?”
“Hey! Pete is well qualified in the handling of firearms. Just don’t worry about it.” Joe grinned again, but the grin didn’t look natural.
“Do you know what Pete’s up to?”
“I have some idea. And it is okay. Trust me on this one.” Joe grinned even wider. “What’s next on your list?”
I lookedat it. “Gina.”
“What about her?”
“Why is she here?”
“She’s dodging her latest ex.”
“Is he dangerous? Because if he is, Gina needs to be in a shelter, not in a house with two teenage girls.”
“I don’t think he’s dangerous in the sense that he’ll come looking for her. He may be dangerous in the sense that she’s afraid he’ll talk her into calling off the divorce.”
“Who is he?”
“His name isArt Atkins.”
“Atkins? Like your grandmother’s maiden name?”
Joe laughed. “Yeah. Gina met him at a family reunion.”
“Joe! Will you be serious?”
He patted my hand. “I’ll try. Gina got acquainted with him through her antique business, though I think he actually is some sort of distant cousin.”
“She’s driving me crazy.”
“I know Gina is annoying. Do you want me to throw her out?”
“Not if shereally needs a place to stay. But will you try to convince her she should call your grandmother?” I described the episode when I’d been forced to lie to Joe’s grandmother, to tell her—or at least imply—that I didn’t know where Gina was, even though her missing daughter was running up my stairs.
Joe rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to Gina. What’s next?”
He still didn’t seem to be taking my concernsseriously, but I was down to one I thought would get his attention.
“Tracy overhead something at the grocery store that I found upsetting.” I repeated the gossip linking Joe’s mom to the burglaries along the lakeshore. “I made the girls promise they wouldn’t repeat that story to anyone,” I said.
I was surprised when Joe’s first reaction was a shrug. “It’s not like you to pay attention to gossip,”he said.
“Joe! This isn’t just gossip! This is slander! And it’s completely unfair. Mercy should snow. I mean, sue! She should take that woman to court.”
“Yeah, that would do a lot of good. That way the Gazette would write it up, and everybody in town would be talking about it. Like having a movie banned so you can sell more tickets.”
“But
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