big they were setting traps for
It was only a slight exaggeration. After losing one
house to the IRS for back taxes, defaulting on another,
and getting evicted twice, Judith, Dan, and Mike had
ended up, as Grandpa Grover would have put it, “in
Queer Street.” Dan had stopped working altogether by
then, and Judith’s two jobs barely paid for the basics.
The Thurlow rental was a wreck, the neighborhood
disreputable. After Dan died, Judith and her only son
moved back into the family home on Heraldsgate Hill.
Her mother had protested at first when Judith came up
with her scheme to turn the big house into a B&B.
Eventually, Gertrude had given in, if only because she
and Judith and Mike had to eat. But when Joe reappeared in Judith’s life during the homicide investigation of a guest, the old lady had balked. If Judith
married Joe, Gertrude announced, she wouldn’t live
under the same roof with him. Thus, the toolshed had
been converted into a small apartment, and Gertrude
took her belongings and her umbrage out to the backyard.
She complained constantly, but refused to budge.
SUTURE SELF
11
Judith pictured her mother in the old brown mohair
chair, eating her “supper,” watching TV, and cursing
Joe Flynn. Gertrude would never change her mind
about her son-in-law, not even now in her dotage. But
at least some sort of truce was in effect, which made
life a little easier at Hillside Manor.
Shortly after seven, Judith called Renie back to get
the details on her cousin’s surgery. Neither of them
knew exactly what time their operations would be
scheduled and wouldn’t find out until Friday afternoon. Judith hunkered down and tried to be patient. It
wasn’t easy: Even in the wheelchair, she experienced a
considerable amount of pain and, due to the recent
news reports, it was accompanied by an unexpected
apprehension. Still, Judith could do little more than
wait.
The tedium was broken Friday morning when Mike
called from his current posting as a forest ranger up on the
close-in mountain pass.
“Guess what,” he said in his most cheerful voice.
“What?” Judith asked.
“Guess.”
The first thing that came to mind was that Mike had
been promoted. Which, she thought with plunging
spirits, might mean a transfer to anywhere in the fifty
states.
“Don’t keep me in suspense,” Judith said. “I’m an
invalid, remember?”
“Mom . . .” Mike chuckled. “It’s only temporary.
