mystery.’
Chapter 17
‘I’m so worried about Henry,’ Eva told Auntie Joan. ‘I’ve tried calling him time and again–seven times today–and he’s never in.’
‘Maybe he’s teaching this course you told me about. The one about Tradition and Culture for Canadians.’
‘But that only takes up an hour or two and he wouldn’t be teaching it at six in the morning,’ said Eva. ‘I mean, the time difference is five hours, isn’t it?’
‘It’s five hours later in the UK. The time there now must be around midnight,’ said Auntie Joan. In his chair in front of the TV Uncle Wally groaned. He’d had a hard day trying to keep the thought of Dr Cohen and the scandal of being known as a sodomiser out of his mind. It was impossible. Life in Wilma could become impossible. The scandal had come at the worst possible time just when he was thinking of diversifying Immelmann Enterprises into pharmaceuticals. And here he was saddled with a woman who didn’t know that English time was five hours ahead of Eastern US time. Like she didn’t understand the sun rose in the east.
‘But then he must be at home,’ said Eva, her anxiety reaching a new pitch. ‘I’ve been phoning him every day around this time because he finishes his course by midday and he never stays out late at night. Do you think I should try again?’
‘Yes,’ said Wally. ‘I definitely think you should. He could have had an accident. Guy down in Alabama fell off a stepladder last fall and his wife kept calling and he couldn’t reach the phone. Couldn’t make the fridge either. Died of starvation. That and thirst. They didn’t find him until some kids broke in and there he was nothing but skin and bone.’
He didn’t have to say any more. Eva was already in the bedroom trying to get through again.
‘You didn’t have to tell her that,’ said Auntie Joan. ‘That was a real mean thing to say.’
‘I did and it wasn’t. Like being cooped up in prison with her and those nieces of yours.’
‘And yours, Wally Immelmann, your nieces too.’
Wally smiled a nasty smile and shook his head. ‘I married you, honey, not your fucking family. Ain’t no blood relations of mine.’
Before another full-scale quarrel could develop Eva had returned with the news that the phone at home had rung and rung and Henry still hadn’t answered.
‘Guy’s got good sense not to,’ said Wally to himself. He didn’t say it out loud.
‘Isn’t there some friend you could get to see where he is?’ Auntie Joan asked.
Eva said Henry didn’t like the Mottrams and he wasn’t on good terms with the neighbours.
‘His best friend is Peter Braintree. I suppose I could try them.’
She went back into the bedroom and came out five minutes later.
‘They don’t answer either,’ she said. ‘It’s the summer holidays and they always go away.’
‘Perhaps Henry has gone with them,’ said Auntie Joan.
But Eva wasn’t convinced. ‘He’d have told me if he’d been going to do that. He definitely said he had to stay behind because he has this course for the Canadians to teach. We need the money for the girls’ education.’
‘From what they said to the Revd Cooper…’ Wally began and was silenced by a look from
