“It happened about the same time my mother encouraged Carol and two of my other daughters to run away.”
“So your mother and you aren’t on what you’d call the best of terms.”
“I believe I did mention that.”
“And you were estranged from Carol, too?”
Mossman glowered at her. “Carol was always headstrong and irresponsible, even when she was little. And the fact that my mother was always -willing to step in and bail her out didn’t help matters any. If she had run away all on her own, I probably wouldn’t have worried. She was twenty by then-a grownup. But she took off with her two younger sisters in tow. I do blame my mother for that. If she hadn’t stepped in to help them back then, none of this would have happened.”
“So you’re saying your mother is ultimately responsible for Carol’s death?”
‘Absolutely,” Ed Mossman said with a decisive nod. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Joanna’s phone, still in her hand, let out a sharp little crow. Looking at the readout, Joanna saw her mother’s number. For once Joanna Brady was thrilled at the idea of an Eleanor Lathrop interruption. It gave her a much- needed reason to escape the confines of George Winfield’s office.
“If you’ll excuse me,” she said, heading for the door, “I need to take this call.”
The phone rang twice more before Joanna made it through the outside door and answered.
“Oh, there you are,” Eleanor said. “I was about to leave a message.”
“I had to come outside to answer.”
247
“Well,” Eleanor huffed, “if it’s inconvenient for you to talk to me right now, I can always call back later.”
“No, please. It’s fine. I can talk for a few minutes. What is it?”
“George thinks I was out of line,” Eleanor began uncertainly. “He thinks I owe you and”-she paused-“Butch an apology.” As long as Eleanor had known her son-in-law, she had made clear her preference for his given name, Frederick. Even now the word Butch seemed to stick in her throat.
“You don’t have to apologize, Mom,” Joanna said. “We just have different ideas about how the world works, that’s all.”
“It was unfair of me to enlist your brother’s help. It’s just that I so wanted you to listen to reason, which I’m sure you won’t.”
Since that was true, Joanna said nothing.
“George tells me that it’s a whole new century with different rules and roles for everyone, but I can’t see a grandchild of mine being raised by a …”
“By a what, Mom?” Joanna asked.
“By a novelist, I guess,” Eleanor said lamely. ‘And a male novelist at that. It strikes me as wrong, somehow- unseemly.”
What about Jenny? Joanna wanted to ask. Butch is doing a fine job of raising her, isn’t he? But just then Ernie Carpenter, driving his own Mercury Sable, pulled into the parking lot. Hoping to head off the arriving detective was the real reason Joanna had rushed outside to take her phone call.
“Mom,” Joanna said. “Sorry to interrupt, but something’s come up. I’ve got to go.”
“See there?” Eleanor said. “Even when I’m calling to apologize, you can’t spare me even a moment of attention. You don’t have the time-you don’t take the time-to listen.
It’s hopeless.”
“Mom, I really do have to go. I’ll call you later.”
248
She hung up just as Ernie walked over to her. “What’s up, boss?” he asked.
“Did you have a chance to go over my report?”
“Jaime just called and gave me a rundown,” Ernie replied. “You picked up a lot of information. You think the guy in the ME’s office, the father, is a suspect?”
“I’m not sure,” Joanna replied. “He could be.”
“Do we need to Mirandize him?”
Joanna shook her head. “Not right now. He’s not an actual suspect at this point.
When you and Jaime talk to him, keep your questions to next-of-kin issues for right now. Pick up as much information and as many details as you can that we might be able to use later to trip him up in case he does turn into a suspect.”
“Like what?” Ernie asked.
“I think we can get away with asking him about when and how he learned of his daughter’s death. Ask him that, but don’t ask him where he was at the time she was murdered.
We also need to figure out a way to keep him around long enough for us to decide if he is a suspect. Once he goes zipping back home to Mexico, we’ll never see him again.”
“What’s the deal here?” Ernie asked. “Mossman’s not really a suspect, but he may turn into one, so you want
