The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon

After I slid behind the driver’s seat and Tom was beside me, I said, “Let Finn stay with me. You can, too. Bring Dashiell. You know I have plenty of room, and somebody named Tom Stewart installed a state-of-the-art security system at my house.”

“It won’t work,” he said. “With Dashiell’s blood sugar scare—”

“Being around a dog would be too stressful,” I finished. “But you know my house is open to you.”

“I have to stay home while Bob’s hanging around. If I don’t watch out, he might rob me blind or spend his time figuring out ways to get to Mom. Here’s what you could do, though. Keep the dog while Finn stays with me. That way I can protect him. I’ll roll out a sleeping bag for myself if I have to.”

“You don’t even know if Gannon intends him any harm,” I said.

“What’s your gut tell you about him?” he said.

“He’s a scary guy,” I said, remembering his face and his intensity. “Whatever you decide, I’m with you.”

Minutes later, I pulled into the driveway of the house where Karen lived with her partner, Ed Duffy.

Ed, wearing blue jean overalls and a plaid flannel shirt answered the door. I noticed his beard was showing more signs of gray than the last time I’d seen him.

He smiled and said, “Haven’t seen Karen this happy in a long time. Come on in and join the party.”

Ed couldn’t possibly be this jovial if Rory Gannon had shown up. We found Finn and Karen sitting at the dining room table playing chess. The house was chilly and Karen wore a pale blue collared cardigan with every pearl button fastened. I wondered where she bought these vintage clothes, or if she’d bought them years ago and simply taken excellent care of them. I noted a can of Dr Pepper beside Finn’s hand. I was glad I had a good supply at my place now and would make sure to hand over a few liter bottles to Tom.

Karen looked up at Tom. She was beaming. “He’s beaten me twice already. What a difference a few years make.”

“I play chess online all the time,” Finn said.

“Hate to break up the party,” Tom said, “but Finn needs to come with us.”

“But I have supper on, Thomas,” Karen said. “The macaroni and cheese is in the oven and Ed was just about ready to fry up the catfish he caught today.”

Tom bit the side of his mouth, seeming to consider the importance of a doting grandmother who was fixing what might well be Finn’s favorite meal. Finally he said, “Guess we could stay for a spell. Do you have enough food for all of us?”

“We have enough fish for an army,” Ed said. “I’ll get busy with my part of this deal.”

While he ambled to the kitchen, Karen said, “Guess we’ll have to save this game for another time. I almost had you in checkmate, Finnian.”

Finn smiled. “Sure you did, Nana.”

While Karen and Finn cleared the chess pieces off the table, Tom joined Ed in the kitchen. Karen took place mats and plates from the antique buffet against the wall. Finn and I were helping her set the table when someone knocked on the door.

“Now, who could that be?” Karen asked as she started for the front door.

Tom rushed from the kitchen, saying, “Mom, let me answer.” Before she could even react to his words, he looked through the peephole and said, “Jillian, can you tell me if this is the guy?”

“What guy?” Karen asked.

Tom held a finger to his lips while I looked through the peephole.

“That’s him.” I stepped back.

“Call Candace while I keep him busy,” he said.

Finn stepped into the living room. “What’s happening?”

“I’ll take care of this,” Tom replied. “Could you all please wait in the kitchen with Jillian?”

“Did you forget this is my house, Thomas? I’m not going anywhere.” Karen fiddled with a sweater button. The words may have been exactly what I expected from her, but I could see a hint of concern in her deep blue eyes.

More knocking, louder this time.

Not ready for another encounter with Rory Gannon, I took Finn’s arm and said, “Let’s do what Tom wants.” We walked to the kitchen together, but Karen didn’t follow. We joined Ed, who was preparing the catfish.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and speed-dialed Candace’s number. She should be home by now—unless she was working nonstop. She answered immediately.

“What’s up?” she said.

“You-know-who is here at Karen’s house.” I glanced at Finn, who was in the kitchen entry apparently trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on in the other room. “The guy from earlier today.”

“Is he threatening y’all?” she asked.

“Tom’s talking to him, so I’m not sure.” I licked my dry lips.

“I’m on my way. Give me five minutes.” She disconnected.

“Trouble?” Ed asked. He hovered over a catfish filet sizzling in a cast-iron skillet on the old gas stove.

“You could say that,” I said. “But between Tom and Candace, they’ll get the situation under control. Everything will be fine.” I looked back to the entry and Finn was gone. “Maybe I spoke too soon.” I went after him.

“Is that you, Finnian?” I heard Rory Gannon say.

I arrived in the living room to see Karen standing on the threshold of the open front door. Tom had stepped outside to speak with Gannon—probably trying to keep him around until Candace showed up.

“Mom, please go inside and shut the door,” Tom said.

Finn peered around Tom’s tall frame at Gannon. He said, “Do I know you?”

“I’m your dad, son,” Gannon said.

There it was, another slug to the jaw from the past.

By his expression, Tom sure seemed to have felt the blow when he turned to Finn. “We don’t know if he’s telling the truth, Finn.”

But Finn was nodding his head. “I’ve seen your picture. How did you find me?”

“See? He knows me,” Gannon said. “Too bad I never saw your picture after I left for that hospital, Finnian. Sure wish I had, but your mother took you and disappeared.”

Tom tried to block Gannon’s view but without much success, since Finn seemed more than interested in this man—and with good reason.

“See? He wants to visit,” Gannon said. “You can’t keep a boy from his kin.”

“Where have you been all this time?” Finn’s voice was a monotone.

“Does it matter? I’m here now to meet up with my boy,” Gannon said and added a half laugh. “My long-lost boy.”

No, I thought. That’s not why you’re here. Though he seemed more in control than earlier today, I thought of the Eagles song about “lying eyes.” Gannon had some other motive for coming here, of that much I was certain. I had the feeling Nolan or Hilary Roth might have had a hand in Gannon’s arrival. How else could he have known to come to Mercy?

“Your long-lost boy, huh? What a nice sentiment,” Candace said. She’d come up behind Gannon so quickly and quietly I hadn’t heard her. She must have parked halfway down the block because I surely would have recognized the sound of her RAV4’s engine. She still wore her uniform and her hand gripped her weapon. “How’s about you come down to the station and you can talk to me about why you’ve come to Mercy, Mr. Gannon?”

Gannon’s eyes locked on me. He raised a hand and pointed past Tom. “You called the cops on me twice in one day? What did I ever do to you, lady?”

Scared me silly? I thought, wishing I could make myself invisible. As if he’d read my mind, Tom sidestepped to block Gannon’s view of me now, though he wasn’t completely successful. I could still see Gannon, so he could certainly still see me.

But he abruptly turned to Candace. “As for you, I don’t have to go anywhere you say, especially not to a police station. I have every right to visit with my son.”

Candace said, “Finn’s rights are what concern me, not yours.” Candace looked past the two men in the doorway. “Finn, you want to talk to this man?”

Finn’s answer was to return to the kitchen without a word. As I went after him, I heard Karen talking, though