Chapter Twenty-three
Marla Mae cut a piece of cola cake and handed it to Norman, who smiled his thanks and said, “Jessica, I, for one, am doubly delighted you are here. Of course I’m happy for your gracious company, but it’s been an age since I had some of Lucinda’s delicious cola cake.”
Clancy said, “Norman, I was looking for you earlier, hoping we could spend some time on the putting green, but I understand you left early this morning. What were you up to today?”
Norman held up his fork, using it like a pause button, giving him time to swallow his cake—or, I thought, perhaps to decide what his answer would be.
“Business, buddy boy, always business. I have to step up now since . . . That reminds me, Dolores—there is absolutely no rush, but I can go over any details about how we run the business whenever you are comfortable doing so. There’s not a lot you need to know, but I am at your beck and call.” He smiled, quite satisfied with himself. It was evident that Norman was hoping his version of mansplaining would convince the world, or at least Dolores, that business decisions should be left to him.
I wondered what he’d say when he found out that Dolores was the major shareholder in Quartermaster and that she intended to act the part once everything got sorted.
The house phone rang, and Lucinda immediately answered the kitchen extension. She put her hand over the mouthpiece and said, “Miss Dolores, you’d best take this call in your office.”
I didn’t miss that it was no longer “Mr. Willis’s office.” Score one for Dolores.
Clancy and Norman huddled in a corner, talking about golf. Elton asked Abby about her day at school. She started out by telling him how much her friends liked meeting Fluffy.
Lucinda moved to the pantry doorway and signaled me to follow. Her tone was both low and serious. “That was Mr. McGuire’s office on the phone. Perhaps you should . . .”
“Say no more.”
I slipped out of the kitchen and hovered in the foyer until Dolores opened the office door. I ushered her back inside.
“Apparently I have an appointment at the Sheriff’s Department to be interviewed at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. Mr. McGuire will meet me in the Grits and Gravy Café at nine thirty. He said we don’t need privacy because we won’t be talking about substance. He simply wants to give me a few pointers on demeanor.”
I said, “He certainly seems to be good at what he does. By meeting first, having a light conversation and perhaps a cup of coffee, he’s hoping to help you be less nervous, more prepared for the rigors of the interview.”
“Jess, would you mind . . . ? Do you think you could . . . ?”
“Accompany you? Of course, I’d be happy to.”
“Well, I’m sure they won’t let you into the interview. You should bring a book or something. You might be in the waiting room for a long time.”
I put my arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll find something to do. And since we are going to be out, why don’t we make a day of it? Why don’t you see if you can get an appointment with Marcus Holmes for tomorrow afternoon?”
“That’s a great idea. If we can get all the lawyer nonsense out of the way in the same day, then we can relax for a while.”
I didn’t say a word. I was fairly certain Dolores would not be able to relax in the near future, but she was in such a cheerful mood I decided to change the subject.
“How did you and Clancy manage riding together to pick up Abby?” I asked.
“Clancy was civil but frosty toward me. It helped to have Elton in the car. Clancy asked him a question about some sports team or another and in a few minutes they were chatting like old friends. By the time Abby got in the car we were behaving like a normal family, with the recent spat forgotten.” She stopped, then picked up the thread. “Of course, it’s not forgotten. I know I’m going to have to do something about Clancy’s drinking. But that’s for another day.”
The bigger problem, as I saw it, was that in time Dolores would have to accept that Clancy was the only one who could do anything about his drinking problem, but I decided it was wisest not to point that out right now. Dolores had enough on her plate.
“Dolores, if you don’t need me for anything, I’d like to spend some time going through those folders we brought home from Willis’s storage room.”
“I actually promised to help Abby with her homework, but if you need me just give a holler. When it comes to Willis’s business activities I need to start learning the ropes, as they say.”
“Don’t be silly. Abby comes first.” I started to leave, and then had a thought. “There is one thing that you can do, however. When Clancy and Norman are out of earshot, find out if Marla Mae would be willing to clean the storage room, and arrange a time for Elton to take her to the storage facility and sign her in.”
“I’d forgotten about that,” Dolores said. “You are a wise woman. There is no need for Clancy, Norman, or anyone else to know the storeroom and those files even exist.”
* * *
I opened my windows wide, and was lucky enough to catch the same jasmine-scented breeze that had been so relaxing when we sat in the backyard. I pulled the files out from under my suitcase and set them on the desk.
Before I began to read the files I checked my phone again, hoping to hear from Harry McGraw. No luck. There was a text from my nephew Grady’s wife, Donna. She hoped I was enjoying my visit and was wondering if on my way back to Cabot Cove I would be able to stop by
