The Widow's Mate Read Online Free Page B

mustache, had been eager to talk about the former tenant. “My God, she was something. When a Polack is beautiful there is absolutely nothing like it.” He paused. “You Polish?”
    â€œHungarian.”
    He seemed relieved. Cy showed him a photograph of Wally. Ferret nodded. “Sure, that’s her fiancé.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œWell, she moved away.”
    â€œThey were going to settle on the West Coast.”
    â€œShe told you that?”
    â€œLook, she always stopped to talk. Real class.” Ferret looked around. “Most of the residents are a pain in the whatchamacallit. Expect me to tug my forelock when they go by. Not her. And generous? A huge tip every Christmas.”
    â€œHow long did she live here?”
    â€œJust a couple years. But I knew her better than many who have been here forever.”
    â€œWhere on the West Coast?”
    â€œCalifornia.” He thought. “I think San Diego.”
    Cy decided not to tell Ferret that Wally’s wife in Fox River had reported him missing. He made inquiries, but no Wallace Flanagan was listed in the San Diego directory. One of the problems Cy faced was what Wally could be charged with when he was found. As far as Melissa could tell, he had left all their money behind, so if she was abandoned she certainly wasn’t destitute. Of course, if Wally married Sandra Bochenski he would be committing bigamy, but when was the last time a bigamist had been put away? It was the affront to his personal memories rather than the criminal code that made Cy wish he could haul Wally in.
    Because of the personal connection, he might have stayed on it, but one case gets pushed aside by later ones; he had less and less time to devote to the mysterious disappearance of Wally Flanagan. Frank Looney was no help.
    Frank spent a lot of time in the yard and had a dusty look. He shook his head. “Know what I remember? He said more than once, ‘I wouldn’t be caught dead in this place.’ I love it.”
    â€œDid you see much of him?”
    Frank shook his head. “It broke my uncle’s heart when Wally told him there was no way he would take over the business. Lucky break for me, of course. I don’t know when I stopped worrying that Wally would change his mind and Uncle Luke would tell me the deal was off.”
    Talking with Melissa was the hardest thing of all.
    â€œWe were altar boys together.” A dumb opening, but why not.
    â€œI remember.” Her hair was so black she looked more Spanish than Irish, and the olive skin added to the impression. Her eyes were green, so his memory had not played him false.
    â€œMelissa, I have to ask you. Did you have any intimation that he would leave?”
    â€œWhy would he leave? Cy, it must be amnesia. You read of cases like that.” She shivered. “Imagine not knowing who you are.”
    â€œNo money problems?”
    â€œOnly that we had too much.”
    Of course, he did not tell her of meeting Sandy or the possessive way she had taken Wally’s arm, and why tell her of the number of people who just disappear and are never located? Maybe she was right and it was amnesia. In a way, that made it more likely Wally would be found. He would seek help, trying to find out who he was. Cy wished he hadn’t encouraged Melissa to think that. She reached out and laid a long-fingered hand on his arm.
    â€œOf course you’re right. I hired a lawyer.”
    â€œIsn’t Amos Cadbury the family lawyer?”
    â€œI couldn’t ask him to do this.”
    â€œWho’d you hire?”
    â€œA man named Tuttle.”
    Cy had made no comment. Tuttle! Now, years later, he thought of the time line since Wally disappeared. Ten years afterward, his body had been discovered in one of the Flanagan cement mixers. That seemed to put an end to it. The investigation had been intense but brief and was soon pushed aside