Page 135 of Road Trip
“There is something really, really wrong with you,” Maeve said, but Therese could tell her sister’s mood was lightening.
“Did you kill the guy?”
“No. You know what Mom always said about hard-headed Irishmen? I think it’s literally true. They hauled him away in an ambulance. And now I’m sitting in this police station, waiting to give my statement to that same dumb-ass cop who took our incident report from the tire-slashing and the other thing.”
“Muldoon? That guy?”
“Yeah. He says he’s pretty sure Reggie was behind it.”
“But why? What’s he got against us? And why would he kill Esme?”
“No clue. But hey, I’m just glad to hear your voice. I take it you got home okay?”
“Yep. Scotty Childress was sweet enough to pick me up at the airport. We had lunch today, and then Letha Carter came over to the house. She didn’t want to meet in Scotty’s office downtown because she was afraid someone from the bank might see them together.”
“Was she helpful?”
“Totally.”
Therese recounted the conversation she and the lawyer had with Letha. “Lucky for us, she kept printouts of all the emails she sent her supervisors about Mama. Maeve, she told everybody who would listen that Mama’s mental capacity was diminished, and that she was being bilked by that Brother Jerome.”
“What does Scotty think?”
“I’d say he’s cautiously optimistic that with those emails as backup, he can get the bank to admit they shouldn’t have allowed Mama to take out that loan.”
“That’s great.”
“Have you had any luck with finding your passport?” Therese asked, gritting her teeth.
“I wassupposedto have an appointment at the embassy in Dublin today, but obviously that’s not happening now. I guess as soon as the cops cut me loose I’ll see about finding a pet-friendly place to stay for the short term. Did I mention I’m fostering Sinead?”
“How come?”
“Apparently Reggie terrorized her before he killed Esme, then he locked them both in that house-of-horrors toolshed. She was still trying to guard Esme’s body when they broke into the shed. Wouldn’t let the cops get near her, so they called a pet shelter to come collect her. I told them no way. She’s traumatized, but she let me pick her up. Right now she’s wrapped up in a towel from Esme’s house, snoozing in the front seat of my rental car. But that’s only a temporary solution until I can find someone who’ll take her in permanently.”
“Aww. The poor little thing. You’re a good woman, Maeve Dunagin. But I still don’t get why you’re in such a rush to get back home. I’m on top of the bank stuff, and Scotty Childress is being a huge help. Don’t worry about the estate stuff, okay? And also, why can’t you just stay at your boyfriend’s house? He likes dogs, right?”
Maeve winced at the mention of Liam. This was so typical of her sister. “He isnotmy boyfriend. And in case you’ve forgotten, I’m out of work and out of money. My credit card is getting maxed out with buying another plane ticket and who knows how many extra days for the rental car and meals and a hotel here in Tarrymore.”
“Where’d you stay last night?”
“Never mind.”
“You stayed with Liam, didn’t you, you hussy? That’s awesome. How was it?”
“Drop it, okay?”
“Such a waste,” Therese said. “Hey, Maevey, after we get this mortgage thing straightened out, and after we sell Lady G, what would you think about me hanging around here?”
“Like, where?”
“Here. In Savannah. I don’t know, I was thinking maybe I could buy your share of Mama’s house.”
For a moment, Maeve was too stunned to speak. Therese had made it clear, from the moment she finished high school, that she never wanted to live in Savannah again. As far as Maeve knew, her sister hadn’t spent more than a couple of weeks at a stretch in her hometown in decades.
“Maeve? You’re not saying anything. Does that mean you hate the idea? Of me buying Mama’s house?”
“Sorry. You caught me by surprise. Of course I wouldn’t mind if you could keep the house. I was just wondering… why?”
