The Cursed Canoe
Page 22
“Uh, yes. We are.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded.
“You and Donnie. Yeah. Figures.”
That didn’t sound like a compliment.
“Well.” Sherry stood up, brisk and sober. “I think it’s time for us to get going. Thanks for dinner, Molly. Dave—Davison—has to get back and finish his homework. Come on, buddy. What’s in the bag? Let me see. Oh, no. No, you do not need any more games. You’re already wasting way too much time on those. We’re gonna go back and return these right now.”
Sherry didn’t actually drag Davison back to the video game store by his ear, but for some reason, that’s how I remember the moment.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
I WISH I COULD WRAP up this story by revealing I saved Kathy Banks’ life. But I have to give credit where it’s due.
The marshals were fast. They were able to whisk Kathy away in an ambulance before the real emergency responders showed up in their fire truck. When Pat went up to the hospital to ask about her, no one could tell him anything, because Kathy was never there. If she had been taken to the hospital, she would have been an easy target. Glenn could have finished the job as she lay in her hospital bed.
Then there was Sherry.
She was the one who had unwittingly put Kathy in danger to begin with when she posted Kathy’s photo online. That was how Glenn found Karolyn/Kathy’s new whereabouts and identity in the first place.
On the other hand, Sherry found the article describing how someone could control an insulin pump from up to half a mile away, releasing an overdose of insulin and sending the victim’s blood sugar plunging to a fatally low level. Sherry knew Kathy wore an insulin pump. And when she discovered Kathy’s photo and death announcement in Glenn’s suitcase, she put two and two together. She stopped Glenn before he could make a second attempt on Kathy’s life.
Kathy Banks, aka Karolyn Beckenbauer, survived. Pat tells me we can infer this from the news stories about a surprise “key witness” testifying in closed court.
The case will drag on for years. And Karolyn Beckenbauer (or whatever her current alias is) will have to stay underground for the rest of her life. She’s probably hiding out in Amish Country or something by now, trying to convince some woman’s husband she’s a natural redhead.
Over dinner the other night, Donnie relayed some good news. Davison’s grades had improved tremendously, and he was set to get off academic probation by the end of the semester.
“I’m so glad you went out to see him, Molly. He completely turned around after your visit. Something’s definitely changed for him.”
“All he needed was a little maternal encouragement,” I said.
Donnie beamed at me.
“Speaking of that. I never told you this before. Davison is hanai. That means he was adopted.”
I know what hanai means. Sometimes Donnie over-explains things to me like I’m some kind of clueless tourist. Sorry, I mean clueless visitor.
“Davison’s adopted? But everyone says how much he looks like you.”
“He was my sister’s baby.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good.”
“Why is it good?” Donnie asked.
“Um.” I stared down at the golden-crusted veal Milanese on my plate. “What’s good is you, you’re comfortable sharing things with me. Because sharing and honesty are important. That’s what I meant. Anyway. None of this changes how I feel about Davison.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Molly.”
“So your ex, Sherrine? She wasn’t Davison’s biological mother?”
“No. She wasn’t. We wanted to have children, but she had some health problems that would have made it dangerous—”
“Oh right. Type 1 diabetes.”
Donnie put down his fork and stared at me.
“Yes, Sherry did have diabetes. How did you know?”
“Ah! How did I know?”
And, more to the point, why did I say that? Why couldn’t I keep my mouth shut and listen? See, this is what happens when I say things out loud. I have to stop doing that. I stared at my plate and concentrated on sawing off a piece of veal with the side of my fork.
“I knew because...I just watched Steel Magnolias with Emma and—with Emma. Did you ever see it?”
“I don’t remember. The title sounds familiar, but no. I don’t think so.”
“In the movie, there’s a mother and a daughter, and the daughter, well, the whole plot hinged on how dangerous it is to get pregnant if you have diabetes. That was the first thing I thought of when you mentioned the high-risk pregnancy.”
Donnie nodded, apparently satisfied with my explanation. I fairly collapsed with relief. I’d have to thank Emma and Pat for making me sit through that depressing movie.
“I’m impressed you put that together. You’re a very intelligent woman, Molly.”
“Yeah, you’d think.”
“I’m glad we talked about this.” Donnie smiled. “There shouldn’t be any secrets between us.”
“Oh, I agree. Absolutely. No secrets. Ow. My head! Donnie, I’m just going to go get some ice from your freezer, if you don’t mind.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LIKE PROFESSOR MOLLY, Frankie Bow teaches at a public university. Unlike her protagonist, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and a perfectly nice office chair. She believes if life isn't fair, at least it can be entertaining. In addition to writing murder mysteries, she publishes in scholarly journals under her real name. Her experience with academic publishing has taught her to take nothing personally.
Thank you for taking the time to read The Cursed Canoe. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
Mahalo, Frankie
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Also by Frankie Bow
Miss Fortune World: Hair Extensions and Homicide
Once Upon a Murder
Tabasco Fiasco
Schooled
Miss Fortune World: Supernatural Sinful
Sinful Science
Miss Fortune World: The Mary-Alice Files
Mary-Alice Moves In
Bayou Busybody
The Vanishing Victim
Aloha, Y'all
The Two-Body Problem
Black Widow Valley
The No-Tell Motel
Vampire Billionaire of the Bayou
The Pajama Murder
The Lost Weekend
Professor Molly Mysteries
Trust Fall
The Musubi Murder
The Cursed Canoe
The Black Thumb
The Invasive Species
Mother's Day
The Nakamura Letters
The Perfect Body
The Case of the Defunct Adjunct
About the Publisher
Hawaiian Heritage Press publishes Hawaii's finest classic and modern literature.