Mahjonged (An Alex Harris Mystery) by Macko Elaine

Author:Macko, Elaine [Macko, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: An Alex Harris Mystery
Publisher: ElaineMackoBooks
Published: 2013-07-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

“I don’t want to talk about her anymore,” Els said to me from the other side of the coffee table where she sat on the sofa, arms folded across her chest and a pout on her face. “I can’t believe she betrayed Poppy.”

“In all fairness, Els, we don’t know she did. The picture is obviously old and maybe it was a relationship she had before she met your father.”

Els kept her arms crossed but there was an almost indiscernible relaxing of the shoulders. “Perhaps.”

“Penelope and your father seemed very happy together from what everyone says. Did you ever see anything to the contrary?” I asked, hoping Els would open up.

“No. They did seem happy.”

“I know when someone has a happy relationship they tend to want to have another one when they lose a spouse. Do you know if Penelope had started dating again?” I asked Els, hoping this would invite a dialogue on Penelope’s current love interests.

Els looked horrified at the suggestion. “Penelope dating so soon after Poppy died? No, she wouldn’t.”

“Well, maybe she needed to, I mean for financial reasons,” I pressed.

“Poppy left Pen very well off. I know. We went to the lawyer’s office with her as I mentioned before. Pen would have no reason to marry again. Or date. Especially so soon.”

That seemed to put the kibosh on Penelope not having enough money to pay Bert, but whether or not Els wanted to admit it, Penelope was definitely looking for a new man in her life.

I wasn’t getting anywhere on this subject, so I moved on to another. “One thing I don’t understand, though, is why did they move back here? You and your brother were in Holland, and they had good jobs, didn’t they?”

“Very good jobs. Poppy was a partner at the law firm. But then he decided they would move here and transferred to the New York office. They lived in the city for a while and then bought this house. Poppy wanted to have more room and a bigger garden for when Wilhelm and I came for the summers.”

“Where’s Wilhelm?” I asked.

“Right here. Zwartwites?” Wilhelm stood behind me with his hand thrust around my side holding a handful of black and white licorice.

“Geez! You scared me half to death.” What the heck was up with this guy? I was getting tired of his stealth-like appearance out of nowhere and what was with all the candy?

Els sighed and shook her head. “Wilhelm.”

I looked back at Els. “So there was no specific reason why they left Holland?” I pressed, sure I was on to something.

Wilhelm plopped himself down next to his sister. “I think they moved because of my mother.”

“Your mother?”

“Yes, our mother wanted to get back with our father and he wanted none of it. But mother is persistent, and she kept driving by the house Poppy lived in with Pen.”

“Wilhelm,” Els said, “you make it sound as if mother stalked them. She didn’t,” Els said, directing this last bit to me. “She just felt like they should try again.

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