The Cradle Will Fall by Clark Mary Higgins

Author:Clark, Mary Higgins [Clark, Mary Higgins]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Suspense, thriller, Crime, Adult, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9780743206136
Amazon: 0743206134
Goodreads: 7492165
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books
Published: 1980-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

♦31♦

The funeral service for Vangie was held on Thursday morning at ten o’clock in the chapel of a Minneapolis funeral home. His heart aching with pity for Vangie’s parents, Chris stood beside them, their muffled sobs assaulting him like hammer blows. Could he have done things differently? If he had not at first tried to placate Vangie, would she be lying here now? If he’d insisted that she go with him to a marriage counselor years ago, would it have helped their marriage? He had suggested that to her. But she had refused. “I don’t need any counseling,” she’d said. “And don’t you suggest anytime I get upset about anything that there’s something the matter with me. It’s the other way around. You never get upset about anything; you don’t care about anything or anybody. You’re the problem, not me.”

Oh, Vangie. Vangie. Was truth somewhere in the middle? He had stopped caring very early in their marriage.

Her parents had been outraged to hear that Vangie could not be buried, that her body was to be shipped back east. “Why?”

“I simply don’t know.” There was no use in answering beyond that—not now.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.” The soloist’s soprano voice filled the chapel. “I once was lost but now am found.”

Months ago, last summer, he’d felt life was bleak and hopeless. Then he’d gone to that party in Hawaii. And Joan had been there. He could remember the precise moment he’d seen her. She was on the terrace in a group of people. Whatever she’d said made them all laugh, and she’d laughed too, her eyes crinkling, her lips parting, her head tilting back. He’d gotten a drink and joined that group. And he hadn’t left Joan’s side again that evening.

“ . . . was blind and now I see.” The Medical Examiner would not have released Vangie’s body Tuesday night if he’d suspected foul play. What had happened to change his mind?

He thought of Edna’s call. How much talking had she done to other people? Could she throw some light on Vangie’s death? Before he left Minneapolis, he had to call Dr. Salem. He had to find out what he knew about Vangie that had made him react with such shock last night. Why had Vangie made an appointment to see him?

There had been someone else in Vangie’s life. He was sure of it now. Suppose Vangie had killed herself in front of someone and that person brought her home? God knew she’d have had plenty of opportunity to be involved with another man. He was away from home at least half the month. Maybe she had met someone after they moved to New Jersey.

But would Vangie have caused herself pain?

Never!

The minister was saying the final prayer. “ . . . when every tear shall be dried . . .” Chris led Vangie’s parents into the anteroom and accepted the expressions of sympathy from the friends who had attended the service. Vangie’s parents were going to stay with relatives.

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