The Great Divide by T. Davis Bunn

Author:T. Davis Bunn
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780307553348
Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
Published: 2011-04-06T05:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

ON WEDNESDAY Marcus awoke with enough clarity for his arm to ache more than his head. He greeted the nightmare’s lingering dread not as he would a friend, but at least as a sign that things were returning to normal. By the time he had showered and dressed, he could hear sounds rising from downstairs. Marcus entered the kitchen to find Kirsten and Darren cowed and silent at the table, while Fay Wilbur clattered about the stove and grumbled angrily to herself. She rounded on him the instant he appeared. “Well? What you staring at?”

“Good morning, Mrs. Wilbur. Nice to see you again.”

“This ain’t some good-time show. Get on over there and sit yourself down.” She turned back to the skillet and muttered as she would a curse, “You look like a three-egg man to me.”

“All I normally take is toast and coffee.”

“Hmph. Probably why you got yourself messed up. Didn’t have no strength. Anybody with the sense God gave a little blind mole knows you gotta start your day with a full belly.” She whipped plates in front of Kirsten and Darren. Kirsten gawked at her two eggs and bacon and sausage and three biscuits and grits and ham hock, then directed a horror-stricken appeal at Marcus. Fay Wilbur caught the glance out of the corner of her eye and demanded, “What’re you staring at him for? He can’t tell you a thing worth knowing ’cept you gotta eat it all before you rise up.”

Soon as she turned back to the stove, however, quick as a flash Darren picked up Kirsten’s plate and shoveled a goodly portion onto his own. She responded with a sigh of pure gratitude.

Marcus asked Kirsten, “What brings you over so early?”

“Starvation, most likely,” Fay Wilbur rattled the biscuit tray. “Girl’s all skin and bones and eyes. Even her hair looks peaked.”

Kirsten replied, “Netty called this morning. Her son had a bad night. She asked me to handle the office.”

“Hush up, now, you got all day to do your lawyering.” Fay Wilbur slapped a plate down in front of Marcus. “Right now what I’m hearing is folks not using their forks fast enough.”

After breakfast Marcus waddled his way to the front door. Kirsten wore a mildly astonished look. Only Darren was smiling. As he pushed open the door, Darren spoke for the first time that day. “D-don’t see how Deacon stays so th-thin.”

Marcus asked Kirsten, “Have you found anything more in Gloria’s research materials?”

“Maybe.” The enigmatic wariness returned to her features. “I’m not sure.”

Marcus glanced at his watch. There were questions to be asked, but not now. “I need whatever there is.”

“I brought the rest of her stuff with me.” Their gazes no longer met. “I’ll start on it tonight.”

“Can I help?”

“Gloria wouldn’t want a stranger going through her personal things.” The reply sounded practiced. “I can do it faster by myself.”

Marcus carried his suspicions with him to the car and out of town. Just as they hit the highway, with Darren driving, Marcus’ mobile phone rang.

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