A Cry In The Night by Mary Higgins Clark

Author:Mary Higgins Clark [Clark, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: thriller

21

The new puppy was a golden retriever. Even to Jenny’s unpracticed eye, the long nose, thin face and slender body indicated good breeding.

The thick old quilt on the kitchen floor was the same one Randy had curled up on. The bowl with water still had his name in the jaunty red letters Joe had painted on it.

Even Joe’s mother seemed mollified by the gift. “Erich Krueger is a fair man,” she conceded to Jenny. “Feel as though I was wrong accusing him of maybe doing away with Joe’s dog last year. Seems as though if he got rid of that dog he’d a come out and said so.”

Except that this time I saw him, Jenny thought, and then felt unfair to Erich.

Beth patted the sleek head. “You must be very careful because he’s so little,” she instructed Tina. “You must not hurt him.”

“They sure are pretty little girls,” Maude Ekers said. “They favor you except for the hair.”

To Jenny there was something different about the woman’s attitude today. Her welcome had been restrained. She had hesitated before inviting them in. Jenny would not have accepted a cup of coffee from the ever-present percolator but was surprised when it wasn’t offered.

“What’s the puppy’s name?” Beth asked.

“Randy,” Maude said. “Joe’s decided he’s another Randy.”

“Naturally,” Jenny commented. “Somehow I knew Joe wouldn’t just forget that other little dog so quickly. He’s much too good-hearted.”

They were sitting at the kitchen table. She smiled at the other woman.

But to her astonishment Maude’s face showed worried hostility. “You leave my boy alone, Mrs. Krueger,” she burst out. “He’s a simple farm boy and I already got enough worries with the way that brother of mine is bringing Joey to the bars with him at night. Joe moons about you too much as it is. Maybe it’s not for me to say but you’re married to the most important man in this community and you should realize your position.”

Jenny pushed the chair back and stood up. “What do you mean?”

“I think you know what I mean. With a woman like you there’s bound to be trouble. My brother’s life was spoiled because of that accident in the dairy barn. You got to have heard that John Krueger felt my brother was careless with the work light ’cause he got so flustered around Caroline. Joe’s all I got. He means the world to me. I don’t want accidents or problems.”

Now that she had started, the words tumbled from her mouth. Beth and Tina stopped playing with the puppy. Uncertainly they clasped hands. “And something else, it may not be my place but you’re awful foolish to have your ex-husband sneaking around here when everyone knows Erich is in his cabin painting.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m no gossip and this ain’t passed my lips but one night last month that actor ex-husband of yours came here looking for directions. He’s a talky one. Introduced himself. Boasted you invited him down. Said he’d just been hired by the Guthrie. I pointed the road to your place myself but let me tell you I wasn’t happy about doing it.

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