A Fatal April Shower by Dee Ernst

Author:Dee Ernst [Ernst, Dee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-9985068-1-4
Publisher: 235 Alexander Street

* * *

The mood at The Fairview Manor was subdued. I arrived just after lunch, and there was none of the usual chatter and laughter. I found Mom quickly, in her familiar post-luncheon huddle in the back living room, sitting with Peggy. As I approached, I felt a familiar pang. Would she know me?

She did, and her face lit up. “Ellie, I’m so glad you’re here. Did you hear? Poor Connie. She died. Isn’t that just awful?”

I sat beside her and reached for her hand. “Yes, Mom, I did hear. I’m so sorry.”

She leaned in and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Dominick.”

“Oh?” I looked into her eyes. They were clear and focused, but I had learned not to put too much faith in that. “What about Dominick?”

“The police questioned him for a long time. It’s not his real name, you know. He’s here under false pretenses.”

“Well, Mom, there’s really nothing illegal about changing your name. But what did the police have to say? Do you know? After all, he was sitting with you all the whole time. He has the same alibi as the rest of you.”

Peggy pulled her chair in closer. “That’s the thing, Ellie. He took a phone call right after we moved into that other room. He got up and left. He was gone for a while. At the same time that Connie was gone.”

“Oh?” I stared at her, but my mind was back at the clubhouse on Saturday, when I saw Dominick pacing back and forth in the faded, grand foyer, talking on his phone. And Connie, walking by, tottering on her outrageous shoes.

Peggy nudged me back to the present. “Roberta is devastated. I think she really cares for him, and he’s been lying to her this whole time.”

I looked around the room. The devastated Roberta was sitting alone, by the window, reading a magazine. “I’ll be right back,” I told them.

I crossed over to Roberta and made a noise. She looked up, and in a second her face softened. “Ellie? Hello.”

“Hi, Roberta. Do you mind if I sit down?”

She nodded, and I sat on the ottoman across from her. “Listen, are you okay? I know that, well, on Saturday—”

“Yes, dear, I’m fine. Thank you for being so concerned. It was such a lovely party, too.” She set her magazine down in her lap and brushed a hair off her cheek. “The police were very polite. Your mother’s little, well, fantasy was cleared up right away. Dominick was…” She dropped her eyes and her fingers played with the magazine pages. “Apparently Dom is not who he says he is. Which is a disappointment. He’s leaving. In fact, he’s out right now, looking at another facility.”

“I’m sorry.”

She flashed a sad smile. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault he…has a past.”

I stood. “Well, I’ll see you later, Roberta.” I walked quickly back to Mom, my brain racing. Dominick was gone. Was his room unlocked?

I crouched down in front of my mother. “Hey, Mom, could you do me a favor?”

She frowned.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.