seemed to be used mostly for storing chairs. Annie coaxed Cat to sit down. Then she told her about her early morning summons, and what it meant. After that, they simply sat while Cat cried softly.
Finally, as Cat’s tears began to subside, Annie asked, “Do you have any idea why someone would want to hurt Max?”
Cat shook her head. “About ten years ago Max got into some trouble,” she said. “Burglary. He went to jail for it, but that was before I knew him. He didn’t do that kind of thing anymore.”
“What did he do for a living?” Annie asked.
“He was a salesman,” Cat said, then she smiled a little. “He was really good at it. I know you probably think he was a terrible person after the stuff I said, but he was really nice most of the time. And people liked him.”
“You didn’t see any sign that he was … ,” Annie paused as she thought about how to frame her question, “… maybe getting back into trouble?”
Cat shook her head. “Before he left on his last trip, he said he had a big deal coming, and we’d go on a cruise or something. But it was something at work . And he made it home just fine.” Then Cat began crying again.
“Cat, you need to tell all of this to the detective on the case,” Annie said. She reached into her cardigan pocket and pulled out the card that the detective had given her. “This is his number. You should call and tell him what you told me.”
Cat held the card and stared blankly at it. “But I don’t really know anything.”
“I know,” Annie said. “But you two were close, so the detective will want to talk to you.”
Cat nodded, blinking. “You don’t think my breaking up with him made him do something crazy?”
“I don’t know,” Annie said honestly. “But I don’t think so.”
Cat nodded again. “Do you think it would be OK if I called my brother first? You know, so he could be with me when I talked to the detective? I’d feel better, even though Jake didn’t like Max very much.”
“I expect that would be fine,” Annie said. “Do you want me to stay with you until your brother comes?”
“No, I’ll be OK,” Cat said with a tearful smile. “It’s just all so strange.” Then she looked around the small room where they sat as if seeing it for the first time. “Maybe you could stay just a little bit longer?”
“I could do that,” Annie said.
Cat managed a weak laugh. “You know, Max and I had some good times. We even went all the way to Disney World once. I just loved all that princess stuff when I was a little girl. Funny how things never quite work out how we think they will.”
Annie nodded.
“I thought he’d call,” Cat said. “I thought he’d tell me that I was right. I thought we’d make up, and he’d be nicer to me. That’s probably a little silly. People don’t just change that much because you tell them they have to, but I still thought he would. Maybe Max was right, maybe I am a little bit stupid.”
Annie took Cat’s hand. “No, you’re not,” she said firmly. “We all want to believe the very best of the people we care about. And we do, for as long as they let us.”
Cat nodded. She took a deep breath. “I think I can call Jake now without crying. I’ll be OK now. You can go.”
“Are you sure?” Annie asked.
Cat nodded again. “I’ll be fine. Jake will come right over; I know my brother. He didn’t like Max much, but he’s still my brother. I can count on him.”
“I’m sure you can,” Annie said.
As Cat bent over her phone, Annie stood quietly and slipped out of the room. She headed down the hallway toward the exhibitor area. She knew that was where she’d find the rest of the Stony Point folks.
10
After the morning masters’ classes, Kate walked aimlessly through the crowd in the vendors’ hall. Now and then, a really lovely crocheted sweater or vest on one of the women would catch her eye, but mostly Kate’s mind wandered. No matter how hard she tried to relax and enjoy
Finally, as Cat’s tears began to subside, Annie asked, “Do you have any idea why someone would want to hurt Max?”
Cat shook her head. “About ten years ago Max got into some trouble,” she said. “Burglary. He went to jail for it, but that was before I knew him. He didn’t do that kind of thing anymore.”
“What did he do for a living?” Annie asked.
“He was a salesman,” Cat said, then she smiled a little. “He was really good at it. I know you probably think he was a terrible person after the stuff I said, but he was really nice most of the time. And people liked him.”
“You didn’t see any sign that he was … ,” Annie paused as she thought about how to frame her question, “… maybe getting back into trouble?”
Cat shook her head. “Before he left on his last trip, he said he had a big deal coming, and we’d go on a cruise or something. But it was something at work . And he made it home just fine.” Then Cat began crying again.
“Cat, you need to tell all of this to the detective on the case,” Annie said. She reached into her cardigan pocket and pulled out the card that the detective had given her. “This is his number. You should call and tell him what you told me.”
Cat held the card and stared blankly at it. “But I don’t really know anything.”
“I know,” Annie said. “But you two were close, so the detective will want to talk to you.”
Cat nodded, blinking. “You don’t think my breaking up with him made him do something crazy?”
“I don’t know,” Annie said honestly. “But I don’t think so.”
Cat nodded again. “Do you think it would be OK if I called my brother first? You know, so he could be with me when I talked to the detective? I’d feel better, even though Jake didn’t like Max very much.”
“I expect that would be fine,” Annie said. “Do you want me to stay with you until your brother comes?”
“No, I’ll be OK,” Cat said with a tearful smile. “It’s just all so strange.” Then she looked around the small room where they sat as if seeing it for the first time. “Maybe you could stay just a little bit longer?”
“I could do that,” Annie said.
Cat managed a weak laugh. “You know, Max and I had some good times. We even went all the way to Disney World once. I just loved all that princess stuff when I was a little girl. Funny how things never quite work out how we think they will.”
Annie nodded.
“I thought he’d call,” Cat said. “I thought he’d tell me that I was right. I thought we’d make up, and he’d be nicer to me. That’s probably a little silly. People don’t just change that much because you tell them they have to, but I still thought he would. Maybe Max was right, maybe I am a little bit stupid.”
Annie took Cat’s hand. “No, you’re not,” she said firmly. “We all want to believe the very best of the people we care about. And we do, for as long as they let us.”
Cat nodded. She took a deep breath. “I think I can call Jake now without crying. I’ll be OK now. You can go.”
“Are you sure?” Annie asked.
Cat nodded again. “I’ll be fine. Jake will come right over; I know my brother. He didn’t like Max much, but he’s still my brother. I can count on him.”
“I’m sure you can,” Annie said.
As Cat bent over her phone, Annie stood quietly and slipped out of the room. She headed down the hallway toward the exhibitor area. She knew that was where she’d find the rest of the Stony Point folks.
10
After the morning masters’ classes, Kate walked aimlessly through the crowd in the vendors’ hall. Now and then, a really lovely crocheted sweater or vest on one of the women would catch her eye, but mostly Kate’s mind wandered. No matter how hard she tried to relax and enjoy
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