“Well, these were.”
“Do you think the same person is making them again then? And should your husband not be worried? Because it’s clear he is.”
Jean didn’t look as confident now. Her hand shook some as she set her glass down. “I’m not sure I’m the best person to answer that.”
“You didn’t seem all that concerned about it this afternoon.”
“My husband is not Mr. Popular. Lots of people hate him.”
“Any you know personally?”
“Yes.”
“And yet you married him.”
She looked at him darkly. “That’s right, I did. So what? And he wasn’t rich back when I did. He was still struggling to build his business. So I didn’t do it for the money.”
“Not saying he was. And not saying you did.”
“But you were thinking it.”
“I’m sure he has lots of other appealing qualities.”
?
?He does, actually.”
“Good to know.”
“I don’t like your attitude.”
“I don’t have an attitude. I’m just trying to go with the flow.”
“Try harder.”
CHAPTER
38
COLE WALKED BACK into the room. “Well, Meghan is far more interested in burning off fat than talking to her aunt.” She stopped speaking when she saw her sister scowling at Puller.
“Everything okay?” she said, glancing at him.
He said, “Everything’s just fine.”
The door opened again.
“Randy?” exclaimed Cole.
Randy Cole had cleaned himself up since Puller had seen him last. He had on freshly laundered jeans, a black T-shirt, and loafers. His hair was neatly combed and he’d shaved.
Sam Cole seemed genuinely surprised but pleased.
Jean looked stunned but not unhappy.
Randy came forward and Cole hugged him. “How are you doing, stranger?” she said in a light tone. Puller assumed she was trying to defuse any possibility of tension.
“I’m doing,” said Randy. He looked over at Puller. “Seen you at Annie’s.”
“Yes, you did.”
“You the Army guy everybody in town’s been talking about?”
“Guess I am.”
“I wanted to join up.”
“Why didn’t you?” asked Puller.
“Failed the physical. Eyes not up to snuff and something in my chest. Probably from breathing all this fresh air my whole life.”
Jean said, “Let’s head in to dinner.”
The dining room was large, paneled in zebra wood with enough moldings, cornices, and medallions to qualify for palace status. They occupied one end of an antique Sheraton table that was long enough to require three pedestals for support.
Randy rubbed his hand over the highly polished wood. “Damn, coal sure pays good, big sister.”
“You’ve never been here before?” asked Puller. He was sitting next to Randy and had noted him looking around in wide-eyed astonishment at the opulent surroundings.
Randy nudged Puller with his elbow. “They think everything has to make sense, Puller. I just don’t get that shit. Do you?”
Puller sensed Randy didn’t expect or even want an answer so he said nothing. He looked around at the two sisters. Then at the brother. What was missing was obvious.
Mom and Dad.
Cole had said they had died.
The house was five years old. Randy had never been here.