TWENTY-SEVEN

DINNER AT PERRY ISLAND CARE CENTER REMINDED SUSAN of meals in her college dorm-minus salt. But if the food was slightly bland, the company was not. Susan and Kathleen ate at Sally Worth’s table. One of her tablemates subscribed to the Hancock Herald and began asking questions about the murders of Nadine and Blaine Baines as soon as Susan introduced herself. She ended up answering as many questions as she asked.

But once the subject of murder was introduced, it was easy to mention the deaths of the residents. Each of the three women at the table had her own opinion, and each was happy to share it with Susan. “After all, you’re the expert,” Sally said and her companions seemed to agree. They also agreed that Mike Armstrong either was the murderer or knew the identity of the murderer.

“I can’t imagine why else he would have disappeared the way he did,” said the woman sitting on Sally’s right.

“Well, I agree with that,” said the woman on Sally’s left. “After all, he was so in love.”

“You think so?”

“I certainly do. They were going to get married. She told me so herself.”

“Oh, please. She was imagining things. Mike had no intention of getting married to anyone. He may have liked her. He may have enjoyed her company, if you know what I mean, but that young man wasn’t going to marry anyone!”

Sally Worth put down her fork and spoke up. “ ‘Enjoyed her company.’ Good Lord! Mrs. Henshaw and her friend are going to think they’ve slid right into the middle of a Jane Austen novel. They were sleeping together, having sex. And if Penny had fantasies of getting married to him, well, she wouldn’t be the first young girl to justify her hormones with romantic thoughts.”

“Penny?” Susan asked.

“Young girl?” Kathleen abandoned the rest of her chicken and rice and placed her fork down on her plate.

“Penny Bracken. You’ve probably met her, or at least spoken with her. She’s the receptionist. She’s usually sitting at the front desk.”

“The pretty blond girl?” Susan asked.

“That describes her perfectly,” Sally answered. “She’s a charming child. Grew up here on the island and has been working at the center after school and during vacations for years. She graduated from high school last year and I had hoped she would go to college, but then Mike came into her life.” Sally shrugged. “I miss that young man and I certainly think he was foolish to take off the way he did, but perhaps now I can convince Penny to start taking classes at the local community college. She needs more to occupy her mind.”

“You believe he’s out of her life then?”

Sally swung to her right to answer that question. “You don’t?”

“Well, I heard that Mike Armstrong had been back to visit Penny-”

“Here?” Susan interrupted. “Mike Armstrong has been here?”

“I heard that he has. More than once.”

Sally Worth leaned forward. “Who told you?”

“One of the night aides told me that she’s seen him here. Waiting out in the parking lot to see Penny is what she said.”

“We don’t have enough to occupy our time, Mrs. Henshaw, so you might want to take anything we say with more salt than you’ll find in our food. Gossip is rampant here-and not necessarily any more accurate than anyplace else, I’m afraid.”

“He was here,” her companion insisted.

“Perhaps, after we finish our dessert, we could find Penny and ask her ourselves.”

“That would be great,” Susan said.

“Do we need to wait for dessert?” Kathleen asked.

“It’s chocolate cake with ice cream,” the woman on Sally’s right announced.

And that settled that.

They found Penny Bracken leaning on the admission office’s doorjamb, chatting with one of the nurses.

“Penny, we were wondering if you had a minute to answer a few questions,” Sally announced although the answer was pretty obvious.

“Of course, Mrs. Worth. I shouldn’t leave my desk.” Penny glanced down the hallway to her empty chair and blushed. “Well, I need to make sure no one enters without greeting them. So as long as I can see the door, I’m fine,” she said.

“That’s not a problem. We can chat at your desk,” Sally continued.

“Okay.” Penny spoke to the nurse and walked back to the entrance, followed by Susan and Kathleen. Sally Worth, moving more slowly, trailed behind.

“Do you need a chair?” Susan asked, surprised by Sally’s sudden weakness.

“I would appreciate that.” Sally leaned heavily against the wall.

“I’ll get one from the living room,” Penny said, trotting off down the hallway.

“It just occurred to me that Penny might not want to talk about Mike unless we explain that we’re trying to help him,” Sally said, perking up as soon as the women were alone.

“I could mention Shannon -,” Susan began.

“Don’t do that! I’m not sure Shannon and Penny got along all that well. I know Shannon didn’t like Mike dating her.”

“And if Penny knew that…,” Kathleen began.

“… she wouldn’t be inclined to answer our questions,” Susan ended the thought. Penny was heading back toward them, a heavy oak chair held close to her chest.

“It might be best if I explain why we want to talk to her,” Sally whispered.

Susan and Kathleen merely nodded as Sally draped herself against the wall again.

“Here you are,” Penny said, setting the chair down close to Sally.

Sally dropped into its seat with possibly just a bit more enthusiasm than necessary and Penny got a concerned expression on her face. “Are you feeling okay? Should I call a nurse?”

“No, I’m fine. This is nothing. I didn’t sleep well last night is all.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.

“Now, Penny, I should tell you that these women are here to help Mike Armstrong.”

The expression on Penny’s face made it perfectly clear that, whatever she thought of this statement, she still cared for the young man. “Do you know where he is?” she asked Susan and Kathleen.

“No, but we’re worried about him,” Susan said.

“Oh, so am I! The police have questioned me about him over and over. And when I told him that…” Realizing she had just given herself away, she slapped her hand across her mouth.

“So you have seen him,” Sally said quietly.

Penny hesitated before deciding to answer. “Yes, but I don’t know where he is now.”

“When did you see him last?” Sally asked.

“And where?” Susan added.

“Just a few days ago. He was here, but I don’t know where he is now and I don’t know how to get in touch with him.”

“Doesn’t he have a cell phone?” Kathleen asked.

“He does. But I don’t know the number. I never knew the number. We saw each other here and… and I didn’t ever think of phoning him.”

All three of the older women knew she was lying, but only Sally spoke up. “Sometimes men get nervous when they think their… uh, their women can reach them at any time.”

Penny nodded eagerly. “That’s sort of what Mike said. He said he needed his freedom and that I should trust him and believe in him and… and let him be the one to contact me.”

“So he refused to give you the number of his cell phone?” Sally came to the point.

“Yes… I… To tell the truth, I think he may have been seeing someone else while we were”-Penny paused before finishing the sentence-“together.”

Sally didn’t hold back. “He was two-timing you while he was working here. Is that it?”

“Maybe. Probably. Yes.”

“Which is it?” Susan asked gently.

“He was. I knew he was. The other girl… woman… she gave him the cell phone as a gift. And that’s why I didn’t have the number.” She looked down at the floor. “I suppose I shouldn’t have put up with that. Should have told him that I wasn’t willing to share him with another woman.”

“Do you have any idea who this other woman is?” Susan asked.

“No. Someone rich.”

“Why do you think she was rich?” Sally asked.