"Kate Wilhelm - Deepest Water" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilhelm Kate)

Deepest Water

Kate Wilhelm

1

Afterward everyone said the memorial service had been poignant yet beautiful, exactly what Jud would
have wanted. But not yet, Abby protested despairingly, silently, not at forty-eight years old! For days she
had said little or nothing, as if her vocal cords had frozen, she had lost the power of speech. People held
her hand, embraced her, patted her, and she understood that they were trying to express something, but
she could feel herself adding layer after layer of protective, invisible shielding against every touch,
removing herself in a way that kept her numb and rigid, unresponsive to their sympathy, unable to stop
adding to the cocoon that might keep her safe. Shock, they said; she was still in shock.

Exactly what her father had ordered, the funeral director assured her, even to the box that Jud had
provided along with his instructions. He placed the box in her hands deferentially, then walked away with
his head bowed until he had cleared the crematorium chapel, when he straightened and walked more
briskly.

тАЬHoney, we have to leave now,тАЭ Brice said at her elbow. He took the box from her, held it under his
arm, and put his other arm around her shoulders, guided her toward the door. People were waiting. JudтАЩs
parents from California, Lynne тАФ AbbyтАЩs mother from Seattle тАФ BriceтАЩs parents from Idaho, friends,
strangersтАж Lynne had said the family would have to go back to the house after it was over; everyone
would expect coffee, wine, something to help ease them back to the world of the living. She would take
care of things, she had promised, thatтАЩs what she had come for, to help Abby; then she wept. Abby had
looked at her in wonder. Her parents had been divorced for so many years, why was she crying now?

тАЬMrs. Connors?тАЭ Another stranger, another outsider.

She paused, expecting him to hold out his hand, kiss her cheek, something.

тАЬIтАЩm Lieutenant Caldwell,тАЭ he said apologetically. тАЬState special investigations. I need to talk to youтАФтАЭ

BriceтАЩs hand tightened on her shoulder. тАЬYou canтАЩt be serious!тАЭ he said. тАЬNot now!тАЭ

тАЬNo, no,тАЭ he said quickly. тАЬOf course not now. But tomorrow? Around ten in the morning?тАЭ

Abby accepted this as numbly as she had accepted everything else. She nodded.

тАЬWeтАЩve already told the police everything we know,тАЭ Brice said. He tugged at her shoulder; she started
to move again.

тАЬI understand,тАЭ Caldwell said, still apologetic. тАЬIтАЩll explain in the morning. IтАЩm very sorry, Mrs. Connors.тАЭ
Then he was gone, and they walked out into a fine light rain.

There were a lot of reporters, a camera crew, others waiting. After years of struggling, Judson Vickers
had become an overnight best selling author; his death by murder was news, at least today it was news.
Abby walked past the crowd blindly.

That night, after the mourners had gone, and only her mother remained for one more night, Lynne said