Silver River Secrets

Lacey retrieved the cement, and while she carefully glued together the broken dish, she listened to Gram’s stories about Norella and her collection of decorative boxes and dishes. Some were gifts and others were souvenirs of places she’d visited.

By the time Lacey set the mended bowl on the side table to dry, her mother’s presence was so alive in the room she almost expected her to step from the shadows.

“I don’t want to see any more from that box,” Gram said. “Take it down to storage.”

“Just one other thing we need to discuss.” She picked up her purse and pulled out the book with the pansies on the cover. She held out the book to Remy. “I found this in the box, too, and put it aside.”

Gram nodded but made no move to take the book. “Norella’s journal.”

“Yes. Have you read it?”

“Of course not. A journal is private.”

“But Mom’s gone now. I’d like to read it, but I wanted to ask you first.”

“And I’m saying no.” Gram held out her hand. “Give me the journal, Lacey,” she said in a tight voice.

Lacey pressed the journal to her chest and took a step back. “It’s as much mine as it is yours. I’ll give it a look and then put it back with the rest of her things.” She tensed, waiting for further argument.

Several moments passed before Remy leaned back and gave a resigned sigh. “All right. But I’m betting you’ll be sorry.”

Lacey tucked the journal back into her purse. “Maybe so, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

* * *

“WHICH BLOUSE DO you like, the white one or the pink?” Lacey pulled the blouses from Gram’s closet and held them up. Five o’clock had rolled around, dinnertime, which called for a change of clothes. For Gram, anyway. For Lacey, her jeans and navy T-shirt would have to do.

Gram tilted her head. “Hmm, the white has a pretty lace collar, but pink is my favorite color.”

“Pink it is.” Lacey handed her the pink blouse and returned the white one to the closet. Her cell phone rang. “Who could be calling?” she wondered aloud. Maybe Kris wants to set up a lunch date.

Lacey pulled her phone from her pocket. The number was local but unfamiliar. Could it be Rory? Why would he call? Hadn’t they parted yesterday with a finality that discouraged further contact? Just in case it was him, though, she wandered into the living room, where she’d be out of Gram’s earshot. Strolling to the patio door, she idly gazed out. The lowering afternoon sun sent long shadows through the willow trees bordering the river.

The caller turned out to be Elton Watts, publisher of the Silver River Sentinel.

“Remy gave me your number,” Elton said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, not at all. What can I do for you?” As a high school senior, Lacey had written a few articles for the paper to fulfill assignments in her journalism class. Since then, she’d had no contact with Elton, other than to exchange greetings during chance encounters around town.

So, why was he calling her now?

“I’d like to discuss something with you, but not over the phone. Can you drop by the Sentinel tomorrow morning? You’ll still be in town, won’t you?”

“Yes, I’m here for a few more days. But can’t you tell me what this is all about?”

“I’d rather talk to you in person.”

“Well...all right.”

They settled on nine thirty. Lacey ended the call and rejoined Gram. “That was Elton Watts. He wants me to come to his office tomorrow.”

Gram looked up from fastening the last button on the pink blouse. “I forgot to tell you he called this morning, and I gave him your cell number. Was that okay?”

“Of course. But did he tell you what he wants to talk to me about?”

“Not a word.” Gram shook her head. “Are you going to meet with him?”

“Yes, of course.” Elton was one of the few people who had not taken sides when Rick Morgan was accused of killing Al Jr. He might have had an opinion, but if he did, like a good journalist, he kept it to himself.

“Good.” Gram smiled. “Now, how do I look?” She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

Lacey smoothed the blouse’s collar. “You look gorgeous. Come on, let’s go wow ’em.”

CHAPTER FIVE (#u2e101700-237b-59ac-8810-5cbd4da22278)

IN HER ROOM at Sophie’s, Lacey sat by the window. Outside, the sun had disappeared behind the mountains, leaving a golden haze in the sky. The valley lay in semidarkness, and here and there a farmhouse light flickered on. Ordinarily, such a view would hold her attention. But not tonight. Tonight the book lying in her lap was all she could think about.

The book with the pansies on the cover.

Her mother’s journal.

Should she read it? Or honor Gram’s request and let her mother’s thoughts remain hers alone?

Finally, she picked up the book. She ran her fingers over the picture of pansies and then opened the cover.

“My Story” was written on the first page in her mother’s flowing handwriting. Under that, Lacey read:

In this book perhaps will be

Some glimpses of the real me.

We’ll see...

Lacey smiled at her mother’s attempt at writing poetry. She rifled through the pages, catching a phrase and a word here and there. Finally, she decided that rather than skip around, she would read the journal from beginning to end. She turned back to the first page and began. But after reading several entries, disappointment set in. Instead of deep, insightful thoughts, her mother’s writings were rather mundane:

Helped Mom bake pies today. Rick and Dad building cabinets at Fred’s Feed Store.

The entries had large gaps in time, often a week or more. Abandoning her thought to read straight through the journal, Lacey thumbed through the pages, checking the dates. She found one entry dated a year before the tragedy and stopped there:

I suddenly find myself alone much of the time. Rick works out of town a lot. Mother has her friends and her bridge club. Lacey is busy with school and with her boyfriend, Rory Dalton. I need something to do. Bonnie says she can help me get a job at The Owl Restaurant. The money’s good, especially the tips. Rick won’t like me working, but when he sees the money he’ll change his mind. He won’t see all the money, though. I know work isn’t the only thing he does when he’s out of town.

The next entry was a month later:

Rick was angry about my new job at The Owl, but I’d already been there a week before he came home from Forksville and found out. I showed him the money but he acted like he didn’t care. That’s okay. I was hoping to save at least some of it for Lacey’s college. I want her to go. I wish that’s what I had done instead of marrying so young.

Working was scary at first. So many people. So busy. But I’m doing okay. Jorgen, my boss and The Owl’s owner, is very patient. And Bonnie is my coach.

Two months later: