Page 121 of So Much More

“Uh, yes. A Bridget Anderson. Is she family?”

The female officer winces at his carelessness. She knows exactly who the woman is.

“She’s his secretary,” Mom says, “and girlfriend.”

Both officers are stunned into silence at her admission.

“We’re—wewere—getting a divorce,” Mom explains. “Did she make it?”

“No, ma’am.”

Mom’s hand goes to her chest. “Oh, no. Her poor parents.”

“What time did this happen?” I ask, to change the subject from my dad’s much younger mistress.

“Around two o’clock. They appeared to be on their way home from a fancy event. He was wearing a tuxedo.”

Mom nods. “Last night was the lung cancer benefit gala.”

“What do you need from us?” I ask the officers.

“We’ll need someone to formally identify the body.”

“That would be me,” I say.

“Good.” She gives me another nod of approval. “Then we’ll have you come by the station afterward, and we’ll have some more questions and information for you.”

I stand. “Thank you, officers.” I get the address of the morgue and police station and escort them out, with a promise to head downtown as soon as possible.

When I return to the sitting room, Mom is staring at the fireplace. I kneel by her chair and take her hand in mine. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”

“Numb. Shocked. Sad. Relieved. Guilty for feeling relieved.”

“You have the right to feel all of those things, and more.”

“How am I going to tell your sisters?”

“We’ll tell them together, but first I need to call Ash.”

* * *

Melissa went with me to identify the body and talk to the police, so everyone else could stay together at the house once Ash arrived.

As we’re heading back to the car from the police station, she says, “I guess Wendy will be coming home early from Arkansas?”

I pause before admitting, “I haven’t told her.”

She stops walking. “Youwhat?Tell me I heard that wrong.”

“I can’t tell her. If I do, she’ll insist on coming home, but she’s meeting her niece today. I can’t let her miss that.”

“Randall, you have to tell her.”

“I’m not going to ruin her weekend with her new family.”

Melissa puts her hand on my arm. “Listen to me, Randall Hamilton. She’ll be furious with you if you don’t tell her this. Plus, you need her. I know you do. You need comfort and support, too, as much as anyone else in your family does, and none of us can give you what she can.”

“But—”

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