Page 21 of The Gallagher Place
The girls turned and ran back to the Gray House, the dripping brushes dangling from their hands. Even from across the road, the circles were still visible. They hurriedly washed the brushes in the sink before hiding them with the empty paint pail in the back of Marlowe’s closet and then threw themselves onto their twin beds as if they’d never moved.
Later that evening, after the Fishers had returned home with a new set of living room chairs, the family gathered for dinner. Nora stayed, as she always did, confidently taking her usual place next to Marlowe at the dining table.
“Tom Gallagher’s up in arms,” Frank announced. “Someone’s been messing with his cows.”
Nora and Marlowe gave each other a quick sidelong glance but stayed silent. They’d become good at that, communicating with their eyes.
“What happened?” Glory asked. “Don’t tell me there are a bunch of hooligans out tipping?”
“Someone painted brands on the cows, made a crazy symbol with a tree,” Frank explained. “I’m sure it was someone’s idea of a joke, but Tom was yammering on about Wiccan nonsense. Devil worshipping, if you can believe it.”
Nora cast her eyes down at the table, and Marlowe tugged on a lock of her hair so as not to laugh.
Glory chuckled. “Those old men sure do spook easily. I suppose they should just count themselves lucky that cow tipping has gone out of style.”
“It wasn’t any of you who messed with those cows, was it?” Frank asked.
He surveyed the children with eagle eyes, and they all shook their heads vehemently.
If Marlowe had a sheepish tilt to her mouth, or Nora had a twinkle in her eye, no one noticed. They would never be the suspects. Pranks were a boy’s domain.
“Let me remind you, those cows and fields are not for fun for the Gallaghers,” Frank said. “It’s their livelihood.”
Everyone nodded, and the issue was forgotten as they dug into their meal.
Marlowe clasped Nora’s hand under the table. The cow prank didn’t feel like a crime. If the Gallaghers were silly enough to cry witches or satanism, that was hardly Marlowe and Nora’s fault. It was their secret. Their own brand. Harmless mischief just between them, tying them closer together.
MONDAY
NOVEMBER 26, 2018
TWELVE
It started to snow right before the detectives arrived. The flurries were intermittent and wouldn’t stick, but an early snow seemed foretelling. Of what, Marlowe didn’t know, but to her, something about this place—the land, with its cycles and weather—always seemed to hold special knowledge.
Glory welcomed the detectives to seats at the kitchen table. Frank and Glory sat next to each other, Marlowe near her mother, facing Ariel and Ben.
“We’re pleased to inform you that we’ve made some headway on the case,” Ben announced. “We just have a few more questions for you.”
“I’m grateful for it,” Frank said. “All of this happening on our land has unsettled us, to say the least.”
Ben nodded. “We can confirm that Harmon Gallagher was killed at some point between midnight and three in the morning on November 23. The initial coroner’s report states the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the back and top of the head.”
“And you have suspects?” Frank asked.
“I can’t say at this time. We’re still gathering information,” Ben said. “We have officially traced those threats you sent in back to Harmon, and we’d like to go over the details again, Mr. Fisher.”
“Certainly. Shall we talk in the study?”
“That would be great, thank you.” Ben stood up and followed Frank, but this time Ariel lingered.
“I’d like to get a better sense of the property,” Ariel said. “Marlowe, would you mind showing me where the old Gallagher house used to be?”
“All right.” Marlowe had expected, even hoped for, this kind of chance, but still she was hit by a ripple of shock at being so neatly singled out. Ariel didn’t waste time. Marlowe glanced at her mother, who wasn’t looking at either of them.
“Thank you, I appreciate it. And the guest you told us about on Friday, Enzo Marino.” Ariel turned to Glory. “Is he still in the house?”
“Yes, of course he is.” Glory looked confused. “He went upstairs for a nap shortly before you arrived.”
