The April Saturday held a hint of summer. With a pitcher of iced mint tea on the table between us, I quizzed Jenna for a test in Anatomy. A car pulled in at the curb. Jenna’s shoulders tensed. When I looked up, the reason for her uneasiness was evident. Marcus Garner strode up the walk. He’d inherited his height and build from his father. Only his black hair and dark eyes came from Martha.
“Marcus,
what brings you?”
The
owner of the local newspaper glared. “The pair of you.” Anger darkened his
eyes. “Katherine, my family doesn’t need your interference. I don’t appreciate
what you did with my mother the other evening.”
I
rose and faced him. “Just what’s wrong with two friends having dinner at the
best restaurant in town?”
“I
know what you were up to.” He stabbed his finger toward me. “Stay out of my
business.” He turned to Jenna. “What did I tell you when I heard you were back
in town?”
“Not
to see Gran.”
“But
you did and you have her all upset. She doesn’t need another addict siphoning
her money.”
Jenna
sprang to her feet. “I’ve never done drugs and I don’t abuse alcohol. I saw how
those things messed up my mother and Mark.”
“Liar.
Mark had no substance abuse problems. For the last time, stay away from my
mother.”
“She’s
my grandmother and I love her.”
He
raised his fist and swung. I grabbed his arm and deflected the blow. “Marcus
Garner, you have no right to come on my property and threaten anyone.”
“Just
stay out of my business.” He stomped to his car and drove away.
I
shook my head. How could a middle-aged pillar of the community have so little
restraint?
“You
should have let him hit me.”
“Why?”
“He
would have been talking to the police.” She reached for the tea. “Sorry.”
“What
for? He’s the one at fault.” I patted her hand. “If Martha wants to see you, he
has no reason to say she can’t.”
She
sucked in a breath. “I shouldn’t drag you into my problems. Maybe I need to
find another apartment.”
“Absolutely
not. Your uncle and I have had our differences in the past. He doesn’t frighten
me either.” I frowned. “He can be rude, but I wonder what has him so worried.
Could he have a guilty conscience? Maybe he’s afraid your grandmother will
learn the detective was a hoax.”
Jenna
settled in the chair. “I doubt he feels guilty about anything. He’s afraid Gran
will leave her money to someone other than him. When Granddad died, Uncle
Marcus was furious when he received the paper and no money. He and Sophie had
been married a year. She wasn’t happy either.”
My
thoughts churned. If Marcus was living off the profits from the paper, he could
be over-extended, especially with the show of wealth Sophie enjoyed. Was Martha
subsidizing his lifestyle or was he counting on a large inheritance? I picked
up the study guide. “Back to Anatomy.”
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