Melanie swiveled to face Eva, who was now standing next to her. “Have you seen him? This whole time you’ve been coming over here, have you seen him? Even once?”
Eva shook her head slowly from side to side, eyes wide.
Though she’d answered Melanie, it was plain as day Eva knew something. Melanie wanted to scream at them both.
Instead, mindful of Nicky, she lowered her voice. “I want to know what the hell is going on or I’m…I’m going to call the police.”
June closed her eyes for just a moment, let out a breath, and then turned to Eva. “I think it would be best if you took Nicky back to Melanie’s.”
Eva did not move. Melanie saw fear in the maid’s eyes. Or maybe dread. June spoke to Eva again.
“Please,” June said. “Just take him so that Melanie and I can talk. He can’t be here.”
Eva looked from Melanie to June to Nicky, clearly not wanting to leave. She hesitated before walking across the grass, bendingdown, and saying something to the little boy. He smiled and nodded. She offered her hand, he took it, and they walked back to the patio.
“Nicky wants some ice cream. We are going to go back home so he can have some,” Eva said, falsely cheerful.
“You want ice cream, Auntie?” Nicky asked Melanie as he approached her with his hand in Eva’s.
“Later, honey. I need to talk to Miss June.”
Eva glanced up at Melanie and then immediately averted her gaze.
Eva knew. She knew Elwood wasn’t in the house!
She’d deal with that betrayal later.
As soon as Eva and Nicky were gone, Melanie rounded on June. “Tell me where he is.”
June exhaled deeply as she walked to the patio table mere feet from where Melanie stood and sat down at it. “It’s very sweet of you to care for Elwood as you do, Melanie. Honestly. I’ve not appreciated you the way I should have all these months. I should’ve insisted he visit with you more often. I think he liked talking with you. It might’ve changed everything if I had. Well, not everything.”
“Tell me where Elwood is. Right now. Or I’m calling the cops.”
June closed her eyes and then opened them. “Yes, you probably should call them. But I think it would be a disaster if you did.”
“Why? What has happened? Where did he go?” Melanie said in a rush.
“Sit down and I’ll tell you.”
“I don’t want to sit down! I want to know where he is.”
June shook her head as she said softly, “He’s gone, Melanie.”
Melanie knew in an instant. She could tell by the tone of June’s voice and that look of anguish what she’d meant. Elwood was dead. An ache began to throb in her chest. But still she asked.
“Gone where?”
Quick tears had sprung to June’s eyes. “He swallowed a bottleful of pills, far too many, and he died.”
June leaned forward, put her elbows on the table, and rested her forehead in the well of her palms.
Melanie reached for the back of an empty patio chair to steady herself as shock and sadness somersaulted inside. Elwood!
Dead.
Elwood was dead.
“When?” Melanie murmured. “When did this happen?”
