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‘OK. I’m going to call this in. They’ll let Gray know, and they’ll send the forensics team out here. In the meantime, can I be of any help?’
‘No,’ Mary said. ‘But thank you.’
As far as she could see, there was nothing that would be of any help right now.
The Long Morning
After the police had left there was the noise of footsteps on the stairs. A few moments later Sally came into the kitchen. Mary got to her feet and intercepted her before she could get there.
Sally looked at Ryan.
‘What’s going on?’ she said, her voice slow and uncomprehending.
Mary pulled her into a tight embrace.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘Something happened to Wally.’
Sally pushed her away, breaking the embrace. Mary was momentarily disorientated, thrown out of joint by the feeling that her daughter was rejecting her. Was she no longer a source of immediate comfort to her? When had that simple relationship become more complicated?
‘Wally?’ Sally said. ‘What happened to him?’
‘He – something happened, in the night.’
Mary was helpless, incapable of getting the words out.
‘Wally didn’t make it,’ she said, aware as the words crossed her lips that her choice of expression was ridiculous.
‘Didn’t make it?’ Sally replied. ‘What does that mean?’
Ryan put his hand on her forearm. ‘Wally died,’ he said, in a quiet, serious voice.
Sally’s expression sharpened, as though she was getting ready to roll her eyes but after a moment her face sagged.
‘He died?’ she said.
‘I’m sorry.’ Mary hugged Sally, who pushed her away for a second time, although this time it was so she could run over to Wally. She knelt by him and put her arms around his neck, lifting his face to confirm what she had been told. She began to sob, loudly.
A few moments later Otis appeared at the foot of the stairs.
‘What’s going on?’ he said, his voice sleepy.
‘It’s Wally.’ Sally looked up at her brother, her eyes red and wet.
‘What about Wally?’
Sally didn’t reply. She buried her face in Wally’s neck.
Mary put her arm around Otis. ‘He’s dead. He died in the night.’
Otis’s face contorted into a mask of incredulity.
‘Wally’s dead? How?’
‘We don’t know yet, for sure,’ Ryan replied.
Otis stared at Mary. ‘Is this linked?’ he said.
‘To what?’
