"It's more than that. I'm not sure what, but I'll bet it goes back to his past. Probably a five buck parking ticket he didn't pay fifty years ago and he thinks they're still trying to hunt him down." He climbed into bed next to his wife but didn't turn off the light.

"I caught the crack about 'that side of the court room.' You don't suppose he has a police record, do you? He's certainly apprehensive about something."

"Naw. I know he doesn't have a record."

Cynthia looked over at her husband. "How do you know?"

"I checked. Back when I first became a cop. God, don't tell him! He'd have a fit if he knew I'd spied on him!"

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"Shame on you!"

"It was years ago. I was just nosy. Here was this guy who married my mother; then she died, and I'm living with him-all in a couple of weeks. But then I got to know him."

She smiled. "And love him." She added, "He's certainly worried about something."

"Lord knows what. Fred's biggest shortcoming is that's he's not afraid enough! He's scared me half to death over the years with his antics. The old geezer is probably just pulling our legs. He's not hiding-he's collecting Social Security, isn't he? I knew he had a spotted life before meeting my mother, but I figured he was secretive about his past simply because it gave him a sort of mystique."

Cynthia thought a moment. "Perhaps we should prod him to tell us. I hate to think of him worrying himself if there's some problem we could help him with. Prodding Martha to talk out her dilemma helped, didn't it?"

"Maybe I'll get him drunk instead."

"Sometimes I think you're not a nice man." She snuggled next to him, usually an invitation for love, but tonight he sensed she just wanted to be held.

"You haven't said anything about Martha's little confession," he said.

She sighed. "I'm so distressed at her leaving, I don't even want to think about it. If I do, all I can picture is her trapped in some dark hole! God, I almost wish she hadn't told us! It gives me the shivers just to picture it!" She burrowed even deeper beneath his arm.

"I'm pleased Martha trusted us enough to confide in us, even though now I have to take my hat in my hand and talk Jake Weller into spelunking after a skeleton. The sheriff won't be a happy man."

"That's the sheriff's job. Just be thankful it happened before the election. It might have been you down in that horrible place."




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