“Did she have anything to back up what she said?”

“She claimed that Doug was just being friendly to Addie and all because he felt sorry for her-on account of Dody being so hard to live with. She said that Doug was sweet on some girl in Rock Hill-I forget her name now-but, anyway, none of us ever saw him with anybody, so I always just dismissed that as his mama’s wishful thinkin’.”

“Think he could have killed Addie?”

“Doug? Oh, my! I just don’t see that. I mean, I think Doug would have run off with her, but I just can’t imagine that he killed her.”

“So, what do you think happened?”

“Well, hon, I think maybe they broke up after they left here, and she just fell into the hands of the wrong person.”

“You don’t think Dody could have done it?”

“Well, I don’t know. If he did, he’d have had to kill both of them. I just can’t imagine Dody being a killer. He’s contrary and he’s kind of an oddball sometimes, but I think he’s basically harmless. I mean, he was always hard on Addie, but he never did lay hands on her-you know, hit her or anything. If he had, the whole town would have known about that. I mean, you can’t get a hangnail ’round here without everybody knowing.”

“I’ve heard that Doug’s mother hasn’t heard from him since the time he disappeared with Addie. Is that true?”

“Oh yes, that is true. I’ve often wondered about that myself. Perhaps he and Addie were both killed out on the road somewhere and we just haven’t found his bones yet.”

“Hmm. Perhaps.” We both paused for a few seconds. “So, what happened with Dody and the girls after she left?” I took another huge bite of pie.

“Oh well, he was never the same person again. That’s another reason I don’t think he could have killed them. When she ran off, he just kind of came apart. I mean, he was still negative and all, but he hardly ever talked to folks. He withdrew, kind of. Had a lot of stomach problems-ulcers, you know.” She looked at me knowingly and nodded.

“I see.”

“Yes,” she continued. “Ulcers and then with all his drinkin’-he started that after she run off-with all his drinkin’ on top of those ulcers…” She made a soft clicking noise with her tongue behind her teeth.

“Then he left about fourteen years ago?”

“Yes, to move to Manor, but those little girls spent most of their time with their grandmother anyway-Addie’s mama-Dody’s mama passed away some years ago.”

“Well, it just all seems so sad.”

“Yes, it does,” Doris sighed.

I paid her for the lunch and that awesome pie and headed back to Austin. On the way, I pondered everything I had seen and everything Doris had told me, and I wondered what had befallen Addie and Doug after they had left Viola, or if they had ever left Viola. I wanted to know if she had really been involved with Doug. I wanted to know what had really happened.

I was packing my clothes for the trip to Hawaii. All of my sculpture supplies were already packed in a case that I would carry with me on the trip. I was standing in the doorway to my closet trying to decide what final pieces of my wardrobe I would take with me, when I heard the front door open.

“Mom?”

“I’m back here-in my closet.”

I heard Mike’s heavy footsteps coming across the living room floor and then down the hallway. I looked up to see my son standing in the door to my room. He was wearing jeans and a golf shirt with the tail out.

“What are you doing here, son?”

“I came over to take you to the airport. You’re not through packing yet?”

“You don’t have to take me to the airport.”

“Of course I don’t, but that’s beside the point. I am taking you to the airport. Mom, your flight leaves in three hours. I thought you’d be done packing.”

“Thought wrong, but I am almost done. I just need to make a decision on one more thing…”

He sighed. It was one of those deep, male, “I totally don’t get this” kind of sighs. I finally selected one of my favorite sundresses. I removed it from the hanger, folded it neatly and placed it in my bag. Then I closed the top and zipped the bag up. I was done.

“There.”

“You’re done?”

“Yes. I told you I only needed one more thing.”

“So, your supplies are already packed? Please tell me that your supplies are already packed.”

“Yes, Michael. I packed those four days ago.”

“Good.”

“So, why did you decide you needed to take me to the airport?”

“For one thing, you don’t need to be leaving one of the cars out there for several days. Grandpa doesn’t need to be driving you out there either-the traffic is awful, and he gets hacked off with the way people drive. I’m off today, and what kind of a son would I be if I didn’t take my mom to the airport?”

I gave him one of my looks and raised my left eyebrow.

“You’re a lousy storyteller, Michael Sullivan.”

He looked down at his feet.

“I didn’t want to send you off to do something like this without moral support. I don’t want you coming back from this trip and having to drive yourself home alone either.”

I nodded.

“You’re a pretty decent son, Michael Sullivan.” I smiled and then patted him on the arm.

“Don’t go gettin’ mushy on me or anything, Mom.”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t dream of that.”

We both grinned at each other. I looked up at my only child and marveled. He was six feet one inch tall, and with his strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes he was the spitting image of my husband. Now he was in the same line of work as Jack, too. Now my little boy was a big man who carried a badge and a gun. Then I couldn’t help myself, and I reached up and put my arms around the neck of my “little” boy. My son whom I used to hold in my arms when he cried. My son whose boo-boos I used to kiss and assure him everything was okay. Then something incredible happened.

“It’s all going to be okay, Mom.” He squeezed me tight. “I’m here for you, and we’ll get through this thing with Uncle Teddy together.”

Tears were streaming down my face. I had not intended to lean on my son for support through this, but without my asking or saying so much as a single word, here he was. I wept because it was the first time my small boy had changed roles and become the man to buck up his ol’ ma.

He pulled away from me and pulled his hankie out of his pocket. “No more of that cryin’ now. Wipe your face, and let’s get your stuff loaded in the car and get on the road. You’re the best in your field, and you’ve faced worse things in life than this. You can do this. Let’s get going.”

The flight from Austin had been uneventful. The plane landed on the tarmac in Honolulu and I looked out the window to see Hawaii. I hadn’t been here in a couple of years, since the last reconstruct I did for CILHI. Every time I came here it reminded me of Vietnam-not because of CILHI, but because I had stopped here on my way home from Vietnam. Jack and I had pulled one of our R &Rs here, too. Hawaii would be forever associated with Vietnam in my mind, but no post-Vietnam visit here had resurrected feelings and memories associated with ’Nam like this visit had.

I had taken a hotel on the beach at Waikiki. I thought, Why not? I have to go to Hawaii for unpleasant business, I can stay in a nice hotel. I hadn’t been on a trip anywhere for pleasure since before Jack died, and this trip definitely didn’t count toward that deficiency, but at least the view was extraordinary and the weather was amazing.

I had checked in to the hotel and was in my room unpacking some things and looking out the sliding glass door that led out onto the lanai. The beauty of the place was in such incredible contrast to what I was there to do. I didn’t have to report to CILHI until the next day, so I had the rest of the afternoon and evening to get settled in and to collect myself.