Page 96 of Break My Fall

Mrs. Nolan sliced a tomato and some onion but mourned how awful the tomato would be because “you just can’t get a fit tomato in February” and then set the food out for them to dig in.

Gray watched as Brick, Donovan, and Mr. Nolan, who hadmade it a point to come home at lunch when he heard she was “fixing a spread,” filled their plates, and he copied them precisely.

His first bite was tentative, but the chow chow turned out to be unbelievably good on the beans. And by the third bite, he understood why Brick and Donovan had been so excited.

“This is delicious, Mrs. Nolan.” He took a sip of tea so sweet he could almost stand a spoon in it.

“Thank you, young man. I’m so glad you like it.”

“Bet you didn’t eat like this growing up, did ya, son?” Mr. Nolan asked.

“No, sir. Not like this.”

The conversation was easy, and Mr. and Mrs. Nolan were gentle and sarcastic to each other in turns.

Gray intended to let Brick lead this dance, and he wasn’t surprised when he didn’t start with the main question. “Mama, you got anything we need to know about?”

His dad snorted. “I told you they wanted something.”

Mrs. Nolan gave Brick a look that could strip paint. “What on earth do you think I know, young man?”

“Now, Mama, we all know you know everything. You can’t deny it.”

She pinched her lips together. “I know you’ll not be getting any blackberry cobbler.” She pointed her fork at all three officers. “Not a one of you. You’ll watch him”—she pointed at Mr. Nolan—“eat it and you’ll weep for being scoundrels.”

“We’re the good guys, Mrs. Nolan.” Donovan clasped his hands together. “Please don’t banish me from your kitchen.”

“Mama, you’re gonna get me in trouble with the chief,” Brick implored, and Gray kicked him under the table.

But Mrs. Nolan wasn’t having it. “Your chief should know better.”

“Mama, we were talking about how good your cooking is. Wementioned your chow chow, and one thing led to another. That’s why we’re here.”

“Mm-hmm.” She was miffed.

“Can you blame us for trying to see what’s going on? While we’re here, we might as well catch up.”

That seemed to appease her. Slightly. “I know word has gone out that if you get caught with your honey at Gossamer Falls, the chief won’t rat you out. But he will run you off.”

Gray hid his smile in another sip of tea.

“And I know you”—she pointed a piece of cornbread at Gray—“are sparking Meredith Quinn. And it’s about time too. What took you so long?”

Gray had never heard the term “sparking,” but he figured it out in context. Given the way she was looking at him, he decided the question hadn’t been rhetorical. “I’m an idiot, ma’am, but I’ve come to my senses.”

“Glad to hear it. She’s an angel.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Although, I heard tell that she’s caused some stir in Neeson. You might want to tell her to take it easy up there.”

Gray tried to keep his expression neutral. “I’ll do that, ma’am. Is there anything specific?”

“Oh, I’ll say there is. My cousin’s second ex-wife is from Neeson. We talk. Dena said there’s a rumor that old Johnstone’s got himself a couple of kids that nobody knew about.” She nodded grimly. “He’s been married to the same woman for going on forty years, but rumor is there’s at least two kids in town who look an awful lot like him, even though they’re no relation. Or they aren’t supposed to be.”

“How old are these kids?” Brick asked.

“One’s not more than five, but Dena says her mama says he looks just like Marvin Johnstone did as a kid. Same eyes. Same hair. There’s a teenager, and then there’s that girl that run off. Shedidn’t look like him a bit. Spitting image of her mama. Not even sure if Johnstone knew about it for a long time.”

Gray forced himself to take a bite. The food was delicious, but his gut was churning.

Mrs. Nolan buttered a piece of cornbread and kept talking. “The rumor is that the girl didn’t know but found out somehow and that’s when she disappeared. You’d think her mama’d be worried about her, but she isn’t. Of course, the other rumor is that she ran off with some guy twenty years older than her. That one might have more truth to it.”

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