Page 77 of Decoding Morse

She let out a huff. “I’m too exhausted for such theatrics. It’s a letter for my Amelia. I need you to promise you’ll give it to her after I’m gone. She’ll likely have some questions.”

Now, she’d piqued my curiosity. I opened the purse wide and plucked out the envelope before returning the bag to the closet. Folding the envelope, I stuffed it into my pocket. “I’ll see that she gets it.”

Get-well bouquets covered the shelf and windowsill. Stopping beside one, I asked, “These come with your donation, too?”

“No. Those are all from Eric. He’s all but forgotten about me for years, and now that I’m dying, he’s playing doting son. Too little, too late, but he’ll learn.” Her hand flopped on the bed, almost like she’d tried to gesture but lacked the energy. “Where’s Amelia been? I’ve been waiting in this bed all day.”

I hesitated, not wanting to air the dirty laundry of the woman I’d already pissed off enough for the day. “Maybe you should ask Amelia.”

“She won’t tell me anything because she doesn’t want me to worry. But she doesn’t get to be in control of how those around her feel. I get to be concerned for her if I want.”

“We were in Boise.”

The words were out before I gave them a second thought. I might have won our one and only chess game, but this woman could kick my ass at life. She knew what she was doing.

Carol frowned. “She went to see her parents?”

I nodded. “Yes. They want her to move back. They’re holding Morgan’s tuition over her head.”

I expected Carol to be every bit as irate about the ultimatum as I was, but to my surprise, her face lit up. The woman laughed. It was weak and more wheezing than anything, but the noise seemed happy.

Until it wasn’t.

The laugh turned into a cough that looked and sounded painful. Her oxygen mask fogged up. A nurse rushed in and gave me the evil eye. She helped Carol through the fit and then cleaned the blood splattered on her mask before offering her a sip of water.

Carol had coughed up blood.

Lots of it.

She had only days.

When the nurse left, Carol gestured me closer like nothing had happened. “Want to know a secret?”

I was still accepting the fact that she was dying.

Right now.

I nodded.

“Those fools think they hold all the cards, but they’re in for a rude awakening. She doesn’t need them or their scraps anymore. Soon, she’ll have more money than she can ever spend.”

I was so fucking lost. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not some gold digger, are you, Morse?”

Was she having a stroke?

“No, ma’am.”

“Swear you won’t tell Amelia.”

“I swear. My lips are sealed.”

She was so pale I could see the blood on her lips through her oxygen mask. Her emaciated frame expanded and collapsed with a heavy breath. “Good. She’ll find out in the letter.”

“Find out what, exactly?”

“I changed my will. Everything I own will be hers.”

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