Page 54 of Death on Riddle Road
“He is very like you.”
“I’m extremely proud of him.”Her agreement with my statement was implicit...along with un-humbly applying theresponsible and admirablepraise to herself.Still, who can slight a mother for being proud of her kid?
“He’s a good kid,” I said.
It was weak, but it drew a look from her I chose to interpret as approval.At least that lukewarmest of approvals — tacit.
I’d take it.
Writers learned to warm the cockles of their hearts with tacit approval.Having read reviews for even the belovedAbandon All, I knew criticism was the default setting for many, so if tacit approval didn’t work for a writer, those heart cockles could get awfully cold.
“We understand Derrick’s parents told Robbie that Jaylynn was having an affair at the time she was killed,” Clara said with concern and empathy.Good for her following up on that.
Dova exhaled deeply.“It was one of the reasons I curtailed contact between them and Robbie.I wanted to raise him with as much normalcy as possible.They wanted to clear their son’s name at all costs — even the cost of their grandson’s well-being.”
“He’s very fortunate to have had you for these years,” Clara said.“Not only with his father in prison, but from what we’ve gathered not much communication between father and son as Robbie’s grown up.”
“I tried to keep the relationship, despite everything.Even before Derrick went to prison, when Robbie was little, most of their relationship was through me.After the trial and verdict...It became harder and harder as Robbie grew older, with his own views, even though I thought Robbie neededsomeconnection to his father.”
Not what Beverly and Yale indicated.In their scenario, the limited contact was from Derrick’s altruistic concern for his son.
Clara said, “But you were all hoping — before Derrick’s illness, of course — that might change for good, weren’t you?”
Dova did not respond.A smooth, pleasant not-quite-blankness that put the onus on Clara to bridge.
Clara didn’t falter.With a hint of approval, she said, “The lawyers to mount a new appeal.”
After another beat, Dova’s expression shifted to rueful.
“Oh, dear.Derrick promised me — swore — he wouldn’t talk to anyone else about that.”She drew in a breath, then let it out in a rush.“I suppose it can’t hurt him anymore now.The truth is, that was hishope— our hope — always.But as much as I searched and searched and searched, no lawyers would touch an appeal.In the end, after so many said the same thing, I had to let go of the hope.But I let him think...No, more than that, I have to take the responsibility.I created the scenarios for him to believe in, to hope for.
“Sometimes, I wondered if it was the right thing to do, but now — with his illness and what’s happened — I can’t be anything but glad I did.If I’d let that dream end, he would have died right then.”
An appeal could have jumbled motives for his murder.
If Derrick had no hope of an appeal, that would point away from Jaylynn’s family or the guy who was broken for years after her death, Evan Ferguson.
Unless the only verdict that truly worked for them was his death, and his release to hospice was their opportunity, as well as what might have pushed them over the edge.
But she meant that without the hope of another appeal, Derrick would have died in prison and of something other than murder.
“Hope is so vital,” Clara said.
Dova leaned forward and squeezed Clara’s forearm.
“You are such a generous, caring person.Thank you.”Dova drew in a breath, then sighed it out.“I’d better get to what I came here for.Unbelievable how much paperwork is required.”
“Of course.We totally understand.”
She left us with a sad smile, heading back toward the main entry.
We waited a minute, exchanged a look, then gathered our things and followed in the same direction.Going slowly enough that she would naturally extend her lead on us.
She was out of sight, presumably having made the turn to the hallway leading to the reception desk, so it was certainly enough of a lead that she couldn’t hear when I responded to Clara’s frown by asking the ever-brilliant, “What’s wrong?”
“There was something Dova said or...something...”She shook her head.“It threw me off.”
“She did something odd with her mouth.”
