It was really sweet that he’d befriended Donna—for all his yakkety-yak tendencies, Earl was a good person. And Annie was pleased that his presence seemed to keep Donna’s spirits up. Even so, she wasn’t sure that Claire would have approved of her husband’s winking at another woman, or holding her hand, whether she was sick or not.

Then Donna stood. She wobbled a little. Annie, Kevin, and Earl reacted quickly by reaching out, ready to steady her. Donna laughed. “Stop! I’m fine!” They pulled their arms back in unison. “And right now, despite the wonderful news about the rooms, I’m sorry, but I must break up the party because I need to rest.” She turned to Annie. “Thank you for the delicious soup. I hope there will be enough left for dinner.” She then smiled and wobbled into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

“Okay,” Earl said, standing, too. “Let’s get to Vineyard Haven, Kevin. My truck or yours?”

They picked Kevin’s truck because the back was bigger.

Annie sent them off with two baggies of chocolate chip cookies, as if they needed baggies, as if the cookies wouldn’t be devoured before they made it to the On Time. It seemed strangely inappropriate to feel the energy of happiness, given the circumstances with Donna, but Donna had insisted that they all stay positive, so Annie was determined to try to do her part. If only one of Earl’s comments wasn’t niggling at her: “In case Annie’s attorney friend is right . . .”

Enough! she thought. Then she knew that while so much that was happening was out of her control, there might be one thing she could put to rest.

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

If she waited long enough, Annie knew she might change her mind.

So she went outside into the shed where the trash barrels were kept. She hadn’t put on gloves because she didn’t want to waste time trying to find some, and, besides, it was her trash, anyway.

Three barrels were full. She thanked God and the universe that Kevin had been so busy that he hadn’t yet gone to the transfer station. She dragged out the first, unhooked the lid, hoisted the barrel, then dumped it upside down. The contents spilled onto the lawn, and Annie started to dig through them.

A couple of beer bottles that Kevin should have recycled; cleaning remnants from Annie’s tear through the cottage before Donna’s arrival; two old towels that she’d tossed; the ferry stub from Donna’s passage. Things that had been thrown out earlier than what Annie was seeking. She stuffed it all back in and replaced the lid.

Barrel number two held the latest things: latex gloves and medical wrappers that had held who-knew-what and had been torn open when Donna was passed out; miscellaneous bits and pieces; padded packing paper from the Vuitton trunk. Again, not what Annie needed.