“It could be very important, Mrs. Bellson.”

“Lita!”

“Lita, sorry.”

“You really think my daughter’s missing?”

“Yes.”

Lita shrugged. “That would be too bad. Not that Marie and I get along so great. But she is my own flesh and blood. I’d feel bad if something happened to her.”

Marge didn’t answer.

“What were we talking about? Where’s my damn ice cream? What’re they doing? Growing the cherries?”

“How many times was Marie pregnant?”

“Oh, three or four that I know about. She aborted them all.”

Marge kept her expression impassive. Marie had made quite a transformation. From radical politics and free sex to nursing and God. She said, “Marie had three or four abortions?”

Lita smacked her lips. “Yep. Cost me a pretty penny! Abortion was expensive in those days. But by that time, my old man had kicked and left me some money. Guess he was feeling remorseful for never talking to me. So Pop made up by filling my pocketbook in his will. I was spending an awful lot on myself. I really didn’t mind spending a little on Marie.”

“Did Marie ever lose a baby?”

“Lose—like in a stillborn?”

“Or a late miscarriage.”

“Not that I know of. Far as I know, she never got that far in any of her pregnancies. She’d come to me and say, ‘Ma, I’m in trouble—again.’ I’d give her cash, and that’s the last I heard about any of them.”

“She mentioned to a friend that she lost a baby when she was young. Maybe it was after Marie left the house. Around nineteen or twenty?”

“Around twenty…” Lita scrunched up her nose as she thought. Then she glared at the tabletop. “This is just ridiculous. Where’s my ice cream? What are they doing? Shelling the nuts?”

“Here comes Leek.”

“Well, it’s about time!” Lita grabbed the bowl out of McKay’s hands. “Took you long enough.”

“Spumoni’s a hot item, Lita.” The nurse set a bowl of ice cream in front of Marge. “Here’s your ice cream, Detective.”

“I changed my mind.” Marge pushed the bowl in front of Lita. “Is it okay if I give it to her?”

McKay gave her an admonishing look. “Boy, Lita, you really fooled me with that one.”

Again the old woman broke into howls of laughter.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” McKay waved good-bye.

“Ain’t he gorgeous?”

Marge smiled.

“He’s going to take me to Hawaii.”

“Yes, you mentioned that, Lita.”

“I’m supposed to give all my money to the home, you know.”

“I know.”

“No one knows about my secret money. Not even Marie.”

“I understand.”

“Hawaii was actually Leek’s idea. He wants to settle there for a while. Just him and me. Like honeymooners.”

Marge waited a beat, then said, “Lita, let’s go on with Marie for just a moment more.”