Luke nodded. “She has. A man named Holden Crawford. A preacher who was painting our house.”

“Holden Crawford? You’re kidding. Sounds like Catcher in the Rye.”

They both looked at me blankly. Neither of them would ever get on Jeopardy!

“Wait a minute,” I said. “I want to hear this.”

The coffee was made. I poured each of us a cup, put the rolls in the oven, and sat back down.

Luke put two teaspoons of sugar in his coffee and stirred it before he continued.

“It didn’t take him but three days to paint the whole house, including the soffits. But when he left, Virginia went with him.”

“What did he look like?” Sister wanted to know.

“I didn’t pay much attention. Big. Dark hair.” Luke sipped his coffee. “Every time I saw him, he was up on a ladder painting the soffits.”

“And you’re sure Virginia left with him?” I asked.

“She left me a note.” Luke fished a piece of stationery from his shirt pocket and handed it to me. Across the top were flowers with babies peeking out of them. Written on it was: Enough. I’ve gone with Holden.

I handed the note to Sister.

“Cute stationery,” she said.

Luke nodded. “I gave it to Virginia for her birthday. It looks like her. Beautiful and delicate.”

I glanced at Luke’s glasses. Nothing unusual about them. Not especially thick.

“She must have lost weight,” Sister said. “Has she had cosmetic surgery recently?”

I aimed a kick at her ankles, but she had outsmarted me and was holding her legs up.

Luke was too upset to take offense. “She doesn’t need it. When we went to the inaugural ball last year, nobody could believe she was Richard’s mother.” He sighed. “I just don’t know what in the world got into her. Maybe religion. I know the man’s a preacher.”

I hopped up. “I’ll get the sweet rolls.”

“What kind of preacher is he?” Sister asked. “How come he’s painting houses?”

“Doesn’t make a living preaching, I guess. The man in Columbus who recommended him to do the painting says he’s got a small church up near Gadsden. I can’t even remember the name of it. Jesus Is Our Life and Heaven Hereafter or something like that. I’ll bet it’s a cult.” Luke rubbed his hand across his eyes. “Oh, Lord. My sweet Virginia and poisoned Kool-Aid. And her a Lutheran.” Luke sat up suddenly. “You don’t suppose he kidnapped her, do you?”

Sister leaned forward. “How old is he?”

“Fiftyish.”

“I doubt it seriously.”

I was looking through the oven window, watching the icing melt on the sweet rolls. Poor Luke. I could understand his not wanting to admit that Virginia had just taken off with this Holden Crawford because she was smitten with him. Holden Crawford. The English teacher inside me was smiling.