“Well, it’s a funny thing. I was watching the boys on their bikes the day after Sharon died. They were happy and laughing, on their way over to Matthew’s house. I felt like, okay, they’re fine, and I don’t have to hold them up and feed them and all that. I mean, if Archie needs a sitter or a tutor and I’m around, then fine. But I keep thinking about Archie and I keep trying to understand, how and why did he let Sharon treat his boys the way she did?”

“Because he’s a spineless idiot?”

“Or something very close to it. That was my thought. And when I tried to talk to him on the boys’ behalf, he didn’t listen to me. He thought I was being dramatic or something. I mean, I spoke to him on several occasions and really laid it on the line and still, he was not moved.”

“Well, we already know he’s got lousy judgment.”

“I think it’s worse than that. Remember I told you I had a date with this guy I used to go to school with? The acting police chief?”

“Yeah, I remember. What about it?”

“Well, he made me see Archie in a new light. Archie is a taker. He would take and take and take and then go off and marry somebody like Sharon. Ted, the guy I went out with, is a giver.”

“My Charlie was a taker of the first order.”

“Yeah, well, I think I like givers better than takers.” Then I told her about Archie at his wedding and his phone calls from Bermuda. “It made me super uncomfortable.”

“What’s the matter with him?” she said very quietly. “He knew before he married her that he was making a mistake and did it anyway. Then he goes on their honeymoon, carrying a torch for you. You tell him the awful things Sharon is doing to his little boys and he ignores you. He’s just off base all over the place. I think this guy needs a strong dose of reality check and therapy.”

“And this from a Harvard Ph.D. in religion. Shouldn’t he have a more reliable compass?”

“Yes. Yes, he should.”

“Anyway, I sort of feel like I did my thing with the boys. They’re fine and on their way. They know where to find me.”

“I hope this guy Ted remembers where to find you.”

“Oh, I expect now that the Sharon disaster is pretty much behind us, I’ll hear from him.”

“Wait a minute. Was he ignoring you until he found out her death wasn’t your fault?”

“Good Lord, no. Let’s be honest, we don’t get too many suspected homicides on the island. He was probably pretty busy figuring things out. Anyway, we’ll see.”

Leslie gave me a funny look.

“What?”