“I don’t know,” she said, and then she looked at him. “I honestly don’t know.”

He gave her a side glance. “Come on, Lil. Tell me—”

“Tell you what?”

“What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

She opened her mouth to say something, then shut her lips tightly. Again she looked away from him.

He leaned toward her. “Tell me, Lil. Let it out. It’s better when you let it out.”

“Is it?” And then her eyes aimed directly at him. “How would you know?”

He winced slightly. He had no idea what she meant by that, but whatever she meant, it went in deep. It cut like a blade.

He backed away, and mumbled clumsily, “Is that all you’re gonna tell me?”

“That’s all,” Lillian said.

There was a heaviness in his throat. He tried to swallow it. He said, “I hate to see you sitting here alone.”

“I’m sitting here alone because I want some privacy,” she said. She shifted in the chair, turning away from him. For a moment her hands rested limply on the tabletop. In that moment he noticed something. It glimmered bright yellow on her finger. It was a wedding ring.

“Is that for real?” he asked, pointing at the ring.

She took her hands off the tabletop, folded them in her lap and didn’t say anything.

Corey stared at her. “Well, whaddya know,” he murmured. “I guess it calls for congratulations.”

“Don’t bother,” Lillian said tightly.

He smiled thinly, lazily. He was about to say something but just then he sensed that someone stood directly behind him. Turning slowly, he faced a tall man who had thick, curly black hair, rugged features on the wholesome and pleasant side, and the physique of a discus thrower. The man appeared to be in his middle thirties. He wore working clothes. He said quietly to Corey, “Take a walk.”

“Who are you?” Corey said.

“I’m her husband.”

Corey looked off to one side. He murmured, “Says he’s her husband. That’s what he says.”

“That’s the way it is,” the man said. He moved closer to Corey but then Lillian was on her feet and she moved in between them. She said to the man, “It’s all right, Del. He knows me.”

The man looked at her. “He does?”

She said quickly, “Yes, I told you about him. I was married to him.”

“Oh,” the man said. And then, to Corey, “Sorry, bud. I didn’t know.” He smiled pleasantly and held out his hand and Corey took it. They introduced themselves. The man’s name was Delbert Kingsley.

He was very pleasant. He invited Corey to sit down at the table. Corey thanked him and refused; then smiled at the two of them and turned away, walking toward the door that led into the back room.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2