Chapters (97)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- Booklist
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Eighty-Eight
- Eighty-Nine
- Acknowledgments & A Personal Note
- Excerpt
“At times like this it’s good for people to keep busy.” Marlene’s voice trembled and she squeezed the tissue in her hand. “When we do something to help comfort people, we sort of comfort ourselves, you know?”
Janie said nothing.
In the silence, Marlene, curious, looked at the photo strip showing Janie and her friends, Nikki and Marie, until a loud sob filled the room.
“I don’t know if I can go,” Janie cried.
Marlene stroked her hair. “Oh, honey.”
“I can’t go there. Everybody will be so sad.”
“I know it’ll be hard. But sometimes we have to do the hard things in life. Please come. Please. Do it for me.”
“For you?” Janie sat up, her eyes red. “Why?”
“Because I can’t stand the thought of leaving you here alone today feeling the way you do, because—” She paused to think. “Because of what happened. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.” Then in a voice softer than a heartbeat, she said, “You’re all I have.”
Janie stared at her, shaking her head slowly.
“Don’t say that. Just don’t.”
Marlene nodded, a moment passed and their tears subsided.
“You should come.” Marlene stroked her hair. “Okay?”
Another long moment passed before Janie nodded.
“Good.” Marlene smiled. “Come on, get up, get ready, and I’ll make you pancakes.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“All right. You can always get something there.” Marlene patted Janie and let a moment pass. “If there’s anything you want to talk about I’m right here to listen.”
Janie coughed and sniffed. “I need to take a shower.”
Some thirty minutes later they were both ready.
Marlene locked the door to their duplex and they headed to the street. The ever-present smell of the slaughterhouse was light this morning and the air carried the clank and thud of freight cars in the yards.
Their used Corolla—Marlene was its third owner—parked out front was twelve years old, the rear bumper dented, the front fender scratched, rust eating the rocker panels. Winters took a toll but it still ran.
Janie got in. Marlene tossed her bag in the back, got behind the wheel, and in a roaring blur they were overwhelmed. Out of nowhere a siren yelped, a marked police car T-boned in front of them.
“Mom?” The blood drained from Janie’s face.
“Get out of the car and put your hands on the hood,” an officer said.
Uniformed officers surrounded them as they exited the vehicle. No guns were drawn, but their hands were at the ready, on the grips of their holstered weapons.
Stunned and mystified, Marlene and Janie placed their palms on the Corolla’s dirty hood.
“What did we do?” Marlene asked. “Why’re you doing this?”
Marlene and Janie then recognized Lou Sloan and Bill Jurek approaching them from another car, badges hanging from neck chains. Sloan carried papers in her hand.