Mrs. Remington rarely had visitors, and they never came unannounced. Mainly it was Edward who visited. He’d come by on three occasions now. I’d been rehearsing in my head all afternoon what I’d say to him the next time I saw him. I wanted to thank him for what he had done for my mother—those words on her headstone. He was always so kind to me, but still I felt a little nervous around him. He was the mayor and— The doorbell rang again. “I wonder who that could be,” Mrs. Remington said. “Lizzy, could you please get the door?” Mrs. Meyers asked. “Yes, ma’am.” I left the dining room and the Beethoven behind and hurried to the door as the bell rang for the third time. Whoever it was, they were both persistent and impatient. “Coming, coming,” I said to myself. I threw open the door and it was that police officer, hat in hand. This couldn’t be good. “Hello, Betty, Lizzy, Elizabeth Anne,” he said. His smile looked forced. “I’m here to speak to Mr. Remington and his mother.”
