She groggily sat up, disoriented as to time and day. She glanced at her clock while the phone still rang. It was after ten. She glanced at the Scotch bottle, and then answered the phone. “Nell. Ah, you’re home,” her mother-in-law greeted her. “Yes, Mother, I’m home,” Nell answered. She had the first inklings of a headache. Mrs. Thomas, Sr. got right to her point. “Someone drove by last night at around midnight; your car wasn’t in the drive.” This was guaranteed to give her a headache. “I had it around back; I was working on the engine.” “After dark?” Then Mrs. Thomas seemed to remember her daughter-in-law was not an auto mechanic. “This isn’t a joke; I was concerned about you being out at all hours. Lizzie was very upset at the news coverage.” “What news coverage?” Nell demanded, sitting up in bed, which jarred her head into throbbing.
