Carolina before the new bank took it over,” Riley said. “She also told me she worked with Wendell on some real estate deals, including the mortgage on our house. They were friends from Kiwanis.”
“That’s pretty interesting,” Parrish said. “Hey. You don’t think there was anything going on between Wendell and Melody—right?”
“Melody?” Riley dismissed the notion. “She doesn’t exactly strike me as the home-wrecker type. Anyway, she’s totally not Wendell’s type.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know. She’s attractive enough, in a quiet kind of way.…”
“You’re right. Wendell was a major star-fucker. He always wanted to be orbiting around whoever was the main attraction in a room,” Parrish said. “Nobody would ever say that about Melody Zimmerman.”
“Maybe it wasn’t romantic,” Riley said slowly. “Maybe it was strictly business. The question is—what kind of business?”
“That’s for the FBI to find out,” Parrish said sternly.
* * *
Evelyn and Maggy came back from town on the midafternoon ferry. Mr. Banks had been washed and groomed and had Carolina-blue toenails and a blue-and-white Tarheels bandana around his neck. Maggy had a sleek new haircut, too—with a hot-pink streak on the right side.
“Look what Mimi let me do!” Maggy exclaimed, walking into Riley’s bedroom.
“Mimi let you dye your hair pink?” Riley gave her mother an astonished look.
Evelyn stood in the doorway gazing fondly at her granddaughter. “Peg Meecomb’s granddaughter Ainslee has a new shop in town, and I wanted to give her the business. I hope you don’t mind. Ainslee says all the girls are getting their hair done that way.”
Riley couldn’t decide what was more surprising—that her mother had indulged Maggy in such a radical hair style—or that she was seeking Riley’s permission—even retroactively.
“Sure,” Riley said. “I think it’s cute. What’s the name of Ainslee’s shop? Maybe I’ll get my hair dyed pink, too.”
“Joking,” Riley said quickly. “Just a joke. I would never.”
“You better not. Gabrielle Martin’s mom went out and got her nose pierced. It’s like she thinks she’s young or something. And Gabrielle was, like, totally humiliated.”
“I can promise you right now, I will never get my nose pierced,” Riley said.
“Okay. Cool.” Maggy bounced off the bed. “So … am I off restriction now?”
“Yes. As long as you can be respectful and follow the rules here. And did you thank your grandmother for taking you and Banksy into town today?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Maggy said. “Thanks again, Mimi. You rock!” She turned to her mother. “I’m gonna meet Annabelle at the pool. Is it okay if we just get dinner at the snack bar?”
“Make sure you eat all your exchanges and test your blood,” Riley said. “And I want you back here before dark. Understood?”
“Got it.”
* * *
“My God!” Riley rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how anybody survives the emotional roller coaster of raising a teenaged girl. Yesterday she was a zombie. Today, it’s like I have my old Maggy back.”
“Get used to it,” Evelyn said dryly. “You were the same way at that age.”
Evelyn lingered in the doorway, looking apprehensively at her daughter.
“For goodness’ sakes, Mama, come on in,” Riley said finally. “It’s your house, you know.”
“Just for a minute,” Evelyn said, sitting down with her spine ramrod straight. “I think I need a nap after all the excitement of the past week.”
“That was very sweet and generous of you, treating Maggy and Banks to a new hairdo today.”
“Ainslee promised it’ll wash out in a few days. It’s just some kind of organic beet-juice dye. Anyway, it’s nice to see her smiling again,” Evelyn said. “I’m afraid I’ve been kind of hard on Maggy lately. And you.”
“We’ve been kind of hard on each other,” Riley said. “And I’m sorry about that. It’s been a difficult time for us all. Since Wendell died, well, I’ve had to face some pretty ugly truths about the things he did. I’ve been dreading telling you, because I know you thought of Wendell as your son but, believe me, Mama, he wasn’t what you thought. He wasn’t what any of us thought.”
Evelyn’s expression changed. Her jaw tightened. “If this is about the foreclosure, I’m sure that was all a mistake. Wendell would never do anything to leave you in dire straits. If you like, I’ll go into Wells Fargo with you next week, and we’ll get it straightened out. The branch manager there has known our family for years.”
“I wish it were that simple,” Riley said. “But it’s no mistake. And there’s more. My trust fund…”