The Second Wife Read Online Free PDF Page A

disappeared. “I hate to tell you, dear, but I just read in the paper that she died.”
    â€œNo! I can’t believe it.” I was ashamed at lying to this trusting old woman. I had to remind myself why I was there.
    She opened the door wider. “You’ve had a shock. Come in for a cup of tea. It’ll make you feel better.”
    â€œYou are very kind,” I said. I stepped inside the apartment.
    â€œMy name is Rose Gatto,” she said. “Make yourself at home while I pour the tea. I just made a pot before you knocked.” She shuffled to a galley-sized kitchen. I followed her.
    â€œLet me help you,” I said. I took the tray and carried it to the coffee table. I set the tray onto a stack of magazines.
    Rose took her seat in the rocker. I cleared a space to sit on the couch across from her. Boxes of dishes and kitchen gadgets, clothes still in packages, books and ornaments were stacked everywhere. A plastic Christmas tree stood on top of the tv. Pink and red valentine hearts hung from the ceiling. Rose waved a hand to take in the room.
    â€œI keep buying things. It’s that damn shopping channel. I have trouble sleeping, and those smiling salespeople keep me company. It’s nice to have a real live person to talk to.”
    â€œHave you lived here long?” I asked. It seemed a silly question when I looked at all the junk.
    â€œDear me, yes. I moved here in 1984. It was just after I retired from teaching. I turned eighty-three last month. Don’t think I’ll move unless I have to. Still have my wits about me.”
    â€œAre you able to get around okay?” I asked.
    â€œWell, I don’t like to complain. I have a niece who brings me food once a week. A woman from the church comes for tea on Tuesday mornings.”
    â€œThere’s a seniors’ center not far from here,” I observed.
    â€œNo way to get there.” She drank some tea. Then she set her teacup down in its saucer. “But you’ve come about Marjory. I read about her murder in the paper. A terrible end for that young lady.”
    â€œWe weren’t all that close. I only met her through my ex-husband. I’m wondering if you remember her. I understand she lived at the end of the hall for a year or so.”
    â€œMarjory and her fella moved in two years ago October. He came and went for the first few months. Then he stopped coming. It was a few months after that when she moved out.”
    â€œI think you mean her son Jason. I’m told he came and went all the time.”
    â€œNo. I know who Jason is. This was a different man. Older and smarter. I think it was her husband.”
    I was puzzled. “But she was divorced.” Maybe Rose wasn’t as sharp as she looked.
    Rose looked at me as if I was the slow one. “Divorced or not, you don’t have to be married to sleep together. For certain they were having relations.”
    I nodded. I’d skip over that one. “So how was Marjory as a neighbor?”
    â€œI had her for tea once or twice. She was a cagey one. Told me she came from New York, but I knew that was a lie. Her accent was local. She had a girlfriend that used to visit up until April. She was younger than Marjory but they could have been sisters.”
    â€œI think they worked together. Was her name Tina Sweet?”
    Rose tilted her head. She stared at me again as if I had a screw loose. “No, this woman was named Alice. They knew each other from a long time ago.”
    â€œDid Marjory tell you anything about her past life?”
    Rose chuckled. “No need. I’ve seen her kind before. She used people. Sorry to speak ill of the dead.” Rose’s teacup rattled as she lifted it from the table. Her eyes were shiny buttons behind her glasses. “She tried to get me to give her money. Don’t look so surprised. I’m old and she thought she could put one over on me. She stopped coming around when she