Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding Read Free

Cordelia.”
    “You knew him, then?” Irons had said the man was a neighbor, but “neighbor” could mean proximity, not necessarily friendship.
    “We didn’t know him well,” Jim put in. “He’d only lived in Wins­low a couple of years. But his cousin Cordelia’s been here for—what would you say, Gussie? Ten or fifteen years? She was here when I moved to town, and that was more than ten years ago now.”
    Gussie nodded slowly. “I’d say closer to twenty years. I remember a young family lived in that house about the time my nephew Ben was born. I think they had a baby about his age. He’s twenty-one now. And dying to see you, by the way, Maggie. You’re his favorite unofficial aunt.”
    “None of that’s important now, Gussie,” Jim reminded her gently. “What’s important is that Cordelia’s going to be alone again, with no one to share her loss.”
    “What about his daughter?” Maggie asked.
    “What daughter?” Gussie looked at her.
    “Maybe I misunderstood,” said Maggie. “I thought the police chief said Dan Jeffrey’s daughter had called to report him missing a couple of days ago.”
    “There’s no daughter I know of,” said Jim, shaking his head. “Only his cousin, Cordelia West. Maybe Ike was confused.”
    Gussie turned to Maggie. “Cordelia’s a dear woman, but very shy. She’s deaf. She doesn’t read lips, she only signs. And very few people here in Winslow sign. So she’s alone.”
    Maggie frowned. “I wonder why she chose to live here, then. So many people do sign today. And there are lots of ways those who are hearing impaired can communicate.”
    Gussie shrugged. “I’ve wondered that myself. But she keeps to herself. Or she did until about two years ago, when her cousin Dan appeared and moved in with her. He signs, and he took her out with him places. She seemed to enjoy being with people more. And now he’s gone.”
    “He wasn’t like Cordelia, that was for sure,” said Jim. “He had a bit of a drinking problem, and from what I heard, could be a nasty drunk.”
    “It’s a small town,” Gussie added, “and he was new in town. So he was the one blamed when problems came up.”
    “I wouldn’t be surprised if Ike Irons had a file on him, that’s for sure,” Jim agreed. “But except for that fight he and Bob Silva got into over at the Lazy Lobster a while back, I don’t know of any real trouble he got into.”
    “Well, he won’t be able to blame Dan for anything that happens in the future,” said Gussie. “I only met the man a few times and didn’t see a lot in him, but I feel sorry for Cordelia. Tomorrow I’ll stop in and let her know I’m thinking of her.”
    “I’d be happy to go with you,” Maggie volunteered. “I can sign a little. We have ASL interpreters in classrooms at Somerset County for students who need them, of course, but I took courses so I could start to communicate a little with my students who were hearing impaired.”
    “That would be wonderful,” said Gussie. “We’ll do it.”
    “I hope you ladies won’t mind my leaving you alone tonight, but I have a lot of paperwork to catch up with,” said Jim.
    “Bless you, Jim,” said Gussie. “You’ll be missed, but somehow I think we’ll cope. Maggie and I have so much to talk about.”
    “I had a feeling that might be the case,” he said. “In fact, I arranged with the Winslow Inn to have a double order of your favorite steamed mussels and two stuffed lobsters delivered to your place,” he paused and looked at his watch, “about ninety minutes from now.”
    “No wonder you’re marrying this man!” Maggie said. “He’s perfect. Except for ensuring that we have wine chilling in the refrigerator there. You forgot that, Jim!”
    “Actually, I didn’t,” he grinned back. “I just forgot to mention it.”
    “Thank you, dear,” said Gussie. “I hope you don’t have to work too late.”
    “Not to worry. I’d rather work now than the first week after I’m married.