Nutty As a Fruitcake by Mary Daheim Page A

have given out the information in the first place. But,” she added, smirking at Judith, “you are Joe Flynn’s wife. I’m perfectly willing to grant him…favors.”
    Judith pretended she hadn’t heard Rael’s last remark. “So Mr. Goodrich is going to pull through?” She also tried to pretend that there wasn’t an edge to her own voice.
    Rael nodded in a casual manner that somehow was also elegant. “They got to him in time to get the stuff out of his system. He took sleeping pills. Dalmane.”
    Putting aside her annoyance with Rael, Judith tried to remember what she knew about Dalmane. It was Renie, however, who spoke up first.
    â€œThat’s not real heavy-duty, is it? I think my mother took it after she broke her hip. She had trouble sleeping.”
    Rael seemed indifferent to Renie’s comment. “Whatever. The old guy’s pulled through, so we can charge him.”
    Judith pounced. “You’ve got sufficient evidence?”
    But Rael was too savvy to fall into the trap. “We know how to do our job,” she said with a tight little smile. “You must hear that from pillow talk with your husband.”
    Judith fought off the desire to make a snappy comeback. Renie, however, didn’t show such restraint:
    â€œHey, Judith and Joe don’t do pillow talk. They just makemad, passionate love. Constantly.” Renie shook her head. “It’s pathetic, really, at their age. I worry about them.”
    Rael glared at Renie, then abruptly turned and headed back into the ICU. Renie snickered. “Maybe she’s not so nice after all. What’s her point in ragging you?”
    Feeling vaguely disturbed, Judith shrugged and sighed. “Who knows? Maybe she does have a thing for Joe. Or maybe she’s just unpleasant.”
    The cousins gazed around the reception area, where staffers were putting up cheerful Christmas cutouts: Santa waving from his sleigh, a happy snowman with a stovepipe hat and a carrot for a nose, a trio of wide-eyed angel babies floating on a cloud. Judith wondered if the loved ones who waited ever noticed the decor. Certainly the three people who sat in armchairs lined up against the wall didn’t seem very jovial. She was about to suggest leaving when Glenda and Art came through the double doors that led from the outside. They both seemed startled to see Judith and Renie.
    â€œWe just happened to be in the vicinity,” Judith said, wondering why the small fib felt like such a big lie. “We wondered how your father was doing. I hated to go home without having news for the rest of the neighbors. I’m sure they’ve been worrying, too.”
    Glenda didn’t meet Judith’s gaze. “He’s coming along,” she murmured. “It’s such a relief. I guess.”
    Art frowned at the floor. “You got to feel as if he wanted to go, too. I mean, what has Pappy to look forward to now?”
    â€œPrison?” Renie said, then clapped a hand to her head. “I didn’t mean it like that! He won’t go to prison anyway. But after living with your mother, even prison would seem like a…”
    None too discreetly, Judith nudged Renie. “A rest,” Judith interrupted. “A rest home . My cousin means your father will probably go to a place…like that.”
    â€œA mental institution,” Glenda said miserably. “You don’t need to spare our feelings. The worst of it is, Pappy isn’t crazy.”
    â€œBut he had to be,” Art put in. “What do they call it? Temporary insanity—that’s it.”
    Glenda was now nodding vigorously. “It might have been like a blackout. Does he really have to be locked up for the rest of his life? It doesn’t seem fair.”
    Art put a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Don’t get riled up. He doesn’t care what happens. That’s why he tried to kill