The Edge of the Shadows by Elizabeth George Page B

Linda’s last name and didn’t want to know it but what she
did
want to know was why Linda didn’t at least remove that mustache of hers. Then she bundled Hayley into the car while Aidan silently made for the house and his bedroom, where Isis said he had “a cache of
Hustler
magazines under the bed.”
    True to her word, Isis drove Hayley home. The drive to Smugglers Cove Farm and Flowers was a long one from Maxwelton Beach, but Isis kept up her chatter all the way. When they got to the farm, Hayley told her friend just to drop her at the end of the driveway, but Isis said that no way was she going to do that, and she turned right in.
    She said, “Is
all
of this your family’s? I get it now. You didn’t want me to know you’re rich. Wow, what kind of barn is that?”
    â€œIt’s for chickens.”
    â€œChickens? In a barn that size? Who would’ve thought. My mom
never
told me there were places like this up here. It’s just like
Little House on the Prairie
.”
    As she was talking, they were bumping along the road toward the house. In the distance, Hayley could see that her dad had come out of the big barn where the tractor was kept. He was dragging himself across the farmyard, demanding that his legs work as they used to work while the walker helped keep him upright. Seeing his struggle, she felt a pain in her chest.
    â€œMom never says one nice thing about Whidbey Island,” Isis was continuing. “What my grandam says when Mom starts going on about Whidbey is, ‘You never knew when you had it good, Lisa Ann.’ Lisa Ann’s my mom. Are you aware of how many Lisas there are in her generation? Only like a billion. It’s why she named me Isis. Like, how many Isises are you gonna run into in one lifetime? I tell her if she hates her name she should have changed it to Chloe or something ’cause there aren’t any Chloes her age. Or Beulah.” Isis laughed. “It’s not like there’s
ever
going to be a run on Beulah.”
    Hayley watched her dad. He’d reached the big sycamore tree that shaded part of the house. He paused there and took note of the car’s approach. He lifted a hand to wave and Hayley held her breath. But he didn’t fall.
    Isis stopped the car and said, “
Any
way thanks, Hayl. You’re the best. I hope I didn’t talk too much. Like I said, it’s just nerves. Thanks for putting up with me.”
    Hayley’s dad stumbled. Hayley bit her lip. She grabbed the door handle and said, “Got to go. See you in school, okay?”
    Then she was out of the car and over to her father. Behind her she heard the sound of Isis reversing the car, turning, and steaming off happily down the driveway.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    HAYLEY KNEW BETTER than to offer her father help. But she walked with him and told him about her day as they inched toward the back door. There were two steps to be negotiated and Hayley took her dad’s arm. He said, “I’m not an old fart, Hayley,” and shook her off. Thankfully, the door opened and Hayley’s mom came outside.
    She wouldn’t take “leave me be” from her husband. She said, “Don’t be silly, Bill. I’m not intending to let you fall and break a leg.” He relented and they got him inside. But from there, he worked his way through the kitchen to the back of the house, where the downstairs bathroom was.
    This, apparently, was what Hayley’s mom had been waiting for because once the bathroom door closed, she said to Hayley, “Sit yourself at that table because you and I are going to talk.”
    Hayley did so. She saw that on the table lay the catalogues from Reed College and from Brown University, so Hayley knew that not only had Tatiana Primavera spoken to her mom but her mom had also gone into her bedroom and rooted through her things.
    â€œExactly what is going on?” Julie Cartwright demanded of her