New Facts

Ben and Janelle are still at Aunt Ida’s house, enjoying their dessert.

Chapter Forty

Ten minutes later, Ben took the last bite of Aunt Ida’s lemon chiffon pie and set his fork down. He glanced at Janelle, thinking again how pretty she was. But he hoped she wouldn’t ask any more questions about the murder. What a womanizer his dad had been!

“The pie was delicious, Ida.” Janelle folded her napkin and laid it next to her plate. “In fact, the whole dinner was great.”

“Why, thank you, Nellie.” Aunt Ida smiled.

“Let me help you with the dishes.” Janelle stood.

“Oh, no, you’re the guest.” She motioned to Janelle to sit. “Let’s just talk for awhile.”

As Ben watched Janelle take her seat, he wished they could leave. But Aunt Ida was lonely. She often wanted Ben to stay and talk with her. Elliot was sitting in the living room, but he was reading the newspaper—something he did here almost every evening.

Too cheap to get his own subscription.

Janelle smiled. “I have a question for you, Ida.”

“Oh, anything, dear.” Aunt Ida patted Janelle’s arm.

“The other day I was talking to Clara at the store, and she said—”

“I know her.” Aunt Ida’s eyes lit up. “Lovely woman, that Clara. She’s been working at Thorne’s B & G for years. Such a sweet person.”

“Yes, she is. Anyway, she said you were in the store the evening that Jed was murdered, and I was wondering—”

“In the store?” She looked off in space. “No, I don’t think so. I never go to Thorne’s.”

Ben sighed under his breath. Why did Janelle have to bring up the murder again?

“But Clara said you come in quite often. And then that evening, when Jed was murdered, she said you were there.”

Aunt Ida’s gray eyebrows dipped down. “What do you mean, he was murdered? He died in his bed. My nephew found him in bed the next morning.” She turned to Ben. “Didn’t you?”

“That was Grandpa.” Ben looked at Janelle, thankful he could change the subject. “See how her mind just goes?”

The newspaper rustled, and Elliot called out from the living room. “I think you need your brain tested, Ida.”

“What are you saying, Elliot? There is nothing wrong with my mind.”

“Aunt Ida…” Ben didn’t want to upset his aunt, but she had to realize she needed help. “Maybe you should be tested. You’re always forgetting things, and then repeating yourself. Sometimes you tell me the same thing over and over.”

“That’s not true, and you know it.” Her nostrils flared. “I have always had a very good mind, and there is nothing wrong with it.”

Janelle raised her eyebrows at Ben.

“You’re in denial.” Elliot stood and walked into the dining room.

“I’m not denying anything. There is nothing wrong—”

“For crying out loud!” Elliot banged his fist on the table. “You worked in a nursing home for twelve years. You should know the symptoms.”

Ida huffed out a breath. “I don’t have to take this, Elliot Thorne. Especially not from you.” She glanced at Ben, then Janelle. “You all think I’m stupid, but there’s nothing wrong with my mind.” She stood. “I’m going to…I’m going to get the cats out of the basement.” She walked into the kitchen.

Ben waited until her footsteps died away. “Now we’ll hear the same phrase for the next two weeks—‘there’s nothing wrong with my mind’.”

“But something is wrong with her,” Janelle said. “It could be that she doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, but she definitely shows signs of dementia. I feel so sorry for her.”

“Hey, I just thought of something.” Elliot tapped his fingers on the table. “I have a friend who’s a brain specialist in St. Louis. He owes me a favor. I’ll ask him to set up an appointment and run some tests on Ida.”

Janelle looked up at him. “But what if she refuses to go?”

“She won’t refuse.” Elliot grinned and winked at Janelle. “I’ll sweet-talk her into going, even though she hates my guts.”

Ben sighed. Everyone hated everyone in this family.

* * *

Until tomorrow, God bless!