Erma noticed her short, dirty nails and wondered when her daughter last had a real bath or shower. It was hard to tell from the scent of smoke wafting from her clothing.
“Riley is well. At least she was until you showed up.”
“You didn’t tell me she was here the last time I called. I thought she was still in New York,” Tracey said.
“How did you know she was there?”
Tracey put her hands in her lap. “I have ways of keeping tabs onmydaughter. Not everyone in this town has turned their back on me.”
Guilt and manipulation. Erma was used to it, but it never failed to rile her. She calmed her emotions, briefly wondering who in Maple Falls was still in touch with Tracey. Then she realized she didn’t want to know.
“I’m glad to hear that you have some support,” she said, meaning it.
Tracey averted her gaze, her thin shoulders slumping. “That’s more than you ever gave me.” She wandered around the kitchen. The walls were bright and fresh, thanks to Riley, who had spent Friday night after work applying the light, bright-yellow paint to the walls. “House looks nice. So does the shop. Obviously you’re putting a lot of money into both places.”
Erma steeled herself for what was coming. Tracey couldn’t get through to her on the phone, so now she was here to manipulate her in person.
“What do you want, Tracey?” Erma knew the answer to the question already. Her daughter wanted money. Money that she would probably blow on drink, drugs, and men. She’d done it enough while raising Riley, leaving the child to her own devices. Erma’s heart pinched.I should have acted sooner.“I’ve already given you plenty of money.”
“You mean my inheritance?” Tracey met her gaze, some of the steel returning to her eyes. “It wasn’t that much.”
“It was alargesum of money.” Erma clenched her jaw.
“And it’s been fifteen years. How did you expect me to live off a few thousand dollars?”
“It was more than a few, and I expected you to get a job so you could support yourself.” She fought for composure. “You still haven’t told me what you want.”
“Believe it or not, Mother, I don’t want anything from you. I came here to tell you that I’m living in a halfway house in Hot Springs.”
Erma nodded. She’d heard this before, too, more than once. “I see.”
“I promise I’m going to get clean this time. I swear.” When Erma didn’t respond, she scoffed. “You don’t believe me. You never do.”
“How can I? You’ve lied to me too many times to count. Not to mention how your choices and behavior affected your father.”
Tracey pulled on her fingers, not looking at Erma. “I should have known you’d bring him up again.”
“He was your father—”
“I never knew myrealfather. Or my real mother. But I’ll admit, Dad was the better parent.”
An arrow straight to the heart. Gus had always had a soft spot for Tracey, and there were a few times when she was growing up that their relationship had been decent—when Erma was the stricter disciplinarian. Then Gus had died, and that affected Tracey deeply. Which was the only reason Erma didn’t tell her to leave right now. Her daughter truly believed Gus was the better parent. In hindsight, maybe he was. Maybe things would have been different if he were still here.I wish you were, my love.
Tracey rubbed her nose. “Look, I didn’t have to tell you what was going on with me.”
“No, you didn’t. So why are you now? And why were you calling me before?”
“Because I need some help.”
Erma leaned back against her chair, her leg aching more than it had in weeks. For a short moment she actually thought Tracey might have changed. That her daughter was here to reestablish their relationship, not to ask for more money.
“Just a few bucks,” Tracey continued, leaning so far against the table Erma heard the legs of the chair scrape against the wooden floor.
“The halfway house should cover your needs,” Erma said, keeping her voice as emotionless as if she were talking to a piece of wood.
“It’s not enough.” Tracey shot up from the chair and started to pace, rubbing her stubby fingers together faster. “I have court fees to pay. Restitution to some people I stole checks from.”
Erma shook her head. She couldn’t handle hearing a list of her daughter’s most recent crimes. Not right now. “Tracey, did the court order you to the halfway house?”
