AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s quick.” She took him aside and lowered her voice. “Will you play at Frankie’s funeral? He would have liked that.”
“Of course. Tell me the date and time as soon as you know it and I’ll rearrange my schedule. His funeral might not happen for a while, though, given the circumstances. The ME will have to release his body.” She flinched and too late Sam remembered that she’d seen Frankie’s body. The grapevine had been buzzing and everyone knew that Frankie had been stabbed with a butcher knife. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “No need. It’s just that I’ve never had a murder in any of my facilities before. Lots of death. I can deal with ordinary death, but I’m not equipped to deal with murder.”
“Have you informed Frankie’s family? Does he have family?”
Frankie had only talked to him about his late husband Ryan. Never any brothers or sisters or anyone else.
Her lips pressed together. “Yes. He has a son who told me to handle his funeral arrangements however I wanted to. He won’t be coming.”
Sam stared at the woman in shock. Frankie had a son? Who wasn’t coming to his funeral? “What? Why?”
“I don’t know, but they weren’t on good terms. So I’m planning the service. I thought I’d ask Georgia to give his eulogy. I don’t think Benny’s able to anymore.”
Because Benny was in the early stages of dementia and sometimes got confused. “Benny might surprise you, but Georgia is still a good choice. Tell her that I’ll help her if she needs me to. I have to go now. I can’t be late for my sessions.”
“Thank you, Dr. Reeves. You made this morning a little more bearable with your music. Have a good day, and we’ll see you soon.”
“Oh—if it’s all right, I told Miss Eloise I’d try to come tomorrow.”
Miss Evans smiled fondly. “We can’t disappoint Miss Eloise. See you then.”
Sam frowned as he walked to his vehicle. Frankie’s son wouldn’t be coming to his funeral? What the ever-loving hell?
And why hadn’t Frankie mentioned having a son?
Clearly Sam hadn’t known the man as well as he thought he had.
And now he was dead. Dammit, Frankie. I miss you already.
Sam slid into the driver’s seat, then simply sat and stared out the windshield for a moment. Then he pulled out his phone and texted to a number he hadn’t used in six months, hoping Kit hadn’t blocked him.
Sam Reeves here. Spoke to the director on my way out. Frankie has a son who is refusing to participate in his funeral. Bad blood between them. Was news to me. Thought you should know.
He was about to hit send when his phone buzzed, startling him. For a brief moment, he hoped that it might be Kit, but…no.
“Miss Evans,” he answered, hoping nothing else had happened.
“Dr. Reeves, I know you’re in a hurry, but it’s Benny Dreyfus. I just checked in on him and he’s extremely agitated. Can you spare us a few more minutes of your time?”
“I can stay for another half hour.” He’d skip lunch if he had to. It was Benny, after all, and Sam couldn’t imagine what the man was going through. Benny and Frankie had been as close as brothers, friends for so long. To have seen that knife…“I’ll be right back in.”
“Thank you.”
Chapter Two
Shady Oaks Retirement Village
Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California
Monday, November 7, 12:05 p.m.
“I’m sorry,” Connor said quietly as he and Kit left the common room. They were heading toward a closed door, in front of which stood a uniformed officer.
“It’s fine,” she murmured. Even though it wasn’t. Seeing Sam Reeves again was like a kick in the gut, intensifying the vulnerability she’d been feeling at the memory of Wren’s funeral. She hadn’t known Sam could play the piano like that. But of course he did it well. The man did everything well. “I knew he volunteered with the elderly. I just didn’t expect that he’d be doing it here.”
“I can handle any interviews we need to have with him. He and I get along pretty well. I don’t mind.”
