Konrad went straight over to Ralph, who sat on the couch, his hands clenched into fists.
“It’s just a duty call, that’s all it is,” Isabelle muttered. “Konrad hasn’t come with any news about Owen for us.”
“Introduce us to Loretta now,” Mattheus said softly.
Isabelle nodded and they all walked together in Loretta’s direction.
When Loretta saw them coming towards her, she jumped up and away from her chair, alarmed.
“Loretta, this is Cindy and Mattheus, two private detectives who have come down to investigate your mother’s death,” Isabelle spoke firmly, taking charge.
Oddly enough that Loretta calmed down. “Oh, good,” she breathed, looking over at Cindy, “how do you do.”
Cindy was startled by Loretta’s reaction. “I’m so glad to meet you,” said Cindy, her eyes catching the glittering pendant hanging around Loretta’s neck.
“This is long overdue,” said Loretta. “No one told me that private detectives were trying to figure out how my mother died.” Then she cast a sour glance around the room.
“Excuse me,” said Isabelle then, backing away. “I’m going to go back and sit with the family,” and she returned to the couch.
“Go where you want,” Loretta hissed under her breath, as Isabelle walked away.
“You can’t stand your grandmother?” Cindy asked.
“Who said she’s my grandmother,” Loretta threw Cindy a pointed look. “She couldn’t care less about me, none of them do.”
“How can you be so sure about that?” asked Mattheus.
Loretta edged closer to both Cindy and Mattheus, like a frightened bird.
“I am sure,” she hissed again under her breath. “They whole family always said bad things about me to my mother. They hated my father and also took my mother away from me.”
This was an entirely different story than the one Isabelle had just told. Cindy wondered if Loretta were in touch with reality. “That’s not what your grandmother told me,” said Cindy.
“We heard you were very attached to your father,” Mattheus broke in, “that you didn’t want to be away from him.”
“Nothing they say is true,” muttered Loretta.
“What is the truth?” asked Cindy.
“I couldn’t care less about my father,” Loretta continued quickly. “He’s re-married now, and his wife keeps asking when I’m going to find someone and move away. The answer is, never, I told her.” Loretta had a strange smile on her face.
“They don’t want you, either?” asked Cindy.
“Nobody wants me, and I couldn’t care less,” Loretta uttered.
“How did you find out about your mother’s accident?” Mattheus asked, clearly fascinated by her.
“I read about it in the papers like everyone else,” Loretta replied. “Not one person in my mother’s family called me and told me about it in person. But what they didn’t know was that I kept track of my mother all these years.”
“You kept track of your mother, but you didn’t contact her?” Mattheus couldn’t stop.
“I contacted her once in a while,” Loretta pouted, “but she never answered me.”
“That’s hard to believe,” said Cindy.
“But it’s true,” Loretta blurted out. “My mother was so wrapped up with Owen, and all her little orphans. Once I wrote her an email that said, how about saving me, your very own daughter? But she never answered.”
“Maybe she didn’t get it?” asked Cindy appalled.
“Oh she got it alright,” Loretta sneered. “Don’t get taken in by this family. They’re not good people, not any of them.”
Cindy stepped back a moment, wondering what this could all possibly mean. “Do you think someone in the family put the toxic substance into your mother’s IV?” Cindy asked Loretta directly.
“Of course someone did,” Loretta’s eyes opened. “There’s no question about it. Anyone of them could have, if you asked me. Except my mom’s sister, Jenna. She’s always tried to be nice to me.”
Cindy was relieved to hear that there was someone among them who wouldn’t turn Loretta away.
“If you need more information,” Loretta stepped closer to them then, “why not talk to the other patient in my mother’s room.”
“Another patient in your mother’s room?” Cindy was startled. No one had said a thing about this.
“Yeah, they always keep a couple of patients in the same room when they’re in comas here. They put a divider between them. That other patient didn’t die though. She woke up, she’s still in the hospital and I’m sure she heard lots of things.”
Cindy had no idea if she could believe this story. “Are you sure, Loretta?”
“Of course, I’m sure,” Loretta exclaimed. “I spent time in that room with my mother. I saw the woman there, even talked to her.”
“You talked to that woman while she was in a coma?” asked Cindy, horrified.
“No, I spoke to her while she was recovering,” Loretta said. “In fact, I even went to visit her in the new room she’s in to check on how she’s doing.”
Chills rose through Cindy’s spine. Why hadn’t anyone mentioned this other woman?
“Seems like you know a lot, Loretta,” Mattheus said slowly, impressed.
“Yes, I do,” said Loretta, “though no one believes me. They think I’m here because I want money or something.”
“Do you?” he asked.
Loretta laughed. “The last thing I need is my mother’s money. My father is richer than Owen and even though he’s sick of me now, he still gives me whatever I need.”
“So, why did you come here, really?” asked Mattheus, zeroing in.
At that Loretta’s head snapped back to attention. “I came to tell my mother what I think of her,” she said swiftly.
“What do you think of her?” asked Cindy, afraid to hear what the girl would say.
“I think my mother missed out on the best thing in her life by getting rid of me!” Loretta’s voice rose harshly, causing everyone in the room to look her way.
Jenna got up and came over quickly. “It’s okay, Loretta,” Jenna said in a soothing tone.
“What’s okay? Nothing’s okay!” Loretta started yelling louder, pulling at the pendant around her frail neck.
“Don’t do that to the pendant,” Jenna tried to stop her.
“I’ll do what I want. You can’t stop me,” Loretta fought back.
“That pendant belonged to Tara,” Jenna looked at Cindy and Mattheus for help. “I have no idea how Loretta got it.”
“I took it from the room,” said Loretta holding the pendant fiercely to her chest. “It belonged to my mother and I have a right to a dying gift. You got a problem with that?”
“I don’t have a problem with you having your mother’s necklace,” Jenna backed down, fearfully.
Thankfully, at that moment, the door to the waiting room opened again, and an official, dressed in a white uniform entered somberly.
“The cremation is over,” he announced. “Peace be with all.”
*
After the family hugged each other and said a few more words, they filed out of the waiting room quietly, leaving Loretta behind. Cindy felt concerned about her.
“What are you going to do now?” Cindy asked.
“I don’t know,” said Loretta, looking at Cindy, restless. “I want to stay around until the case is closed. Is there something I can do to help?”
“Like what?” asked Cindy, surprised.
“Maybe I can do something like you do,” Loretta seemed completely forlorn. “You can give me assignments and I’ll help you with them. I could be a great detective, too.”
“Yes, you could be a great detective,” Cindy answered, “and I wish I could give you an assignment, but I can’t. It’s complicated.”
“Everything is complicated,” Loretta wouldn’t take no for an answer. “But for a good detective complications don’t matter. They see right through bullshit, do what they have to, take action.”
“I have an assignment for you, Loretta,” Mattheus broke in. Obviously, he was taken with her, wanted to help prop her up.
“Great,” said Loretta, eager.