“I’m sure Molly did as soon as they got her in a room,” Gertie said. “We figure they headed that way as soon as they got the news, but Ida Belle thought you might want to be on hand because they’re sure to tell her about Johnny.”
Ida Belle nodded. “I think she’ll have questions.”
“Don’t we all,” I mumbled, staring out the window.
This was all exciting and I was thrilled that Molly was all right and even happier that she would finally have some answers about what really happened to her brother. But once again, I had that niggling feeling that I was missing something.
The hospital nurse greeted us as soon as we walked in and appeared as if she was expecting us. She directed us to Molly’s room and asked that we try to keep our voices down. Apparently, all the excitement coming from Molly’s room had been disturbing the other patients.
Angel and Nickel were sitting in chairs next to Molly’s bed and they both jumped up when we walked in. Angel rushed over to give me a huge hug and whispered, “God bless you for everything,” when she pulled me in. Nickel surprised me by following suit with the hug and saying, “I can’t thank you enough.”
Molly was sitting up in her bed. She was bruised but smiling.
“Get over here and give me a hug, skinny girl,” she said.
A tiny tremor of fear ran through me, but Molly took it easy on my rib cage and I came out of the hug with everything intact. Molly sniffed as she released me and shook her head.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you,” she said. “But I’ll make you that dip every darn week, I know that.”
“As much as I would love to live on that dip, I still have a couple items in my closet that don’t stretch,” I said.
She laughed. “I knew I was going to like you the first time we met. But when Luke told me he’d hired you to look into my disappearance and that it led to you solving Johnny’s murder, well, I’ve never been more overwhelmed. Nothing can bring my brother back but the three of us have suffered so hard and so long, knowing that the official story couldn’t possibly be all there was.”
“I’m glad I could help,” I said. “And I’m really sorry that it turned out your father was responsible.”
Molly sighed. “I know it’s a horrible thing to have to say but that’s probably the one thing in all of this that didn’t surprise me. I wish my father had been a different person…a better person. But he is who he is. I’ve hated him most of my life. At least now he’ll pay for one of the horrible things he’s done.”
Angel reached over and squeezed her hand and Nickel nodded.
“Got that right,” he said.
“What about you?” Ida Belle asked. “How are you doing?”
“I’m going to be fine,” Molly said. “They’re keeping me overnight for observation but come tomorrow, I’ll be shopping for your wedding food.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Ida Belle said. “We can manage without stressing you as soon as you leave the hospital.”
“I’d be more stressed sitting in my house with nothing to do,” Molly said. “It’s only going to take me ten minutes to pack up the extent of Dexter’s belongings and less time than that to toss them out the front door.”
“I guess the cops had to let him and that woman out of jail,” Gertie said.
Molly shook her head. “My not being dead kinda put a hitch in that whole murder charge, but it seems the DA thinks they have enough to get them on conspiracy to commit murder. Apparently, a night without a fix had Marissa rolling on Dexter and telling on herself. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but the DA is determined to make something of it.”
“You never intended to leave your business to Dexter, right?” I asked.
“Good Lord, no!” Molly said. “That man can’t tie his shoes with both hands free. Why on earth would I leave someone like that my business? I had intended on getting everything drawn up legal and leaving it to Ally. I don’t know her well but I know she’s trustworthy and can cook. I heard Dexter showed up to give her some trouble.”
“He did but Fortune disabused him of that notion,” Ida Belle said.
Molly grinned. “Heard about that part too.”
“So what happened to you?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Molly said. “I remember leaving, thinking I’d take a boat ride and get some air. I was frustrated with Dexter but mostly with myself for not doing anything about it. And I was giving my best friends grief for even bringing it up. I remember being on the phone with Angel, complaining about Dexter, but then everything goes blank. I can see flashes of being pulled into a boat and remember chicken broth but nothing more than a second or two until I woke up in that cabin.”
“Do you think Dexter and Marissa went after you?” I asked.
“If they did, I don’t remember,” Molly said.
“What about the hole in the boat, and the blood?” Gertie asked.
“The hole was my own fault,” Molly said. “I chunked my new anchor in and put a little too much steam behind it. Cussed myself for two days over that hole and need to get it fixed. As for the blood, I don’t know. I assume maybe I fell and hit my head. That’s what the doctor thinks.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t drown,” Ida Belle said.
Molly nodded. “All they can figure is that I must have been aware enough to float.”
“Well, whatever you did, we’re really glad of it,” Gertie said.
I nodded. “We’re usually happy with catching the bad guy. Having your victim turn up alive is better than winning the lottery.”
“Uh, Molly,” Ida Belle said, looking a little sheepish. “There was an issue with your van during our investigation.”
Molly grinned. “I saw the video. That was a narrow escape. You guys are resourceful. But don’t worry about the van. I carry really good insurance and it’s probably not the first time the insurance company has had a filing about a bear.”
A nurse popped her head in and gestured at us. “That’s enough visiting for now. The patient needs some rest if she expects to get out of here tomorrow.”
“You heard the woman,” Molly said. “Get the heck out because I’m not riding this bed another day.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
We all said our goodbyes and headed out. Nickel and Angel were going to grab some coffee and breakfast at the cafeteria and wait for the next set of visiting hours. Ida Belle, Gertie, and I headed for the parking lot but when we got to the lobby, I paused.
“I need to make a stop at the ladies’,” I said. “Do you guys mind grabbing us some coffee for the drive back? And if there’s doughnuts there, I’d be forever grateful.”
“Now you’re talking,” Gertie said. “I’d only gotten one cup in before Ida Belle called. And no food at all. I’m starving.”
“Find us something to tide us over until we can get back to Sinful and have a celebratory breakfast at the café,” I said.
They nodded and headed off. I went back down the hall but instead of going into the restroom as I’d said I was going to, I headed back to Molly’s room.