Free Perfect Family by Pam Lewis Page A

looking for you for two days. The police—Randy—found her yesterday morning. She drowned, William. Her hair got caught in that chain.” Tinker broke into a wail. “Nobody knew she was even up there.”
    There wasn’t enough air in the room.
    â€œAre you there, William?”
    â€œI was there,” he said. “I just was there.”
    â€œDaddy passed out in the water. She looked so awful.”
    â€œTinker, slow it down.”
    â€œThere were footprints on the sand besides hers. Somebody else was there. Randy Martine saw them last night before the ambulance this morning and all those people. Somebody was with her.”
    William leaned over, reached for the wastepaper basket. He thought he’d throw up. “The other footprints are mine. I was there.”
    â€œYou were what ?”
    â€œWhere’s Andrew?” William reeled with shock.
    â€œWhat do you mean, you were there?”
    â€œIs Andrew okay?”
    â€œYes. What were you doing up there?”
    â€œShe can’t be dead,” William said.
    â€œShe is. I saw her, William.”
    He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t take it in at all. “It can’t be.”
    Mark’s voice came on the line. “Hey, man,” he said.
    â€œMark,” William said.
    â€œWe think maybe she was trying to fix the anchor. Was something wrong with it?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œYour dad wants us all at the house on Sunday at three. Family meeting.”
    â€œI have to hang up,” William said.
    â€œOkay, I understand,” Mark said.
    â€œWait.” Tinker again. “Is Seth Andrew’s father?”
    â€œI have to hang up, Tinker,” William said.
    â€œDon’t call Seth,” Tinker said.
    â€œWhy would I?” William asked. Keeping Pony’s secrets was a habit with him.
    â€œJust don’t. Daddy said.”
    William gave the phone to Ruth. He pressed his hands to his face.
    â€œThis is Ruth. He can’t talk anymore.” She listened for a moment before saying, “I’m so sorry. Yes. Okay. I will.”
    William took the phone. He called Vermont information and gotthe number for the Hartwick barracks. “Randy, it’s William Carteret.”
    Randy Martine had been around every summer of William’s life, a kid who lived at the lake year-round. A nice guy. A decent guy. “Oh, man, William. First let me say I’m so sorry.”
    â€œWhere is she now?”
    â€œMedical examiner.”
    â€œYou think someone did this?”
    â€œThere were footprints. Possibly she had company.”
    â€œThey were mine, Randy. I was there. Oh, man, she was fine. She was great. This whole thing—”
    â€œWhat time was that?”
    â€œThree-thirty. Left maybe five-thirty.”
    â€œAny reason you didn’t stay?”
    â€œThe kid. The chaos. I thought I’d be able to work. I knew I couldn’t.”
    â€œYou notice anything unusual about her?” Randy asked.
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œHer mood. Something she might have said. Done. Anything that stands out. Was she expecting anyone?”
    â€œShe had something to tell me, but then she never did.”
    â€œConcerning?”
    â€œDon’t know. She showed me an old picture of my mother. She showed me a lifesaving move,” William said. “Took me by surprise. Damn near—” He almost said “drowned me.”
    Randy cleared his throat. “There are unusual circumstances, William. The baby left unattended like that. It raises a red flag. What was her relationship to the child?”
    â€œIt was great,” William said. “You should have seen the two of them together.”
    â€œSo she was happy to be a mom.”
    â€œShe didn’t kill herself, Randy.” William gave Ruth an exasperated look. She’d dressed and was putting things into the suitcase.
    â€œYou left on good