U Is for Undertow

avoiding the sight of Walker’s facial bruises, which Walker tended to forget about.
    “I didn’t expect to see you.”
    “Sorry about that, Dad. I should have called, but I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by. There’s something I’d like to ask about.”
    “Come in, come in,” Walter said, stepping back. “You have time for a cup of coffee?”
    “I could probably manage that,” he said. “Don’t go to any trouble—”
    “No trouble. Let’s go back to the great room, where you can make yourself comfortable. How are Carolyn and the children?”
    “Doing well, thanks. I just came from the house, as a matter of fact. And yourself?”
    “Tolerable. That pain in my hip is largely gone and I’ve been increasing my walks. I’m up to two miles these days.”
    Walker perched on the couch and watched as his father set about putting together a pot of coffee, carefully filling a carafe of water, which he poured into the tank. He added six small scoops of ground coffee, double-checking everything before he pressed the button that set the coffeemaker in brewing mode.
    His father returned to the sitting area. “Coffee will take a minute,” he remarked.
    Walker couldn’t think of a response. He was casting about for some way to introduce the subject of the accident and all of its attendant horrors.
    His father cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose I need to tell you how distressed I am about this recent business of yours. Carolyn stopped by and told me. She made a special point of coming over because she didn’t want me to hear about it from a third party.”
    “I appreciate her consideration. I would have told you myself, but I’ve been down for the count.”
    “Yes.”
    The word seemed like a non sequitur. Walker had hoped for some help getting through the awkwardness of the discussion. “I was horrified, as you might imagine.”
    “And rightly so. If your mother were alive, this would break her heart.”
    “Well, I guess we can both be grateful she was spared,” Walker said. Wrong tone, he thought. He tried again. “I understand how upset you must be, but I’ve been knocked to my knees as well. How do you think I feel, knowing that poor girl is dead because of me?”
    “Carolyn said you’d blanked on all of it.”
    “I had a concussion. I was knocked unconscious. The doctor says amnesia is pretty common under the circumstances.”
    “Carolyn believes you suffered an alcoholic blackout, which is a horse of another color.”
    “That’s ridiculous. I didn’t black out.”
    “Perhaps not. I thought she made a good case.”
    “Well, I’m glad the two of you had such a happy chat at my expense.”
    “She’s entitled to her opinion.”
    “She’s hardly the reigning expert—”
    “Son, you’d be wise to cut the sarcasm. She’s a wonderful woman and you’re fortunate you have her standing by you.”
    “I don’t know where you got the impression she was ‘standing by’ me. She’s barely civil.”
    “I’m sure she’ll come around in time. You have the children to think of. It would be a pity if this tragedy ruined their lives as well as hers.”
    The coffee was done and his father left the sitting area to attend to cups and saucers. He set up a tray with the sugar bowl, a cream pitcher, and two spoons.
    While he was occupied, Walker debated how best to approach the matter of Kinsey Millhone. The name had no more than crossed his mind when he glanced down at the coffee table and saw her business card propped up against a potted plant. He picked it up, noting her office address and phone number. There was nothing about the kinds of cases she handled. Walker fingered the card.
    His father returned with a tray, cups rattling against the saucers as he walked. He set the tray on the coffee table and passed a cup to Walker. “I forget what you take with your coffee. I have half-and-half.”
    “Black’s fine,” he said. “What’s this?”
    “What’s what?”
    “This is what I wanted to ask. Carolyn told me a private investigator called the house looking for you. According to my attorney, a conversation with this woman would be out of line.”
    “I’ve already met with her and you needn’t be alarmed. Her reasons for seeing me had nothing to do with you. She stopped by a few days ago and asked about a dog I treated once upon a time.”
    “A dog?”
    “She had questions about the protocol when a pet was put down. I told her what I could, and she left her card