Read Online A Lonely Way to Die: A Utah O'Brien Mystery Novel (Minnesota Mysteries Series Book 2) by Jonni Good - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jonni Good
Tags: Utah O'Brien Mystery
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people get famous for any reason, even if they don’t live there any more, the town would make a really big deal about it. Maybe even put big streamers across the street or something. But Mildred never told anyone Gwyneth was the same person as Sonje McCrae, the writer. Emma and Mark must not have said anything, either. And you couldn’t have mentioned it to your friends. That’s quite a big secret for so many people to keep in a small town. Can you explain that to me?”
She nodded. “Emma and Mark kept quiet out of respect for their mother. Sonje’s success would be the talk of the town, and people would keep coming up to Mildred to ask about her famous daughter. Mildred didn’t want that, because she was hurt when Sonje moved away to live with her father. Mark asked me to not mention it, either, for Mildred’s sake. I told everyone that Sonje and I weren’t speaking to each other anymore. I didn’t tell people about the stories, because then they’d know about her books. I just told people that I was mad at her for a personal reason.”
“But Harold knew she was a writer, and that her books were selling quite well?”
“Yes, he knew. But he wouldn’t have any reason to talk about her to anybody. He’s not interested in books. I kept expecting someone to come up and tell me she was an author, especially since the entertainment channels seem to be so obsessed with her husband lately. They show her picture all the time. Someone should have recognized her, even with the black hair. Maybe they don’t say anything to me because they think I’m still mad at her.”
She shook her head and grimaced. “I told her it was a mistake to try to keep their divorce a secret. It isn’t final yet, what with the lawyers dragging things out as long as they can, but Sonje and her husband decided to break up over a year ago. Ever since then, every time Gavril Constantin is seen with a woman, they splash it all over the Internet and claim he’s having an affair behind Sonje’s back. They should have just told people. Besides, all the reporters found out about their divorce eventually, anyway.”
I asked if Sonje sounded depressed, either on the phone or yesterday, at the diner. She said no, just the opposite. “She was excited to be seeing her family again after such a long time.”
Mort asked, “Why did Sonje go to live with her father, instead of staying here? Was she taking sides in the divorce, like Mildred thought?”
She shook her head. “No, she wanted to go live in the city. She would graduate from high school in a year, and then she wanted to go to college—”
Her face took on a slight scowl, remembering. “I forgot about this, but there was something else. She said somebody older, a boy or a man, she wouldn’t say who, was bothering her. I tried to ask her what that meant, but she wouldn’t say. But I don’t think that’s why she left. She thought living in the city would be more exciting than living in a small town. She wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember, and they have more programs for kids like her in the city. I was kind of jealous, to be honest.”
Mort pressed her. “She never told you who was bothering her?”
Carol shook her head. “I forgot all about it, and I never asked. I don’t think it was really all that important.”
I said, “Where did Sonje park when she met you at the diner? Did she park on the north side, or the south side?”
“South side, near the door. She had a big black car, and she pulled in right next to mine.”
“Were there any other cars in the parking lot when you got there?”
She closed her eyes, with her head off to the side. Then she shook her head. “No, but there weren’t hardly any other people in the diner, and Conrad’s gas station is across the intersection. He would just walk. Pastor Owen likes to walk, too, and the church isn’t very far. It wasn’t snowing yet.”
At least one mystery was now cleared up. John Owen, pastor
She nodded. “Emma and Mark kept quiet out of respect for their mother. Sonje’s success would be the talk of the town, and people would keep coming up to Mildred to ask about her famous daughter. Mildred didn’t want that, because she was hurt when Sonje moved away to live with her father. Mark asked me to not mention it, either, for Mildred’s sake. I told everyone that Sonje and I weren’t speaking to each other anymore. I didn’t tell people about the stories, because then they’d know about her books. I just told people that I was mad at her for a personal reason.”
“But Harold knew she was a writer, and that her books were selling quite well?”
“Yes, he knew. But he wouldn’t have any reason to talk about her to anybody. He’s not interested in books. I kept expecting someone to come up and tell me she was an author, especially since the entertainment channels seem to be so obsessed with her husband lately. They show her picture all the time. Someone should have recognized her, even with the black hair. Maybe they don’t say anything to me because they think I’m still mad at her.”
She shook her head and grimaced. “I told her it was a mistake to try to keep their divorce a secret. It isn’t final yet, what with the lawyers dragging things out as long as they can, but Sonje and her husband decided to break up over a year ago. Ever since then, every time Gavril Constantin is seen with a woman, they splash it all over the Internet and claim he’s having an affair behind Sonje’s back. They should have just told people. Besides, all the reporters found out about their divorce eventually, anyway.”
I asked if Sonje sounded depressed, either on the phone or yesterday, at the diner. She said no, just the opposite. “She was excited to be seeing her family again after such a long time.”
Mort asked, “Why did Sonje go to live with her father, instead of staying here? Was she taking sides in the divorce, like Mildred thought?”
She shook her head. “No, she wanted to go live in the city. She would graduate from high school in a year, and then she wanted to go to college—”
Her face took on a slight scowl, remembering. “I forgot about this, but there was something else. She said somebody older, a boy or a man, she wouldn’t say who, was bothering her. I tried to ask her what that meant, but she wouldn’t say. But I don’t think that’s why she left. She thought living in the city would be more exciting than living in a small town. She wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember, and they have more programs for kids like her in the city. I was kind of jealous, to be honest.”
Mort pressed her. “She never told you who was bothering her?”
Carol shook her head. “I forgot all about it, and I never asked. I don’t think it was really all that important.”
I said, “Where did Sonje park when she met you at the diner? Did she park on the north side, or the south side?”
“South side, near the door. She had a big black car, and she pulled in right next to mine.”
“Were there any other cars in the parking lot when you got there?”
She closed her eyes, with her head off to the side. Then she shook her head. “No, but there weren’t hardly any other people in the diner, and Conrad’s gas station is across the intersection. He would just walk. Pastor Owen likes to walk, too, and the church isn’t very far. It wasn’t snowing yet.”
At least one mystery was now cleared up. John Owen, pastor
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