Read Online As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark - Free Book Online Page A

be.”
    Willy said, “I think I can look up that address online and see what’s there.”
    The aerial shot showed an industrial building situated among smaller houses on Oak Street.
    â€œLooks like the house that was 22 Oak Street was torn down,” Willy said.
    Alvirah sighed aloud her disappointment. “Well, that just makes my job harder. But look at it this way, Willy, I’ve always said that before I die, I want to see Philadelphia again. Let’s drive there in the next few days.”

14

    A t nine thirty the following morning the trial resumed.
    â€œYour, Honor,” said Elliot Holmes, “the state calls Alan Grant.”
    The entrance door to the courtroom opened, and the jury and spectators watched closely as the murdered doctor’s son walked slowly toward the witness stand. Handsome, wearing an obviously expensive navy-blue sports jacket and gray slacks, with an open-collar shirt, he was sworn in and took the witness stand.
    The prosecutor asked a number of questions about Grant’s background. He had graduated from Cornell University, was a professional photographer, was divorced from the mother of his two children and also had a ten-year-old son from a previous relationship.
    Holmes then delved into the Grant family relationships.
    â€œWere you happy about the marriage between your father and Betsy Ryan?”
    â€œVery much so,” Alan answered quietly. “My father was only forty years old when my mother died. For the next two years I knew he was very lonely. When he met Betsy and then married her a year later I was delighted.”
    â€œWere you present for dinner the night your father was murdered?”
    â€œYes, I was.”
    â€œWho else was there?”
    â€œBetsy, of course. It was my father’s birthday and she invited the two other doctors in the orthopedic practice they had started with my father, and their wives. Dr. Kent Adams, his wife, Sarah, and Dr. Scott Clifton and his wife, Lisa, were there.”
    â€œDescribe your father’s behavior that night.”
    â€œAt first it was very calm. He seemed happy to see everyone, even though I don’t think he actually recognized us. He may have had flashes of being vaguely aware of who we were. It’s hard to say.”
    â€œDid your stepmother comment on his behavior?”
    â€œYes, she did. She said that for the last two days he had been very upset and opening drawers and spilling their contents on the floor and throwing books off the library shelves. She said that she was going to call off the dinner, but then that morning he woke up and was very gentle and calm so she went ahead with it.”
    â€œWhen you arrived, did you see a bruise on her face?”
    â€œYes, I did. She had tried to cover it up with makeup, but it was still discernible.”
    â€œDid you ask her about it?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhat did she tell you?”
    â€œThat my father had punched her two days ago.”
    â€œDid she seem angry?”
    â€œNo, I thought she seemed resigned.”
    â€œDid your father’s behavior change during the course of the evening?”
    â€œYes it did. At first we had cocktails in the living room. Of course he did not have one. But just before we were to go in for dinner, he suddenly became very agitated.”
    â€œWhat did he do?”
    â€œAll of a sudden without saying anything he became very distressed and started pointing at all of us.”
    â€œAnd then what happened?”
    â€œBetsy went over to him and put her arms around him and tried to soothe him. He immediately became calm.”
    â€œWhat happened next?”
    â€œWe had a very pleasant dinner. He was very quiet and ate quite well. Then just as we were about to have coffee and dessert Dad quickly got up and literally lunged across the table toward where Dr. Clifton and his wife Lisa were seated.”
    â€œWhat happened then?”
    â€œBetsy grabbed Dad’s