Carol joined them as they walked back toward thepieshop.
“June, this is Carol. She’s in town for a few days.” He wasn’t sure how much information Carol wanted to share, so he only supplied a minimalamount.
“I’m actually looking for my mom,”Carolsaid.
“What’s her name?” Juneasked.
“VictoriaFuller.”
“I didn’t know she had a daughter,”Junesaid.
“It’s a long story,” Hank said. “You don’t happen to know where she’s currently living,doyou?”
“No,sorry.”
“Is Gertrude here by any chance?” heasked.
“You can’t hear her cackling all the way out here?” June said with anarchedbrow.
“No.” Helaughed.
“She’s still in there. I swear I’m going to slip her the sugar-free pie from now on.” June led them through the back door and into thekitchen.
A small boy doused in flour with a smear of bright green frosting on his mouth ran to wrap his arms around June’s leg. “Namma, I colored the cupcakes. Can I eatonenow?”
“Sure, honey.” After he ran back to the other side of the kitchen, June said. “That’s my grandson,Jimmy.”
“He’s so cute,”Carolsaid.
“We had a pretty big health scare with him, but he’s back to normal. Keeping up with him is hell on the knees, but it’s worth it,” June said. “Just follow the cackling and you’ll findGertrude.”
Hank pushed through the saloon-style double doors into the dining area. Set up soda-shop style, a long counter ran the length of one wall, while tables and chairs filled in the remaining space. In the center of the room, a gaggle of women sat behind empty pie plates. Their loud chattering stopped when Hankwalkedover.
“Ladies,”hesaid.
“To what do we owe the pleasure?” Gertrude smiled up from under a huge, floppy red hat. Spikes of white hair shot out from beneaththerim.
“I just wanted to see your gorgeous faces.” Hewinked.
“Well I know that’s a lie,” another grandmotherlywomansaid.
“Actually, we’re looking for Victoria Fuller,” Carol said as she steppedforward.
“Why?” Gertrudeasked.
“We just wanted to visit her,” Hank said. If he told her even a hint of the full story, she’d run her mouth allovertown.
“Last I heard, the bank kicked her out of that shack. I don’t know what the bank wants with that dump anyway,”Gertrudesaid.
“They should burn it to the ground,” another womanadded.
“Do you happen to know where she’s living?” Hankasked.
“Peggy Johnson called me this morning and told me she saw Trevor Sawyer packing up Vicki’s things. She probably moved in with him,”Gertrudesaid.
“Where’s he living these days?” Hank asked as casually aspossible.
“Up in a cabin at the end of Old Hunter Road. You aren’t going up there, are you?” sheasked.
