“I guess Libby told you I was coming,” Harry said, as he walked in and sat down.
Bob Mahoney was sitting in a recliner, with his bandaged left foot resting on a footstool. “I don’t know how I’d manage without her and her mother.”
“Does your sister live nearby?”
“Liz and her husband, Derek, live at the end of the street. They also have twin boys, four years younger than Libby. Liz always cooks extra so Libby and I often get our suppers delivered.” He laughed. “Probably a good thing since her cooking is much better than mine.”
Harry laughed. “So, what crazy stunt did you try this time?”
Bob raised his eyebrows. “Didn’t Libby tell you?” Harry shook his head and Bob continued, “Nothing out of the ordinary. I was pushing snow and debris off the driveway, after that wind storm last week, stepped on a stone and twisted the ankle.”
“And a sprain can be more painful than a break,” Harry said.
“You don’t have to remind me. I was ten years old the first time and the ankle has been weak ever since,” Bob said. “But, what are you doing out this way? I heard you retired and then I heard you’d become a private investigator.”
Harry nodded. “I knew I couldn’t spend all my time fishing, so I figured I might as well do what I had become fairly good at.”
“Beats sitting around doing nothing, I’m sure.” Bob looked at him. “Anything I can help with?”
Harry shrugged. “What do you know about Nora Allen? Do you know her very well?”
“Not really… retired school teacher… never married, as far as I know. I’m not sure she’s your type, though,” he added, with a grin.
“We won’t go there,” Harry said. “Has she lived in this area very long?”
“Oh, she was here several years before me. She was still teaching when I moved in twelve years ago. Retired a few years later. She attends most of the Seventy-Plus events, always willing to do her share of the work, seems to be friendly enough. I’ve spoken to her a few times, briefly.” Bob raised his eyebrows as he looked at Harry. “Is she in some kind of trouble?”
“Nothing like that, she just wanted me to check out something for her.”
********************
The following morning, a man came from Mrs. Allen’s house with a garbage bag and was tossing it into the trunk of his car when Harry stopped him.
“She saves recyclables for the SPCA. I collect them and drop them off on my way to work for her.
She lets me know when there’s a bag to be picked up, usually abour once a month,” the man explained.
During the next three mornings, Harry saw no movement around Mrs. Allen’s house, no sign of life until she turned on the light each morning. He was beginning to wonder if she was imaging things.
