The new information left Maria’s head spinning, and it was all she could do to stay seated. Even Colin seemed at a loss for words.
Margolis looked from one to the other. “So that’s where I am right now. If you’re wondering what my plan is, moving forward, I’m going to give the good doctor another call and see if he can grease the wheels and find out when Lester was admitted. Or better yet, have his son give the physicians at Plainview permission to tell me. Depending on what I learn there, I may or may not check into the Mark Atkinson thing. But frankly, that’s a lot of legwork, and again, I don’t know how much more time I can commit to this.”
“It’s not Atkinson,” Maria repeated. “It’s Lester.”
“If that’s the case, then for now, I wouldn’t worry.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because,” he said simply, “as I just told you, Lester is in the hospital.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Maria said to Colin. They were in the parking lot, the sun inching out from behind thin strands of clouds. “I’ve never met Mark Atkinson. I’ve never talked to him. As far as I know, I’ve never even seen him. Why would he be stalking me? He wasn’t even dating Cassie when Laws went to jail. He didn’t come into the picture until later. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I know.”
“And why the hell would Lester think I’m out to get him?”
“It’s a delusion.”
She glanced away, her voice becoming quieter. “I hate this. I mean, I feel like I know even less than I did before I came here today. And now I have no idea what I’m supposed to do, or even what I’m supposed to think about all this.”
“I’m not sure what to make of it, either.”
She shook her head. “Oh, one thing I forgot to tell you. I had to cancel with Jill and Leslie tonight because it’s my mom’s birthday. I’ll be at my parents’ place tonight while you’re at work.”
“Do you want me to come by after my shift?”
“No. Dinner will be over by then. My dad makes the meal – it’s the one time a year that he actually cooks – but it’s not a big deal. It’ll be just the four of us.”
“Are you going to stay there overnight? Or head back to your condo?”
“I’m thinking of going home. It’s probably time, don’t you think?”
Colin was quiet for a moment. “How about I meet you there? Just hang at your parents’ and I’ll call you when my shift is done.”
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all.”
She let out a sigh. “I’m sorry that as soon as things started clicking between us, all this had to happen. I hate that you’re having to deal with it.”
He kissed her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
CHAPTER 21
Colin
W
hen he got home, Colin pulled the computer from his book bag and set it on the kitchen table. He was as confused about the whole situation as Maria was, and his instinct was to try to learn as much as possible.
The first step was to understand the mind-set of Lester Manning. Or rather, persecutory delusions of the nonbizarre type. He’d wanted to ask Margolis more about it when it came up, but it wasn’t his place to ask, and Maria had let it go. Fortunately, there were dozens of web pages on the topic, and he spent the next hour and a half learning as much as he could.