On the one hand it was a relief to see her so excited about her oldest going off to college, but on the other hand it was heartbreaking to know that she would not be around to share in the experience. Margot mentioned a few other colleges she might visit in the coming weeks, schools that were further away from home. Lisa encouraged this. She was certain her parents would step up and make sure the girls were properly educated, whatever the cost. Margot had Mack’s promise, the ace up her sleeve she could not discuss.
Lisa dozed off again and the girls eased out of the room. Helen began crying and said, “She’s hardly eaten a bite in the past five days.”
They debated whether to call their grandparents and decided to wait. It was a long night as Lisa grew irritable and complained of pain. The girls rarely left her side and napped fitfully whenever she was awake. At dawn, Margot called Honey with an update. The nurse arrived two hours later and cranked up the morphine. The Bunnings stopped by on the way to church and had a chat with Lisa, who happened to be awake and lucid. They never missed church and wouldn’t think of it now, even as their daughter drifted away.
Of course, they asked for prayer during the service and passed along the grim news that Lisa’s condition was deteriorating. Few things aroused a bunch of Baptists like the rituals of a final passing, and by 3:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon the caravan of casseroles was underway. Most of the friends were thoughtful enough to stop at the porch and hand over the dishes and settle for tearful hugs, but some of the pushier ones breached the perimeter and got inside where they loitered in the cramped kitchen and balanced paper plates while straining for a look down the hall at the bedrooms. Several of the older gossips, true veterans of the glories of funerals, even asked Honey if they could have a word with Lisa. Honey knew damned well that all they wanted was the visual so they could hurry off and talk about how gaunt Lisa looked. Honey declined and even posted herself in the passageway to ward off any trespassers.
Helen retreated to the bedroom and kept a vigil at her mother’s side. Margot, weary of that room, took charge of the front and welcomed each visitor with a big, sad smile that was completely phony, but only she knew it. She became quite the lady of the house, and Hermie, who only the day before wanted to reprimand her for her trip to Memphis, beamed with pride as his often wayward granddaughter charmed the crowd. The day dragged on as the food piled up in the kitchen, but the crowd began to thin as 6:00 p.m. approached and their friends headed back to church.
The nurse moved into Helen’s room for the duration. The girls slept in Margot’s bed and took turns throughout the night checking on Lisa and whispering to the nurse. By Monday morning, she was not responsive and her breathing was even slower.
（31）
Nick Lenzini was leaving the FBI office in Oxford Tuesday morning for a quick trip to Clanton when he got word that Lisa Stafford had passed. Two hours later, he parked near the courthouse and slipped into the law offices of the Sullivan firm. His meeting with Walter was at eleven thirty.
Once coffee was served, Nick began solemnly, “Very sorry about Mrs. Stafford. I know she was a friend.”
“Thank you,” Walter said gravely. “A lovely girl. I’ve known her all her life. This firm has represented her family for thirty years. Great people.”
“What will happen to the girls?”
“Oh, the family will circle the wagons, make the best of it.”
“No sign of Mack?”
Walter grunted and took a sip. “I was planning to ask you the same thing. What’s the latest?”
“Have you talked to Judd Morrissette?”
“Not in the past two weeks.”
“Well, he’s ready to go to the grand jury. Our investigation is basically done. Looks like an open-and-shut case. Problem is, we can’t seem to find Mack. That’s one reason I’m here. I don’t suppose you have any ideas where he might be.”
“That’s your job, isn’t it?”
“It is, of course. And we’re looking, though we haven’t sent in the bloodhounds yet. Given his penchant for disappearing, the U.S. Attorney would like to have him in our sights before there is an indictment.”
“That’s smart. But no, I don’t know of anyone who has actually seen Mack since he supposedly resurfaced. It’s safe to assume he’s living somewhere else. His mother still lives in Greenwood, right?”
“Yes, and we’re keeping an eye there. Have funeral arrangements been completed?”
“Yes, Saturday at two p.m.”