Mrs. Whiting uses her power to manipulate the entire town of Empire Falls. Often her tactics have been ruthless. It often seems that she cares for no one but herself and her obnoxious cat Timmy. Mrs. Whiting freely admits that she doesn't like her daughter and never respected her husband. Weakness is her excuse for both reactions. When Miles and Bea dare to challenge her control, she tries first to squash them then to buy them. Yet, when Grace Roby has an affair with her husband, she takes his mistress under her wing, providing lavishly-at least in terms of tuition and hospital bills-for both her and her son. Was that genuine largess or did she have an ulterior motive? Was she really punishing Grace by trapping Miles in Empire Falls and the Empire Grill when she knew that Grace desperately wanted him to graduate...