Motherhood Is Murder Part 37

'Five years ago, before the kids, I broke my foot skiing. I got addicted to pain meds then. It didn't last very long. About six months, but Alan never let me forget. I've been reflecting on our marriage these last few days here at my mom's. I think back to that time and I think he purposely wanted to get me addicted. It gave him control over me and our life.'

She handed me the frame. It was a picture of Margaret, Alan, and a small boy. They were on the beach and Margaret was just starting to show with her second baby.

'This photo was taken less than a year ago. It was our first family vacation. Miami, the same day I met Celia. Look at how ridiculously happy I was. I've been crying myself to sleep hugging that photo every single night since Helene pa.s.sed away. But no matter how hard I cry, I can't get back to that happy place.'

'I'm sorry,' I said.

A car pulled up into the driveway. Presumably, it was Margaret's mom back with the kids. I hadn't wanted to leave Margaret alone feeling sad and vulnerable so I was glad to see the car park.

'I should thank you, Kate. A job well done. You got the information I requested. It wasn't what I hoped for but . . .' She rose. 'Let me write you a check. We'll call the case closed.'

'Don't you want to know who killed Helene?'

Margaret shrugged, her body listless. 'What does it matter now? I guess we'll let the cops handle that.'

When I got home, all the lights were out. Jim was asleep on the couch with Laurie in his arms. Laurie had her little hands folded on her chest. She looked like a miniature version of a praying monk. I gently picked her up out of Jim's arms. They sighed in unison.

I clutched Laurie to me and kissed her soft cheeks a dozen times. She remained asleep so I set her down in her ba.s.sinet and squeezed onto the coach next to Jim.

Still sleeping, he rolled onto his side to make room for me. I kissed his lips. 'I love you.'

'Glad you're home safe, honey,' he murmured. 'Laurie and I were waiting up for you . . .'

I smiled. 'I see that.'

I hugged him. I was sad after leaving Margaret. Her marriage was over and I suspected Sara's was in distress, not to mention that obviously Bruce and Helene's life together had been less than perfect and now she was dead. I felt so fortunate to have my family intact. Tears filled my eyes and I pressed myself against Jim. 'Love you forever,' I whispered.

His soft sleepy breath filled my ear and the last thing I heard before falling asleep was 'Love you, too, honey.'

CHAPTER THIRTY.

Rooting

To Do:

1. Thanksgiving Prep!!!

2. Order turkey.

3. Get pie recipe from Paula.

4. Stuffing? Check online.

5. Potatoes-same old boring mash?

6. Cranberries-canned or fresh?

I woke up with a stiff neck from sleeping too long on the couch with Jim. I hadn't remembered moving to the bedroom, but somehow Jim, Laurie, and I were all safely tucked in.

I stretched my neck and contemplated coffee. Laurie started moving her head from side to side. Rooting. I picked her up and played my favorite game. Kissing her cheek so when she automatically turned toward me, I turned my head and her mouth landed on my cheek. I did this over and over, pretending she was showering me with kisses.

Laurie didn't like the game this morning and let out a howl, telling me she meant serious business.

I squeezed her. 'Love my little bunny girl!'

Laurie's cry escalated into a high-pitched wail.

'Okay, I know you want service.'

I took her into the nursery, and after changing and feeding her, I put her up on my shoulder and rubbed her back, waiting for the inevitable burp. She was asleep again before I could even place her back into the ba.s.sinet.

I slipped on jeans and a sweats.h.i.+rt, then scribbled a note to Jim. I headed to the cafe and tried to sort out my feelings.

Last night Margaret had effectively terminated me, but technically I was still working the case for 'The Grizzly.' I thought about my report to him. Now more than ever he would think Margaret was guilty or at least try and build a case against her-anything to steer attention away from Bruce.

With the toxicology results available now, I thought it was just a matter of time before McNearny arrested Bruce.

I pushed open the door to the cafe. Kenny was seated at a table near the counter, earphones securely in place and feet drumming out a rhythm.

'Kate! Got time for chess?' He pulled the earphones out and reached for the chess set that was on a nearby bookshelf.

I ordered a decaf latte and perused the pastry case.

How many calories did a biscotti have?

Ooh! They had chocolate-dipped ones today.

I ordered two and put one in a bag to take home to Jim.

I took a seat across from Kenny. 'I don't have time for games, Kenny. I'm working on serious business.'

'Cool,' he said, ignoring me and setting up the board.

'Shouldn't you be rehearsing or something?'

He looked confused. 'I was.'

I laughed. 'You were listening to your iPod drinking a cappuccino. How does that count for rehearsal?'

He looked offended. 'No, no. Not just listening. I was visualizing playing!' He continued to set up the chessboard as the barista brought my coffee.

'Yeah? You can visualize yourself playing chess, too, because I just told you I have serious work I need to do.' I dipped my biscotti into the latte and ate it.

Kenny nodded thoughtfully as he completed setting up the board. 'Okay. On your investigation stuff?'

I nodded.

He pushed the chessboard to me. 'Tell me about it.'

'Okay.' I picked up the white queen, rook, bishop, knight, and a p.a.w.n, then selected the counterpieces in black. I grabbed the pair of p.a.w.ns. 'So, Jim and I go on this cruise-'

'Wait. Are you guys the p.a.w.ns?'

'Yeah.' I sipped my latte.

Kenny shook his head. 'No, no. Here.' He replaced the p.a.w.ns with the king and queen. 'There. You and Jim.'

I laughed. 'No seriously. I was a p.a.w.n.'

'Never!'

'Right, I'm not going to argue with you, let's make them all p.a.w.ns. Except for the victim. We'll give her the respect of being queen.'

I laid Queen Helene down.

Kenny made a sad face by sticking his lower lip out and turning it down. 'You killed off the best piece right away. I told you, you should be queen.'

'This is serious, Kenny.'

He sat up. 'Right.'

I took the matching king representing Bruce and placed him next to Queen Helene. 'Husband,' I said.

Kenny nodded and frowned, trying to give the respect I was requiring of him.

Then I lined up the four sets of p.a.w.ns. 'These are the couples on the cruise.' Then I took the other queen and placed her precariously on the edge of the board. 'She'll be Celia, the midwife. She wasn't on the cruise but had an attempt made on her life.'

'The price of royalty,' Kenny said.

I glared at him. He ducked his head and drank his cappuccino. I sipped from my latte.

Yum.

But it needed a little extra something. I pulled out the second biscotti that I'd been saving for Jim, dipped it in the latte, and ate it.

Much more yummy.

I took one p.a.w.n representing Alan and placed him next to Queen Helene. 'Affair.'

Kenny nodded. 'Affair equals motive, right?' He raised his eyebrows and wiggled them up and down to demonstrate how clever he was.

'Not in this case. Long story-just take my word for it.'

I replayed the drama as best I could with the chess pieces. Kenny seemed to be following along nicely and it was helping me to review all the facts I knew. I ended by lining up the pieces that had seen Celia on the day she was poisoned. Me, Margaret, Evelyn, and Bruce.

Kenny studied the layout then took the p.a.w.n representing Howard and placed it in my lineup.

'What are you doing?' I asked.

'You said Margaret saw them together at the sandwich place.'

I froze.

Suddenly the drama before me changed. If Celia was having an affair with Howard, we had a motive for him . . .

No. Not Howard.

Why would he kill his mistress, or Helene for that matter?

Sara.

A motive for Sara, Miss No-Nonsense. What if Sara had known Howard was having an affair but didn't know with whom? Let's say she suspected Helene. Certainly Helene could have been acting suspicious because she was was having an affair, only not with Howard. having an affair, only not with Howard.

Sara had been on the cruise. They'd had a fight. The wet dress, the spilled drink, it was all starting to add up.

Had she seen Celia that day?

Celia hadn't mentioned seeing Howard or Margaret to me; maybe because she'd been covering up her affair. Had she seen Sara, too, and just not told me?

I stood. 'I gotta go. I need to talk to Sara.'

Kenny grabbed the chess pieces and threw them into the box. 'My work here is done,' he said proudly. He popped up and joined me on the walk home.

We said good-bye to each other as we approached our houses. I let myself inside and found Jim in his underwear watching the morning news with Laurie secured in the crook of his arm. I took Laurie from him and nuzzled her. She fixed her blue eyes on me and cooed.

'Did you get me anything?' Jim asked hopefully.

'Uh . . . yeah, I did.'

Jim smiled.

'But I ate it.'

He laughed. 'Look.' He indicated the television. 'There's a huge protest downtown,' he said. 'Tons of arrests.'

'Since you're not dressed, does that mean you're staying home today? No meetings?'