03 Murder by Mishap by Suzanne Young Read Free Book Online Page B

thing, he wasn’t forever at her beck and call.
    “Maybe if I commit a crime ...” 
    Edna’s ruminations were shattered by Starling’s words. She feigned a look of shock. “But he’s a homicide detective.”
    The comic look of horror that followed her words brought forth Starling’s trilling laughter again before she sobered.
    “Don’t remind me. He wouldn’t be half so busy if he weren’t always volunteering to work with other police departments. His own work should be enough.”
    “Oh?” Edna’s curiosity was piqued. “Is he on loan again?”
    “Beats me. He never talks about what he’s doing. Now I know how it must have felt being married to Dad—you know, patient confidentiality and all.”
    “Charlie is claiming ‘patient confidentiality’?” Edna purposely misunderstood.
    Starling squinted at her, probably trying to figure out if Edna were kidding, then gave her a weak smile. “Of course not. Whenever I ask him about his work, he doesn’t say anything—just looks at me with those baby blues, or baby hazels, and raises his eyebrows. It’s aggravating.”
    Realizing her daughter was in no mood for further teasing, Edna tried changing the subject.  “Did you know we have a new neighbor?”
    At that moment, the doorbell rang. Noticing from the mantelpiece clock that it was nearly nine, she almost smiled at Jaycee’s observation of the “daily activity” at this house and then wondered who would be showing up at this hour without phoning first.
    “I’ll get it.” Starling jumped up with excessive, nervous energy and headed for the front hall, returning moments later smiling up at and holding onto the arm of police Detective Rogers.
    “Hello, Charlie,” Edna said with surprise. “I thought you were working. Have you come to steal my girl away?”
    “She is quite a girl, isn’t she,” Charlie said, admiring the view as Starling moved in front of him to settle again on the couch. Sitting beside her, he turned to Edna. “Can’t stay long, but I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by to see what you ladies were up to.”
    Edna suspected Charlie hadn’t just happened to be in the neighborhood—and how did he know Starling hadn’t driven back to Boston? He was the one who was up to something. She studied him as he made idle chit-chat for several minutes. That wasn’t like him either. When Charlie was on duty, he was totally dedicated to his cases and didn’t spend time socializing or spouting pleasantries. Five minutes after he’d arrived, the detective stood.
    “Better get back to work or the chief will have my badge.”
    When the two young people had gone--Starling walking Charlie to the door--Edna picked up her knitting again. Before starting to count stitches, she muttered softly to the empty room, “Now I wonder what that was all about?”

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
    Early the next morning, Edna found herself alone for breakfast, except for Benjamin who sauntered out of the mudroom where he slept in a fleece-lined bed most nights. Finishing a bowl of cereal with banana slices, she poured a second cup of coffee and folded the newspaper to the puzzle section. She picked up a pencil to begin the crossword and wondered why Albert hadn’t phoned back last night. It wasn’t like him.
    As the thought came to her, the phone rang, so of course she thought it must be Albert. Now that her husband was retired from his medical practice, the caller wouldn't be someone from the hospital or a patient seeking medical advice before Albert left for the clinic. These days, only family called before eight in the morning. Instead of going across the hall to her small office to check the caller’s id, she reached for the kitchen receiver hanging on the wall near the end of the table.
    “Good morning, dear.”
    Three long seconds of silence followed before a male voice said hesitantly, “Good morning.”
    Edna stifled a laugh. “That you, Charlie? Sorry. I was expecting