Blackbird 10 - A Little Night Murder by Nancy Martin Read Free Book Online

worse, from behind the police cars roared a familiar red minivan. My sister Libby tooted her horn beforejumping the sidewalk and pulling to a stop. She bailed out into the sunshine wearing a sky blue skirt with a low-cut T-shirt on top, belted at the waist to enhance her voluptuous figure. In sequins, the T-shirt read BUDGET BUNNY .
    “Nora!” She waved her hand as if to flag down a speeding train. “I haven’t seen you all week! And you’ve grown another size already! Oh, I used to love wearing that shirt. It’s one of my favorites. So cute!”
    “Lib, this is an awkward time for—”
    With a squeal, Libby shot past me and gave Lexie an exuberant hug. “Lexie, my dear, you look marvelous! Being indoors for so long obviously does wonders for the complexion. Did you learn to meditate? Or make friends with terrifying people? We must have lunch someday, so you can tell me everything. I hear all that time alone can be spiritually uplifting. Orange is the new Zen! And who’s this?”
    Libby sized up Bridget O’Halloran and obviously recognized a soul sister. Before I could introduce them, Libby blurted out, “Whoever you are, I love your fashion flair. Leopard is universally stylish. You could wear it with a nun’s habit and be welcomed anywhere. It adds a soupçon of pizzazz to every outfit. Like cinnamon.”
    Bridget took in my sister from the top tufts of her auburn hair, caught up in a fetching bouffant ponytail, to the besparkled peep-toed shoes on her feet, and she instantly warmed to Libby. “I don’t know about soup, but I think leopard says ‘I’m available.’ At least, that’s what all my men friends tell me.”
    “Do you have many men friends?” Libby asked brightly. “A few to spare, maybe?”
    “Libby,” I intervened before the two of them could get down to the business of exchanging dating strategies, “this is Michael’s mother, Bridget O’Halloran.”
    Intrigued and delighted, Libby shook Bridget’s hand. “I have ne’er-do-well sons, too! Sometimes I think they’ll be the death of me, but at other times I realize they add a certain je ne sais quoi to life.”
    “Like cinnamon,” Bridget said.
    “Or vodka,” Libby replied. She finally noticed the hubbub unfolding around us. Her testosterone detector perked up as she realized several handsome policemen were moving purposefully into the Tuttle house. “What in the world is going on here? I have a delivery to make.”
    “A delivery?”
    I had already seen the new decal stuck on the driver’s side door of Libby’s minivan. In bright letters, the decal read BUDGET BUNNY . The accompanying picture showed a smiling rabbit delivering a basket to the front door of a delighted housewife. The same smiling rabbit appeared on Libby’s T-shirt.
    “Have you started another new business?”
    Libby proudly thrust out her bosom to display her T-shirt. “This week, I’m helping a friend who’s a franchise owner for a wonderful company with plenty of upward mobility. I’m giving it a whirl before I decide to invest. Assuming any banker would back a single mother whose only credit reference is Costco. The job is not the spiritual experience I usually seek in my enterprising endeavors, but I’ve already met the most charming people. The Tuttles have been especially friendly, even though Boom Boom says Grandmama Blackbird was her sworn enemy. Something about hitting her with a champagne cork. Don’t you think they’re delightful? The Tuttles, I mean?”
    “If you like the color blue,” Lexie said. “Have you laid eyes on Boom Boom?”
    Libby didn’t blink. “You mean her skin cream? Lately I’ve been trying out a night cream that’s green. It may help with wrinkles,but it smells like anchovies. Every night, I dream about pizza. Maybe I should ask Boom Boom about hers.”
    “I don’t think it’s a cream. I think it’s her skin that’s blue.”
    “Libby, what kind of services are you providing?” I asked, cutting through her