Christmas Cookie Murder #6 by Leslie Meier Read Free Book Online

Tucker.
    â€œThey’re the same as my cookies!” Lee pointed an accusing finger at Tucker. “You stole my recipe!”
    Tucker didn’t reply, she just shrugged her shoulder apologetically.
    Lucy felt a little bit like a firefighter, rushing to put out yet another flare of temper.
    â€œIt just goes to show that good recipes get around,” she said. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Toby heading upstairs, looking like a young man with a mission, but before she could remind him to use the downstairs bathroom she was distracted by Tucker’s request to borrow something to put her cookies in.
    â€œI didn’t think to bring an extra container,” she confessed.
    â€œNot a problem,” said Lucy, pulling a bread basket out of the sideboard and giving it to her. “Don’t mind Lee,” she added. “She’s involved in a messy divorce.”
    â€œI know. Her little girl, Hillary, comes to the day-care center. She talks about it a lot. She’s pretty upset about Daddy leaving home.”
    â€œThat’s too bad,” responded Lucy automatically, her attention drawn to the living room.
    There, as if in slow motion, she saw Franny approaching Andrea, holding out something. Oh my God, she thought, realizing that Franny, dear, well-meaning Franny, had saved one of the MADD pamphlets and was intending to give it to Andrea. No doubt expecting her to be grateful for this show of concern.
    Lucy immediately started across the room, hoping to intercept Franny before the exchange could take place. In her haste, her foot slipped out of her loafer and she began to fall. She caught herself by grabbing the doorjamb and quickly shoved her foot back into the shoe.
    â€œWhat is this? A joke?” exclaimed Andrea, glaring at Franny.
    Lucy hurried to explain. “Steffie brought these pamphlets. Her husband is…”
    â€œI know exactly who her husband is,” hissed Andrea.
    â€œWell, if I’d known about Tim, I never would have let her put the pamphlets out. And as soon as I heard, I threw them away. I’m sure Franny was only trying to be helpful.”
    â€œThat’s right,” sniffed Franny.
    To Lucy’s dismay, Steffie joined their little group and placed her hand on Andrea’s arm.
    â€œIt’s very normal to feel angry about Tim’s arrest, but it’s for his own good,” she said. “My husband has seen too many terrible accidents where kids, kids like Tim, have been killed. Isn’t it better for him to learn that drinking and driving is unacceptable? I mean,” she continued with the bright certainty of the mother of a blameless three-year-old, “I would much rather spend a morning in court with Will than a night in the emergency room.”
    â€œWell, I wouldn’t be so confident, if I were you,” said Andrea, pulling her arm free of Steffie’s grasp. Her voice rang out shrilly, and the other women dropped their conversations and turned toward her.
    â€œI know what you’re thinking, all of you,” continued Andrea, her eyes flashing with anger. “You’re all positive that something like this will never happen to you because you’re good mothers. It’s only bad mothers whose kids get in trouble. And you’ve done everything right. You’ve cooked dinner every night. OK, so once in a while you order pizza, but that’s as bad as it gets. Right?”
    Pam and Juanita chuckled nervously.
    â€œYou don’t let the kids watch too much TV—it’s not good for them. And you don’t let them eat too many sweets because you want them to have strong teeth. You go to church every Sunday, and you make sure the kids go to Sunday School.”
    Franny dabbed at her eyes, which were filling with tears.
    â€œMost of all, you’ve been good examples. You don’t drink and drive, and your kids would never dream of doing it. Oh, no. You’ve spoken with them and told