Rita Lakin_Gladdy Gold_01 by Getting Old Is Murder Read Free Book Online

Everyone is responsible for deciding her
own. No one amount ever gets the same number of votes, with much
debating on how fast the service was, how good, etc. But having Lottie
makes it easy. Everyone tips the minimum. Except Ida, who tips nothing.

    We drive home with Evvie leading us in a medley of
musical comedy tunes.
----
10

    A Waltons' Good Night
    W earily we each trudge to our
apartments, bloated as usual with too much food, carrying our little
doggie bags. We watch one another, making sure we each get inside
safely.
    "Don't forget to double lock," Francie calls.
    "Don't forget, movies tomorrow afternoon." This from our
social director, Evvie.
    "Don't forget, I have an early dentist's appointment,"
Ida reminds me.
    "Good night, Bella."
    "Good night, Ida."
    "Good night, Glad."
    "Good night, Evvie."
    "Good night, Sophie."
    "Good night, Francie. Happy Birthday."
    I am the last one in and I know at least one of the girls
is watching out for me through her kitchen window.
    We said good night, but we didn't know we were saying
good-bye.
----
11

    Death by Chocolate
    A
ll lights were off, but
one. Everyone was asleep before ten except Francie.
    She was too excited.
    Francie Charles was at her favorite pastime.
Surrounded by her cookbooks, she paged through Gladdy's birthday
present, a collection of the best desserts from
Bon Appetit.
    Naturally she was perusing the "fabulous cakes"
section first. Her eyes glanced toward her doggie bag, still sitting on
the kitchen counter. She was debating. Have it now or save it for
tomorrow. She was practically drooling over the book's description of
the double fudge cake with whipped cream. Or maybe she might try to
make the triple mocha square first. It had been weeks since she'd baked
anything. Maybe she'd surprise the girls tomorrow.
    Happiness, she thought, is having a sweet tooth. She
glanced up at the magnet on her fridge, last year's birthday present
from her daughter-in-law, Ilene. She always giggled when she passed it.
"Men think the greatest thing in life is sex; women know it's a Hershey
bar."
    There was a soft knock on the door.
    Surprised, she called out, "Who is it?" She was even
more surprised when no one answered. Now she wasn't sure there had been
a knock. But she went to the door anyway. "Anybody there?" No answer.
She looked through the peephole. Nobody. Slowly, she unlocked the door
and as she did, the package leaning against it fell onto the threshold.
Francie picked it up and looked outside onto the balcony. She looked
both ways, but there was no one there.
    The package was a square white box tied with a
pretty
red bow. Something inside smelled wonderful. She reached for the note
taped to the ribbon and opened it. In an almost immature hand it read,
"Sweets to the sweet. Happy birthday." No signature. Inside the box was
a vision of beauty. A thick slice of chocolate almond mousse with fresh
raspberries and chocolate chantilly whipped cream! Francie was
astonished. Where did it come from? Who could have found something as
elegant as this in Fort Lauderdale? Her meager cake from Continental
went into the fridge. She grabbed a fork and very gently dug into her
gift to have her first taste. Heaven! Absolute heaven.
    Now I can die happy, she thought, smiling.

    Francie heard the turn of a key in her lock. Thank
God,
she thought, someone will save me. She lay on the floor, clutching her
stomach. She had been in pain for she didn't know how long, falling in
and out of consciousness. She couldn't move. Her body was paralyzed and
she knew she was dying. "Help me," she tried to cry out, but her tongue
was also paralyzed.
    At that moment Francie realized three things: 1)
There was no help coming. 2) The killer had returned to finish the job.
And 3) she had forgotten to double lock her door after bringing in the
gift that would poison her.
    Francie's eyes were the only things that could move.
They watched the betrayal, as someone she thought she knew so well
moved about her