The Body In The Big Apple by Katherine Hall Page Read Free Book Online

jumpy—and incoherent. Damn Emma’s soap-opera life. And would it hurt her to call?
    The phone rang. Josie answered, “Have Faith, taking care of all your catering needs. Josie Wells speaking.”
    She looked at Faith and raised an eyebrow. “No, she’s not particularly busy. She’s right here.”
    As Faith walked over to the phone, Josie covered the receiver. “Someone with guilt to spare. ‘Please don’t bother her if she’s busy. Are you absolutely sure I’m not interrupting her work?’”
    It was Emma.
    â€œEmma! How are you? What’s been happening?”
    â€œI’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. It was sweet of you to leave all those messages, but I’m almost never home; then when I am, it’s to get ready to go to another party or opening or some other stupid thing. I shouldn’t say that. Some of them aren’t, but then most of them are. I don’t know how Mother has done it all these years. And anyone who doesn’t think Brooke Astor has energy to spare…well, I’d like a little of it, that’s all.”
    Emma did sound exhausted, yet Faith was not interested in her friend’s social schedule.
    â€œBut what’s going on? You know, the issue we discussed late last week.”
    Josie was busy layering phyllo dough, but her hearing was excellent.
    â€œNot a thing to worry about anymore. I would have called you as soon as everything was settled, but it’s so hard to find a phone, and then there’s always someone waiting right next to you.”
    Faith wanted to scream into the phone, “Get to the point!” but, mercifully, Emma kept talking and returned to the matter at hand.
    â€œWe can forget all about it. It’s such a relief.”
    Faith was confused. “You mean it was a hoax? A bad joke?”
    â€œOh, no, it was real enough, but I gave them their money. Too complicated about where to put it and when.”
    â€œYou gave them the money!” It hadn’t occurred to Faith that Emma would simply pay them off. First of all, where does one lay hands on that kind of dough so quickly, and second, didn’t Emma realize they would simply keep asking for more?
    â€œIt was the only way. Michael was beginning to notice that something was bothering me. I was even having trouble sleeping.”
    Trouble sleeping! Faith thought about the previous few nights, when she’d been tossing herself, exhausted from work, yet worried about her friend. It had been impossible to put it out of her mind. Every newspaper in the city screamed headlines about Fox’s murder and now the magazines were coming out with their in-depth analyses, complete with cover photos.
    â€œI’m not sure that was the best way to go,” Faith said as evenly and calmly as she could manage. “These events have a way of repeating themselves. You know, as in coming back for more.”
    Emma got the message. “Of course I thought of that,” she reassured Faith. “I enclosed a very stern note and told them it was simply too much and this was the end. That should do it, and I haven’t heard a peep out of them since. No nasty cards. No calls. Now all I have to do is think about what to get my dearest Michael for Christmas.”
    Ten thousand dollars poorer, Emma might want to head for Crazy Eddie’s, Faith thought. It was so typically Emma to do what she had done. And who knew—maybe these were ethical, or one-shot, blackmailers. Faith sighed. She did want to hear all about it, though. How had they contacted Emma and where had she made the drop? And again, how had she come up with a bundle like that so easily? She couldn’t exactly have asked her husband for it—tips for the doorman, the mailman, the maid. Just as she was trying to think how to phrase her queries in a form intelligible to Emma, but Greek to Josie, Emma said, “Oops, sorry, have to run. Lunch