The Happy Birthday Murder by Lee Harris Read Free Book Online

and he relaxed his grip and pointed.
    “Look,” he said. “There’s Sari. Does she go to this school?”
    “Yes, she does.”
    “It’s a good school,” he said. “But I like my school better.”
    “Right now I think your school is a better place for you. Look; there’s Mel.”
    We walked over and Mel gave Eddie her usual enthusiastic greeting. “Chris, this is Laura Filmore. Laura, Chris Bennett Brooks.”
    “Glad to meet you.” She held out a hand and shook mine. “Mel tells me you’re Margaret Wirth’s niece.”
    “Mommy,” Eddie said, “I want to go home with Sari.”
    “Oh, no,” I started.
    “No trouble,” Mel said. “Come on, Eddie. Let’s find Noah and we’ll all go home.”
    That left me with Laura Filmore. I waved good-bye to my departing son, who couldn’t have cared less at that moment, and walked along with Mrs. Filmore. “Yes, I’m Meg’s niece and I live in the house she owned.”
    “I felt so bad when she died. She was a fine person, a real asset to our community.”
    “Thank you. I learned about you just recently.” I told my story one more time as she listened attentively.
    “That was a very terrible time and Meg was very helpful through all of it, my husband’s disappearance and then his death. But she was that kind of person. I’m glad to see you’re raising a family here in town.”
    “I’ve lived here since I was released from my vows, and my husband moved in when we married.”
    “Oh, yes, the niece who was a nun. I remember now. You used to come and visit.”
    “Once a month so I could see my cousin at Greenwillow.”
    “You are certainly bringing back a lot of memories.” She stopped walking, rested her briefcase on the back of ablack car. We had been going through the teachers’ parking lot. “I’m really very glad to meet you. We should get together for lunch one day when I’m not at school. I have to run now if I’m going to get something for dinner.”
    “Would you like to join us tomorrow night?” I asked, surprising myself as the invitation came out. One thing I am not skilled at is dinner parties.
    “What a nice idea.” She smiled. “Yes, I’ll be glad to.”
    “We live on—”
    “Oh, I know where you live. I’ve visited that house many times.”
    “Great,” I said, although I could feel palpitations. “If you come at seven, I’ll have Eddie off to bed.”
    She laughed. “Seven is fine.”
    —
    Jack was stunned. “Just like that you invited someone to dinner?”
    “Just like that is exactly how it happened. I think I said the words before my brain knew what my mouth was doing. I’ve had a lot of second thoughts, but the truth is, I’m glad I did it. I’ll be teaching tomorrow morning, so I can pick up one of those wonderful pies the food service students make.”
    “Make it two pies,” my hungry husband said. “You know, to give our guest a choice.”
    “OK, two.” I elbowed his ribs to let him know he wasn’t putting anything over on me. “But I’m glad I invited her. She’s alone and I’m sure she’ll appreciate a nice hot meal.”
    “As long as it isn’t convent stew.”
    “It won’t be convent stew. I think I’ll make my stir-fry with lots of good mushrooms and those great snow peas.” That’s been my fail-safe meal for as long as I’ve known how to make it, courtesy of Mel, for whom everything works in the kitchen.
    “Sounds good. How ’bout a nice red wine?”
    “That’s your department. I’ll polish up some of Aunt Meg’s good crystal so we can drink it the way it was meant to be drunk.”
    “Sounds like a feast. Hope the lady appreciates it.”
    —
    Laura Filmore arrived precisely at seven, just a few minutes after I had gotten Eddie off to bed. She gave me some flowers and I’m sure she could tell how much I appreciated them. We all sat down in the family room and Jack offered drinks. I declined—I needed my full intellectual powers and energy to get this dinner to come off right—but