The Happy Housewife (Samantha Sherman Book 1) by Kate Cooch Read Free Book Online Page B

into the overnight bag and smiled as she said to Don, “I think I’ve got enough. I’m so glad you were here today.”
    Don and Sam then exchanged their current phone numbers and Don gave Sam his card and Nathan’s card. Nathan’s last name was Barrett, Sam noted. Don then led her back down the hallway. This time as she passed the bedroom where Dan’s body was she looked in. She couldn’t resist. Fortunately, Nathan was talking to the forensics person and glanced up only for a second before looking back down. Sam disregarded him and took one last look at Dan’s lifeless body as she moved by.
    Sam collected Mrs. Thomas, grabbed both of their purses from the kitchen counter, and made her way out to the car. Mrs. Thomas was moving particularly slowly and didn’t respond much to Sam’s polite chatter. Sam hoped Mrs. Thomas wasn’t going into shock.
Wow
, it was hard to believe it wasn’t quite noon yet. What a day.

CHAPTER FOUR
Monday Afternoon
    A fter Sam got Mrs. Thomas settled into their guest bedroom to take a nap, she headed back downstairs to finish her casseroles. She figured she could at least get the first one over to the Myer’s house before Mrs. Thomas woke up. She’d bring the other one to the Walters after dinner when she was more certain they would be home from the hospital.
    It was good to have something to work on as she absorbed what had happened that morning. She put together the casseroles while the forecasted afternoon thundershowers pounded through the neighborhood. She hoped they would cool things off. By the time she finished the casseroles, the storm was over. Not hearing anything from upstairs, she left Mrs. Thomas a note and walked the first casserole up to Evelyn Myer’s house. Evelyn’s parents were Byron and Jamie. They had one other daughter, Madison, who was a year older than Lindsey at Holy Spirit Elementary School, the Catholic School attached to their parish. Sam knew Jamie the best of the Myer’s family from ‘Room Mother’ activities.
    The Myer’s house was only three up on the opposite side of the street so Sam only had a few moments to think about what to say. As she arrived, it looked like there was a lot of support already there. Several extra cars were in the driveway and Sam could see people milling about inside the house.
    A woman she didn’t recognize answered the door. Sam smiled and said, “Hi. I’m Samantha Sherman from down the street. I wanted to come by and express my condolences.”
    “Hi Samantha, I’m Jamie’s sister, Sarah. Thanks so much for coming by. Byron is in the kitchen and Madison is around too, in the living room I believe.”
    Sarah ushered Sam inside. “How is Jamie holding up?” Sam asked.
    “Not well. She’s upstairs. The doctor gave her some sleeping medication … it’s been rough.”
    Sam nodded her understanding as she spotted Byron down the hall in the kitchen. There was another knock at the door and Sarah turned back to open it. Sam continued towards the kitchen. Several adults that she didn’t know were in the living room. She saw Madison sitting in one of the chairs reading.
    The kitchen was a little less filled than the living room. That was odd because Byron was in the kitchen but, Sam guessed, maybe everyone felt as awkward as she did. Most people probably wanted to show their support but didn’t know what to say to Byron for more than a minute or two. Byron saw her out of the corner of his eye and, while nodding to the woman who was talking, acknowledged the casserole. “Sam, thanks so much for the casserole.”
    Sam gave a half smile and put the casserole in the freezer. When that was done, she moved over to where Byron was chatting. Byron gave Sam a big hug and she pulled out the ‘I’m sorry’ speech she had rehearsed. He gave her a half smile and nodded, absently running his hand through his hair. She wondered how many times during the next couple of days he would hear the same few lines.
    They talked for a bit