The Icing on the Corpse by Mary Jane Maffini Read Free Book Online

sound. Music. Vivaldi. The air was steamy and fragrant with floral and musky and expensive scents.
    Abruptly, the water stopped.
    â€œLindsay?” I don't know what the hell I thought, as I stood at the foot of the enormous bed. I sure didn't expect Lindsay Grace to step from her bathroom to her bedroom, shaking her damp hair behind her.
    â€œYou're all right,” I blurted. “Thank God. We were so worried.”
    She whirled, screamed and dropped her towel. She hit the floor on the far side of the enormous bed.
    â€œI'm so sorry,” I said quickly. “I guess I panicked after your phone call. When you didn't answer, I drove over here in case. Now, of course, I see you're all right. So I guess I'll leave you alone to get, um, organized.” It's not like me to babble, but this time, I couldn't stop. Lindsay scrambled back into the bathroom. Who could blame her? I felt like a fool. “I'll be downstairs.”
    â€œAll right,” she said, in a muffled voice.
    â€œAre you sure you're okay? Didn't mean to scare you. I brought a friend with me. He's a Mountie. He works in security.”
    â€œGive me a couple of minutes.” The voice was shaky.
    â€œNo problem, Lindsay. I'll make some fresh coffee.”
    I caught sight of Merv. People look healthier after neurosurgery.
    â€œWhat's the matter?” I whispered. “Haven't you ever seen a naked woman before?”

Six
    M erv's coffee went down fast. He takes three sugars, but this time he drank it straight. I was still dipping the teaspoon in the sugar bowl when he drained the last drop.
    Merv keeps his hair clipped about the length of a five o'clock shadow. His scalp was pink, another measure of his state of mind. I had no choice but to lean across the kitchen table and stare him straight in the eye. “Pull yourself together.”
    â€œHoly shit,” he said. And not for the first time.
    â€œAnd try a little conversational variety while you're at it.” I twitched the teaspoon dangerously.
    Merv poured himself another cup. Before I could dump the three teaspoons of sugar in it, he said “holy shit” again.
    â€œLindsay might come downstairs. Do you think you can act like a rational human being? Imagine how traumatic it was for her coming across a strange man in her bedroom while she was…”
    â€œHoly…” Merv said.
    â€œâ€¦fresh from the bath. And if she does comes down, if you can't say something intelligent, don't say anything at all.”
    Merv didn't say anything, but I was pretty sure I knew what he was thinking.
    I asked myself some tough questions. Why hadn't Lindsay answered the phone after her hysterical call? How could she relax and listen to music in the tub while waiting for Ralph Benning to kick in the front door? I knew her first steps would have been to the medicine cabinet for an extra boost of the sedatives that helped her get through every day. But even so.
    â€œMerv, let's not sit on our duffs wasting time. We should review the security here. That's your specialty.”
    That seemed to snap him out of it.
    â€œOkay,” I said, “there are bars on the basement windows, top-grade Clear Defence security film on every pane of glass in the house, bars across the patio doors, a first-rate silent alarm system, wired to every door and window, panic button, and double deadbolts on the doors. Do you think she's missing anything?”
    I was still talking when Merv bounded off to check the basement and the first floor. It gave me time to think about Benning and how he might try to get in. These security products would discourage a burglar, but not a psycho with nothing to lose.
    Twenty minutes later, I was brooding over my third cup of coffee, when Merv returned. “Impressive. Someone did an fine job on this place.”
    â€œAnyone else but Benning and she wouldn't have a worry.”
    â€œI don't see how anybody could get in,” he said,