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Mariah’s mom is having a
baby? At her age? I don’t want a baby brother or
sister, Mom. Really!”
    Duane and I glanced at each other and
burst into laughter. We’d already said we’d try for a baby immediately after
the wedding. I stopped laughing. Was that the reason I hadn’t set a wedding
date yet? Because I wasn’t sure I wanted another baby?

 
 
    Chapter Three
    “Why is Officer Barney sitting outside in his
car?” Lindsey asked. “The last time he stopped by was because of a crime.” She
glared at me. “What did you do?”
    “I didn’t do anything.” I unfolded myself
from the sofa and moved to peer out the curtains. “I witnessed a crime today
and Officer Barnett , not Barney, is
here to take my statement.”
    “You are so embarrassing, Mom.” She
grabbed her backpack and stomped to the kitchen.
    Me? How quickly she seemed to forget that
the last crime we were involved in was because she was the prime person of
interest. I sighed and let the curtains fall into place. “I might as well see
what’s taking him so long.” I stepped on to the front porch and crossed my
arms.
    Bruce stared at me for a few seconds,
then got out of his car. “Glad to see you’re here.”
    “Where would I go? I live here. Were you
sitting in your car trying to think of witty ways to irritate me?” Stacy, the
well-dressed reporter, made a beeline toward us. “Hurry up before the vulture
lands.”
    He increased his pace. “I’m here on
police business, Marsha. You need to respect the badge.”
    “Whatever.” I stepped aside and waved my
arm for him to enter. Respect my right foot. This little weasel accused my
daughter of theft not so long ago. He wasn’t starting this newest misfortune
off much better. I straightened my shoulders and marched back to the living
room.
    Mom entered with a tray of packaged lemon
cookies and a pitcher of iced tea. She narrowed her eyes at Bruce. “You,
again.”
    “Who else would there be, Mrs. Bohan ?”
    “I keep hoping they’ll scrape the bottom
of the pickle barrel for someone else.” She set the tray on the coffee table
and sat on the couch, leaving me room beside Duane.
    Bruce glanced at all three of us. “I’d
like to speak with the witness privately, please.”
    “Never mind.” I shook my head. “I’m going
to tell them anyway. Tea and cookies?”
    “I’m on duty.” He pulled a notepad from
his pocket. “Please start at the beginning and tell me everything.”
    “Well,” I dug into my candy, choosing one
of each color. “A month ago on Sunday, Nina came to me and said—”
    “What happened today?” Strain showed in
his voice, and we’d just begun. Poor man.
    “Okay, but that isn’t the beginning.” I
peeled Duane’s fingers off my leg where he squeezed in an attempt to get me to
curb my tongue. “I picked Nina up from the jail and drove her home. She stuck
her key in the lock of her house, and BAM!”
    “And?” His pencil paused its scratching.
    “That’s it. You and the ambulance arrived
shortly after. Great job on the quick response, by the way.” I popped a blue
M&M in my mouth and tried to ignore Duane’s increasing pressure on my thigh.
“I think she died on impact.”
    “This isn’t much to go on.” Bruce snapped
the notepad against his hand. “Maybe we should go back to that Sunday. What
happened?”
    “Her name was in the obit column of the
newspaper. She was still very much alive.” I studied his face, noting his
mustache now resembled Hitler’s rather than the curved look of an old-fashioned
cowboy like he usually wore. “She said the same thing happened to Mae Campbell.
Obit, then death, instead of the other way around.”
    “Mrs. Campbell’s death was from a gas
leak.”
    “As Nina’s appears to be until someone
investigates further. Ouch, Duane, stop it.” I slapped his gripping hand. “Way
too similar of deaths, don’t you think?”
    Bruce stood. “I’ll take it into
consideration. Duane, keep her out of the