Mourning In Miniature Read Free Page B

that has information on everyone’s life at the present time. It’s like a yearbook, but updated.”
    “And you got that input from him? Even the part about his being estranged from his son?” I asked.
    “Uh-huh. He filled out the form I sent to everyone in the class and he just drew a line next to the question about children’s occupations. So, I’m assuming they’re estranged.”
    “Maybe the kid’s just unemployed,” Susan offered.
    Rosie waved her hand as if to say, “So what?” She smiled broadly. “I want you to know he didn’t just fill in the blanks; he added a personal note that said, ‘Thanks, Rosie.’”
    One thing crafters were good at—talking and working at the same time. Fingers were busy gluing, cutting, trimming, painting, and sewing while questions and answers continued to fly. There was also a fair amount of snacking from the potluck bowls that had arrived with my guests.
    “And these presents—do they come with a note, or a phone call, or anything?” Karen asked.
    “How do y’all know these presents are from David?” Susan jumped in.
    “You both sound like my dad. He’s the only other one who knows about this. I’ll tell you what I tell him. I know it’s David, that’s all there is to it. And besides, there’s a card with each present, signed Love, D. B. That’s for David Bridges.” Rosie rolled her eyes. “Who else?”
    I saw that we were all tiptoeing around a warning to Rosie that there was something not quite right about this reunion within a reunion. Mabel gave it the best try.
    “Have you called him, to thank him for the presents?” our polite, most senior citizen asked.
    “Of course not,” Rosie said with a tense laugh. “Our meeting is supposed to be romantic and dramatic. And besides, girls don’t call boys, remember?”
    “What if it doesn’t turn out the way you think, Rosie? What if he’s toying with your feelings?” Karen asked. “You said your first and only date didn’t go well. Maybe he’s setting you up for another fall.”
    Rosie lifted her eyes from the tiny brush dripping with red paint from the last application of trim on the wall of the school hallway.
    She gave us all a deathly serious look.
    “Then I’ll kill him,” she said.
    Silence washed over the room.
    I forgot that Maddie was with us until I heard her small voice.
    “What do you get when you drop a computer on your toes?” she asked. She waited a beat, then answered her own question. “Megahertz,” she said.
    We all took a breath, followed by loud laughter. I didn’t dare look over to see if Rosie was amused.

Chapter 2

    The plan was that Maddie would stay with Beverly, my sister-in-law and best friend, for the weekend. For once, Maddie didn’t complain about being left behind. The arrangement would put her at the center of attention in yet another Lincoln Point household, with a surrogate grandmother whom she loved and ready access to her Uncle Skip. The better to nag him about giving her junior detective status with the LPPD.
    Nick Marcus, Beverly’s companion for the last several months, had learned the rules early on: “Love me, love Maddie.” Not that that was hard to do, he told us, and he was welcomed immediately into our extended family.
    On Thursday evening, Maddie and I were packing her new grown-up (non-pink) luggage for her trip across town when the phone rang.
    “I can’t believe this, Gerry.” Beverly’s voice carried both sadness and disappointment. “Nick’s grandfather passed away up in Seattle and the services are this weekend. I’ve never met him, but I think I should be there for Nick.”
    “How sad, Beverly. Of course you should go. Please give Nick my condolences,” I said, at the same time running down my list of usual alternatives to watch Maddie.
    “Skip and June are coming up, too, so the families can all meet. Even though it won’t be under the best of circumstances.”
    “I’m glad you’ll all be together,” I said, meaning it,