NINE

THE PHONE WAS RINGING WHEN SUSAN ARRIVED HOME. Kathleen was on the other end of the line.

“Oh, Kathleen, you won’t believe what’s happened. Nadine was murdered and Chrissy-well, not Chrissy, the dogs really-found her.”

“What were they doing at the nursing home? Or even on the island? Was Nadine at her summer home? Did you take them there?”

For one moment Susan thought that the confusion of the past twenty-four hours had affected her brain, but then she understood Kathleen’s assumptions. “I’m not talking about the Perry Island Care Center. Nothing happened there-at least not today. Nadine was murdered next door. In her house. Chrissy and the dogs found her.”

“They found her inside her house? How did they get in?”

“I have no idea.”

“Did you call the police?”

“Chrissy did. Brett’s there now. Chrissy has to make a statement and then she’ll be home. Kathleen, I’m worried about her. She looks completely wiped out. I’m afraid this is all just too much for her.”

“She’s young and resilient. But having a doctor check her out might not be a bad idea.”

“If I can convince her to see one. You know, I should start dinner. Stephen and Jed will be arriving home any minute now. And Chrissy will feel better if she eats something.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? Our dinner tonight is mac and cheese, carrot sticks, and applesauce. I can get it on the table in minutes if you need me. I could pick up some take-out and bring it over there if that would make things easier.”

“Thanks, but I think we’re okay.”

“Then I’ll say good-bye and go see why the kids are so quiet. I always think they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing when I don’t hear them for a bit,” Kathleen said and hung up.

Susan put down the receiver and turned around. Shannon was standing in the open doorway, a bulging plastic bag in each hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. But the garbage cans out back are full and I don’t know where to put the overflow.”

“Oh.” Susan thought for a moment. “Why don’t you just pile them up in a corner of the garage? We’ll have to remember to put them on the curb early tomorrow morning so they get picked up.”

“I’ll take them out after the babies’ first feeding. Ethan and Rosie probably have their breakfast before the garbagemen are even thinking of getting out of bed,” Shannon offered. “Do the cans go on the left or the right side of the driveway?”

“The left,” Susan said, frowning. “ Shannon, do you have a minute?”

“I… Do you want me to put these outside first?”

“Just toss them out the back door for now.”

“I don’t like to leave the twins alone for too long.”

Susan reached across the counter and flipped the switch on a small plastic box. “We’ll hear them on the baby monitor if they start to yell. Sit down. Do you want a cup of tea or anything?”

“No. I’m fine.” Shannon remained standing, shifting her weight from one foot to the other and staring down at a spot in the middle of the tile floor.

Susan plunged right in. “There’s been a murder in the neighborhood. Right next door, in fact.” She watched Shannon ’s face carefully. Did the nurse seem startled? Wouldn’t anyone be startled by her statement?

But Shannon remained composed. “Who died?” she asked.

“Nadine Baines. She was over here yesterday when you arrived.” Susan wondered about Shannon ’s lack of reaction to this news. Perhaps nurses were more familiar with death than people in other fields? Especially nurses who had worked in nursing homes?

“How was she killed?”

“She was stabbed…” Susan remembered the blood-spattered kitchen. “Many times,” she added.

Shannon shifted her attention to the wrought iron lamp suspended over the table, but she didn’t ask any more questions.

“The police will probably be over here sometime this evening,” Susan continued. “They may want to ask you if you heard anything or saw anyone… since you were the only person home here when the murder happened.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t the only person here when the murder occurred. Chrissy was also home. You told your friend on the phone that Chrissy found the body. So the murder must have happened earlier. While she and I were here taking care of the babies.”

“I… You’re right!” Susan wondered if Shannon heard the relief in her voice. “Well, then Brett probably has already realized that and he might not want to bother you.”

“Who’s Brett?”

“Brett Fortesque. Hancock’s chief of police. We’re old friends.”

“The chief of police is one of your friends?”

“Yes. I’ve helped him solve a murder or two in the past,” Susan added modestly.

“This doesn’t seem to be the type of place where people would be murdered.”

“You might think that, but-”

“That sounds like Ethan,” Shannon interrupted as the baby monitor emitted a loud wail.

Susan hurried over to turn down the volume. “You can tell them apart? Just by hearing them?”

“Ethan’s voice is a bit higher than Rosie’s. I’d better go get him. He’s going to wake up his sister.”

Shannon left the garbage bags on the floor and hurried back to her charges as Brett Fortesque walked in the back door.

“Sounds like my house,” he said, a smile on his handsome face. Fatherhood had brought nothing but joy to his life. Of course, he was here and, if his infant daughter was unhappy, his wife was coping with her.

“Where’s Chrissy?” Susan asked, reaching into a cupboard for a pair of mugs.

“Chrissy left a few minutes ago. Isn’t she here?”

“She probably came in the front door. I was talking to Shannon and didn’t hear her.” She waved the mugs in the air. “Coffee? Or maybe a glass of wine?” It was well past five PM she realized.

“The wine sounds great, but coffee will have to do. It’s going to be a long night.”

“Have you told Donald about his wife’s death?”

“No. We called him at his office, but his secretary-or someone-said he was out with a client and not expected back at work today.”

Susan nodded. “Apparently real estate is like that. Nadine was always complaining that she couldn’t reach him.”

“He doesn’t have a cell phone?”

“That’s what I asked. But she said Donald had been interrupted once too often when he had just about made a sale. So now he just turns it off whenever he’s with clients.”

Brett nodded.

“Do you think it’s significant? Do you think Donald killed his wife?”

“I have no idea. There is no sign that the house had been burgled-at least nothing I could see in my brief look around. But she might have surprised someone breaking in and been killed.”

“But you just said nothing was taken.”

“I said it didn’t look as though anything had been taken. It’s too early to tell. Donald will know if anything is missing.”

Susan wasn’t so sure about that. In her experience, husbands didn’t necessarily know where things went around the house and quite possibly weren’t all that likely to discover anything missing. A thief could take the silver and a fortune in jewels, but as long as the television, DVD player, TiVo, CD player, and his computer were left behind, Jed certainly might not notice. But Susan was a loyal wife and didn’t disagree.

“I-What’s that?” Brett interrupted himself as loud shrieks drowned out anything else he might have been about to say.

“Twins.” Susan once again turned down the baby monitor.

“They certainly sound unhappy. Do you need to go to them?”

“No, Chrissy and Shannon will be able to deal with them. Why?”

“If you have the time, I’d like to hear what you know about Nadine.”

“Of course,” Susan answered and then paused.

“Susan, no matter what you thought about her, I need information.”

Susan grimaced. “I know, but I didn’t really know her all that well. At least, not enough to like her. Maybe if I had known her better I would have discovered many redeeming characteristics.”