Murder of a Bookstore Babe

“Maybe it wasn’t him.” Skye was surprised the news had taken so long to reach her mother.

“It was him.”

“Is she sure what he was buying was an engagement ring?” Skye kept trying to poke holes in the story. “Could it have been some other kind of ring?”

“It was a two-carat diamond solitaire set in platinum,” May stated flatly.

“How the heck did Aunt Kitty’s sister find that out?” Skye couldn’t imagine someone being able to provide such detail with just a visual.

“The jeweler is her second cousin’s niece by marriage on her father’s side.”

Holy mackerel! If Homeland Security had the spies that Skye’s family had, America would never have to worry about terrorists again.

“Look, Mom, I’m sure there’s some explanation.” Skye thought fast. “I bet he was picking it up for someone. I think he mentioned one of the guys in his band was getting married.” Which was technically true, since Vince was a member of the group.

“If Vince is engaged, I’d better be the first to know and not the last.” May’s voice held the outrage of a teenage girl being denied an iPod. “I want you to go talk to him and find out what’s going on.”

“Mom.” She tried to figure out how to respond to May without admitting anything. “He’s nearly forty years old. He deserves some privacy.”

“It’s not like I’m asking him for a list of the sexual positions he uses.” May snorted. “I just want to know if my baby’s engaged.”

Ew! Skye nearly dropped the receiver. May was really upset if she was talking about sex.

“So, you have to find out,” May finished saying. “I’ve been so worried; I couldn’t get a thing done today. I’m lucky I got the bed made, the breakfast dishes washed, and the carpet vacuumed.”

“Mom, it’s not even nine o’clock.” Skye blew out an exasperated breath. “The day is hardly over.”

“Whatever.” May shrugged off Skye’s comment. “Just find out what’s going on with your brother.”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself when you feed him today?” Skye continued to be miffed that her mother delivered meals to Vince at his hair salon. She never brought food to school for Skye.

“He said he didn’t need lunch this week because salesmen were bringing pizza and subs a couple of days, and he’d have the leftovers the rest of the time.” May’s voice held disbelief that her son would prefer takeout food to her cooking. “In fact, he said he was superbusy this week and probably wouldn’t talk to me until after Sunday.” She paused for breath. “Which is why I can’t call him, and you need to speak to your brother, then report back to me.”

“I’ll try.” Skye poised her finger over the disconnect button. “Listen, Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ve got a lot of kids to see today.”

“Whoa, Nelly, not so fast.” Apparently May was far from finished. “A little bird said that you and Wally were talking to Father Burns.”

“We told you, he’s filing the papers to get an annulment.” Skye stiffened. Now what?

“And how’s that going?” May sounded like she already knew the answer.

“Fine.” Skye silently counted to ten, then did it again. “Why?”

“I heard that they can’t find that ex-wife of his.” May’s tone was gleeful. “What if he killed her and the body is buried in his backyard?”

Skye took a deep breath before answering; screaming at her mother would only mean she’d have to go to confession. “You know darn well Darleen moved to Alaska. Why would you even say something like that?”

May had talked herself into a corner but rallied. “You never know. Look at all those people on TV who live next door to serial killers without ever realizing it, then claim their neighbors were so nice.”

“Mom, leave it alone.” Skye’s voice was firm. “Or do you want Wally and me to elope?” Oops! She probably shouldn’t have mentioned the E word.

Her mother’s scream was loud enough to be heard in Chicago; luckily Skye had moved the receiver away from her ear. “Now, there’s someone knocking on my office door and I really have to go.” Skye didn’t wait for her mother to respond. “Love you. Love to Dad. Bye.”

She kept her finger on the disconnect button while she tried to figure out how to have her calls sent directly to voice mail. Skye knew her mother would call back as soon as she figured out a comeback.

Skye was chewing over the fact that she and her mother could keep several psychiatrists busy well into the next millennium when the PA system squawked, “Ms. Denison, please come to the office.” Ursula’s voice was both formal and annoyed, which meant someone was with her, and he or she was making a request of which the secretary didn’t approve.

She felt a frisson of unease. Had May decided to come in person to harangue her further? Her mother and Ursula had some longtime feud going, Skye had no idea what about.

“Ms. Denison, please come to the office.”

Yikes! Ursula hadn’t even given her a minute to get there before repeating the message. Skye wasn’t expecting any parents, and if one had come without an appointment, that usually meant trouble.