Read Online Bernadine Fagan - Nora Lassiter 02 - Murder in the Maine Woods by Bernadine Fagan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bernadine Fagan
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people hate me, especially when they first meet me.” I shook my head in dismay. “She doesn’t even know me.”
“Arianna’s a bit … different, is all. She takes her time … warming up.”
“I don’t think she’ll ever warm up to me.”
I slapped my thighs and stood up, restless, needing to do something to offset the awful morning, needing to shake Arianna Renzo from my head. “I sort of told her off.”
Ida smiled. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Nick said I can sit in with the computer tech when he comes. Four days away. Too many. I have to take action sooner.”
I plopped down on the hassock again and traced the rose pattern on Ida’s upholstered chair as I considered my options. “Computers are out for now, but there are other avenues. When does the choir meet?”
“You’re definitely staying.” Ida’s hand went to her chest and her face lit up. “You’re going to look into this. I just knew it. You can’t resist a mystery, my Nora, can you? You have to solve it and with your intelligence, I know you will.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said modestly. “I’m not sure, but I have a strong feeling Vivian is innocent and I have to finish what I started. I have to prove it.”
“Some good news. Your laptop computer arrived today. I left the box on your dresser along with another package from L.L. Bean.”
“ Good. My binoculars and the netbook computer. It’s very small. Right now, I need a computer that’s bigger than my cell phone. I’ll show you how it works. Maybe get you emailing. I’ll leave it for you when I go back to the city.”
Ida put both hands up in front of her as if she were warding off evil spirits. “Oooh-no. I want no part of those things.”
I stopped tracing the rose. “So when do they meet?” I repeated.
“Meet? Who?”
“The choir?” I asked, jumping up.
Ida worried her bottom lip. “Friday evenings.”
“Tomorrow night. Good. Do they take new members?”
“Sh-ur. Are you interested in someone who’s a new member?”
“No. I want to be a new member. Me. I intend to join.”
“Join. But why?” Ida sputtered, sitting forward, looking like I’d just announced I’d decided to join a cult.
I paced back and forth. “Didn’t you, Hannah and Agnes mention seeing Buster kissing another woman after choir practice a few years ago? I want to find out who it was. That person may be able to shed some light on his life, give me a clue or two about who killed him. If I join I can be casual about the whole thing. Talk to everyone informally. Maybe this woman had a jealous husband? Or maybe she killed him herself? Who knows.”
Ida bit her lip again. “You do have a nice sounding voice, but you must … be able to carry the tune all the way through and not go off the notes. You’d have to try out.”
“I’m not show biz material, that’s for sure. If they want star quality, well, I won’t make the cut. But I sound okay in a group.” I sang a few notes from a Celine Dion song I loved.
Ida blinked rapidly.
“I wish I could get to Buster’s computer sooner than Monday. Can you imagine? Waiting so many days. That should be done immediately. Meanwhile, a murderer’s lurking, and no one knows who the suspects are. Vivian doesn’t count. She’s not guilty. I just feel it.
“In the meantime—la-la-la-la,” I trilled. “I shall warm up my vocal cords.”
“Yo Yo Ma’s rendition of My Favorite Things— my new ring tone — blasted from my cell as I jogged around my room in preparation for my shower. I decided to get the blood circulating double-time before I stepped into that cold torture chamber.
I took a deep breath, and answered. “Hi, Howie. How’s everything with the Miami-Dade PD?”
“Nora, I got a call from your friend Lori in New York. She’s concerned about you. She thinks it’s time you came home where you belong instead of getting involved in another crime investigation in Maine. I agree with her. So,
“Arianna’s a bit … different, is all. She takes her time … warming up.”
“I don’t think she’ll ever warm up to me.”
I slapped my thighs and stood up, restless, needing to do something to offset the awful morning, needing to shake Arianna Renzo from my head. “I sort of told her off.”
Ida smiled. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Nick said I can sit in with the computer tech when he comes. Four days away. Too many. I have to take action sooner.”
I plopped down on the hassock again and traced the rose pattern on Ida’s upholstered chair as I considered my options. “Computers are out for now, but there are other avenues. When does the choir meet?”
“You’re definitely staying.” Ida’s hand went to her chest and her face lit up. “You’re going to look into this. I just knew it. You can’t resist a mystery, my Nora, can you? You have to solve it and with your intelligence, I know you will.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said modestly. “I’m not sure, but I have a strong feeling Vivian is innocent and I have to finish what I started. I have to prove it.”
“Some good news. Your laptop computer arrived today. I left the box on your dresser along with another package from L.L. Bean.”
“ Good. My binoculars and the netbook computer. It’s very small. Right now, I need a computer that’s bigger than my cell phone. I’ll show you how it works. Maybe get you emailing. I’ll leave it for you when I go back to the city.”
Ida put both hands up in front of her as if she were warding off evil spirits. “Oooh-no. I want no part of those things.”
I stopped tracing the rose. “So when do they meet?” I repeated.
“Meet? Who?”
“The choir?” I asked, jumping up.
Ida worried her bottom lip. “Friday evenings.”
“Tomorrow night. Good. Do they take new members?”
“Sh-ur. Are you interested in someone who’s a new member?”
“No. I want to be a new member. Me. I intend to join.”
“Join. But why?” Ida sputtered, sitting forward, looking like I’d just announced I’d decided to join a cult.
I paced back and forth. “Didn’t you, Hannah and Agnes mention seeing Buster kissing another woman after choir practice a few years ago? I want to find out who it was. That person may be able to shed some light on his life, give me a clue or two about who killed him. If I join I can be casual about the whole thing. Talk to everyone informally. Maybe this woman had a jealous husband? Or maybe she killed him herself? Who knows.”
Ida bit her lip again. “You do have a nice sounding voice, but you must … be able to carry the tune all the way through and not go off the notes. You’d have to try out.”
“I’m not show biz material, that’s for sure. If they want star quality, well, I won’t make the cut. But I sound okay in a group.” I sang a few notes from a Celine Dion song I loved.
Ida blinked rapidly.
“I wish I could get to Buster’s computer sooner than Monday. Can you imagine? Waiting so many days. That should be done immediately. Meanwhile, a murderer’s lurking, and no one knows who the suspects are. Vivian doesn’t count. She’s not guilty. I just feel it.
“In the meantime—la-la-la-la,” I trilled. “I shall warm up my vocal cords.”
“Yo Yo Ma’s rendition of My Favorite Things— my new ring tone — blasted from my cell as I jogged around my room in preparation for my shower. I decided to get the blood circulating double-time before I stepped into that cold torture chamber.
I took a deep breath, and answered. “Hi, Howie. How’s everything with the Miami-Dade PD?”
“Nora, I got a call from your friend Lori in New York. She’s concerned about you. She thinks it’s time you came home where you belong instead of getting involved in another crime investigation in Maine. I agree with her. So,
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