Read Online Christmas Cookie Murder #6 by Leslie Meier - Free Book Online Page A

agenda—you know, calendar, address book, your whole life wrapped up with a Velcro flap.” Sue sniffled and reached for another tissue.
    â€œHow big was it?” asked Lucy, going over to Tucker’s desk. The top was bare except for a plant, a small pink mitten, and a picture of a smiling middle-aged couple. Lucy picked it up for a closer look. Tucker had inherited her coloring from her mother, but her smile came from her dad.
    â€œAbout like this.” Sue described a ten-inch square with her hands. “It was chunky, a couple of inches thick.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t fit in a pocket?” Lucy replaced the picture and slid the center drawer open. It was empty, except for a clutter of pens and pencils in the tray designed for them. Pulling open the top drawer on the side, Lucy noticed Sue had joined her.
    â€œNo, it was pretty big.” Sue peered in the drawer. “She’d only been here a few months. She didn’t have time to accumulate much.”
    The drawer held only a bottle of Advil and a spare pair of panty hose.
    â€œWhat brought her here?” asked Lucy, pulling open the middle drawer and lifting out a sweater.
    â€œShe’d finished two years of college and wanted a break. Her folks said OK, as long as she did something useful. I almost fainted when she walked in one day, answering the help-wanted ad. I never expected to get anyone with her qualifications, not for what we pay. But she said she didn’t need much money, she was living in her parents’ summer house on the coast road.”
    Lucy raised an eyebrow. Smith Heights Road overlooked the cove and was lined with enormous, gray-shingled “cottages” belonging to wealthy old-line families who summered in Tinker’s Cove but lived in New York, Washington, or Philadelphia. Among them were a cabinet secretary, a prominent pediatrician whose name had become a household word, and the celebrated talk-show hostess, Norah Hemmings. Others were CEOs or lawyers or investment bankers.
    In the bottom drawer Lucy found a well-worn pair of loafers, a handful of college catalogs, and a guide to hiking trails.
    Sue picked up one of the catalogs and fanned the pages. “She was thinking of changing her major—she wanted to concentrate in early childhood education. I warned her it was a bad career move—low-paying, not respected—but she said she didn’t care. She said she loved working with kids.” Sue closed her eyes and took a deep, quavery breath. “She said she’d never been happier.”
    Sue bent down to replace the catalogs in the drawer and gently shut it. When she stood up, her eyes were glistening.
    â€œNo sign of the agenda, here. And I know Barney didn’t take it. I would’ve noticed.”
    â€œShe usually carried a gym bag. She took a tai chi class after work. That’s probably where it is. We don’t need it, anyway. I have next-of-kin information on her emergency card.” She sighed. “I can’t let them nap forever. I’ve got to get them up. Would you call the police station for me?”
    Lucy nodded. Sue stood up, then sat down, propping her elbow on the desk and resting her head in her hand. “Damn—I’ve got to find someone to replace Tucker.” She rubbed her eyes. “At Christmastime, no less.”
    â€œDon’t panic. I can help out some. And I bet there are plenty of young moms who could use some extra Christmas cash.”
    â€œWe’ll see.” Sue didn’t seem convinced. She got back up and, walking slowly, went over to the bookcase and clicked off the tape recorder, reaching her hands high over her head. “C’mon kids. It’s time to get up—let’s see you all give a big stretch.”
    While Sue led the children in their wake-up exercises, Lucy went to the phone and dialed the police station, asking for Barney.
    â€œDid you find what you were looking for?” she