Read Online Clam Wake by Mary Daheim - Free Book Online

neighborhood.”
    Judith gave her cousin a reproachful look. “As you recall, the last case was sixteen years old and occurred in the Thurlow district after I moved from there. The more recent homicide investigation I got involved in happened on the other side of the mountains, a hundred and twenty miles from Hillside Manor.”
    â€œI sit corrected,” Renie said. “If the dead guy is an Obsession Shores resident, I wonder if they’ll call off the meeting tonight.” She glanced at the phone on the kitchen counter. “I don’t think Auntie Vance and Uncle Vince have an answering machine. They live the simple life up here on The Rock, as the locals refer to the island.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Judith agreed. “Not long ago, Auntie Vance was bitching about people who have phone add-ons. I told her I had to do that because I was running a business. She told me to go stick my head in the soup pot. She also told me where I could put my computer.”
    â€œI’ve heard that from her, too,” Renie remarked, then tensed before getting up to look out the window. “Speaking of hearing things, did somebody just let out a yell?”
    â€œMaybe it was another seagull,” Judith said.
    â€œI don’t think so.” Renie went outside to the deck, but returned after only a few seconds. “The medic van is parked in front of the second house in from the road below us. I wonder if that’s where the dead man lived.” She grimaced as she brushed some raindrops off of her face. “What’s their opening line? ‘Are you the Widow Whoozits?’”
    â€œOh, dear.” Judith stood up to join Renie by the window. “They’re probably informing his wife what happened. I wonder how long he’d been gone before he collapsed.”
    â€œNot too long,” Renie said. “He didn’t look wet or rumpled. It was as if he’d just fallen down. Maybe he was still warm.”
    â€œNow who’s being a ghoul?” Judith inquired with a smirk.
    The phone rang before Renie could respond. Judith went to the counter and grabbed the receiver.
    â€œWhat’s going on by the Glovers’ place?” Jane Sedgewick asked. “We heard sirens a while ago and now there’s an aid car parked by the house. Have you seen any excitement around here?”
    â€œThat’s Ernie Glover’s house?” Judith said in surprise.
    â€œYes. I wonder if something’s happened to Edna or Ernie.”
    Judith swallowed hard. “Ernie’s dead. Renie and I found him on the beach. Apparent heart attack, we were told. Renie called 911. We just got back from there a few minutes ago.”
    â€œOh, no!” Jane exclaimed. “Poor Ernie! Poor Edna! Maybe Dick and I should go over there. Talk to you later.” She hung up.
    â€œErnie?” Renie said. “The guy you saw on the ferry?”
    â€œRight.” A helpless feeling overcame Judith. “Jane and Dick are going to offer Edna help. Maybe we should . . . No, we’re strangers. We’d be intruding. The neighbors can provide aid and comfort.”
    Renie’s brown eyes danced. “But none of them will ask the right questions because they don’t have your rampant and often grisly curiosity.”
    â€œI’m not that curious about a guy having a heart attack,” Judith declared. “It isn’t as if he was riddled with bullet holes or had a knife sticking out of his back.”
    â€œHey,” Renie responded, holding up her hands, “I can’t help it if you’re disappointed because somebody died of natural causes.”
    â€œDon’t say that,” Judith snapped. “I quit sleuthing.”
    Renie glanced outside, where the wind drove the rain against the big window. “So what do we do for fun? I’m not playing cribbage. I’ve done my duty with Aunt Gert and gotten my rear kicked in the