Read Online Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette - Free Book Online Page B

bloody knife in his stuff?” she asked.
    “Not a knife, a fork,” I said, realizing after I’d said itthat “fork” sounded almost worse. Who stabbed someone to death with a fork? Someone vicious and angry and possibly crazy—that’s who. Torrence hadn’t said anything about blood, but it surely had been there.
    Then my mother phoned, and I explained the situation to her.
    “You can’t just let him rot in jail,” she said once I’d finished outlining the high—or low, really—points of the conversation.
    “Put her on speakerphone,” said Miss Gloria. “Hi, Janet!” she called, and my mother greeted her back.
    “Lorenzo isn’t in jail,” I said, working to tamp down the impatience that had crept into my voice. She had to be stir-crazy, shut in by a frigid New Jersey winter, nursing Sam. She wouldn’t be able to listen carefully under those circumstances. “I don’t know where he is.”
    “But you know what I mean,” my mother said. “Somebody has to be in his corner.”
    The irritation spiked again and I took a big breath. “We are all in his corner. But I promised Torrence that I’d stay out of trouble. And I know you would agree,” I added pointedly. “I felt okay about dropping by Lorenzo’s house, and I’m glad I’ve got the kitty, but that’s as far as I’m willing to take it.”
    Lola the kitten danced around Sparky, and he batted at her and hissed. Evinrude Halloweened up and backed away, taking refuge under the kitchen table. He crouched low, growling like a dog and watching.
    “We could just take a swing around the Sunset this evening,” said Miss Gloria. “Check out the vibe.”
    “Check out the vibe?” I asked. I could feel my eyeballs bulging.
    “Not a bad idea,” said Mom. “You could mostly listen—see what the word on the street is about lastnight’s meeting. And then if you recognize someone who knew Lorenzo, you could chat with them. No trouble there, right?”
    “I’m not sure Torrence would see it that way,” I said. Since when did my mother encourage me to look for trouble? But the idea was growing on me.
    “Any other problems I can help with?” Mom asked.
    “This next one isn’t really a problem,” I said. “More of an opportunity. And that is, Palamina made a reservation for four on the floating restaurant for tomorrow night. I have to fill out the table.”
    “I wish I could be there,” Mom said, her voice full of yearning. “We’re expecting another snowstorm tonight and Sam can’t go anywhere anyway.”
    “I’ve got a special mah jong game,” said Miss Gloria, “or I’d be glad to go with you.” She winked at me. “I’m the designated driver.”
    I groaned and thunked my forehead with my palm.
    “Do you suppose Palamina wanted you to invite her?” Mom asked.
    I thought back to the meeting. Had there been any hint that she was fishing for an invite? I honestly didn’t know her well enough to say.
    “And what about Wally? Add Danielle and you can make it all Key Zest all the time.”
    “That’s an idea,” I said. “But by the time Wally gets down here, I’d like to spend some time alone with him.”
    “Hot dog!” said Miss Gloria, and we all laughed.
    “Speaking of romance, how is Sam doing?” I asked.
    Mom was silent for a minute—not her usual state. “The doc wants him to walk as much as he can. But the sidewalks and the backyard are sheets of ice. So the poor man circles around and around the kitchen islandand then out to the living room and back. With his walker. In his boxer shorts, because it hurts to dress.” More silence. “Oh lord, how I miss Key West.”
    *   *   *
    Around four o’clock, as we prepared to head down to Mallory Square to check out the “vibe,” we separated our resident cats from the white guest cat and put the kitten in my bedroom just to be sure there wouldn’t be any incidents while we were gone. As we left, one tiny white paw reached through the crack under my door. Laughing about