Read Online Mother's Day Murder by Leslie Meier - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leslie Meier
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This is my first prom, and I want to make a good impression. And remember, I’ll need shoes and probably a strapless bra, and I’ll have to get my hair done, and then there’s tanning. I know it’s not good for you, but everybody does it, and I don’t want to look like a ghost….”
“Maybe we can get some of that instant tanning cream instead,” suggested Lucy.
“That stuff makes you look orange,” said Sara.
Turning off at the exit, Lucy braced herself for a struggle. “Let’s pick some up and give it a try,” she said, turning off the ignition and grabbing her purse.
Once inside the big department store at the Galleria, they had no trouble finding the prom dresses, which spilled out of the juniors department in a colorful array of lace and chiffon and even crinoline.
“I don’t want to look like Scarlett O’Hara,” commented Sara, taking in a full-skirted number in hot pink.
“It is kind of overwhelming,” said Lucy, starting with the nearest rack. She flipped through one garishly colored evening gown after another, marveling at what fashion designers actually thought teenage girls should wear.
“I think I’ll try this on,” said Sara, holding up a sparkly pale pink sheath and eyeing it doubtfully. “It’s ninety-nine ninety-nine.”
“It’s pretty,” said Lucy, stopping to study a shimmery, ice blue, bias-cut satin dress. It was clearly in a different class from the other, fussy dresses. She grabbed it off the rack and followed Sara into the dressing room. “Try this one, too,” she said.
‘Okay,” said Sara, disappearing behind the louvered door. Lucy leaned against the wall, waiting. Why couldn’t they put a chair or two in here? she wondered as she pressed her aching back against the wall.
“The pink didn’t fit,” said Sara, stepping out in the blue dress.
Lucy almost gasped in surprise. It fit perfectly, the satin snugly accentuating Sara’s trim figure. The color perfectly complemented her rosy coloring. With her hair simply styled, she would look like a modern-day Carole Lombard.
“Do you know how much this costs?” whispered Sara.
Lucy looked at the tag, which read $299.99. A penny short of three hundred dollars. She’d never spent that much on a dress for herself, much less for one of her daughters.
“No matter,” said Lucy, throwing thrift to the wind, picturing Sara in her prom queen crown. “In that dress, you’ll be the prettiest girl at the prom!”
Chapter Six
L ucy was tired on Friday morning. It had been a later than usual night, thanks to the shopping trip to the Galleria, but definitely worthwhile, even if it meant she’d have to struggle to get through the day. At least that was what Lucy told herself as she poured herself a third cup of coffee from the pot in the office. The dress had been a real find—though expensive—and it suited Sara perfectly, magically mixing sweet youth with a soupçon of sophistication.
“Soupçon of sophistication? What on earth does that mean?” demanded Phyllis when Lucy tried to describe the dress to her.
“Well, it looks classy, not slutty,” said Lucy. “It shows off her figure, but it’s not too low cut or anything like that. It’s really lovely.”
Phyllis humphed. “This is the beginning,” she warned. “You better watch out she doesn’t turn out like Elfrida. She got pregnant at her prom.”
Lucy considered Elfrida, Phyllis’s notorious cousin. With six children and numerous marriages on her résumé, she was hardly a role model for any teenage girl.
“Well, I don’t think Sara is ready for that,” said Lucy. “And now those boozy after-prom parties in motel rooms are a thing of the past. The party Bar and Tina are organizing is going to be very well chaperoned, because I’m in charge of recruiting chaperones. In fact, I’ll be there myself.”
“Lucky you,” said Phyllis, turning the charm on for the letter carrier, Wilf Lundgren, who handed her a thick bundle of letters fastened
“Maybe we can get some of that instant tanning cream instead,” suggested Lucy.
“That stuff makes you look orange,” said Sara.
Turning off at the exit, Lucy braced herself for a struggle. “Let’s pick some up and give it a try,” she said, turning off the ignition and grabbing her purse.
Once inside the big department store at the Galleria, they had no trouble finding the prom dresses, which spilled out of the juniors department in a colorful array of lace and chiffon and even crinoline.
“I don’t want to look like Scarlett O’Hara,” commented Sara, taking in a full-skirted number in hot pink.
“It is kind of overwhelming,” said Lucy, starting with the nearest rack. She flipped through one garishly colored evening gown after another, marveling at what fashion designers actually thought teenage girls should wear.
“I think I’ll try this on,” said Sara, holding up a sparkly pale pink sheath and eyeing it doubtfully. “It’s ninety-nine ninety-nine.”
“It’s pretty,” said Lucy, stopping to study a shimmery, ice blue, bias-cut satin dress. It was clearly in a different class from the other, fussy dresses. She grabbed it off the rack and followed Sara into the dressing room. “Try this one, too,” she said.
‘Okay,” said Sara, disappearing behind the louvered door. Lucy leaned against the wall, waiting. Why couldn’t they put a chair or two in here? she wondered as she pressed her aching back against the wall.
“The pink didn’t fit,” said Sara, stepping out in the blue dress.
Lucy almost gasped in surprise. It fit perfectly, the satin snugly accentuating Sara’s trim figure. The color perfectly complemented her rosy coloring. With her hair simply styled, she would look like a modern-day Carole Lombard.
“Do you know how much this costs?” whispered Sara.
Lucy looked at the tag, which read $299.99. A penny short of three hundred dollars. She’d never spent that much on a dress for herself, much less for one of her daughters.
“No matter,” said Lucy, throwing thrift to the wind, picturing Sara in her prom queen crown. “In that dress, you’ll be the prettiest girl at the prom!”
Chapter Six
L ucy was tired on Friday morning. It had been a later than usual night, thanks to the shopping trip to the Galleria, but definitely worthwhile, even if it meant she’d have to struggle to get through the day. At least that was what Lucy told herself as she poured herself a third cup of coffee from the pot in the office. The dress had been a real find—though expensive—and it suited Sara perfectly, magically mixing sweet youth with a soupçon of sophistication.
“Soupçon of sophistication? What on earth does that mean?” demanded Phyllis when Lucy tried to describe the dress to her.
“Well, it looks classy, not slutty,” said Lucy. “It shows off her figure, but it’s not too low cut or anything like that. It’s really lovely.”
Phyllis humphed. “This is the beginning,” she warned. “You better watch out she doesn’t turn out like Elfrida. She got pregnant at her prom.”
Lucy considered Elfrida, Phyllis’s notorious cousin. With six children and numerous marriages on her résumé, she was hardly a role model for any teenage girl.
“Well, I don’t think Sara is ready for that,” said Lucy. “And now those boozy after-prom parties in motel rooms are a thing of the past. The party Bar and Tina are organizing is going to be very well chaperoned, because I’m in charge of recruiting chaperones. In fact, I’ll be there myself.”
“Lucky you,” said Phyllis, turning the charm on for the letter carrier, Wilf Lundgren, who handed her a thick bundle of letters fastened
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