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to boil, resulting in it curdling. For the main course, rosemary-garlic roast beef and potatoes with horseradish sauce, an abundance of salt overpowered all of the other ingredients. Luckily, I had prepared the asparagus with romano cheese at the last minute and without attracting Margo's notice. The table was also ladened with the other foods Margo had brought.
    “Everything's delicious,” Tommy said.
    Deirdre smiled at me. I watched Phil gulping down water. But as the food was eaten, and the conversations made lively, I smiled and thought, success, even with a whirling dervish in the kitchen. 
    “We have a friend, Jim Barnowski, from the Cities who moved to Sudbury Falls recently,” Uncle Ben said. “He's living in a retirement home nearby.”
    “His wife died a few years back,” Aunt Mary said. “Ben, perhaps we should go visit him later, this afternoon. He might appreciate a Christmas visit.”
    “Which retirement home?” I asked.
    “Hawthorne Hills,” Aunt Mary said.
    “The old codger won't be letting the women alone there. He was quite the ladies' man, way back when.”
    Phil looked over at me with pleading eyes, which I could only read as saying, please don't mention the death there.
    “Kay and I have a friend who lives there also,” Deirdre said.
    “Kay told me that a caretaker died there a few days ago. It might even be murder.” Leave it to Elizabeth. I looked over at Phil who was toying with the stem of his wine glass, probably wanting to place his hands around Elizabeth's neck instead. A throbbing blood vessel appearing on his forehead.
    Uncle Ben wiped his mouth with his napkin. “That's awful. Were there witnesses to it?”
    “It wasn't a murder,” Phil said. “Tommy, did I ever tell you—”
    “What did the police say?” Aunt Mary asked.
    “It was an accident,” Phil said. He loosened his tie. “The police investigation called it an accidental death. Case closed!” He glared at Elizabeth.
    Elizabeth opened her mouth. Phil cleared his throat. She looked over at Phil, smiled, and closed it.
    Early in the evening, Phil's aunt and uncle left along with Phil's brother and sister-in-law. Elizabeth and John had to go to his family's for a late Christmas dinner. After closing the door, I went back into the living room, sat down on the sofa, put my feet up on the ottoman, and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Deirdre, Mike, and us. And Deirdre and Mike were like family.
    “Now, that they're gone. Let's party!” I laughed.
    “Does anyone want to go ice skating?” Will asked.
    “I thought you were going to Frances' house to exchange gifts.”
    “That's not happening until later. I wouldn't mind doing something outside.”
    “Skating sounds like fun to me,” Rose said.
    “Deirdre, Mike?” I asked.
    After we changed our clothes, Rose and Andy, Will, Deirdre, and I left to go ice skating. Phil and Mike stayed behind.
    We drove over to the park. The clean, crisp air gave a feeling of rejuvenation as I sat on a bench and laced up my skates. Something I needed after the day's events. I was surprised at the number of people at the rink on Christmas.
    We all skated around the rink several times, then while playing crack the whip on the ice, I thought about my meeting with Sarah Moeller tomorrow morning and about the friend of Phil's aunt and uncle who lived in Hawthorne Hills. He could prove useful.

 
Chapter Six
     
    Friday, December 26
     
    I knocked on the door at ten o'clock in the morning and waited. I had called ahead telling Sarah I would take her, Anne, and Martin to the patisserie for coffee. I thought it would be good to talk away from the retirement home after having added Dr. Lee to my list of suspects that I was forming. I wanted to talk to Marissa anyway. Sarah opened the door and greeted me. Anne and Martin were sitting in the same places they were the last time I saw them.
    “All set to go. I have the car waiting out front.”
    “If you don't mind, I'd like to