Read Online Organize Your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini - Free Book Online
Authors: Mary Jane Maffini
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swarthy, roly-poly mom and dad, barely five feet tall and perpetually terrified some disaster would befall the blue-eyed, white-blond beanpole they’d adopted.
Jack said, “They had nightmares about me starving to death.”
I had to laugh at that. “Hey listen, the rest of us didn’t mind. All those pies and cookies. They just kept coming. Endless snacks. Sally and I used to eat until it hurt.”
“I didn’t have such a bad deal, I guess.”
“I adored your parents. Maybe that’s part of the reason I like living here so much. I have really nice memories of this house from when we were growing up.”
“Yeah, I think the folks would be real happy to know you were living here too.”
“You’re probably right.” I didn’t add that they probably would have been just as happy that Jack had totally filled one entire floor of their lovely old Victorian with bicycles and parts, with a side order of philosophy books and university assignments. As long as he was eating lots.
“They were pretty cool, weren’t they?” Jack turned his face away, and I felt a catch in my throat.
I said, “For sure. And they thought you were the sun, the moon, and the stars.”
“You mean I’m not?”
“Of all of us, you were the lucky one, Jack.”
“Thanks, Charlotte. It’s hard for me to talk about them since the accident.”
I gave his hand a squeeze.
Jack produced a half-hearted grin. “Come on, your mom was pretty neat. She was so glamorous, and she sure could get the rumors flying around Woodbridge. And you can’t complain about the way she treated you. You got all those neat trips. Paris. London. Venice. L.A.”
“But life was always all about Esme Adams, best-selling author. Right through four marriages, each one wackier than the one before. And I never even got to know my own father. And I can’t even remember the name of this latest guy. No wonder I can’t pick a decent human being for a fiancé.”
“Never mind our parents. We had a lot of fun. I don’t think we were misfits. That’s harsh.”
“Let it go, Jack. That comment was just Sally’s way to distract me. Although the WINY news took care of that.”
“Whoa. Suspected foul play,” Jack said.
“But it’s almost impossible to believe. Who could have wanted to kill her?”
“Surely you jest,” Jack said.
I stared, astonished. “What do you mean? Jest. It’s murder.”
“She had tons of enemies, Charlotte. Think back. How many kids from her class would have nurtured anger and resentment over some humiliation at Hellfire Henley’s hands?”
“Kids are always being humiliated. It’s a rite of passage. How are you going to cope with adulthood otherwise?”
“Hellfire went way beyond. She could twist the knife and make a kid’s life a living nightmare. I know it. You know it. Everyone knew it. We were just talking about how she treated Pepper when her life was already the pits.”
“Even so.”
“But you had the guts to stand up to her. Imagine all the kids who couldn’t because they’d get in trouble at home if they did. Or expelled. Or just have to endure more and more bad treatment from the old witch.”
“We’re talking murder, Jack. Murder. I don’t care what you say. I don’t believe people commit homicide because they’re mad at someone who taught them way back.”
“Face it, the list of people who never felt like killing Miss Henley would be a lot shorter than the list of people who did. Just about everybody would have had some reason. Even Pepper.”
I shivered. “They’re not releasing the body yet.”
Jack said, “They’re not? But I heard on the radio that there’s a memorial service planned tomorrow afternoon, at St. Jude’s.”
“Really? Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. That’s kind of fast, isn’t it? I wonder what the rush is.”
“I guess they figure a lot of people can get there on a Saturday afternoon. We’ll have to go.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “If you say so.”
Keep an extra package of
Jack said, “They had nightmares about me starving to death.”
I had to laugh at that. “Hey listen, the rest of us didn’t mind. All those pies and cookies. They just kept coming. Endless snacks. Sally and I used to eat until it hurt.”
“I didn’t have such a bad deal, I guess.”
“I adored your parents. Maybe that’s part of the reason I like living here so much. I have really nice memories of this house from when we were growing up.”
“Yeah, I think the folks would be real happy to know you were living here too.”
“You’re probably right.” I didn’t add that they probably would have been just as happy that Jack had totally filled one entire floor of their lovely old Victorian with bicycles and parts, with a side order of philosophy books and university assignments. As long as he was eating lots.
“They were pretty cool, weren’t they?” Jack turned his face away, and I felt a catch in my throat.
I said, “For sure. And they thought you were the sun, the moon, and the stars.”
“You mean I’m not?”
“Of all of us, you were the lucky one, Jack.”
“Thanks, Charlotte. It’s hard for me to talk about them since the accident.”
I gave his hand a squeeze.
Jack produced a half-hearted grin. “Come on, your mom was pretty neat. She was so glamorous, and she sure could get the rumors flying around Woodbridge. And you can’t complain about the way she treated you. You got all those neat trips. Paris. London. Venice. L.A.”
“But life was always all about Esme Adams, best-selling author. Right through four marriages, each one wackier than the one before. And I never even got to know my own father. And I can’t even remember the name of this latest guy. No wonder I can’t pick a decent human being for a fiancé.”
“Never mind our parents. We had a lot of fun. I don’t think we were misfits. That’s harsh.”
“Let it go, Jack. That comment was just Sally’s way to distract me. Although the WINY news took care of that.”
“Whoa. Suspected foul play,” Jack said.
“But it’s almost impossible to believe. Who could have wanted to kill her?”
“Surely you jest,” Jack said.
I stared, astonished. “What do you mean? Jest. It’s murder.”
“She had tons of enemies, Charlotte. Think back. How many kids from her class would have nurtured anger and resentment over some humiliation at Hellfire Henley’s hands?”
“Kids are always being humiliated. It’s a rite of passage. How are you going to cope with adulthood otherwise?”
“Hellfire went way beyond. She could twist the knife and make a kid’s life a living nightmare. I know it. You know it. Everyone knew it. We were just talking about how she treated Pepper when her life was already the pits.”
“Even so.”
“But you had the guts to stand up to her. Imagine all the kids who couldn’t because they’d get in trouble at home if they did. Or expelled. Or just have to endure more and more bad treatment from the old witch.”
“We’re talking murder, Jack. Murder. I don’t care what you say. I don’t believe people commit homicide because they’re mad at someone who taught them way back.”
“Face it, the list of people who never felt like killing Miss Henley would be a lot shorter than the list of people who did. Just about everybody would have had some reason. Even Pepper.”
I shivered. “They’re not releasing the body yet.”
Jack said, “They’re not? But I heard on the radio that there’s a memorial service planned tomorrow afternoon, at St. Jude’s.”
“Really? Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. That’s kind of fast, isn’t it? I wonder what the rush is.”
“I guess they figure a lot of people can get there on a Saturday afternoon. We’ll have to go.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “If you say so.”
Keep an extra package of
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