Read Online Swann Songs (The Boston Uncommon Mysteries Book 4) by Arlene Kay - Free Book Online

stray wrinkles under them. His luscious blond waves were matted, and his shirt had seen better days. All in all, my formerly perfect ex, was a grimy shadow of himself. Heavenly.
    “Melanie, I thought you might come here.” His voice had a strange quiver in it. “Please. No scenes.”
    Deming decided to play Lord Bountiful. “No harm, Mann. Melanie felt a bit weak and agreed to recuperate at our place. You`re welcome too.”
    “We`re having tea,” I said with all the sweetness I could muster.
    “Anything stronger than tea?” Gabriel asked. “Hair of the dog, you know.”
    “Absolutely.” Deming clapped him on the back in a rare show of fellowship. It was the first time ever that he had touched Gabriel, although he had threatened to thrash him often enough.
    We trooped through the lobby single file, a silent fifth column that Keegan would loathe. When he entered our home, Gabriel whistled at its opulence.
    “Wow! Fantastic. Quite a move up from our little studio. Remember, Eja?”
    “Vaguely.” I had no intention of travelling down memory lane with a cipher from my past.
    “We sold that place immediately,” Deming said. “Paid about two months’ maintenance for this old heap.”
    “Heap indeed,” Melanie said. “Your home is lovely.” Her tears had dried, but mascara streaks marred her perfect cheeks. “Oh dear. I`m rather a mess. Powder room?”
    I led her to it and played hostess by brewing a pot of bracing Earl Grey. By the time I rejoined the boys, they had each downed a brandy, Gabriel’s cheeks regained their color, and Deming’s smirk was firmly in place.
    “What did Keegan ask you?” I said. “He was pretty cagey with me.”
    “That`s just it. He asked about the dust-up with Sonia and spent the longest time gabbing about tenure. Can you believe it? He`s quite old-school, by the way. Women in their place—you know the drill.”
    I avoided Deming’s eyes. He always maintained that Gabriel was a pretty boy with a second-class intellect. This conversation seemed to clinch it.
    “He wanted to know my whereabouts the entire evening.” Melanie rejoined the group, perfection restored. “Believe it or not, he already knew that Duff and I had brunch together last Sunday.” She shot a vile look my way. “I suppose you told him that.”
    My reply was polite. Poisonous but polite. I was proud of my self-restraint and good manners. “Absolutely not. I told him the truth and nothing more. Speculation and gossip I leave to others.”
    Deming poured oil on troubled conversational waters. “Keegan is fairly shrewd. At least that`s my assessment of him. He`ll follow the trail until he finds the killer. Then watch out. I`ll bet you he`s checking every lab and industrial outlet even as we speak.”
    Melanie wrinkled her nose. “Why?”
    I got it right away. No wonder Deming leapt out of bed so early. That boy wanted to show me up and demote me from Holmes to Girl Friday.
    “Aha,” I said. “Keegan was looking for the cyanide. The murderer had to get it from somewhere. Very smart.”
    “Cyanide?” Melanie reeled back in her seat.
    Deming nodded. “Just a guess—red face, convulsions, coating around the lips, and quick death—probably cyanide.”
    Melanie rose unsteadily to her feet. “I need to go home. Come, Gabriel.”
    After they left, Deming turned to me. “Was it something I said?”

Chapter Seven
    WE WERE LATE FOR brunch, but Anika didn`t notice. She was too engrossed in our tale about Melanie and Gabriel. True to tradition, the midday meal was taken in the Swanns’ splendid dining room, one that could easily accommodate fifty if the occasion demanded. Today we dined en famille , although only a billionaire like Bolin or an oil rich pasha would call it casual. As always the table was set for five. Anika insisted on one place setting for CeCe, at her preferred spot on the end nearest to the window. It`s a comforting ritual for those of us who loved her still. She`d been gone now for