Read Online The Icing on the Corpse by Mary Jane Maffini - Free Book Online Page A

most recently, state-of-the-art computer equipment. It might not be cosy, but the seats are damned comfortable, and I prefer that to doilies and Royal Doulton.
    The birds continued shrieking.
    â€œYou'd think they'd get used to the puddy tat after eight months,” I said.
    â€œLester and Pierre don't mind the cat. Although they find you quite undesirable.”
    â€œWell, they have lots of company.”
    She seated herself on her black leather sofa and splashed a healthy dose of Harvey's Bristol Cream into a pair of Waterford crystal sherry glasses. The cat hopped up on the glass coffee table and made herself comfortable on Mrs. P.'s open copy of The War Memoirs of David Lloyd George, Vol. II.
    â€œHere's what the doctor ordered.” Mrs. P. handed me my drink.
    â€œRight. This your largest glass? I think I need to soak my frozen toes in it.”
    â€œSherry's the best medicine for cold feet. Learned that in the trenches. The radio reported Ralph Benning was on the lam.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThought so. That why you're such a sour puss?” Mrs. Parnell does not have a long pointed nose for nothing.
    â€œYou got it.”
    â€œSo what is the report, Ms. MacPhee?”
    â€œNot sure what I could tell you, Mrs. Parnell, that you wouldn't have picked up on the radio.”
    â€œRadio's fine as far as it goes, but it doesn't give you all the background information.” Not enough to keep Mrs. Parnell going. “This Benning, wasn't he the fellow you worked to keep behind bars last spring?”
    I nodded. “Unsuccessfully.”
    Mrs. Parnell drained her glass with a flourish and refilled it.
    I covered mine in time to prevent a serious overflow. She leaned forward. “Still no sign of him?”
    â€œRight.”
    â€œThey say the police have deployed a tactical team.”
    â€œThey did. Because one of their officers was injured. Much more important than some pesky woman being beat up.”
    â€œYou made the same point in your radio interview. You had a spendid sound bite on the five o'clock news. Won't win you any allies on the police force.”
    She was right. One of the established ways to ensure the cooperation of agencies is not to trash them as soon as someone thrusts a mike at you. It's one of those life lessons I've never mastered.
    â€œGlorious ineptitude,” Mrs. Parnell wheezed. “Nevertheless, it is a very serious matter. What is going on behind the scenes?”
    â€œThey're tight with information in order not to alert Benning. Elaine Ekstein made sure of it. According to my sister's fiancé…”
    â€œAh yes, the delightful Sgt. Conn McCracken.”
    â€œI believe you described him as a Labrador retriever at one time, Mrs. P. Anyway, I'm told they have a heavy guard on Rina Benning. The police are also watching Lindsay Grace's place.”
    â€œLindsay Grace? Oh yes, she was your client who testified against him. Smart and beautiful and yet somehow extremely unwise.”
    â€œWhich reminds me, may I use your phone? I want to call her, and it's occurred to me Benning could tap into my phone or cell.”
    â€œParanoia, Ms. MacPhee.”
    â€œJust because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.”
    â€œWords to live by. Top up your sherry?”
    â€œThanks, but I need to be ready to head back soon.”
    I dialed Lindsay's number and reached Merv.
    â€œShe's sleeping again,” Merv whispered. “She heard an unsettling report on the news and she had to take another sedative.”
    â€œOh, boy.”
    â€œThey sure made a big deal about how Benning chased Alvin and Alvin crashed into the PM's gates. They've found a stolen car abandoned in a park, and they think that's the one Benning was driving. They figure he got away on foot. The radio made it sound like no one in town is safe.”
    â€œNot far from the truth.”
    â€œThe little lady here has guts though.”
    â€œDon't I