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

know it.” I remembered Lindsay's testimony at Benning's trial. “Cops still in sight?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œGreat.” I wished I felt confident a trio of officers would be enough. “I have my cellphone back, so will you call me on it if anything strange happens? Or if you need help?”
    â€œSure. But I think it's fine. I'm on the alert.”
    â€œI know, but I can hop in a cab and be over in fifteen minutes. Twenty tops, if you want to sleep. Or need a change of scenery.”
    â€œYou know what they say, Camilla. You can sleep all you want when you're dead.”
    I shivered. “Try not to be dead, Merv.”
    â€œWho was that?” Mrs. Parnell was never one to disguise her interest in the affairs of others.
    â€œMerv. Looks like he's in love again.”
    She leaped to her feet. “I approve. Let us make a toast to love!”
    â€œCount me out. I have no desire to encourage love, Mrs. P.”

    Back in my apartment, I snatched the last edible piece of cheddar from the fridge and swallowed it in two bites. I made a phone call to P. J. on general principles. This time I suggested I might have valuable tips for him. Not that I planned to let any information slip. I didn't have a twinge of guilt. He'd have done the same to me. I ditched the rest of the clothes, slipped into my old flannel housecoat and turned on the bath. I tossed in one of the fragrant bath bombs Alexa had given me for Christmas and stroked the calico cat. But first I felt the need to apologize. “Sorry I haven't had much time for you, but it's not like you don't have a loving home with Mrs. P. and the boys.” The cat's tail twitched.
    Three minutes later, I sank into the warm water and sniffed watermelon-scented air. The calico paraded along the edge of the tub. I thought about Lindsay. I told myself she was well protected. The police were watching, Merv was fussing.
    Before I could unkink, the pounding started. I flung my housecoat on my sudsy body and raced down the hall. A sudden looming shape took my breath away. Someone had broken into my apartment. I grabbed a dining chair and raised it to fight off the intruder. Until I recognized her.
    â€œMrs. Parnell,” I yelled, “what are you doing here?” She was white as the front of a windshield. “You told me you no longer had a key to this apartment. You assured me you would stop doing this. I'm entitled to privacy, and it's time you learned to respect it.”
    â€œNo choice, Ms. MacPhee. You didn't answer your phone.”
    The water must have drowned the ring. “I was in the bath.”
    â€œNevertheless, you must hear about this. They've interrupting regular programming…”
    â€œIt's Benning, isn't it?” My knees felt deboned. I leaned over and steadied myself on Mrs. Parnell's walker.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHas he found Lindsay?”
    â€œHe slipped past the police guard and kidnapped his wife.”
    â€œOh, no.”
    â€œThey don't know yet where the wife is, as far as I can tell.”

    â€œYeah, yeah. I heard.” Merv couldn't keep the tension from his voice.
    â€œAre the cops still around?”
    â€œOf course they are.”
    â€œI'm just making sure. How many?”
    â€œStill three.”
    â€œNo one can figure out how he sneaked past the police guard to snatch his wife.”
    â€œHoly shit. It's like the bastard can walk through walls.”
    â€œTold you so. I'm on my way. The more people in the house, the less chance he can get Lindsay.”
    I hung up and collided with Mrs. Parnell's walker.
    â€œWhen do we leave?” she said.
    â€œWe do not leave at all. I leave on the double.”
    â€œI am magnificent in an emergency. As I think you know, Ms. MacPhee.” She likes to play that card.
    â€œTrue enough. But this isn't your kind of emergency, Mrs. P. It will be a long night of waiting.”
    â€œI'm nearly seventy-eight years old. Do you think I