How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin

Author:Nancy Martin [Martin, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-09-28T17:05:18+00:00

My heart was hot within me

And while I was thus musing

The fire kindled and at the last

I spake with my tongue.

Lord, let me know mine end

And the number of my days;

That I may be certified how long I have to live.

My grandfather’s funeral had not been so well attended, perhaps, but he’d been a respected man in his day.

The Blackbird clan had not traveled in such rarefied circles since his death fifteen years ago. Still, there were the Warringtons, my mother’s peculiar cousins. Although lunatics when it came to fox terriers, they looked completely respectable lined up together in a pew near the front. Nearby sat the O’Keefes, who partnered with my grandfather in some lumber ventures, then went their own way in building ski resorts in the Poconos. The Largent daughters, hardly as prim and proper as they looked, had invited me to their Maine house over a few summer breaks but were now both taking AA very seriously, or so I’d heard. Several rows over, I recognized the broad shoulders of the Cooper brothers, whom I had dated in my teens. Now they all worked for their family’s aircraft manufacturing corporation—even Flan, who had been a great kisser at nineteen. I’d slept in his Penn crew T-shirt for years after he’d left my turbulent waters.

“Hmm,” murmured Emma as the priest yielded the service to the choir, yanking me out of a steamy memory. “I wonder if Pendergast knew he had this many high-powered pals when he was alive. Except that maniac woman from the newspaper. I can still hear her yakking up there.”

I looked for Kitty, but my gaze skimmed right over her to a side door. Suddenly the rest of the crowd vaporized as I clapped eyes on the last person to slip into the cathedral.

It was Michael Abruzzo, almost unrecognizable in a suit and tie.

I saw Detective Bloom’s head snap around, and his stare bore into the back of Abruzzo’s head like a flaming arrow launched from a crossbow.

Quickly, I faced the front of the cathedral. Of course, Abruzzo had a perfect right to attend Rory’s funeral. They’d been friends. Business associates. It really wasn’t the least bit strange that he’d come to pay his respects.

But I knew Bloom had another theory.

Coming out of one of the private chapels, Abruzzo passed through one of the secret service checkpoints and stole up the side aisle behind the row of pillars until he found an empty seat almost opposite us in the cathedral. I watched as he genuflected, crossed himself, then went into the pew. I couldn’t quite see him after that. I wondered if he was saying a rosary as the choir sang. A minute passed. At last he sat back.

The monsignor mounted the pulpit, and the service took on a greater solemnity. Hankies came out and muffled weeping began.

Emma leaned over and hissed, “Who’s the stud?”

“What stud?”

“The guy over there by the nuns. He’s looked at you twice.”

“Never mind.” I pressed my handkerchief to my cheek.

“Ooh,” said Emma.

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