MURDER-IN-LAW a completely unputdownable cozy mystery by HELEY VERONICA

Author:HELEY, VERONICA
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books cozy mysteries and crime
Published: 2024-12-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Saturday late afternoon

Susan held the little boy fast.

Fifi lunged forward in her highchair, trying to reach him.

Evan’s eyes silvered, and then returned to grey. He said, ‘Can Fifi get down? She wants to walk.’ He slid off Susan’s knee.

Coralie looked at Fifi. ‘Isn’t she a bit young to walk?’

Susan shrugged. ‘She’s been trying to stand by herself. We bought her some shoes last week. I think they’re in the chest in the hall. Can you look?’

Coralie found the shoes, put them on and lifted Fifi out of her chair. Fifi suffered Coralie’s hands on her, but squeaked and squealed until set down on the floor, pushing away hands which tried to steady her.

Fifi looked up at her mother, broke free of Coralie and plunged forward into Susan’s arms. They both laughed.

‘Come to me!’ cried Evan, holding out his arms to Fifi, who steadied herself by clutching on to Susan’s leg before she managed to totter towards Evan a couple of steps, concentrating like mad . . . only to crumple and fall . . . as Susan caught her up.

This time all four of them laughed.

‘Again!’ Fifi struggled to her feet and launched herself again . . . only she wasn’t quite as steady on her feet this time and fell into Coralie’s waiting arms.

‘You can do it!’ cried Evan. ‘Come on, Fifi!’ This time the girl managed to get herself properly balanced before making three little steps into the safety of his arms. She sat down. Plump! And clapped her hands.

The others clapped her, too.

Susan was between tears and laughter. Her little daughter was growing up fast. She said, ‘Now I won’t have a minute’s peace. It was bad enough when she was crawling here and there but now . . . she’ll be up the stairs or out of the front door before we can turn round.’

Evan said, ‘I’ll look after her.’ He sat down on the floor beside Fifi and showed her his picture book again.

Susan and Coralie looked at one another, acknowledging what was happening.

Coralie said, ‘He’s a better nanny than Lucia.’

A car swished into the drive and parked. Susan looked out of the window to see a tall woman in black unfolding herself from the car. For a moment Susan thought it was Diana, coming back to retrieve her children.

But no. This woman was older and looked expensive. She hung on her heel to inspect the two houses. She went to Ellie’s house first and tried the doorbell. Was Rafael still over there mending the back door and would he let her in? Probably not. In which case . . .

Susan shed her apron, rescued Fifi from the floor and took her into the big living room. Fifi struggled a bit, wanting to get down and walk. Evan trotted alongside, saying, ‘Let me! Let me!’

Their own doorbell rang.

Susan’s breast throbbed. She put Fifi down in her playpen, ignoring her roar of protest. Evan pushed his picture book through the bars of the playpen and sat down beside it.

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