Motherhood Is Murder

I listened to Margaret in silence. Kenny got up from his table and wiggled his fingers at me and then at the barista on his way out. The barista waved back at Kenny, then looked at our table to see if we needed her. When she noticed we seemed rooted to our chairs, she took off to the back room.

Margaret wiped her eyes. ?We left the house, then Alan doubled back saying he forgot something. When I asked him what?he got very upset and started acting so strange?that I dropped it.?

?Just because he was mad at you doesn?t mean he was trying to kill you,? I said.

She put her hand to forehead and rubbed her temple. ?There?s more. On the cruise we were at the bar?Helene, Bruce, Alan, and I.? She glanced around the cafe. ?Alan bought the drinks, he grabbed mine from the bar, and I can?t remember exactly?but he seemed to hold on to it for a while, then he sort of made a big deal about which one was mine. Said mine was a double and made a stupid joke about me needing it to loosen up.?

I nodded and waited for her to continue.

?Then Sara and her husband came over and the men all started talking about investments or whatever. And Helene and I were chatting and, I don?t recall exactly, but we were messing around and I think we got our drinks mixed up. Remember she was so tipsy. I think she drank mine and I think Alan slipped something into it.?

?Do you think he went back to the house to get something to put into your drink??

?He has a lot of prescription stuff at home. He?s a podiatrist M.D. and he has . . . well, never mind, let?s just say he has access to whatever he wants.?

?Margaret, have you spoken to the police??

Her eyes widened. ?Kate, please don?t tell anyone about the drug thing or, really, any of this!?

Why doesn?t she want me to say anything? That doesn?t make sense.

?If you think you?re in danger, you have to tell the police.?

?I called the ME?s office after I spoke with you yesterday. Well, after Alan left. He came home for lunch. Can you believe that? He never comes home for lunch. I think he?s trying to keep tabs on me or something?find out what I know. Anyway, after he left, I called the ME?s office and asked the things you asked me, you know, about broken bones or head trauma and stuff. I pried as much information as I could out of the assistant but she didn?t disclose much, just said they were waiting for the toxicology report and that she couldn?t release any more information. I asked her if it looked like murder and she said the office wasn?t calling it a homicide yet.?

?Then why were homicide cops at the funeral??

Margaret looked surprised. ?There were??

I nodded.

Margaret stroked Laurie?s head and looked down at her baby in the stroller. I motioned for her to hand me Laurie. She did, then absently picked up Marcus?s hand and stroked it while he slept.

?So why would the assistant medical examiner tell me it wasn?t a homicide yet? Do you think she didn?t believe me?? she asked.

I shrugged. ?They probably have a protocol to follow. Did you tell her about the drinks and your suspicion on the mix-up??

Margaret begun to cry. ?I don?t want him to find out, Kate. I feel like I?m still in danger. I?m a nervous wreck. I?m not eating at home thinking he might poison me somehow. And forget about sleeping next to him.?

?You have to tell the police. You can?t live like this.? I reached across the table for her hand.

?I need to know what happened.?

?Is there somewhere you can go for a while??

Margaret shrugged. ?Maybe. My mom lives on the peninsula. I was thinking about taking the kids there for a while.?

?That?s a good idea, but you need to talk to the police first.?

Margaret dropped her baby?s hand and looked a little like someone had given her an electrical shock. She nodded then closed her eyes tight, but a tear still escaped. ?I never thought I would find myself in this situation.?

?There?s something I need to tell you. I don?t have a PI license.?

Her baby started fussing.

She leaned down and grabbed his hand. ?What do you mean? A license??

?You need several years? experience before you can apply for your own license and I don?t have that yet.?

?Kate, I don?t have time to shop this around. I?m scared out of my mind. Please help me.?

I marched home excitedly.

I have a case! My career as a PI is taking off.

She didn?t care that I didn?t have a license; she?d signed my contract without even blinking! I was going to do this with or without Galigani?s support. I did a happy dance with Laurie in the carrier then stopped suddenly when I spotted someone on my front steps.

Uh-oh!

It was Inspector McNearny. I froze.

He semifrowned and semiglared at me. ?Mrs. Connolly.?

I unstuck myself and moved past him on the stairs. I jabbed my key in the front door. ?What can I do for you??