Motherhood Is Murder

?Does trouble follow you or are you the cause??

I stopped fussing with the door. ?Are you accusing me of something??

?No.? He tapped his foot impatiently. ?I?d like to ask you a few questions about the cruise the other night.?

?Come on inside.? I opened the door and called out to Jim.

There was a note on the dining room table.

Went to watch the game at Jack?s. Tried your cell phone, but it rang in the other room. Please carry with you and ANSWER it when I call.

Love you!

P.S. Paula called and your mom, too.

McNearny hovered in my doorway.

?Have a seat,? I said, motioning to the living room. ?Want anything to drink??

He stayed in place and pulled out a notebook. ?What can you tell me about the dinner cruise the other night??

?I already told Officer Lee all I know. I told him that night. Is it official now? Was Helene killed?? I asked.

?I ask the questions, Mrs. Connolly,? he said straight-faced.

?Where?s Jones?? I asked, ignoring his attitude.

He glanced at the baby carrier I was still wearing. ?His kid?s sick.?

?Sorry to hear that,? I said, unsnapping the carrier and pulling a sleeping Laurie out.

McNearny shrugged. He looked like he could care less about Jones?s kid.

Probably annoyed about Jones missing work.

?I saw you at the funeral.? McNearny glanced at his notes.

?I thought you told Lee that you barely knew the woman.?

?Does that mean I?m not allowed to attend her service??

?Most people wouldn?t. Let?s cut to the chase?are you working on anything currently??

?I?m crocheting Laurie a little cap.? I tried to hide my smile and look as serious as he did.

He turned red around the gills. ?Mrs. Connolly, if you want to be difficult, I?ll just drag you downtown. Makes no difference to me.?

I glanced around for a spot to place Laurie and settled on her tummy time playmat. ?All right. I?ll level with you. I just came from a meeting with Margaret Lipe. She thinks her husband poisoned Helene.?

McNearny looked stunned. He reviewed his notebook. ?Is this the doctor we?re talking about??

?The podiatrist, yeah,? I said.

?And did she happen to mention why he might want to do that??

?It was an accident.?

McNearny squinted. ?What??

?She thinks he was trying to poison her.?

McNearny shook his head. ?Did she tell you what she thought his motive might be??

?He?s having an affair. At least she suspects that?s the case. She confronted him that evening. Supposedly he got very angry.?

McNearny chewed on the inside of his cheek. ?Had she hired you to follow him prior to the cruise??

?No. Won?t you sit down??

?No.?

?You?re making me nervous standing there like that.?

?That?s the whole point, Mrs. Connolly.?

I leaned against my dining room table and exhaled. ?Have it your way.?

?Okay, out with it. She hired you before the cruise. To follow him, right??

?No,? I repeated firmly. ?Why do you keep asking??

He ignored my question. ?Why were you on that cruise??

?I told Officer Lee that?I was checking out Roo amp; You.?

?The mommy club??

I nodded.

McNearny frowned. ?What?s a mommy club doing on a dinner cruise? I mean, isn?t the whole point of those things to get the kids to play together or whatever??