Suture Self : A Bed-and-breakfast Mystery

children will be close enough in age to be playmates

and companions.”

“They’ll fight,” Effie declared in her mournful

voice. “Especially if it’s another boy.”

“Siblings always fight,” Judith countered. “I guess.”

She had to admit to herself that she really didn’t know.

Judith and Renie had both been only children, and

while they occasionally quarreled in their youth, they

had grown to be as close, if not closer, than sisters.

“When are they coming to see me?” Effie demanded. “Mike and Kristy have only been here twice

since Mac was born.”

“It’s Kristin,” Judith said wearily. “I’m not sure

when they’ll be able to travel. With the new baby on

the way, they’ll probably wait.”

“Oh, sure.” Effie emitted a sour snort. “I haven’t had

a new picture of Mac in ages. I’m not even sure what

he looks like these days.”

“I thought Mike and Kristin sent you a picture of the

whole family at Christmastime.”

14

Mary Daheim

“They did?” Effie paused. “Oh, that picture. It

wasn’t very good of any of them. I can’t see the slightest resemblance to my darling Dan in either Mike or

Mac. If they both didn’t have my red hair, I’d have to

wonder.”

As well you might, Judith thought, and was ashamed

of the spite she felt inside. “Mac doesn’t look like me,

either,” she said in an attempt to make amends.

“When are you coming down to see me?” Effie

queried.

“Not for a while,” Judith admitted. Indeed, she was

ashamed of herself for not having paid Effie a visit

since the year after Dan died. “It’s so hard for me to get

away with the B&B, and now I’m facing surgery Monday.”

“For what?” Effie sounded very cross.

“A hip replacement,” Judith said, gritting her teeth.

“I told you about it on the phone a couple of weeks

ago. I wrote it in my Christmas letter. I think I mentioned it in my Thanksgiving card.”

“Oh, that hip replacement,” Effie sniffed. “I thought

you’d already had it. What’s taking you so long?”

“It’s the surgery scheduling,” Judith responded patiently. “They have to book so far ahead. You know

how it is. You used to work in a hospital.”

“Hunh. It was different then. Doctors didn’t try to

squeeze in so many procedures or squeeze so much

money out of their patients,” Effie asserted. “Medical

practice today is a scandal. You’ll be lucky if you get

out alive.”

Judith glanced at the morning paper on the kitchen

table. It contained a brief item about an autopsy being