Suture Self : A Bed-and-breakfast Mystery

“So how come?” Effie barked.

“How come what?” Judith responded with a little

jump.

“No autopsy.” There was an ominous pause. “I used

to be a nurse, remember? Autopsies are routine in such

cases.”

The truth was that Judith had been asked if she

would like to have an autopsy performed on Dan. She

had refused. What was the point? Dan was over four

hundred pounds and lived on a diet of Ding-Dongs and

grape juice laced with vodka, so it hadn’t surprised her

in the least when he had expired.

“I wanted to spare him that,” Judith said, though her

thoughts were more complicated: I wanted to spare me

that. I just wanted it all to be over. Nineteen years is a

long time to be miserable.

“Hunh,” Effie snorted. “It’s been on my mind.”

“It shouldn’t be,” Judith said, trying not to sound annoyed. “It’s been a long time. What good would it have

done?”

“I was thinking about Mac and the one on the way,”

Effie said, suddenly subdued. “What if Dan had some

hereditary disease? Shouldn’t Mike and Krissy know

about it?”

“Kristin,” Judith corrected. Effie had a point, except

in Dan’s case, it didn’t apply to Mike or little Mac.

“It’s too late now.”

“Too bad,” Effie said. “These pediatricians today

can nip things in the bud.”

“I don’t think Dan had anything he could pass on,” Judith said, sounding weary. “Really, it’s pointless to fret

over something that happened more than ten years ago.”

SUTURE SELF

105

“Easy for you to say,” Effie shot back. “All I have to

do is sit here and think.”

“I thought you were going to the Elks Club with

Myron,” Judith said as Renie finally plunked the phone

down in its cradle and rubbed her ear.

“Once a month, big thrill,” Effie said with a sharp

laugh. “I’m not like you, out running around all over

the place and doing as I please.”

“Effie, I’m in the hospital.”

“What?” There was a pause. “Oh—so you are. Well,

you know what I mean. Think about what I said, in

case Dan had something hereditary. It’ll help kill time.

Thinking helps me keep occupied. I’d better hang up.

This phone bill is going to put me in the poorhouse.”

“Lord help me.” Judith sighed, gazing at Renie, who

was lying back on the pillows looking exhausted.