Free High Heels Are Murder by Elaine Viets

Door as she climbed into the car. Mrs. Mueller’s curtains did not twitch.
    On the way to school, Amelia talked about her friend’s party plans. “Emma is having a chocolate-and-vanilla cake with purple icing for her birthday, Mom.”
    This party was clearly the event of the Barrington social season.
    “Purple is Emma’s favorite color,” Amelia said. “If it’s nice out, her dad is going to cook hot dogs and burgers. She’s going to have a helium gas tank for purple balloons, a popcorn machine like in the movies, and DVDs on the big-screen projector in the theater room.
    “But mostly we’re going to play games. Emma has her own personal playhouse. It has a game room with three pinball machines, an original Ms. Pac-Man, an air hockey table, and a foosball table.”
    “Wow,” Josie said. “Her parents are renting all those games for the party?”
    “No, Mom,” Amelia said. “Emma
has
all those games. By the way, I won’t need that gift card.”
    “You’re not going to give her a birthday present?” Josie asked.
    “Rich kids like Emma don’t want you to bring them presents,” Amelia said, as if she were giving a sociology lecture.
    “But you’ve brought other girls Dry Ice gift cards.”
    “There’s rich and there’s rich,” Amelia said. “We’re all bringing school supplies, but we’re not giving them to Emma. They’ll go to poor kids.”
    Like you, Josie thought. Her daughter showed no envy of her rich friend. How did I have such a good child?
    “How did you find out the right thing to bring to the party?” Josie asked.
    “I asked Emma,” Amelia said. “She’s my friend.”
    “She really is your friend, Amelia. That’s what friends do. They keep you from embarrassing yourself. You’re lucky.”
    Amelia shrugged. “Emma’s sweet.”
    I’m living in a greeting card, Josie thought, as she kissed her daughter good-bye.
    Josie saw Josh’s car in the lot at Has Beans. He was working this morning. Josie expected nothing less in her perfect world. By the time she opened the coffeehouse door, her steaming espresso was on the counter.
    That’s when Josie’s cell phone rang. “Come home right away,” her mother said.
    “What’s wrong, Mom? Are you okay? Is anything wrong with Amelia?”
    “There’s an Olympia Park homicide detective here. She wants to talk to you.”
    “What about, Mom?”
    “She won’t say. Just come home.” Jane sounded frightened. “Please.”
    “Okay, Mom, I’ll be right there,” Josie said. “I’m right around the corner.”
    “Something wrong?” Josh said, as she snapped her phone shut.
    “It’s Mom.” Josie started to add, “There’s a homicide detective at my house,” but decided that was a romance killer. “She has an uninvited guest.”
    “Do you need me to chase him off?” Josh said.
    Josie laughed. “Her. Thanks, Josh, but I don’t need a bodyguard. This is a nuisance, not a serious problem.”
    Josh poured her espresso into a go-cup. Josie raced out the door with barely a backward wave. Olympia Park, she thought. Must be Mel the dead salesman. She was home in two minutes.
    Jane was in Josie’s living room, wringing her hands and looking worried. “The detective is in the kitchen,” she whispered. “She didn’t want coffee, but I gave her a glass of water.”
    “Thanks, Mom. Why don’t you go upstairs?” Josie said. “I’ll call you as soon as she leaves.”
    “Are you sure?” Jane said.
    Josie was sure her mom would be more of a hindrance than a help. “I’ll be fine. It looks better this way.”
    Homicide Detective Kate Causeman looked like the girl next door—in a bad neighborhood, since she was carrying a gun. She had long, curly blond hair, tied back to keep perps from pulling it. Her tailored beige suit and flat lace-up shoes were smart but no-nonsense.
    “This is just a routine interview,” the detective said.
    She smiled, but Josie watched her eyes. The girl next door had twin blue lasers.
    “We’re trying