Free From Here to Paternity by Jill Churchill Page A

found the body."
    "Well, now, ain't that convenient."
    Uh-oh
, Jane thought.
    Mel came into the front hallway. He didn't look pleasant.
    "Jane," he said with deadly formality, "I think maybe you better go down to the lodge. I'll join you in a few minutes."
    "Mel! Why didn't you tell him you're a detective?" she whispered.
    "Because I'm not. Not here and now. I'm on vacation. Go on. I'll be with you shortly."
    "Okay. But I'm going to order drinks and appetizers the minute I sit down, so you better hurry."

Chapter 8

    They had dinner reservations in the more formal restaurant. It was an elegant, dimly lighted, artfully arranged room that overlooked the small lake. From her table next to the windows, Jane could watch the skaters below. The table itself was set with superb pink linens, the best-quality restaurant silverware, and beautiful china with a muted pink-and-gray Oriental floral pattern. Although it seemed late to Jane, her internal clock having been completely undone by her earlier nap, the restaurant was just starting to fill up for the evening.
    Jane finished her glass of wine and half the appetizers (bite-sized egg rolls with a spicy crab filling). After a while she finished the rest of the appetizers and drank Mel's wine. Then she ordered coffee and nibbled the Italian parsley that had decorated the appetizer plate. Starving, bored senseless, and bursting with curiosity, she couldn't even tell Shelley what had happened, because this was the night Shelley was being hostess to the investors at a cocktail party and dinner in her and Paul's condo.
    She studied the other diners for a long while, but decided she was drawing as much attention as she was giving. One middle-aged man with what he no doubt imagined was an attractive two-day beard stubble and a lot of gold chains winked at her.
My God! He thinks I'm a hooker
! she thought with horror.
    She told the waiter she'd be back and ran to the little magazine-and-book shop next to the front desk, then checked on Katie and Denise, who had finally emerged from the swimming pool and, fully dressed, were eating burgers at a table on the pool apron. Back with something to read, she drank another cup of coffee, then visited the rest room for the second time. Just as she was returning to her table, the waiter approached to tell her there was a phone message that said she was to order two dinners and her companion would be with her in a moment.
    After studying the menu one last time—she nearly had it memorized—she ordered two of the more interesting entrees on it: elk stew with cattail pollen dumplings for herself, and a buffalo steak with horseradish/rosemary sauce and blue cornmeal dressing for Mel.
    Mel managed to arrive before the meal did.
    "What took you so long?" Jane asked.
    "The local sheriff is an ass!" he said, sitting down heavily. Jane could hear his stomach rumble. "He was all for just carting off the body and letting your pal Tenny Garner send in a maid to clean up the room."
    "And you tried to stop him?"
    "Of course I did. That's not the way to treat a sudden death."
    "I thought you were the one who said there was nothing suspicious about it."
    Mel took a deep breath. "I don't know whether I should tell you this or not—"
    "You might as well," she said sweetly. "After all, we're both on vacation. It has nothing to do with us."
    He cocked an eyebrow at her and thought for a long moment before finally saying, "Did you notice the 'distribution' of all those papers?"
    "Yes; they were everywhere."
    "No, they weren't."
    "Well, I guess there weren't any in the bathroom or the kitchen."
    "That's not what I mean. I'm talking about the living room."
    Jane closed her eyes, picturing the room where they had found Doris. Papers all over. On the coffee table, the sofa, the floor…
    She opened her eyes very wide. "Oh! She wasn't lying on any of them, was she?"
    "Bingo."
    Their salads arrived. Trendy, rather bitter lettuce with little groupings of berries and slivers of