Free Silence of the Lamps by Karen Rose Smith

she’d apparently made a batch of soup in.
    “It’s more important we clean up the kitchen and put the toys away,” Caprice advised her. “Usually you know a day ahead about a house showing.”
    Caprice had hooked Bella and Joe up with a real estate agent who handled mostly midpriced dwellings, families searching for their first or second homes. Kayla Langtree was a top-notch agent and usually well organized.
    “Kayla called and said she had a couple that just stopped into the office. They’re moving to the area and they’re in a hurry to buy. They wanted to see properties today. I couldn’t say no.”
    As she set the pot on the drainer, Nikki took it and swiftly dried it.
    Bella rinsed tomato residue from another pot. “So what are you going to do to make sure Nikki doesn’t get charged with Drew’s murder? She told me all about what’s going on. You know Mom and Dad and Nana are worried sick. They remember what Joe and I went through.”
    Caprice and Nikki exchanged a glance, and Nikki explained, “Everyone is warning Caprice away from this one. Maybe we should just let the detectives take over.”
    Bella stopped washing, took a towel in her hands and dried them, and plopped her fists on her hips.
    “Let the detectives take over? Since when? Come on, Caprice. You’re not going to do that, are you?”
    Caprice almost had to smile at Bella’s vehemence. Almost. This really wasn’t a smiling matter. She could stick her feet into some deep doo-doo if she wasn’t careful.
    “I’m thinking about our best strategy.”
    “Well, don’t think too long,” Bella warned her, “or Nikki could end up in jail. From what I understand, her car was already parked at Rowena Pierson’s when you arrived. And she doesn’t have an alibi from the time she left the expo until the time you found Drew.”
    Timmy ran into the kitchen, Lady right behind him. “Megan won’t let me put her toys in the box. I can’t do it if she keeps taking them out.”
    At nine years old, Timmy tried to lord it over his sister, but his sister wouldn’t let him.
    “How about if Caprice helps you and Megan put all the toys in the box? Would that help?” Bella asked.
    Timmy grinned up at Caprice. “Sure would.”
    “Where are you going to go during the house showing?” Nikki asked.
    “I called Mom. We’re going over there.”
    “Do you want me to help you?” Caprice asked.
    “If you help me load them in the car, I’ll be fine.” Bella studied Caprice again. “So what are you going to do?”
    “I think Nikki and I are going to make a stop and see Drew’s grandmother. She’s probably still at Kiki’s house and could use a care package and some comforting. What do you think, Nik?”
    “I think Nana’s biscotti, a tin of tea, maybe some nice hand lotion might be appreciated. But don’t you have anything pressing you have to get done right now with work?”
    “I’m caught up for the moment, though I’ve left Lady, Sophia, and Mirabelle alone a lot lately. I’ll see if my neighbor Dulcina Mendez can watch Lady so we can spend whatever time we need with Rowena. She never minds short notice.”
    Timmy pulled on Caprice’s hand. “Come on, before Megan takes everything out of the box.”
    Lady barked as if she agreed with that assessment. Caprice laughed and followed Timmy and Lady to the living room. She wished cleaning up the mess of murder was as easy as cleaning up toys.
    * * *
    Caprice was thankful she and Nikki had a passing acquaintance with Kiki Hasselhoff, Rowena’s friend. Caprice loved books and enjoyed just being around them. She often went into the store to browse, and so did Nikki.
    Kiki lived in a two-story Colonial in an older section of Kismet. It was neat with its white siding, black shutters, and brick front facing on the first floor. The yard was pristinely landscaped with trimmed shrubs. Caprice would have added annuals to give the front dabs of color, but if you planted them they had to be tended and