Free The Borrowed and Blue Murders (The Zoe Hayes Mysteries) by Merry Jones Page B

you and your brothers will have cleaned the mess in here and in the kitchen, and that you will have begun preparing dinner.”
    Before Tony could respond, Anna pushed up the steps.
    I didn’t argue, didn’t resist. I surrendered completely, letting Anna guide me, obeying her orders to undress as she lit scented candles and ran my bath. At her command, I sunk into hot water, letting myself float, listening to silence and the soft popping of bubbles. Finally, unbelievably, I was alone, beginning to relax. But not quite. There was a knock at the door, and Anna stepped in.
    “Don’t get too comfy yet, dear. Not till I get your wine order and the final decision on the tablecloths. I’d go with the Zinfandel for dinner, the port with dessert. And I’m nixing the baby’s breath with roses. They’re a cliché—”
    “Anna.” I finally found my voice. “Do whatever you think best.”
    She seemed confused. Her perfectly penciled eyebrows rose, disappointed. “Really? But—”
    “I value your advice. You’ve got experience. I’m sure your choices will be excellent.”
    “But about the table settings—”
    “Your choice.”
    She hesitated. “The stemware—”
    “Anna.” I tried to sound firm. “You decide.”
    “All of it?”
    “All of it.”
    Shaking her head, she finally backed out of the room. I sunk into the water, stayed under the bubbles, soaking, until I needed to come up for air. I heard only a few sounds during the next hour. Molly coming home, with a tumult of Oliver barking and the front door slamming and loud shouting for “Mom.” Nick stopping her from coming to look for me, explaining that her mom was resting. The vacuum cleaner’s high-pitched whirring.
    And Nick on the phone in the bedroom, escaping Anna’s supervision long enough to leave a hurried voice mail for our babysitter, Ivy, confirming—no, begging her to come back to work on Monday.

T WENTY
    A NNA REFUSED TO JOIN us for dinner; she stayed in the kitchen making lists and phone calls while we ate. Our meal began quietly. The brothers were subdued, on their best behavior. They used utensils properly, placed their napkins neatly on their laps. No elbows rested on the table; no one belched out loud. At first, conversation was careful, as if everyone feared that Anna might be monitoring us.
    “Feeling better, Zoe?”
    “Get a nap?”
    And then, gradually, inevitably, attention turned to Bryce. Sam and Tony wanted to hear what happened.
    “Mom?” Molly was confused. “Was somebody in an accident?”
    I didn’t want to upset her, so I avoided her questions. “A friend. But it’s no big deal, Molls. Want another drumstick?”
    Sam asked her what to send an elephant when he gets sick. “A get wellephant card.”
    While he was still laughing, I asked how her sleepover was and her face brightened. “Oh, Mom, I almost forgot.” She beamed. “Guess what we did today?”
    “What?”
    Luke, lying on a comforter beside us, had been fussing, but suddenly he began to howl. I got up and brought him to the table, where Molly was in the middle of her answer.
    …that pottery place—you know, where you can make ceramics?” Molly went on. “Susan took me and Emily.”
    I positioned Luke on my shoulder, patting his back, trying to help him get rid of a bubble in his tummy. His cries drowned out Molly’s voice; I had to strain to hear her.
    “…a kitten, but I made a dog …looks like Oliver.”
    “Cool,” I managed over Luke’s wails.
    “…plus I made something else.”
    Sitting at the table wasn’t working. The baby was squirming and complaining. He was too loud, bothering everyone, and I couldn’t eat with him on my lap, anyhow. I stood to walk him up and down the hall.
    “…surprise for Luke.”
    I didn’t realize Molly had finished what she was saying, and she watched me, waiting for my response. As I left the table, Luke’s howls rattling my ears, I tried to figure out what to say. “Super, Molls!” I shouted so she