Free Stabbing Stephanie by Evan Marshall Page A

girl!”
    Penny nodded modestly, as if in response to applause.
    â€œSpeaking of marriages falling apart,” Doris piped up, turning to Louise, “what’s up with you and Ernie?”
    Louise turned shocked eyes on her; so did the rest of the women. In the spring, Louise had discovered Ernie was cheating on her—and not with just one woman, but several. Louise had been tense and subdued ever since, though she and Ernie were still together, still running Hydrangea House.
    â€œI appreciate your subtlety, Doris,” Louise said with uncharacteristic sarcasm, and the others snickered. “Actually, things are much better now between Ernie and me. We’ve been seeing a wonderful marriage counselor, a woman in Livingston, and she’s helped us enormously.”
    Everyone looked pleased at this announcement. “Glad to hear it,” Doris said firmly, and resumed her knitting. Jane noticed that Doris was knitting faster than ever. She was on some new wonder drug for her arthritis, an expensive medication she had to give herself by injection once a month. Apparently it was working; in general, Doris was more agile lately, and in excellent spirits. As if reading her thoughts, she looked up at Jane. “How’s Daniel, Jane?”
    Jane knew that Doris was referring to Daniel’s having lost Laura, his fiancée, in the spring, and to his seeing Ginny for several months now.
    â€œI’ll answer that one myself,” Ginny said, smiling at Doris. “Daniel and I are fine, thanks very much.”
    Doris looked taken aback, as if that wasn’t at all what she’d meant. “Glad to hear it!” she blustered. Then, as if in retaliation, she narrowed her eyes at Ginny and said, “And how’s your friend on the green, Ginny?”
    â€œMy friend?” Ginny said, pretending not to understand, though Jane knew she did.
    â€œThe bum!” Doris said. “I’ve seen you chatting him up. Last Friday I was coming out of the dry cleaners and the two of you were blabbing away like old friends.”
    Jane looked at Ginny, who had blushed deeply. “He’s just a sad old man, Doris. I feel sorry for him. He doesn’t have anybody. I say hello when I pass him. Is there something wrong with that?”
    â€œNo!” Doris said, all innocence again.
    Penny looked up, placing both her knitting needles in one hand and pushing the hair on the right side of her face behind her ear. “Know what my neighbor Mr. Mattarazzo says? That that bum is an FBI agent in disguise, that he’s on an assignment to bust a drug ring—right here in Shady Hills!”
    â€œOh, for heaven’s sake,” Rhoda muttered, not looking up from her work.
    â€œCan we please stop calling him a bum?” Ginny looked at Penny. “That theory is ridiculous. I think people in this town should stop gossiping and tend to their own business.”
    At this point Rhoda looked up, placing her knitting firmly in her lap. “I’ll tell you what is my business,” she said, a mean look coming over her face. “I don’t pay outrageous property taxes to live in this supposedly exclusive village, so that I can see some dirty old drunk stumbling around the green every day. He should be removed! Jane, ask your friend Stanley to get rid of him.”
    â€œThat’s not like you,” Ginny said, looking hurt for Ivor.
    Rhoda shrugged and resumed her knitting.
    Doris said, “Who cares about some smelly old hobo!” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Today I saw someone really worth talking about.”
    â€œWho?” they all asked.
    Doris looked up. “Faith Carson! I was driving along Packer, near that brick office building, when who should step out of a car but the queen herself! In jeans and a sweatshirt, no less! I was so excited I nearly hit a tree.”
    Now the women were atwitter. Jane told them about Kenneth’s cousin Stephanie coming to