Free The Happiest Day by Sandy Huth

She stood.  “I’d better go check on
supper.”
    He watched her
re-enter the house, then looked at Geoff and Laurie.  “How long has she been
acting like that?”
    “Since it
happened,” Geoff said.  “Her fiancé was killed, you know.”
    “She hated Stern,”
Peter said dismissively.  “She wanted to break things off with him.  That’s not
what’s bothering her.”
    Geoff looked at
Laurie and a silent message passed between them, and then he asked Peter, “Did
Dad do this, Peter?”
    “I don’t know. 
You know things have not been good between them for years, but I would never
have guessed that he could murder.  It’s just not his style.”
    “Maybe it was
finding Helen and Frederick in bed together that made him snap,” Laurie
suggested.
    Peter shook his
head.  “I just don’t think he would care that much.  Helen had flaunted many
affairs under his nose for years.  Norris has been no angel either.  The whole
city knew they had an open marriage.”
    Like his sister,
Laurie was confused.  “What does that mean?”
    Geoff looked
angry.  “It means that Mother and Dad fucked other people and neither of them
gave a shit.”  He crossed his arms over his chest and tightened his lips in
fury.  “How long had it been like that?”
    Peter looked at
his brother with sympathy.  He and Laurie were being asked to grow up quickly. 
“At least as long as I’ve known what it meant.  I’m sorry.”
      “It was Stern,
though, Rachel’s fiancé.  Even if he didn’t care that Helen was being
unfaithful, maybe it was Stern’s unfaithfulness to Rachel that he couldn’t
handle,” Laurie suggested.
    “Like I said,
Rachel was trying to end it with Stern.  Why would Norris need to murder him? 
Although…”
    Geoff looked up
sharply.  “What?”
    “I just remembered
something.  Rachel said that Stern was holding something over Norris.  She said
that if she didn’t go through with the wedding, Stern had threatened to ruin
Norris.”
    “What was it?”
Laurie asked.  “What did he have on Norris?”
    “She wouldn’t tell
me.”
    “Peter,” Laurie
asked tentatively, “you don’t think Rachel was involved…?” He couldn’t even
finish the question.
    “No,” he said
calmly, but his insides were suddenly quaking.  When the police had set the
time of death to between four and seven a.m., Peter could no longer even offer
her an alibi.  He had dropped her off at five a.m.  He couldn’t believe that
she had anything to do with the murders, but he also couldn’t protect her from
suspicion.  “Not Rachel.  Never.”  Laurie nodded but he didn’t look convinced. 
Silence fell between the three of them and Peter moved restlessly.  “I have to
go.  I’ll see you guys later, O.K.?  Take care.”  He left the estate,
undeniably disturbed.
    The next day, he
met Rachel at the prison and searched her face for any clue to what was
bothering her.  She continued to be quiet and withdrawn and he felt frustrated
that he couldn’t seem to reach her.  They sat together in a holding room until
Norris was brought to them.  He looked tired and pale but his eyes lit when he
saw the two of them.
    “It’s so good to
see family,” he said, sitting at the table across from them.  “How is everyone
else?  The boys?  Maryanne?”
    “Everyone is
fine,” Rachel assured him.  “We just miss you and we’re frightened.”
    “It’s going to be
O.K.,” he said.  “Leonard and I are working on the defense and we’re confident
that I’ll be found innocent.”
    “Is there anything
you need us to do?” Peter asked.  “For the newspaper or the household?”
    “I’m handling the
newspaper from here.  They’re allowing my staff to come in and everything is
under control.  The household accounts need to be managed, though.  Rachel, can
you handle that?  Make sure the staff gets paid and run things?”
    “Of course,” she
said, nodding her head.  She was thankful for