Free Smoke by Kaye George

to discuss party plans. Amy JoBeth was still spending most of her time in the storm shelter. Louise spent hours trying to persuade her out of it, but Louise had been to their trailer once when she wasn’t busy guarding the tornado shelter door and helping with the pigs.
    Driving past the pig breeding place a couple times, Immy noticed that Amy JoBeth’s truck had been gone. The woman must have been making forays from her fortress. That was good, thought Immy. She was getting some fresh air anyway.
    It was remarkable how much had to be decided for a simple wedding shower. Immy thought she could send out invitations, clean the trailer, make some cookies and punch, and that would be it.
    But Louise thought they needed a theme.
    “Without a theme,” she said, “we won’t know what kinda paper plates to buy and what color the food should be. They haven’t set a date yet, so it’s technically an Engagement Party. She never had one, so she won’t think it’s strange we’re doing this.”
    Ha. Immy thought Amy JoBeth would know immediately what they were up to, trying to take her mind off Gretchen. If only Immy could track down the pig killer. That would cheer Amy JoBeth up.
    “I found a list of themes in this magazine at Cathy’s Kut and Kurl.”
    “Does Cathy know you took it?” asked Immy.
    Louise frowned, but didn’t answer.
    The squeals of Drew, Zack, and Marshmallow came from the back yard. Louise gave a fond smile in the direction of the piggy noises. “Look here. There’s your Alphabet Shower, but ya gotta have twenty-six guests for that one. Then there’s your Makeover Shower. Maybe Cathy would like to do that.”
    If she’s not mad at you for stealing her magazine, thought Immy. It was a new one, too, not one of the curled ones that had been there for years.
    “And there’s your Lingerie Shower. That sounds like fun. I guess it’s too early for the Stock-the-Bar Shower. The stuff’d all be drunk by the time they get married, whenever that’s gonna be.”
    Immy was beginning to think Stock-the-Bar would be the best idea. They could all finish off the presents at the party.
    “Kitchen Shower. That sounds boring. Shower Shower? Oh, bathroom stuff. Kind of limited, I’d think. Recipe Shower?” Louise finally looked up from the magazine. “What do y’all think?”
    Hortense cleared her throat to speak, but Immy jumped in first. “The Stock-Your-Bar sounds good.”
    Her mother ignored her. “I’m of the opinion that, Louise, in light of your offer yesterday, you should manage the celebration. What theme appeals to you?”
    “I should take charge, huh? Lemme ask Cathy how she feels about doing a Makeover Shower. You think she’d do it for free?”
    Immy and her mother answered together. “No.”
    “It would not be reasonable to expect that of her, Louise,” said Hortense. “The woman makes her living as a beautician, applying makeup and coiffing hair.”
    “She usually just cuts and perms mine.”
    “Cathy would expect remuneration and she would be entitled to it.”
    “Should we pay her, though?” asked Louise.
    Hortense rose and went into the kitchen.
    “Yes,” said Immy. “We should pay her.”
    “Oh good. You’ll chip in?”
    Hortense was back in a flash. “If you decide on this theme, you will pay her. We are opening our home for this and will put in our time planning, and don’t mind minor expenditures, but you should bear the majority of the expense.”
    In case that was too complicated for Louise, Immy translated. “You really should pay for all the major stuff.”
    “Well, I’ll see what Cathy says. We can always go with a Lingerie Party.”
    * * *
    It was obvious the police weren’t going to treat Gretchen’s slaying as a murder, so Immy returned to the scene of the crime late Monday night, after Louise left. At least to the scene where she had discovered the bodies. She equipped herself with what she thought she’d need and told her mother she was going for a drive