Free Till Death Do Us Purl by Anne Canadeo Page B

the news. Thank goodness my brother was able to stay and help.”
    Gary seemed like a nice man, Lucy thought. Quiet and responsible. The type who would do what was needed in these situations.
    As if on cue, he came in and glanced around the room. “Everyone okay in here? Would you like some coffee or tea? Some of that nice cake Maggie just brought? I’m sorry . . . I meant to ask you both before when you came in. I’ve just been cleaning up in the kitchen.”
    “I’m fine, thank you. In fact, I think we’d better go. We don’t want to tire you out, Nora.” Maggie glanced at Lucy.
    Lucy stood up, relieved to end the visit. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to see Rebecca. Please let her know we’re thinking of her.”
    “I will,” Nora promised. “We’ll let you know about the memorial as soon as the plans are settled.”
    Lucy had just finished pulling on her peacoat when the doorbell rang. “It’s all right, Gary. I’ll get it,” Nora said to her brother.
    Nora stepped forward and openedthe door, then greeted the couple that stood in the front porch light. “Oh . . . Stewart. Pam . . .” Nora leaned forward and embraced them as they came in. “How good to see you. Come right in.” She ushered the pair inside and the foyer suddenly felt a little crowded.
    “Let me introduce my friends, Maggie Messina and Lucy Binger,” Nora said. “This is Dr. Stewart Campbell, the principal at Rebecca’s school.”
    The school principal seemed uncomfortable to be introduced that way and smiled nervously.
    “Nora, you make me sound like a real boss or something. I’m an old friend of Rebecca’s,” he said, shaking hands. “This is my wife, Pam,” he added, turning to his wife.
    She smiled and nodded. “How are you guys doing? Hanging in there?”
    “Just barely,” Nora admitted. “Rebecca’s upstairs sleeping. The doctor gave her something to calm her nerves.”
    “Yes, of course. That’s probably the best thing now,” Stewart said, sounding concerned.
    “Poor thing. It’s so unbelievable.” A petite brunette with a shaggy haircut, Pam wore a dressy black coat with a fluffy fake fur collar. She glanced at her husband and squeezed his arm. Stewart responded with a sad expression looking lost for a moment in his thoughts.
    He was not a very tall man, Lucy noticed, and the two seemed well matched physically. Lucy wondered if Pam was also a teacher. But she got the feeling that was not the case.
    “Please don’t disturb Rebecca,” he said to Nora. “We just wanted to drop off these flowers. Tell her that we’re thinking of her. She’s in our thoughts and ourprayers. Me and Pam. And everyone at school. I don’t want her to worry about a thing.”
    Stewart handed Nora a huge bouquet of pure white lilies, tied with a white satin ribbon. Very expensive . . . and dramatic, Lucy thought. Very thoughtful.
    Maggie made her way toward the door, smiling politely. Lucy followed. “Nice to meet you,” she said. “Good night now.”
    A few minutes later, Lucy and Maggie were seated side by side in Lucy’s car, headed toward Maggie’s house.
    “I’m sorry we didn’t get to see Rebecca . . . but in a way, it was a relief,” Lucy admitted. “It will be so hard to face her. I’m afraid I’m going to just break down.”
    “I know what you mean.” Maggie stared out the passenger-side window. “It won’t be easy, no matter when we see her. Maybe it was just as well that Rebecca didn’t come down. It seemed like Nora really needed to talk to someone about Rebecca’s in-laws. She couldn’t have vented like that in front of Rebecca, that’s for sure.”
    “She has no great love for Philip Lassiter, does she? She makes him sound like he was cracking the whip over Jeremy. Nora didn’t come right out and say it but, do you think Jeremy’s father pressured him to finish up some work the night before his honeymoon?”
    Maggie glanced at her. There was little light in the car, but Lucy could still see a