Read A Dead Sister (Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery) for Free Online Page A

department and had to be nearing retirement by now. When Jessica was growing up, Don Fontana had been “Uncle Don” to her and to her friends. He was, in fact, a real uncle to Tommy Fontana and his older sister, Kelly.
    Jessica hadn’t spoken to Uncle Don for some time before the recent events surrounding Roger Stone’s murder. She had called on him for his help, as a police officer and as a family friend. Uncle Don and his wife, Aunt Evelyn, had an ample backyard at their pool home in Palm Springs. Their house had served as the backdrop for countless barbeques and pool parties. For gatherings of all kinds during the years their son, Frank Fontana, his cousins Kelly and Tommy Fontana, and Jessica all went to school together at St. Theresa’s.
    “Sure, Frank, that would be nice. We didn’t have much chance to catch up at Roger’s funeral. I wasn’t in a mood to socialize under the circumstances, but I was glad you were there. Especially since you and your da d showed up in uniform that day. Given all trouble we were in it was a real comfort to Laura and to me. You want to come over for lunch or dinner?”
    “Nah, Mom will feel bad if she can’t feed me. I thought maybe I’d stop by after lunch, if that’s okay. That way I can be back at the Fontana homestead again by dinnertime. It’s a small thing, but it makes her so happy to believe she’s still taking care of me. Now that I’m divorced and, I quote, ‘a man on his own who needs a good home-cooked meal now and then’. I don’t put up any resistance, even though she knows I’m a decent cook!”
    “Well, it must be good to get a break from cooking, anyway. You have to be running at top speed with your job and the kids and all. Aunt Evelyn said you and Mary have joint custody.”
    “Yeah, it’s supposed to be fifty-fifty, but since Mary went back to school last year, I’ve tried to pitch in a little more. This summer, the kids are with me full-time. I’m not sure what’s more challenging, keeping them busy while school’s out or juggling all the stuff they have to do when school’s in session. At least in the summer, there are fewer battles about homework. You’re right, any break is welcome at this point, for the kids too, I’m sure. Mom and Dad don’t spoil them, but they do indulge them. You know Dad, though. He’s a tough guy and expects them to play by his rules when they’re at his house, and they do. At home with me, they bitch and moan, and split hairs about every rule. I am not looking forward to spending the next few years with two teenagers. I’ve had a preview of coming attractions with preteen hormonal flashes out of both of them this year. Maybe they still blame me for the divorce.”
    Could Frank have kids on the verge of adolescence and only be a couple years older than she was? Jessica did the math. He had married hi s high school sweetheart even before he finished college, and they didn’t wait long to have kids. “Holy shit!” she thought. Frank’s kids could easily be on the precipice of adolescence. Here she sat, sidelined, the body clock ticking, not even close to starting a family.
    “Well, I know it’s not fair, but when my parents split, I wanted to make them both pay. It was like they had done me wrong, somehow. You must remember what a little bitch I was.”
    “Oh, I do remember. You were cute but you had a major chip on your shoulder. Hell, I wasn’t the easiest kid to deal with as a teenager either. I did my share to help my dad grow old. And, I’m lucky my mom still wants to take care of me! Like I said, I am not looking forward to what’s in store for me as a single parent. Then, I guess we’re both lucky just to be here, huh, considering poor Roger?”
    “Yeah, poor Roger,” Jessica echoed in agreement.
    “And poor Kelly, too, she’s the reason I want to talk to you.”
    “Kelly? You mean our Kelly? Kelly Fontana?” All of Jessica’s senses were immediately on high alert. Kelly Fontana was dead.