Read Scrapbook of the Dead for Free Online Page B

quite in her neighborhood, she still considered them a part of her community.
    â€œA couple of their daughters have started ballet lessons,” Vera said. “They pay on time and the children are so well behaved.”
    â€œWell, that says a lot, doesn’t it?” Beatrice said and crossed her arms. “I don’t know half the people in Cumberland Creek anymore. I used to know just about everybody.”
    â€œI know, Mama,” Vera said. “It’s changing. Some of it’s good. I’m really glad Elizabeth will be getting to know some kids from other cultures.”
    â€œSome of it’s bad, though,” Beatrice said. “I mean look. Two women murdered. We went for years without any murders in our community. Now all of a sudden, it’s one after the other.”
    Vera thought a moment, her mouth curled. “Yes, but most of the murders had nothing to do with the new people in town. Look, many of the murders were committed by locals or people with local ties.”
    Beatrice nodded. “True enough.”
    â€œAt the same time, it kind of scares me. It doesn’t quite feel safe anymore. If I let myself, I’ll get paranoid about Elizabeth and won’t let her out of my sight,” Vera said, her brows arching higher over her eyes.
    â€œBut you’re lucky. The child has so many people who look out for her,” Beatrice pointed out. “No need for paranoia.”
    Vera was already a bit overprotective of Elizabeth—a baby she thought she’d never have. Unfortunately, Vera’s relationship with Bill, the father of the baby, had run its course when she had found out she was expecting.
    â€œLook Mama,” Vera pointed to the screen. “There’s a little article about Marina.
    â€œThe body of Marina Martelino, age twenty-three, was found at Pamela’s Pie Palace, Saturday at four-thirty AM . Marina, a recent immigrant to the United States, had been working at Pamela’s for eighteen months. According to Pamela Kraft, owner of the Pie Palace, Marina was from Mexico City and lived with her sister at Riverside Apartments in Cumberland Creek. According to Sheriff Ted Bixby, an investigation is pending,” Vera read. She looked at her mother. “Well, now is that all they are going to say?”
    â€œEvidently,” Beatrice said.
    The whistling tea kettle invaded their conversation.
    â€œTea, Mama?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œYou’d think they’d let people know what’s going to happen with her body or if she has any relatives around,” Vera grumbled.
    â€œWell, we know about her sister.”
    â€œYes, but what about the people at home? Will we ever know? I feel like we should reach out to her family in some way.”
    Beatrice beamed. Her Vera. A heart as wide as the sky. Trouble was, it got trampled on a lot. Beatrice used to worry more about her—but that had changed. She had a great feeling about Eric. He loved Vera and was showing an incredible amount of patience.
    â€œWe can ask the police or Pamela for some information on how to reach her family,” Beatrice said as Vera brought her a steaming cup of tea.
    â€œWhat’s going on in here, ladies?” Eric asked, entering the dining room.
    â€œWhat is it, halftime?” Vera rolled her eyes.
    He grinned. “How did you know?”

Chapter 9
    DeeAnn slid the chicken back into the oven and went to work mashing the potatoes. It was time for Sunday dinner, one of her favorite times of the week. Karen was coming. Visits from her were rarer than what DeeAnn would have liked. Karen was a nurse at the University of Virginia Medical Center and, because she was so new, she had very little control over her schedule. Her first year was turning into nothing but work and sleep.
    DeeAnn had wondered recently if her daughter was dating someone. She had received a phone call from someone canceling an outing and had been obviously