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saying mass and Kathleen Murdoch is all set to sing,” Rose said. “She has such a lovely voice.” She poured the crackers onto a plate. “Merry loved to listen to her on Sundays.”
    â€œGood. And everything is as I arranged it at the funeral parlor?”
    Rose hesitated, seemingly busy arranging the crackers. Birdie leaned forward so her face was close to hers. “Please, Rose, tell me. What did you do now?”
    â€œNothing major. It’s all taken care of.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Rose raised her head, flinching at the pair of eyes trained on her. There was nothing left for her to do now but jump right in. “I ordered a different casket, okay? I saved a great deal of money by shopping on the Internet.”
    Hannah’s hand stopped midair en route to delivering a cracker to her mouth. “You shopped on the Internet…for a casket?”
    Birdie looked stunned. “You’ve got to be kidding.” When Rose didn’t respond Birdie’s eyes widened further. “You’re killing me, Rose. I spent hours on this! I had everything ordered at Krause’s Funeral Home. Why did you have to change it?”
    â€œBirdie, I don’t know why you’re so upset just because everything is not exactly the way you ordered it.” Rose’s voicewas clipped. “You never once asked me what I wanted to do for the funeral. You just called up and told me what to do. I went along with it, as I usually do. But for heaven’s sake, this isn’t a change as much as, well, a better deal.”
    Birdie put her face in her palms. “Please tell me there’s a casket for my sister tomorrow.”
    â€œOf course there is. You ordered an oak casket, and though it was lovely, it cost two thousand dollars. I found one almost identical for nine hundred dollars.” Her pride couldn’t be disguised.
    â€œMom,” Hannah said in that teenage know-it-all voice, “you can buy anything on the Internet these days.”
    Rose shrugged. “I’m on the computer a lot for my word processing job. When I need a break I surf the Net. It’s fun, relaxing. In fact, it’s how I keep in touch with the world out there. I find it absolutely fascinating. When I’m on the Net, I feel so connected.”
    Hannah waggled her brows. “Are you doing those chat rooms?”
    Rose didn’t answer, but she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.
    â€œOh, no,” Birdie groaned. “You are, aren’t you.”
    â€œWhat if I am?” Rose laughed lightly but her color heightened.
    â€œYou do know there are a lot of creeps out there that prey on lonely women like yourself.”
    â€œThey’re not all creeps. There are some very nice people looking for someone to talk to.”
    Birdie released a short, sarcastic laugh.
    â€œLots of people are in chat rooms,” Hannah said in Rose’s defense.
    â€œNot you, too, I hope,” Birdie replied with narrowed eyes.
    â€œSure I am.”
    Birdie leaned back against the counter. “Good God, is there anything else I don’t know? My sister and my child are hanging out in chat rooms, we’ve got some casket coming in the mail and, as far as I’m concerned, we’re having a damn picnic in the house tomorrow.”
    Dennis stuck his head around the corner. “Hey, in case you’re interested, there’s a chauffeur at the door.”

3
    B IRDIE AND R OSE LOOKED AT each other for a brief instant, then in a flash, Rose darted from the table and tore off to open the front door as eager as a nine-year-old girl. A tall, blond man with a bodybuilder’s physique squeezed into a black suit smiled uncertainly.
    â€œExcuse me, ma’am, but is this the Season residence?”
    Rose looked beyond the man’s massive shoulders into the darkness but didn’t see her sister. Only the sleek red lights that trimmed the limo were visible along the curb. A