Dare to Die Read Online Free Page B

right. She was.
    How did her mother-in-law know?
    Annie envisioned Laurel’s patrician face framed by spun gold hair. Laurel’s Nordic blue eyes would be shining with empathy, her perfect lips curved in a caring smile, the mother-in-law from…Annie squelched the thought. Laurel, after all, always meant well. Didn’t she?
    The husky voice exuded support. “You wouldn’t be calling if you were in the chapel—”
    Annie’s eyes darted to the round clock. To her surprise it read ten minutes after ten. She regularly attended Holy Communion at ten o’clock on Wednesdays in the chapel of St. Mary’s, but Ingrid’s abrupt departure had deranged, as Hercule Poirot might remark, her routine.
    â€œâ€”so obviously something unexpected has occurred. I am thrilled—humbled—exalted—that you are seeking my help.” A sigh of contentment wafted over the wire. “Henny and I have just completed our morning tai chi on my deck overlooking the lagoon. Happily a portion of the deck is covered so the swirling mist over the marsh was lovely, much as you might see in a hanging scroll of a Chinese landscape. Annie, would it surprise you if I told you that a great blue heron,” Laurel’s tone was hushed, “executed a most perfect Stork Spreads Its Wings. Oh,the grace of that long golden bill, the symmetry of that curving neck, the delicacy of those trailing feathers.”
    Annie resisted the impulse to say that she would not only be surprised but astounded since most great blue herons of her acquaintance did not attend tai chi classes. Herons and storks were cousins so it might be assumed the exercise was patterned after the birds and not the birds after the exercise.
    As was often the case in exchanges with her mother-in-law, Annie’s mouth opened and closed with a sense once again that she had been bested, but wasn’t quite certain how it had happened. “Laurel, I need help. Ingrid’s sister…”
    Emma paced back and forth near the counter, muttering. “Who is she? Not a stranger to the island or she wouldn’t know about Nightingale Courts.”
    Annie spoke a little louder. “…so I’m going to Nightingale Courts right now.”
    The front doorbell sounded.
    Annie looked up in time to see Emma’s caftan swirling out into the mist.
    â€œSweet child, don’t give the store a moment’s thought.” Laurel’s laughter was a gay trill. “Henny and I will be there at once. Everything shall be splendid. Henny and I have often discussed how we would cha—That is, Death on Demand will receive our most loving and careful and insightful supervision.”
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    M AX D ARLING BALANCED NEAR THE TOP OF THE WOODEN ladder, one hand gripping the top step. With the other hand, he maneuvered a furled banner toward a hook projecting from the rafter. He eased the rod into the hook. With both sidessecure, he started down the ladder, pulling the banner down as he went.
    When he reached the flagstone floor of the harbor pavilion, he looked up. The ten-by-twelve-foot banner hanging from the central rafter rippled in the onshore breeze that swept gently through the open-air structure. If he turned, the view of the Sound would be magnificent, a light haze of fog over jade green water, sailboats scudding before the wind, steel gray dolphins leaping and diving. Instead, he focused on the banner. Maybe he should hook some trolling sinkers to each end. He had some eight-ounce sinkers.
    â€œIt looks pretty, moving in the breeze.” The soft voice was admiring.
    Max swung around. A much-too-thin girl—his mind amended the thought—a much-too-thin young woman, in a faded yellow blouse and age-paled jeans, stood astride a bicycle at the foot of the pavilion steps. She looked damp from the mist.
    She gave an apologetic smile. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
    â€œYou’re fine. Come on up.” The