Read Drowning in Christmas (Kate Lawrence Mysteries) Online
Authors: Judith Ivie
Tags: #Mystery, #cozy, #Judith K. Ivie, #New England, #Mainly Murder Press, #Kate Lawrence series, #Wethersfield, #Connecticut, #women sleuths
Drowning in Christmas (Kate Lawrence Mysteries) (24 page)
Margo smiled gently at us and smoothed her already perfect hair. “John and I have been talkin’ about it for a while now. At first, I thought it was a crazy idea, but John has convinced me that I'd make an absolutely wonderful addition to the Town Council.”
It took several seconds for Strutter to locate her voice. “I'm sure you would. You know I believe you can do anything you put your mind to, but the Town Council? That would require, um, getting elected.”
Margo nodded. “Thus, the campaign.”
“But you're a blonde bombshell from Atlanta, Georgia,” I pointed out unnecessarily. “New Englanders elect candidates with strong ties to New England.”
“Oh, don't you worry about that, Sugar. My husband's family tree has roots all the way back to the Mayflower,” she smiled. “It also doesn't hurt a bit that he's a big, good lookin’ homicide detective who just solved a major crime.” She winked at me. “Of course, he had a little help from a friend.”
I did my best to look modest, probably unsuccessfully.
“Speaking of major crime, how did things turn out with the O’Hallorans?” Strutter wanted to know.
“James was clearly distraught,” Margo reported, “and Joseph's death was ruled accidental. It was the attempted cover up and the running away part that threw a monkey wrench into the proceedings, and for that, James got a one-year sentence for obstruction of justice, suspended. He's receiving court-appointed therapy, which is the best part.”
“Was he allowed to return to work?” Strutter asked. I knew the answer to that one.
“He was, I'm happy to say. As Sister Marguerite put it, they would be poor excuses for Christians if they didn't stand by one of their own, and James has devoted his professional life to the UCC. He can't actually function as the Chief Financial Officer and sign documents and financial reports and so on. His former assistant has been promoted to that role, but there's plenty of work for James to do. Mary says he's more than willing to accept a diminished role. In fact, he seems to be relieved at having less responsibility. I think he's going to be fine.”
“What about Mary's feelin’s in all of this?” asked Margo.
I turned the question back to her. “If this had happened to John, what would your feelings be?”
She smiled slowly. “Gotcha. What about the little boy?”
“Patrick? That's probably the best part of all. Now that the secret of Patrick is out in the open, James is free to be a part of his life, and Mary couldn't be happier about it. They're going out to California together in a couple of weeks to visit Patrick. If things work out as they all hope, Mary may finally have a little boy to mother from time to time in the coming years.”
Olivia let go of the bench and held up her arms to her mother, wavering precariously. Strutter scooped her into her lap, where the little girl snuggled contentedly and stuck her thumb into her mouth.
“Time to get this one home for a nap,” she announced. Reluctantly, we all got to our feet. I collected the cups for the trash basket, and we strolled to our cars, which were parked at the curb. “By the way, after you and Armando stole their thunder, whatever happened with Jeff and Donna?”
“Got over the flu and eloped to Mexico,” I said with satisfaction. “Had a fabulous time at one of those all-inclusive couples places.”
“As long as we're tyin’ up loose ends, how's Emma doin’ after the bad break-up?” Margo asked. Again, I was glad to give my friends good news.
“It took her about ten minutes to get over the big jerk and maybe another ten to decide to go to a New Year's party thrown by an old friend from high school. A fellow in her class that she had always liked but never quite connected with back then also showed up at the party, and the rest, as they say, is history. I don't think they've been apart since.”
“Promisin’,” Margo agreed.
Strutter nodded as she straightened up from fastening Olivia securely into her car seat. “I guess it wasn't such a terrible Christmas after all,” was her comment.
Margo and I laughed raucously, and Strutter looked sheepish, then giggled. “Okay, it was terrible,” she admitted, “but you have to admit that things have been uphill from there.”
“Okay, Pollyanna,” I chided her affectionately, “you get the last word.”
A lifelong Connecticut resident,
Judith Ivie has worked in public relations, advertising, sales promotion, and the international tradeshow industry. She has also served as administrative assistant to several top executives.
Along the way, Judi also produced three nonfiction books, as well as numerous articles and essays. Her nonfiction focus is on work issues such as two-career marriages, workaholism, and midlife career changes. Second editions of
Calling It Quits: Turning Career Setbacks to Success
and
Working It Out: The Domestic Double Standard
are available from
Whiskey Creek Press
in trade paperback and downloadable electronic formats.
A couple of years ago, Judi broadened her repertoire to include fiction, and the Kate Lawrence mystery series was launched.
Whatever the genre, she strives to provide lively, entertaining reading that takes her readers away from their work and worries for a few hours, stimulates thought on a variety of contemporary issues—and gives them a laugh along the way.
Please visit
www.JudithIvie.com
to learn more about all of her books, or use the order form at the back of this book to order her other titles. Judi loves to hear from readers at
[email protected]
.