“Yuck. That’s disgusting,” insisted Bonnie. “I think a traditional funeral is best: music, flowers, sobbing mourners.”

“Not too many sobbing mourners here today,” observed Lucy. “It seems that most people came out of curiosity rather than grief.”

“I think a lot of people wanted to get a look at that husband of hers,” said Willie.

“Do you really think he did it?” asked Lucy.

“Yes!” chorused Bonnie and Willie. Frankie didn’t join the chorus and Lucy wondered if the rumors about her and Fred were true.

“The husband is always the most likely suspect,” said Lucy, hoping to get the gossip flowing by priming the pump, “but we all know that Mimi could be awfully bitchy. She made a lot of enemies.”

“I liked her fine until she reported me to the health department for keeping a farm animal in my living room,” muttered Willie. “As if Lily were some sort of hog or something. Why she’s cleaner than most people I know.”

“She got me in trouble, too,” confessed Frankie. “Renee had a few friends over after school and she called the cops saying it was an unsupervised party. They sent a social worker to question me and decide if I’m a fit mother.”

“That seems a bit extreme,” observed Lucy.

“Tell me about it. I was furious, but I couldn’t let on because they could take Renee from me and put her in foster care. It was terrifying.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” said Bonnie. Her tone was so intense that they all turned to look at her, expecting a real horror story, but that was all she said.

“Don’t tell me she left you alone,” said Frankie, raising an eyebrow.

“Not at all,” stammered Bonnie. “But it wasn’t a big deal. She just came over and told us we had to register our cars in Maine. We had Massachusetts plates, you see. And of course, we knew that but, well, you know how it is when you’re busy.” She blushed. “It was a helpful reminder, really.”

“I’d call it being a busybody,” said Lucy. “So do you think there’s going to be some sort of collation at the house?”

“If there is I’m not going,” said Frankie. “I’ve got to show a house.”

Willie sniffed, as if showing a house was somehow unseemly. “I’ve got a new riding student coming in half an hour. I’ve got to get changed and get over to the stable.”

“I’d go,” said Bonnie, “but I don’t think they’ve planned anything. The minister, I mean priest, didn’t mention it and they usually do, don’t they?”