“Not that I’m glad she’s dead,” she added hurriedly. “I’m just glad she’s not here.”

“I understand,” I said.

And I did. Sad but true. Sometimes a death in the family is just what the doctor ordered. And in this case, who knows? Maybe the doctor did order it.

“And now that the police are taking me seriously about that blonde in the hallway, I’m a lot less scared than I was.”

Naturally I kept my mouth shut about my conversation with Lt. Webb.

“I owe it all to you, Jaine. If you hadn’t gotten Professor Zeller to call the police, I’d still be their number one suspect. Really, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

I hung up, and slugged down some more chardonnay. The poor kid had no idea how much trouble she was in.

Chapter Fifteen

It was déjà vu all over again.

As I drove up the Kingsleys’ circular driveway for SueEllen’s memorial service, the same valet who’d taken my car at Heidi’s birthday party came up to my window.

“You with the catering staff?”

How many times was I going to have to tell this idiot I wasn’t a waitress?

“Nope,” I snapped, tossing him my keys.

I headed inside where the same people from Heidi’s party were milling around, now dressed in black.

Nothing had changed much since the night of Heidi’s party: the people, the valets, the bar set up in the corner. The only difference was this time, everybody was happy.

Brad, whose brand new Ferrari I’d seen parked in the driveway, was out on the terrace, playing kissy face with Amber.

Hal was mingling genially among his guests. Every once in a while he’d remember to look solemn, but mostly he was smiling.

And SueEllen’s lover, Eduardo. Last week when I saw him coming out of the Kingsleys’ pool house, he couldn’t have looked more miserable. Now he was leaning against the fireplace, making sexy small talk with a stunning redhead.

And of course, there was Heidi. What a difference from the night of her birthday party. Looking slimmer already in a simple black dress, she was sitting on one of the sofas having an animated discussion with Ginny Pearson.

I was glad to see Ginny out of her catering uniform and accorded guest status. Of all the people I’d seen so far, only Ginny wore the subdued expression of someone at a memorial service.

Heidi caught sight of me and came hurrying to my side.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m so glad you came. Daddy ordered deli. The pastrami’s really good.”

She led me over to a buffet table heaped with cold cuts. Pastrami, turkey, ham, and cheese, with huge bowls of cole slaw and potato salad. A far cry from SueEllen’s baby lamb chops and mushrooms en croute.

I helped myself to some pastrami and potato salad. Heidi was right. It was really good.

“Some wine, Miss Jaine?”

Conchi was at my side with a tray of drinks, skittish as ever, as if the ghost of SueEllen was about to show up and make her polish the silver.