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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

The sudden loud ringing of the phone halted Edna’s conversation with the reporter. “I’d better get that,” she cried. “It could be my lawyer. Son, I hate to interrupt the interview. Can you turn off the camera?”

“That’s okay. I’ll do a commentary on Cleo’s skulls and other items while you’re on the phone. If it’s Cleo Paradise calling, please let me know. It would be a real coup if I got to ask her a few questions.”

Edna stopped dead in her tracks. If it’s Cleo calling, she thought, I don’t want to answer. What if she tells me she wants her belongings back? But if I don’t answer now, I’ll look bad. “I’ll let you know if it’s Cleo,” Edna promised, running toward the kitchen.

Dawn whispered to Regan and Nora, “The second Mrs. Frawley gets off the phone, I’ll tell her you’re here. Be right back.” She turned and walked toward the back of the house.

Nora and Regan looked at each other. “Skulls?” they both mouthed.

Edna’s conversation must have been brief. Within seconds they heard her scream, “Nora Regan Reilly is here! In the house? Honey, you should have told me immediately. Nora!”

Edna’s heavy-footed approach drew Nora and Regan to the entrance of the dining room. As they reached the doorway, Edna appeared from the other side of the room. The sight of Edna in her sixties flower power jumpsuit stimulated a frightening flashback in Nora’s brain. She’d seen that jumpsuit decades ago, when Edna picked Karen and Nora up at a beach club teen night two hours early and decided to join the kids on the dance floor.

“Nora!” Edna cried again. “It’s been so long! I have a pile of your books for sale out on the back lawn.”

Nora managed a genuine smile as she opened her arms. “How wonderful.”

Edna reached Nora and gave her a crushing embrace. “If you sign the books, I’ll get more money for them.”

“How wonderful,” Nora repeated.

Edna looked into Nora’s eyes and squeezed Nora’s forearms so hard that Nora flinched. “Karen told me you two got friendly again.” Squeeze squeeze.

“Yes, we did. She called me this morning and mentioned the sale,” Nora said delicately. “Edna, I’d like to introduce you to my daughter, Regan.”

“Hello, Regan!” Edna reached for Regan’s hand and pumped it with vigor. “Karen tells me you’re a private investigator.”

“Yes,” Regan said as she realized the reporter was zooming his video camera in on her face. “It’s so lovely to meet you.”