Mr. Randall had died unexpectedly. They did advise that
further details would be on the eleven o’clock news.”
“Ah.” Judith looked relieved.
“You two seem very aware of what goes on around
you,” Mr. Mummy said with admiring glances for both
cousins. “You must pick up on a lot of scuttlebutt.”
Judith’s expression was modest. “We’re interested in
people. Besides, it helps pass the time when you’re laid
up.”
“I think it’s wonderful,” Mr. Mummy said approvingly. “These days, so many people are completely
wrapped up in themselves.”
SUTURE SELF
133
“Not us,” Renie said through a mouthful of coleslaw.
“Fwee lok to kwee abwes.”
Judith smiled at Mr. Mummy’s understandable perplexity. “My cousin said we like to keep abreast. I’m
used to her speaking when she’s eating. I can translate.”
“Amazing,” Mr. Mummy murmured as he stood up
in an awkward manner. “I should be getting back to my
room. Thank you for this delicious treat. If you hear
anything interesting, do let me in on it. I’m a bit bored,
since my wife and family live so far out in the country
that it’s hard for them to get into the city.”
“Any time,” Renie said. “And thanks for playing deliveryman.”
Judith didn’t speak until Mr. Mummy was out of
earshot. “He seems quite caught up in what’s happening at Good Cheer, don’t you think?”
“That’s not so very odd,” Renie said, attacking yet
another piece of chicken. “Mr. Mummy’s right, you
get bored lying around in the hospital.”
“He never did say exactly where he lived, did he?”
“Mmm . . .” Renie swallowed the big bite of chicken
and licked her lips. “No. But then I didn’t ask.”
Judith grew quiet for a few minutes. The only
sounds in the room were Renie’s chewing, the hum of
the equipment, and the usual distant voices and footsteps in the hall. Judith leaned far enough forward to
gaze out the window. It was still snowing, the flakes
now smaller, and thus more likely to stick.
“I’m calling Joe,” Judith announced at last. “I’ve got
a question for him.”
Renie brushed at the collection of crumbs on her
front. “About our car?”
“No,” Judith replied, dialing the number at Hillside
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Mary Daheim
Manor. “There’s nothing he can do about that. Nobody
else can either until the snow stops.” She paused, then
a smile crossed her face. “Hi, Joe. How’s everything
going?”
“Oh, hi.” Joe sounded disconcerted. “How’re you
doing?”
“Fine. What’s wrong?”
“Um . . . Nothing. It’s snowing.”
“I know. Anything going on that I should know
about?”
“No, not a thing,” Joe said rather hastily. “Except
that before it started to snow so hard, FedEx delivered
a crate containing a hundred whoopee cushions.
Where do you want me to store them?”
“Whoopee cushions?” Judith was perplexed. “I
didn’t order any. Why would I? It must be a mistake.
Call them and have them returned when FedEx can get
back up the hill, okay?”
“Sure,” Joe said. “I wondered what they were for. I
thought maybe a guest had ordered them to be sent
here.”
“How are the guests? Did they get in all right?”
“Yes. All the rooms are occupied.”
“They are?” Judith was surprised. “We only had four
reservations as of Monday morning.”
“The airport’s closed,” Joe said. “Some people got
stranded. Which, if the planes don’t start flying tomorrow, means we’ll be overbooked for Wednesday.”
“Oh. That is a problem.” Judith thought for a
minute. “Arlene has the B&B association number.
She can call them to help out.”
“Okay.”
“Nothing else to report?”
Joe hesitated. “Not really.”
SUTURE SELF
135
“You’re a bad liar, Joe.”
He sighed. “One of the couples who got stuck at the
airport have a pet snake.”
Judith gasped. “No! Pets aren’t allowed. You know
that; Arlene knows that.”
“Nobody told Arlene about the snake,” Joe replied,
on the defensive. “I didn’t know anything about it until
they got here.”
“What kind of snake?” Judith asked, still upset.
“A boa constrictor.” Joe paused again. “I think.”
“You think? ” Judith threw a glance at Renie, whose
ears had pricked up.
“I haven’t seen it,” Joe said. “Nobody has. I mean,
not since the Pettigrews arrived.”
“You mean the snake is loose? ” Judith asked in horror.
“I’m afraid so. His name is Ernest,” Joe added.
“Oh, good grief!” Judith twisted around so far in the
bed that she felt a sharp pain course through her left
side. “How are the other guests taking it?” she asked,
trying to calm down.
“Not real well,” Joe replied. “Of course they can’t
go anywhere else because of the snow. You know
how impassable the hill is in this kind of weather.
Anyway, the Pettigrews insist he isn’t dangerous.”
“They better be right,” Judith said through gritted
teeth. “Why couldn’t the Pettigrews leave Ernest at the
airport?”
“They say he has a very nervous disposition,” Joe
explained. “Ernest suffers from anxiety attacks.
When he has one, they have to put a paper bag over
his head. A small paper bag, of course.”
“Of course.” It was Judith’s turn to heave a big sigh.
“Okay, I guess I can’t worry about it. But I will. I
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Mary Daheim
wanted to ask if you could find out from Woody what
the police are doing about this situation with the three
hospital deaths. Could you check in with him
tomorrow?”
“I already did,” Joe replied. “They’re not doing anything.”
“What?” Judith shot Renie an incredulous look.
“Woody said there’s no official investigation,” Joe
said. “The county isn’t doing much either, according to
him.”
“That’s unbelievable,” Judith declared.
“I agree,” said Joe.
“It’s also highly suspicious,” Judith added.
“Yes.” Joe suddenly became very serious. “I
wouldn’t get mixed up in this if I were you. I mean it.”
Judith drew in a sharp breath. “Yes.”
“Yes what?” Joe said.
“Get mixed up. In this.” Judith winced.
“Something’s not right,” Joe said, “but it’s not up to
you to find out.”
“No,” said Judith.
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
After Judith hung up the phone, she gazed at Renie.
“We are in danger.”
“Yes,” said Renie, and took a big bite out of another
biscuit. “Ith thapend befwo.”
Judith nodded. She knew it had happened before,
but the thought didn’t make her feel any better.
NINE
“WHAT ELSE AM I supposed to do while I’m lying
here like a big lump?” Judith demanded. “At least I
can speculate.”
“Which, being in a helpless condition, you figure
is a harmless pastime,” Renie replied, finally finishing her meal and starting to clean up the mess.
“Meanwhile, I get to drag my battered body around