"Ah, but she…well, she did miss those three meetings in September," Carol Stevens said."She called you, right, Eleanor?She said she wasn't feeling well and needed some time away from social activities."
“That’s right,” Eleanor said.
"But when she came back in October, she seemed more engaged than ever," Patricia Dunham added."She had prepared extensive notes for our discussion ofThe ABC Murders, and she seemed almost relieved to be back with the group."
"I was so glad when she returned," Jennifer said, her voice becoming emotional again."I had been worried that maybe she was thinking about leaving the group entirely."
Kate absorbed this information, building a picture of Margaret as someone who approached the book club with the same methodical precision she had probably brought to her career as a librarian—someone who cared deeply about creating the perfect environment for literary discussion.
"It sounds like Margaret's death is a real loss for the group's dynamic," Kate observed.
"We'll never be the same without her," Jennifer said, fresh tears appearing in her eyes."Margaret brought a level of scholarship that none of us can replace."
David Fletcher shifted in his chair again, and Kate wondered if he was uncomfortable with Jennifer's dramatic grief or with something else entirely.His nervousness seemed disproportionate to the situation, unless he was simply unused to being the only man in a room full of emotional women.She almost felt sorry for him.
"David, how are you handling this loss?"Eleanor asked.“You seem uneasy.”
“Is it because of me?”Kate asked, playing her part.“I can leave if I’m making it—”
“No, not at all,” Fletcher said."It's… well, it’s very sad, of course.Margaret was a valued member of our group.Her knowledge of classic mystery writers was really impressive.And aside from that, just her as aperson…I’m going to miss her."
Kate noted that David's response was more reserved than the emotional outpouring from Jennifer, but that could simply reflect different grieving styles or comfort levels with expressing emotion in a group setting.
"I keep thinking about the last thing Margaret said to me," Jennifer said suddenly."She called me on Sunday to discuss a book recommendation, and she sounded so excited about tomorrow's meeting.She had all these questions prepared aboutMurder on the Orient Express, and she was looking forward to discussing Christie's use of multiple perspectives."
“Wait… Margaret called you on Sunday?"Elanor asked.
"Yes, around dinnertime.She wanted to know if I'd ever readDeath Comes as the End, because she thought I might enjoy Christie's historical mystery.We talked for about twenty minutes about different Christie novels and which ones we thought were underrated."
This information created a clearer timeline for Kate.Margaret had been actively engaged with book club preparations and discussions just two days before her death, suggesting her murder hadn't been preceded by any withdrawal from the group or indication that she felt threatened.
"It's comforting to know that Margaret's last days were filled with the literature she loved so much," Eleanor said softly.
As the evening continued, Kate listened carefully to the stories and memories shared by each member.She noted that despite their collective grief, there were subtle tensions within the group.Jennifer's emotional displays seemed to irritate Sandra Morrison, while Patricia Dunham's attempts to claim close friendship with Margaret appeared to ring false to some of the longer-term members.
Most significantly, Kate realized that not one person had mentioned Margaret's cancer diagnosis.Either Harold had been completely accurate about their decision to keep the diagnosis private, or Margaret had confided in someone who was now concealing that information.As the meeting wound down around nine o'clock, Kate thanked Eleanor for including her and expressed interest in attending future meetings.She hated to play the part so thick; she almost felt like she was exploiting these women.Still, she exchanged contact information with several members and promised to let Eleanor know when she had finalized her moving plans.
And as the night wound down, she started to understand these women.They were close but, when faced with such staunch emotion, were a bit reserved.And it made her wonder if some of them might be suspicious of their fellow club members.
Kate needed to find out if that was the case, because she could be misreading the situation.But if shewasright, then she’d very likely spent an evening in the same room as Margaret’s killer.
CHAPTER NINE
As the formal discussion wound down, Kate noticed that several members were gathering their purses and saying their goodbyes, while others chose to linger.David Fletcher was among the first to leave, offering polite condolences to Eleanor and mentioning an early morning at work.He made a point to shake Kate’s hand and thank her for coming by, stating that he hoped she decided to join them.Jennifer Haynes followed shortly after, still dabbing at her eyes with tissues and promising to call Eleanor if she needed anything during this difficult time.
"Kate, please stay for some coffee and dessert," Eleanor said as she began clearing coffee cups from the circle of chairs."A few of us usually hang around after meetings to chat, and I'd love for you to get a better sense of how we normally interact when we're not dealing with such sad circumstances."
Kate accepted the invitation gratefully, secretly pleased that Eleanor had thought of this creative way to have her hang behind and learn more.Sandra Morrison was already in the kitchen, arranging slices of what appeared to be apple pie on small plates while Carol Stevens helped Eleanor reset the living room furniture to its normal configuration.
"I brought the pie," Sandra said as Kate joined her in the kitchen."It's my grandmother's recipe.I've been making it for book club gatherings for probably fifteen years now."
"It smells wonderful," Kate said, accepting a plate and fork."I imagine you've seen a lot of changes in the group over that time."
Sandra's expression tightened slightly as she continued serving pie."Oh yes, quite a few changes.Some for the better, some..." She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully."Well, let's just say that maintaining the quality and focus of our discussions has become more challenging as we've grown."
Kate settled at Eleanor's kitchen table with her pie, noting that Sandra's tone carried an edge of frustration."How so?"
"When Eleanor and I started this group twenty-two years ago, we had very specific goals," Sandra said, sitting across from Kate with her own slice."We wanted serious literary discussion, members who came prepared and engaged thoughtfully with the material.We carefully selected books that would challenge us intellectually.Every now and then we try to have fun; we'll throw in a Stephen King or Sue Grafton, you know?But it always comes back to more serious literary discussions."
