They separated, and after Sara returned, they met in the driveway. They were taking the MINI across Fort Lauderdale to Aventura on the far east side. Sara got in back.
“Because you’re the only one who can fit in there,” Jack said.
“I get MINI jokes from the guy who loves that zero to sixty in nanoseconds?”
Kate raised her eyebrows in question.
“The mighty MINI does have a bit of speed.” He raised the door to the trunk. Beside the picnic basket was a big box with the name of Sara’s publishing house on it. “A gift for Mrs. Ellerbee and her friends.”
“How nice of Sara.”
“It was totally my idea,” Jack said.
Kate got in the passenger side, then watched Jack limp forward along the side of the car and get in behind the wheel. “When does that come off?”
“Three weeks and two days,” he and Sara said in unison.
As Jack drove out of the driveway, he said to Kate, “If you can bear talking about anything but murder, I’d like to say that Ivy and I are working on a design for Cheryl’s house.”
“Tell her the rest of it,” Sara said.
“I’m thinking about moving into the house when it’s done. I can’t keep living in someone else’s place.”
“Me, neither,” Kate said. Her beautiful apartment in Sara’s house went through her mind. “Maybe I’ll buy one of the other houses.”
“Me, too.” Sara’s tone made them laugh. It sounded like she was saying, “If you two are leaving, I’m going with you.”
Jack didn’t take any of the highways that crisscrossed Fort Lauderdale.
Instead, he used the roads with traffic lights to show Kate the big, beautiful city: wide, clean streets, enormous stores and businesses.
“Whatever you want, we have it here,” Jack said with pride.
The nursing home was beautiful. One-and two-story buildings spread out over acres of manicured lawns. They parked and made their way toward the entrance.
“It’s like a paradise.” Kate admired a plant with big red flowers.
The main building had a two-story entrance with a desk to the right and hallways leading off in three directions. They went through the glass doors, but no one was in sight.
“Hello?” Sara called, but no one answered. “They should have a bell to ring.”
There were cameras in three of the corners of the room and Jack waved at them.
Kate was looking at the papers on the desk.
“I’ll get someone.” Jack started off on his crutches.
“I’ll go,” Kate said. “You’ll take too long.”
Just as she turned down a hall, a woman wearing a white uniform entered. She had cake crumbs on her prodigious chest. Her name badge said Peggy Baker.
“I was...” She didn’t finish her sentence. “Who was it you wanted to see?” The instant they gave Mary’s name, her face fell. “I’m so, so sorry, but...Mary died just this morning. I’ll call the director.”
“No, please.” Sara’s voice sounded of tears. “Not yet. Tell us about her. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her. What was she like when she lived here? Who were her friends?”
“Mary was here for eighteen years and she wasverypopular. Her mind was always sharp. She used to make us laugh all the time.”
“Did Mary ever mention a woman named Verna?” Sara asked.
