New Year's Eve Murder by Lee Harris Page B

much smaller house than the Starks’. It took a turn around the block before I found an empty space, and then a brisk walk in the cold took me to her house. The tiny patch of grass in front of it had long ago been replaced with concrete, which had lifted unevenly over the years, probably because of the roots of the single tree planted there. I went up the front walk and rang the bell.
    â€œYou must be Miss Bennett. Come in.”
    â€œThank you. Please call me Chris. It’s nice and warm in here.”
    â€œIt’s an old house, built like a fortress. Let me have your coat.”
    Mrs. Halliday wasn’t what I expected. She was tall and fairly slim, wearing dark brown pants, a white blouse, and a tan suede vest. Her hair was cut short and was still in a state of flux, turning from dark to gray in a very attractive way. There was nothing “little” or “old” abouther. I could imagine this woman having a job or catching the eye of a good-looking man.
    â€œLunch is on the table,” she said, gesturing toward the kitchen. “I’m surprised to see you alone. I thought I’d have the pleasure of a baby’s company.”
    I think I blushed a little. “I left him with his father. I’m not sure who’s more nervous.”
    She smiled. “By the time you get home, no one will be nervous any more.”
    I liked her. The smile was genuine, the voice sincere. If she’d been my teacher when I was ten, I would have wanted to keep her forever as Susan had.
    We sat down at the kitchen table where two salads were waiting for us. Each was garnished with half a hard-boiled egg, slices of cucumber, and some lettuce that wasn’t iceberg. An array of salad dressings was clustered on the table and we each picked a different one.
    â€œWhere do you want me to begin?” my hostess asked, after offering me a choice of soft drinks.
    â€œHow did your friendship with Susan start?”
    â€œShe was my pupil when she was ten or eleven and I was correspondingly younger. She was a child of talent and depth and had great inner beauty. She was a little withdrawn perhaps, but with much inside that was trying to get out. She may have been overwhelmed by her parents, who are go-getters in their own right. Not that they neglected her; they didn’t. She was brought up in a house full of love and has developed into a spectacular young woman.”
    â€œDo you know about her relationship with Kevin Angstrom?”
    â€œOh yes. We’ve talked about him.”
    â€œI haven’t met her father,” I said. “Do you know anything about him?”
    â€œI probably haven’t seen him since Susan was a pupilof mine. She’s very fond of him. I think he’s a good man.”
    â€œAnd Mrs. Stark?”
    â€œI talk to her from time to time. I think she’s a good mother and a good person.”
    This was a woman of firm beliefs but I couldn’t judge how accurate her appraisals were. Much of what she thought about Susan’s parents could be a reflection of Susan’s own feelings. I thought it was interesting that she had expressed no opinion whatever about Kevin, only admitting she knew about him.
    â€œHow often do you and Susan get together?” I asked.
    â€œVery irregularly. I think Susan feels I’m a lonely, retired schoolteacher, but she’s only half right. I retired a few years ago for a number of reasons we don’t have to go into, and I work at another job a few days a week. I’m far from lonely, but I appreciate Susan’s concern and I love seeing her. Whenever she drops by, I’m happy.”
    â€œDo you have a family, Mrs. Halliday?”
    â€œI do. I was married years ago, widowed, but left with one daughter. I have no complaints.”
    â€œYou said on the phone that you might be able to help me find Susan. I’d be very grateful for anything you can tell me.”
    â€œI had second thoughts after