Shaded Light: The Case of the Tactless Trophy Wife: A Paul Manziuk and Jacquie Ryan Mystery (The Manziuk and Ryan Mysteries Book 1) by J. A. Menzies Page A

splashes of vivid red, a woman stood in front of a stone fireplace and stared intently at the single picture on the mantel. A blond, blue-eyed child stared back at her, his face captured permanently in a sweet boyish grin.
    But the woman’s face bore no sign of an answering smile. Her red mouth was set in a hard line, and her gray eyes were cold and grim.
    She turned away and paced the room for a bit, her feet in their sensible low heels sinking into the taupe carpet, her hands restlessly clenched at the sides of her expensive charcoal suit, man-tailored, relieved only by white ruffles at the neck of the silk blouse and rubies on the lapel and in her ears. She stopped pacing and stepped close to a mirror framed in oak. For a long moment she stared intently at her face. Not bad, she thought. In another year she’d be forty, but she looked five years younger. A bit hard, maybe, but what could you expect? She’d had to make it up every rung by her own sweat.
    So she hadn’t had it soft. So what? She was a fighter, wasn’t she? She’d scratched and shoved to get where she was, and she wasn’t going to lose what she had gained. Not one tiny bit! No, she would never give in. Not if it took all the strength she had.
    She turned again, forcefully, and strode over to the low table where she kept her phone. Earlier, when she’d made her plans, she’d memorized the number. Now, jaw clenched, she flipped back the short, coal-black hair expertly cut forward on one side, back on the other, and picked up the receiver to dial. She knew exactly what to say.
    “Hello, Ellen, darling? It’s Hildy Reimer, from the horticulture club. Listen, Ellen, I’ve a big favor to ask you. I don’t want to be any trouble, but the truth is I’ve got painters coming and I can’t stay in my apartment this weekend. Stephen is going to a friend’s house and I had made plans to be away, but my plans have fallen through. I could go to a hotel of course, but that’s sort of depressing. I wondered, well, I remembered your telling me about all the room you had in your home, and it would be so nice to see those gardens I’ve heard about… Oh, thank you, Ellen. That’s so sweet of you. Now, you’re sure you don’t mind?… All right. I’ll be over this evening… No, I wouldn’t dream of intruding on your dinner. I’ll come later. Thanks so much. You’re really a lifesaver.”
    Hildy hung up the receiver, then rubbed white knuckles. There had always been a chance it wouldn’t work. But it had. Poor Ellen, always trying to please. Hildy smiled wryly as she glanced at her recently wallpapered living room walls before shrugging and going to her bedroom to pack.
    But before she could start, the phone rang. A child’s voice was on the line.
    “Stephen, I told you not to call.… No, of course not. Nothing’s wrong. I just thought I’d be away by now. I’m going someplace this weekend.… Yes, you’re to stay with Aunt Susan. I’m going to a place kids aren’t allowed. It wouldn’t be any fun for you. You’ll have a good time playing with Diana.… No, I can’t give you a number. I’ll call to see how you’re doing. Just stay with Aunt Susan. And Stephen, don’t go out of the yard unless Aunt Susan or Uncle Art takes you. And for heaven’s sake don’t go anyplace with anyone else! Do you hear me? Nobody, not even if a policeman comes to tell you I’m hurt. Just run inside and tell your aunt. Do you understand?… Good. I’ll see you Monday night. Is Aunt Susan there?… Let me talk to her now. Bye, Stephen. Stephen? I love you.
    “Susan?… Yes, I’m just going.… I’ll call you Sunday if I can. Keep a close eye on him. Don’t let him outside alone. I’ll try to settle things.… Don’t worry.”
    She hung up the phone and stared into space for a moment. Then she pulled open the top drawer of her nightstand and took out a small revolver. After carefully burying it in her purse, she pulled a suitcase out of the back of her