Summer Garden Murder by Ann Ripley Page B

admit,” said Martha, giving them a fleeting look. Though of course she wanted to help her mother bail out of this funk she was in, she was not totally sympathetic. She knew no man would intimidate her the way this jerk had intimidated her mother. Martha was tougher than that. Her mother was always looking into the fate of every sparrow, anguishing over friends in trouble and obsessing about the future of her career as a TV garden show host. Martha was different, and she was glad. Both she and Jim looked at the bigger picture, at the plight of cities and counties, even nations.
    Her thoughts suddenly returned to the birds. “You know what they make me think of? Voters going to the polls.”
    Her mother laughed. “Do people go to the polls in such an orderly fashion?” She turned a little in her seat and looked at Martha. “You’re working for Jim, aren’t you?”
    â€œOf course,” said Martha. “What would you expect? We’ve been engaged for months now; we just haven’t bothered with a ring because there were lots more important things to do.” She added proudly, “Jim’s a great candidate. He’d probably make it without my help, but I want to be there by his side.”
    â€œThat will make it hard to keep up with your classes.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œSo you’re dropping them?”
    Martha looked at her mother. She was making this almost too easy. “Just for the fall quarter.”
    â€œThat makes sense. What happens if he wins? Doesn’t a politician need a wife?”
    Martha’s jaw dropped. Was she this transparent, or did her mother have telepathic powers? “He could use one to good advantage. And of course I love him terribly. You already know that.”
    â€œWhere do you want the wedding, and when?”
    Martha reached over and grabbed her mother’s well-tanned hand. Maybe it was because of the surprise of her touch, but Martha could feel the slight tremble in the fingers. She clasped it even tighter. “Did I ever tell you you were great? The wedding? Soon, Ma. Low-key. And wherever you think. Here in Washington?”
    They received a long look from her sister Janie in the front seat. Had she heard? No, her younger sister couldn’t hear over the music that was playing up there, but she knew something important was going on in the backseat.
    Her mother said, “I bet you’d rather have it in Chicago where all your political and college friends are.”
    â€œYes, but you and Dad have first choice,” said Martha.
    Her mother looked deeply into her daughter’s eyes. “My dear, we’ll do what’s easiest and best for you. It’s your life that has to be accommodated.”
    They rode on in silence for a while. Then Martha stirred and said, “I’m curious. How long did you guess that this was our plan?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know. From the moment you arrived here. You had the look of a woman who had her life all figured out.” A nod of approval brought a broad smile from Martha. “I’d say that’s pretty good for a twenty-year-old.”
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    At five, the Eldridge car pulled into the family driveway. They stepped from the coolness of the car into the high-nineties heat and stood amidst the pile of luggage and bags of groceries they’d stopped to get at the Belleview Market. Louise strayed for a moment to the edge of the property to look with pleasure at her front garden bed, prospering despite the heat with speckled toad lilies, daylilies in pale rose and mahonia heavy with clusters of blueberries. Her neighbor Sam had done a good job of keeping everything watered.
    In the traditional family fashion, Bill began to hand out suitcases and bags to each of them. They had their hands full by the time the neighbors closed in.
    Louise was happy to see Mary and Richard Mougey come through the moon gate and stroll slowly up the driveway, but