The Diva Wore Diamonds Read Online Free PDF

they weren’t having any kids,” said Elaine Hixon.
    “ Because Wormy’s her cousin,” added Bev.
    “ Eeew,” said Tiff, from the back row of the alto section.
    “ Wormy told me he was incontinent,” said Mark Wells. “No…that’s not right. Impudent . He said he was ‘impudent.’ Something about volunteering for medical experiments down in South Carolina.”
    “ Guess he’s not impudent no more,” said Varmit Lemieux. Varmit was married to Muffy Lemieux. They both worked out at Blueridge Furs, Varmit as foreman and Muffy as secretary. Muffy had a good voice, but couldn’t manage to get that Loretta Lynn twang out of her country soprano. Varmit came to choir practice to keep an eye on Muffy, as did most of the rest of the basses. Muffy was a redhead of singular comeliness and since the calendar had rolled over into June, had exchanged her signature tight angora sweaters, in various pastel shades, for her summer look: tight short-sleeved angora sweaters in various pastel shades.
    “ How old is Noylene, anyway?” asked Elaine.
    “ Forty, I think,” said Phil.
    “ Not that it’s any of our business,” Meg added demurely.
    “ Well, I’m sure she and Wormy are very happy about it,” said Bev.
    “ Yes,” I said. “They’re very happy. Now let’s look at the Psalm for Celebration Sunday. It’s in the back of your folders.”
    “ Have you met the new Christian education director?” asked Steve DeMoss.
    “ She prefers to be called the Christian formation director,” said Bev. “It’s the new church-speak buzzword.”
    “ Yes, I’ve met her,” I said. “Kimberly Walnut.”
    “ And?” said Steve.
    “ She seems uncharacteristically qualified,” I said. “Brilliantly so.”
    Bev jumped in. “And while we’re on the subject, I’m supposed to make an announcement. We need to enlist volunteers to help out with the Bible School program the week after our celebration. It’ll take place in the late afternoons behind the church in the garden. It’ll be fun!”
    “ But more about that after rehearsal,” I said. “The Psalm…”
    “ Where’s our detective story?” asked Muffy. “You promised.”
    “ It’s on the back of the Psalm,” I said, my shoulders slumping. “But you can read it later. Could we maybe sing a bit?”
    “ Well, what are we waiting for?” barked Elaine. “Get cracking! We’re not here for our health, you know!”

    •••

    By the time Meg and I arrived home, it was close to nine in the evening. Too late for a big meal, but on Thursdays we always had a late lunch at the Bear and Brew and then had a snack when we came in from choir practice. A snack followed by a drink. Sometimes two, depending on the rehearsal.
    Meg always arrived home first. We were in separate vehicles anyway, and I had to lock up the courthouse where we’d been holding choir rehearsals. While Meg rooted around in the fridge, I fed Baxter, put a dead baby squirrel outside on the window sill for Archimedes, and wandered into the den to put on some Mozart to cleanse my aural palate. Symphony 39 in D Major. The majestic introduction with accompanying brass fanfares filled the house, and I sat down at the typewriter.
    Meg came in a few minutes later with a braunsweiger and onion sandwich on toasted Russian black bread and a cold bottle of Ommegang Abbey Ale. She set the plate on the side of the desk.
    “ Sorry,” she said, with an apologetic kiss. “We’re out of Old Thumper.”
    “ Old Thumper is good,” I said, “but this is the perfect beer to drink with a braunsweiger and onion sandwich on the first day of June.”
    She settled onto the couch, first setting her glass of red wine on the coffee table in front of her, then cradling her plate in her lap and tucking her legs beneath her on the soft leather cushions. “I called Noylene on the way home. She’s pregnant, all right.”
    “ I take it that this is a surprise?”
    “ Oh, yes,” said Meg. “When they got married, both she