The Passover Murder Read Online Free PDF Page B

anything, I’ll let you know.”
    “If it’s all right with both of you, I’d like to start with your mother, because you and she are the moving force here.”
    “Sure it’s all right with me. I’ll call Mom as soon as I get off the phone and see what I can arrange. If she’s not tied up, I’ll get her out here this afternoon.”
    “Whatever’s convenient for her, Mel. There’s no rush. All we’re trying to do here is lay some ghosts to rest.”
    “OK. Anything else?”
    “Yes, something very important. Someone will have to give me the address where the body was found. That’s the precinct that handled the homicide, and it’s just possible that the detectives on the case are still around.”
    “Mom may remember. I went back to school before she was found, and almost everything I know after the seder is what my mother told me.”
    “OK. I have straightening up to do. Give me a call when you’ve got something.”
    “You bet.”
    It goes without saying that Jack thought I was crazy. But like the good detective he is, his interest was piqued by the story, especially since it was an NYPD case. There would be a file on it that would tell me who had been interviewed, what the medical findings were, what suspects, if any, had been questioned. While the family’s recollections may have changed over the years, the documents in the file would not. Cross-checking would let me know who was most believable, if stories varied from one family member to another.
    But I wanted to start with Marilyn Margulies because she was willing and eager and because I liked and trusted her. I didn’t have long to wait. Mel called back so soon after our conversation that I had scarcely begun my cleanup.
    “Chris? You available for lunch? Mom’s ready.”
    “Lunch sounds great. Give me a time and I’ll be there.”
    “Let’s say twelve-thirty. I have to run out and shop and throw something together.”
    “I’ll be there.”
    “Don’t dress. I know Mom is a bit intimidating, but keep your jeans on.”
    I laughed. “I don’t think of her as intimidating, but she does always look as though she’s on her way to somewhere special.”
    “She is. Anywhere she goes is special. That’s how she looks at life.”
    I thought it was a pretty good way to look at life, but I agreed to keep my jeans on. But just because I thought Marilyn Margulies was pretty special, I put on a new cotton knit sweater from my favorite catalog before locking up the house and walking down the street.
    “How did you like our seder?” Mrs. Margulies said after we had kissed.
    “It was wonderful, especially since Jack was mistaken for Elijah.”
    “Well, we’re not likely to forget that very soon. Come, let’s have lunch so we can start our conversation.”
    We went into the kitchen, where Mel had made the table look festive. She had platters with salads, slices of smoked salmon, and some wonderful breads. Linen napkins and crystal wineglasses made it look like the feast I knew it would be.
    “Wine, Mel?” I said. “I’ll fall asleep taking notes.”
    “You always threaten, but you never do. A glass won’t hurt, and Hal just bought a case of this. It’s a burgundy and he thinks it’s wonderful. Sit down.”
    We did and she poured. “Marvelous,” her mother said. “Oh, Mel, this is wonderful. Tell Hal to get a case for us. Daddy will love it.”
    I had to admit that I liked it myself, my palate, dormant for so many years, finally awakening to the good tastes in life. We spent a pleasant half hour eating and talking about ourselves and our families, leaving the topic of the day for later. Finally, a little after one, we retired to the family room to begin.
    “I’d like to ask you about your father,” I said, settling in a chair.
    “What can I say? There’s nothing good, but he’s bearing up very well. He’s known about this for a while, but he didn’t want to worry us. That’s the way he’s always been.”
    “Where does he live?” I