Grime and Punishment

grade?“
    “No, I think they may have moved to Cleveland.“
    “Same thing. There are armies of kids through here all the time, but very few since last week because of school starting. Besides, they’re in the kitchen pillaging the refrigerator or in the living room with the video games when they visit. None of the kids’ friends would be caught dead in the basement family room.“
    “Not wishing to speak ill of the dead—Jane, now that Steve’s gone, why don’t you give up calling that a ‘family room’ and just refer to it as the dank, hideous cave it is?“
    “Steve worked so hard on it—“
    “Yes, and if he’d been a carpenter or electrician—or better yet, a foundation specialist—instead of a pharmacist, it might have turned out nicely. But that’s beside the point. You feel certain it wasn’t a kid who got into the desk drawer?“
    “Shelley, it seemed too—I don’t know how to put it—too cunning and careful to be the act of a kid. Someone looked for a good tool without any obvious rummaging in the center drawer. And they didn’t root around violently in the other drawer either. The disturbance was subtle; I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been suspicious to begin with because the lock was wrong. It’s like with your pearls. Somebody seemed to know exactly where to go without messing anything else up.“
    “Bad subject.“
    “I know you can’t talk about it at your end. I was just mentioning it.”
    Shelley went on as if jewelry had never been mentioned. “Well, I think you’ve pretty well cleared all the other possible suspects, unless you’ve had any service people in lately. Had anything repaired in the basement?“
    “Nobody.“
    “Then I think you’re stuck with assuming it was Edith.“
    “But why? She didn’t steal anything.”
    “Maybe she was just checking out what there was to steal later on, when you’re used to her being around.“
    “I don’t know—I’m reluctant to believe badly of her. But I think I’m going to fire her anyway, because she depresses the hell out of me.“
    “Don’t worry, Jane. There are plenty of people who will be delighted to sign up for her. Her customers speak so highly of her.“
    “Not everybody.“ Jane repeated Dorothy Wallenberg’s remarks.
    “That’s funny. Dorothy’s not real fussy. I dropped an earring between her sofa cushions at a party once, and when I reached down, I found an Easter egg. It was a Christmas party. I wouldn’t think she’d demand perfection. Do you know what? I think we’ve both gone a little nutty because of the murder. A week ago we’d have never had a conversation this long over something so trivial.“
    “Who are you trying to kid? We once spent a whole hour analyzing Mary Ellen Revere’s makeup. Remember?”
    Shelley laughed. “Paul’s through with his calls. Gotta go—whhh—I’ll think of you over my shrimp salad and raspberry torte.“
    “What kind of thing is that to say to a friend who’s planning hot dogs and baked beans for dinner?”
    When she’d hung up, Jane went to the window and looked out at Shelley’s house. The red MG was there again. Poor Detective VanDynehe was probably bored and hungry. Maybe she could make a decent dinner and invite him over. She glanced in the refrigerator. There were possibilities there. But as she closed the door, she caught sight of her reflection in the microwave door.
    “Katie!“ she called up the stairs. “Buy me some of those fingernails while you’re out, would you? And some mascara and blusher...”

Nine

    Jane had planned to spend a quiet evening with the kids, but it didn’t work out that way. Todd got an invitation to spend the night with Elliot Wallenberg, an invitation he was dying to accept because of Elliot’s new toys from his birthday earlier in the week. Katie was asked to sleep over with Jenny after their shopping trip. Jenny, a chunky girl who ate like part of a starving nation, had spent the night with the Jeffrys a half dozen times over the summer, and Jane felt it would help even the score.
    Mike’s marching band was playing at the first football game of the season. Both the musicians and the athletes had been practicing since weeks before school started and were chomping at the bit. He was going out for pizza afterwards with a friend whose parents had rashly bought him a car for his birthday. Mike was making noises as if he was expecting the same bounty to befall him. Jane had tried to make him