Until Dark - Mariah Stewart [67]
Alice opened the cupboard door and reached for a pale pink glass sherbet dish. Kendra, wide-eyed, turned to give Adam a questioning look, which he pretended not to notice.
“We don’t have to divvy up the McGovern heirlooms today, Gran,” Adam teased. “Besides, it’s almost three. We need to get moving along here.”
He pulled the curtain back from the window.
“The wedding guests are already arriving,” he pointed out. “I saw Mrs. Dowell and Mrs. Eberly.”
“Oh, well, then, let’s do get moving.” She closed the china cupboard door. Her step was spry as she went into the hallway in search of her handbag, with the cane, apparently forgotten, tucked under one arm. “Come along, Adam, you’ll have to help me down the steps, but I dare say I’ll be fine from there.”
The home of Kelly and Scott Lister, Adam’s sister and brother-in-law, was a short walk away, though the uneven sidewalk required a bit of care on the part of Alice McGovern and therefore the walk took a few minutes longer than it might otherwise. Adam’s sister’s bungalow was similar in design and construction to that of their grandmother’s. Today the house was decorated, from the front porch straight through to the backyard, with white and yellow streamers, white crepe paper wedding bells, and white and yellow balloons. A yellow-and-white-frosted cake sat on the dining room sideboard next to a stack of white paper plates adorned with yellow roses. Bowls and vases of yellow roses abounded.
“I take it Clare is fond of yellow,” Kendra noted.
“Apparently,” Adam said out of the corner of his mouth as they made their way through the dining room to the kitchen, where his father nervously peered through the curtain that hung on the window over the sink, giving him a clear view into the backyard.
“Adam!” his father exclaimed, putting down the water he’d been drinking from a clear plastic cup to embrace his son. “Just in time! I told Kelly you’d be here on time!”
Frank Stark was a full head shorter than his son and outweighed him by a good thirty pounds. His light brown hair had thinned over the years until he was almost bald on the top and front of his head. He wore wire-framed glasses, a crisp white shirt, and dark navy suit. Looking at him, Kendra could see Adam in twenty-five years, less the paunch.
“I was afraid you’d be too busy down there with that Super-mom Strangler to stand for your old man.”
“I’d never be too busy to stand for you, Dad.” Adam hugged his father, then leaned forward to whisper, “Er, Dad, Gran thinks I have a desk job, and actually, I think they’re calling him the Soccer Mom Strangler.”
“She thinks you . . .” Frank stepped back, frowning.
“She was worried about me getting shot, like the FBI agents do on TV sometimes, so when she asked me if I couldn’t ask for a desk job, I said sure.”
“But this new serial killer down there in the southern part of the state, you’re working on that?”
Adam nodded and accepted a hug from his sister, who greeted him with a peck on the cheek before introducing herself to Kendra.
“Wow, you are pretty. Adam didn’t exaggerate. Love that shade of lavender, it’s perfect with your hair.” Kelly nodded. “You know, the whole family’s just dying to meet you.”
“They are?” asked Kendra. “Why?”
“Oh, you know.” Kelly nudged her with an elbow. “Everyone’s curious.”
“About what?” Kendra frowned.
“Ah, I think the bride is here.” Adam tapped Kelly on the shoulder. “How ’bout if I take Gran out to the garden and seat her, and try to get everyone else seated as well?”
“Good idea. I see Father Patrick has just arrived.” Kelly paused at the back door. “Doesn’t the yard look beautiful? We planted a dozen new rosebushes just so Dad and Clare could have their rose garden wedding.”
“You did a wonderful job, sweetheart.” Adam kissed his younger sister on the temple. “The arbor looks spectacular. And the house looks great.”
“Thanks, Adam.” Kelly beamed, then snapped to. “Okay. Take Gran out. You might want to take Kendra out, too. Where’s Uncle Joe? And the kids . . . where are the kids? Alex? Melanie?”
Kelly hustled herself out