12th of Never (Women's Murder Club 12)

Martha careened around the corner, jumped up against me, and would’ve knocked me down but for my baby weight keeping me anchored.

Girly laughter came from the living room.

What was this?

I followed Martha around the bend and saw that the Women’s Murder Club was loosely arrayed around the room. Claire danced Julie on her thighs and held her up for me to see. Couldn’t help but notice that the baby had a pink gift bow stuck to the top of her head.

“Heyyy,” Claire said. “Look who I’ve got.”

“Heyyy,” I said back. “Give her to me.”

I grinned at my baby and at the same time noted Claire’s slurred greeting and lazy laughter, the open bottles of wine and empty glasses on the coffee table. A party had started without me.

Joe was on his feet and coming toward me with open arms. He kissed me and asked, “What can I get you?”

I tipped my chin toward Claire, said, “I want what she’s having.”

Yuki’s laughter is one of the most adorable sounds I’ve ever heard. If laughter were a flower, Yuki’s laugh would have to be called merry bells.

Julie was laughing, too, as Claire flew her over to me. I said, “Hang on a sec.”

I removed my jacket and gun, then took Julie into my arms. And still she didn’t cry.

“Aren’t you the little party girl?” I said.

/> I sat down, kicked off my shoes, and smooched my pretty baby as Cindy brought over cheese and crackers and Joe put a glass of Merlot on the lamp table.

“So,” Cindy said, sitting so close to me on the sofa she was almost in my lap. “How was your first day back at work?”

My reporter girlfriend was interviewing me. We all just cracked up, Cindy saying, “What? What?”

I said, “It was a long twelve hours.”

“We brought presents,” said Yuki.

Gifts were on the coffee table and Joe took Julie so that I could open the sixteen-flavor margarita kit from Yuki, a stack of Monster Proof pajamas from Cindy, and a pair of Giants tickets from Claire. Front-row seats!

My postpartum party was great, but after I slugged down my wine, I began to fade.

Claire clapped her hands and said, “Time to go, girlfriends. Lindsay, we’re making Morales an honorary member of the club, summer pass only. Come with us to Susie’s?”

“Me? Thanks, but I’m a dead mom walking.”

Everyone laughed and I hugged them good-bye at the door, shouting after them, “Claire, let Cindy drive.” I took Julie back from Joe, and what do you know? As soon as the girls were gone, Party Girl started to cry.

“Aww, sweetie.”

I sank into Joe’s armchair and patted Julie’s back as Joe cooked dinner and then put the baby to bed.

He kissed me, sweaty as I was, and he said, “Why don’t you hit the rain box?”

When I returned from my shower smelling like lavender, wearing blue pj’s, barefoot, and with my hair up in a ponytail, linguine marinara was on the table and Louie Armstrong was on the Bose.

“Tell me about your day,” said my wonderful Joe.

Chapter 42

AFTER THE MEETING at Fenn & Tarbox, Rich Conklin had stood on Battery Street with Brady and Lindsay, their collars up against a misty rain.