THE TENDER CARE MURDERS

Chapter 1

Chloe Renczi sat, if her posture could be called that, in her usual attitude, on the side of her bed and inclined back about forty-five degrees from vertical. Mamie Deshayes, in fact all of the others that considered such things, marveled at her stability, especially at 92, for it appeared that as little as a breath would cause her to topple backward. Nevertheless, her body had conformed itself to that habit and, when not wheeled out and constrained to watch television, at least doze in its color and noise, could sustain it for hours. Between her and the foot of her bed the day’s new...