Getting Old Is Criminal Part 37

Fate (a.k.a., marriage) took Rita Lakin from New York to Los Angeles, where she was seduced by palm trees and movie studios. Over the next twenty years she wrote for television and had every possible job from freelance writer to story editor to staff writer and, finally, producer. She worked on shows such as Dr. Kildare, Peyton Dr. Kildare, Peyton Place, The Mod Squad, Place, The Mod Squad, and and Dynasty, Dynasty, and created her own shows, including and created her own shows, including The Rookies, Flamingo The Rookies, Flamingo Road, Road, and and Nightingales. Nightingales. She wrote many moviesof-the-week and miniseries, such as She wrote many moviesof-the-week and miniseries, such as Death Takes a Death Takes a Holiday, Women in Chains, Strong Medicine, Holiday, Women in Chains, Strong Medicine, and and Voices of the Heart. Voices of the Heart. She has also written the theatrical play She has also written the theatrical play No Language but a Cry No Language but a Cry and is the coauthor of and is the coauthor of Sat.u.r.day Night at Grossinger's, Sat.u.r.day Night at Grossinger's, both of which are still being produced across the country. Rita has won awards from the Writers Guild of America, as well as the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Allan Poe Award and the coveted Avery Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan. She lives in Marin County, California, where she is currently at work on her next mystery starring the indomitable Gladdy Gold. Visit her on the Web at both of which are still being produced across the country. Rita has won awards from the Writers Guild of America, as well as the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Allan Poe Award and the coveted Avery Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan. She lives in Marin County, California, where she is currently at work on her next mystery starring the indomitable Gladdy Gold. Visit her on the Web at www.ritalakin.com or e-mail her at or e-mail her at

Don't miss Gladdy Gold's next mystery

Getting Old Is To Die For To Die For

by

Rita Lakin

Available from Dell Books in spring 2008

Read on for an exclusive sneak peek-

and pick up your copy at your favorite bookseller GETTING OLD IS TO DIE FOR.

on sale in Spring 2008

NEW YEAR'S EVE, 1961.

RIVERSIDE DRIVE, NEW YORK CITY.

"It's not even midnight and they're celebrating already. What about my celebration?" Emily Gold, eleven years old today, four hours Emily Gold, eleven years old today, four hours and fifteen minutes away from the actual moment she was born, was doing her own countdown. "Five minutes later my birthday would and fifteen minutes away from the actual moment she was born, was doing her own countdown. "Five minutes later my birthday would have been on January first. In the next year." have been on January first. In the next year."

"Mmmn." Gladdy made agreeing, rea.s.suring sounds as she took the Betty Crocker icing out sounds as she took the Betty Crocker icing out of the fridge. She knew those facts continued to of the fridge. She knew those facts continued to awe her adorable daughter; recounting them awe her adorable daughter; recounting them had become her last-day-of-the-year ritual. had become her last-day-of-the-year ritual.

Emily leaned out the window, as far as she could. The apartment's fourth story fire escape could. The apartment's fourth story fire escape blocked her view, so she just kept wiggling for blocked her view, so she just kept wiggling for a better look. "You should see those drunks a better look. "You should see those drunks down there hanging onto one another. They're down there hanging onto one another. They're blowing horns and wearing funny hats. But I blowing horns and wearing funny hats. But I still don't see Daddy." still don't see Daddy."

She pretended to pout, but Gladdy knew how excited her daughter really was. Emily how excited her daughter really was. Emily would never admit that she liked having her would never admit that she liked having her birthday on the biggest, most exciting night of birthday on the biggest, most exciting night of the year. She blew her breath out, showing her the year. She blew her breath out, showing her mom the wispy cloud it made. mom the wispy cloud it made.

"Close that window! It's already freezing in here." Gladdy s.h.i.+vered despite the fact that here." Gladdy s.h.i.+vered despite the fact that she wore two sweaters over her brown woolen she wore two sweaters over her brown woolen dress. d.a.m.n that landlord of theirs. He only dress. d.a.m.n that landlord of theirs. He only allowed the super to heat up the radiator twice allowed the super to heat up the radiator twice a day. For one hour at a time. Twelve stories a day. For one hour at a time. Twelve stories high, six apartments on each floor and n.o.body high, six apartments on each floor and n.o.body ever listened to the tenants' complaints. She ever listened to the tenants' complaints. She wished it were spring. Winter always depressed her with the icy brilliance of the sun wished it were spring. Winter always depressed her with the icy brilliance of the sun and the oppressively long black nights. and the oppressively long black nights.

Emily pulled herself inside and shut the window. window.

Gladdy s.h.i.+vered again, but it wasn't from the cold. She hugged herself and looked at the the cold. She hugged herself and looked at the clock again. She, too, wished Jack would get clock again. She, too, wished Jack would get home. Their neighborhood, even the area home. Their neighborhood, even the area around the university where Jack taught around the university where Jack taught English, was becoming unsafe. Drugs were English, was becoming unsafe. Drugs were starting to be a problem. She didn't want her starting to be a problem. She didn't want her husband coming home in the dark. husband coming home in the dark.

"Don't you want to help me decorate your cake?" Gladdy picked up a spatula and beckoned Emily, who joined her at their red cake?" Gladdy picked up a spatula and beckoned Emily, who joined her at their red formica and metal kitchen table. Her long formica and metal kitchen table. Her long brown hair was damp and stringy from the brown hair was damp and stringy from the night air, and she shook it wildly, laughing as night air, and she shook it wildly, laughing as she did. Emily took the spatula from her she did. Emily took the spatula from her mother and continued the smooth flat layering mother and continued the smooth flat layering of the icing. of the icing.

"Do you think you'll ever pick another kind of cake on one of your birthdays?" Gladdy of cake on one of your birthdays?" Gladdy asked. asked.

"No, never. Chocolate and vanilla's always gonna be my favorite." gonna be my favorite."

The older her daughter got, the more they looked alike, Gladdy reflected. Same oval looked alike, Gladdy reflected. Same oval face, same greenish-grey eyes. Same straight face, same greenish-grey eyes. Same straight hair that refused to curl. Emily was tall for her hair that refused to curl. Emily was tall for her age and colt-like lanky, the way Gladdy had age and colt-like lanky, the way Gladdy had been at her age. No doubt this was mother been at her age. No doubt this was mother and child. and child.

"Tell me again why I was born on New Year's Eve." Year's Eve."

Gladdy leaned over and kissed Emily's forehead. "You ask that every single year."

"And you always give me the same silly explanation. I can't believe you planned it that way." way."

Gladdy smiled. "You were my New Year's Eve present for your daddy." Eve present for your daddy."

"When I grow up no one will ever remember my birthday. My friends will all be too busy drinking champagne and making silly busy drinking champagne and making silly resolutions." resolutions."

"Don't worry. There's no way they can forget this date, nor would they ever forget someone as wonderful as you." She reached out and gently wiped away a bit of chocolate on and gently wiped away a bit of chocolate on Emily's cheek. Emily's cheek.

The icing finished, the eleven candles placed carefully with the extra one to grow on, Emily carefully with the extra one to grow on, Emily raced to the window again. "What's taking raced to the window again. "What's taking Daddy so long?" Daddy so long?"

"He'll be here soon. He needs to finish the revisions on his textbook." Gladdy felt a revisions on his textbook." Gladdy felt a twinge of guilt saying that, when at breakfast twinge of guilt saying that, when at breakfast that morning she'd chided Jack for the very that morning she'd chided Jack for the very same thing. In fact, she remembered ruefully, same thing. In fact, she remembered ruefully, they'd quarreled about his being late for his they'd quarreled about his being late for his child's party. Something they rarely ever did. child's party. Something they rarely ever did.

"n.o.body has to work on New Year's Eve. And where's Aunt Evvie and Uncle Joe and And where's Aunt Evvie and Uncle Joe and cousin Martha? Even they're late." cousin Martha? Even they're late."

Gladdy smiled. Emily may have her mother's looks but she sure had her aunt's impatient disposition and endless energy. "Well, mother's looks but she sure had her aunt's impatient disposition and endless energy. "Well, I'm sure they're walking carefully, so they I'm sure they're walking carefully, so they don't fall on the slippery ice." don't fall on the slippery ice."

"I'll bet they get me the same present. Every year another doll. Don't they know I'm too year another doll. Don't they know I'm too old for that?" Emily hoisted herself up onto old for that?" Emily hoisted herself up onto the matching red kitchen counter and dangled the matching red kitchen counter and dangled her legs. "And you and Daddy will give me her legs. "And you and Daddy will give me books again." books again."

"You love to read."

"Of course I do. I just want to be surprised some time." some time."

"Remember what your daddy says about books?" books?"

"Yes, I do." She mimicked, "Books are the windows of the soul. With books you'll never windows of the soul. With books you'll never be lonely." be lonely."

She jumped down and raced to the window again. "I think I see Daddy coming. I recognize how he swings his briefcase. Now my again. "I think I see Daddy coming. I recognize how he swings his briefcase. Now my party can start." party can start."

Gladdy smiled, relieved. She walked over to the window to join Emily. Jack always waved the window to join Emily. Jack always waved to them before he came up. She didn't want to to them before he came up. She didn't want to miss it. She reached out and gently guided a miss it. She reached out and gently guided a wisp of Emily's hair behind her ear. wisp of Emily's hair behind her ear.

Jack had named their daughter after the poet Emily d.i.c.kinson, hoping his beautiful poet Emily d.i.c.kinson, hoping his beautiful child might one day be a poet, too. child might one day be a poet, too.

Suddenly, a d.i.c.kinson quote popped into her head. her head.

Because I could not stop for death, He kindly stopped for me;

It was then Gladdy heard the scream.

FATHER & SON NIGHT.