Dead But Not Forgotten by Charlaine Harris

“It’s a girl. I’m going to name her after Gran.”
    â€œAnd the pregnancy is going well?” Uncle Desmond said.
    â€œJust the usual swollen feet, and being tired a lot.”
    Just then the front door opened and Sookie’s husband, Sam, came in. “Sookie? Is somebody here?”
    Sam looked even worse than Sookie did, but where she was big he looked like he’d lost weight. His hair is always reddish, but this time his nose was, too, and he sounded stuffed up. That explained why he hadn’t known it was Uncle Desmond and me—normally he’d have scented us as soon as he got out of his pickup.
    â€œHey,” he said, sounding about as welcoming as my cousins did when I came over. He’s not overly fond of us, but usually he fakes it better. “I brought some food for y’all to have for lunch—figured the boys could use something other than a sandwich for a change.” He held up a paper bag that said
Merlotte’s
.
    Sookie looked like he’d slapped her and said, “I was going to make them some soup.”
    â€œNow you can save that for later,” he said, maybe sounding kind of sorry. “I didn’t know we had company or I’d have brought more food.”
    â€œThat’s very kind of you,” Uncle Desmond said, “but as a matter of fact Diantha and I were just leaving. We just stopped by to drop off some presents, but I’m afraid we have to be on our way. Christmas is such a bustling time.”
    â€œToo bad,” Sam lied. He put the bag on the table and said, “I gotta get back to work.”
    â€œCan’t you stay long enough to eat with us?” Sookie asked. “I thought you and the boys could go out in the woods after lunch and pick out a tree.”
    It sounded pathetic, and Sookie isn’t like that usually. It made me mad, and from the way Uncle Desmond’s jaw tightened, it made him even madder.
    But Sam just said, “I can’t—we’re short a waitress for the lunch rush.” And off he went, not even kissing Sookie good-bye.
    I knew Sookie was trying not to cry, so Uncle Desmond and I left so she could be alone.
    As we went out to the car, I said, “I could go find a tree and chop it down if you’ll tell me what to look for. Wouldn’t take long.”
    â€œNo, there’s more wrong here than a missing Christmas tree.” Uncle Desmond was quiet in the car, not even opening up his laptop. When we were in what passes for downtown Bon Temps, he said, “Diantha, pull into that McDonald’s parking lot.”
    â€œSince when do you like McDonald’s? Whoever calls it fast food is totally lying.”
    â€œI’m not interested in the menu. I’m concerned about Sookie.”
    â€œBeing so big?”
    â€œHer size is normal for her stage of gestation. It’s her marriage that concerns me. Sam working long hours, not having the time to assist her in the decoration of her house, the monetary shortfall. I fear that he may be straying.”
    â€œYou mean screwing around?”
    He nodded. “Normally, of course, Sookie would detect any such activities, even with the unusual thought patterns of a shifter, but while she’s pregnant, her powers are not up to their usual level. Sam could easily be concealing a paramour.”
    â€œThen he really is Shifty Sam.”
    â€œWe don’t know that, but if he is, steps will have to be taken. As Sookie’s sponsor, I would be remiss in allowing such disrespect.” Uncle Desmond may be polite, but that doesn’t stop him from taking people apart. Literally. “Were it any other time, I would investigate the situation personally, but Eudokia is expecting me at their holiday ball tonight and I would rather not disappoint her. Would you be willing to stay in Bon Temps overnight and see what you can find out?”
    â€œSuresuresure.”
    â€œIt would mean missing the