Judith Alguire - Rudley 02 - The Pumpkin Murders (17 page)

Every life is a tapestry of all the lives that have touched it. Mine has been touched by hundreds of nurses and thousands of patients, each of whom has left their imprint. I particularly remember the first four patients placed in my care. Although forty-five years have passed, I remember their faces, their names, and the rooms they were in. I even remember their bathrobes.

I would like to acknowledge the people who held a special place in my life when I was a kid:

My cousins Elaine Young and Arnold Alguire — the kids I grew up with.

My aunt Louise Moore — she made the best cherry cake ever.

My aunt Marie Robertson — she made going to funerals fun.

The kind lady at the United Church Sunday School picnic — she saved the last piece of chocolate pie for the little kid who could barely see over the table.

And the people who hold a special place in my life now that I’m a big kid:

Janice Deakin and Sue Croswell — always generous and supportive.

Julie Fox, who is a good egg.

In closing, I would like to thank Karen Haughian, publisher of Signature Editions, for making the Rudley series possible. I would also like to thank my editor Doug Whiteway for his diligent efforts to make
The Pumpkin Murders
the best it can be.

Judith Alguire’s previous novels include
Pleasantly Dead
, the first of the Rudley Mysteries, as well as
All Out
and
Iced
, both of which explored the complex relationships of sportswomen on and off the playing field. Her short stories, articles and essays have also appeared in such publications as
The Malahat Review
and
Harrowsmith
, and she is a past member of the editorial board of the
Kingston Whig-Standard
. A graduate of Queen’s University, she currently works as a visiting nurse in the Kingston area.