A Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman

Author:Dawn Eastman [Eastman, Dawn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2015-04-07T06:00:00+00:00

20

That evening, Seth and Dad returned from the cottage for dinner. Mom and Vi had spent most of the afternoon in the workshop and everyone was tired. The news that the police would not arrive was met with dismay, but spirits seemed a bit better this evening with electric lights and heat to accompany dinner.

Our family took the largest table in the room and the dinner conversation centered on the murder and who might have done it. I wish I could say this was unusual for us, but it wasn’t. Only Mac and Lucille seemed surprised at how easily we discussed motives and methods of murder over our beef bourguignon.

“I don’t like the idea that I might be knitting next to a murderer.” Lucille shuddered. “I don’t think any of them could have done it. They’re all so nice.”

“That’s how they trick you, Lucille,” Vi said. “They lure you in with charm while they’re out attacking innocent people.”

“It doesn’t sound like Clarissa was very innocent,” Mom said. “You heard what Isabel and Mavis said about her.”

“Mavis,” Vi said, her voice a low growl. She glanced around the table and lowered her voice. “She probably did it. I hate to accuse another knitter, but I don’t trust her.”

I covered a smile with my water glass, knowing that Vi’s accusation came from a competitive place. The afternoon with the knitters had not been conflict free.

“Why would Mrs. Poulson want to kill Ms. Carlisle?” Seth asked while slathering butter on a slice of bread.

Mom glanced at the other tables and leaned toward Seth.

“Apparently, Clarissa bullied Mavis’s daughter in high school. The girl got very depressed and eventually committed suicide. Mavis and Isabel have always blamed Clarissa for Teresa’s death.”

“Oh. That’s rough.” Seth shook his head. “Girls can be really brutal.”

“Shhh!” Mac said to the table. “We cannot discuss this. It’s an active investigation.” He lowered his voice. “The suspects are all in the vicinity, this isn’t a game of Clue.”

The table fell silent for a few moments, then Seth asked for the bread basket again and people gratefully began discussing the meal.

Dad leaned toward Mac and said in a low voice, “If incompetence is an indicator of guilt, then you should consider Kirk as your number-one suspect. I don’t think he’s ever worked as any type of maintenance person before, unless it was just on the landscaping side of things. He certainly knows how to work a snowblower. He has no idea how to fix anything.”

“We haven’t taken anyone off the list,” Mac said quietly. “If they weren’t in the dining room for the whole time that night, then I consider them a suspect.”

“I suppose anyone is capable if given the right circumstances,” Dad said.

“I still think there’s something sketchy about the chef,” Seth said.

“What?” Mac said.

“I told Clyde earlier today,” Seth said. “The chef claims he’s French, but I think he must be Canadian.”

“What does it matter?” Vi said.

“That’s what Clyde said. But why would he lie about it?” Seth said.

“Jessica did seem impressed that he was from France,” Mom said.

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