Farmers Market Fatality by Sarah Hualde

Author:Sarah Hualde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian cozy mystery series, Christian Homeschool Cozy Mystery Series, Clean cozy mystery, christian homeschool families, christian cozy mystery, ptsd mystery, veterans, amateur sleuth, female detectives, teen mom detective, fun cozy mystery series
Publisher: Indie Christian Writers
Published: 2019-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Flora hurried to Miss Jacqui’s house. Out of the three homeschool moms, Flora was closest to Cordelia Muggs. Both ladies worked together in the peer counseling center at the BFF Church. Cordelia worked with grieving hopeful mothers. Having never conceived a child, Cordelia offered these mothers a caring ear without condemnation or treatment suggestions.

Flora dealt with the other side of motherhood. She comforted mothers in mourning and through her side hustle helped new mothers find their groove.

Miss Jacqui couldn’t think of anyone else to call. Cordelia’s family lived states away. She wasn’t sure they’d even heard of Mario’s death. Or if they’d help when they heard the news. Flora was the closest thing to a daughter Cordelia had. Jacqui gave it her best effort, but she was helpless to calm Cordelia.

Flora entered the house without knocking and handed Enoch to Jacqui. The quilter held the baby with her good arm. She stroked his cheek with an arthritic finger. “She’s upstairs.” Her voice sang pleasantly to the little boy. He didn’t notice his mother rushing away.

“Cordelia? It’s Flora. Can I ...”

Cordelia met Flora in the hall. Her hair flattened on one side and frizzy on the other told of her restless tossing. In her hand, a frame hosting broken glass cut into her palm. Slowly and intentionally, Flora unwrapped Cordelia’s fingers. The photo boasted Jacqui’s kid brother, Dexter, in his military uniform. Cordelia’s blood splattered across his charming smile.

Flora rested the frame, face down, on a hallway table and escorted Cordelia to the guest bedroom. She forced her, with gentle pressure, to sit on the bed. Flora knelt on the floor. Muffin squealed from under the comforter and ran in a fluffy fury out of the room.

“Cordelia, sweetie, can you tell me what happened?” Cordelia’s eyes glazed toward the ceiling. She didn’t seem to hear Flora. “Cordelia?”

“He was so handsome in uniform.”

“Who?” Flora patted Cordelia’s hand, trying to stir awareness back to the woman.

“Mario.”

“I didn’t...”

“I don’t know how his picture ended up here.” Cordelia referred to the broken photo. Her eyes never lowered or looked directly at Flora. Flora rose and examined the woman’s face. One pupil was tiny. The other one was bulbous. She felt Cordelia’s forehead for fever. Clamminess welcomed her touch. “He was so handsome.”

“Yes, he was.” Flora walked around the room. She picked up random items. Cordelia appeared to have tossed the entire bedroom before Flora showed up. “Are you hungry?”

“Hungry.”

“What about sleepy? Do you want to sleep?”

“Sleep.”

Flora helped Cordelia scoot back to her pillows and lay back. “Comfy?”

“Sleep.” On her own accord, Cordelia coiled around a throw pillow.

“Sleep.” Flora draped a light quilt around her friend’s shoulders and pulled one end down over her socked feet. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Sleep.”

“What happened?” Flora whispered, when she returned to Jacqui in the living room.

Jacqui rocked Enoch, who was already napping, comforting herself more than the infant. “She slept all day. She didn’t come down. Dr. Lawrence said she was in shock. No wonder. He adjusted her dosage, and she took her pills with a glass of hot chocolate and went to bed.

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