Later Gator: A Miss Fortune Mystery by DeLeon Jana

Author:DeLeon, Jana
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-940270-40-1
Publisher: Jana DeLeon
Published: 2016-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

I pulled into Sinful, planning to park in front of the sheriff’s department and charm Carter into letting us see Quincy and Petey, but those plans went out the window when I saw Celia standing on the sidewalk, glaring at me.

“This can’t be good,” I said.

I parked farther down in front of the General Store and as we climbed out, Celia came stomping over toward us. Her face was red, and in the bright pink dress with huge yellow flowers, she looked like a really tacky overstuffed chair.

“What kind of nonsense are you up to now?” Celia asked. “I know Quincy didn’t assault you. Carter thinks he can fool me, but he can’t.”

“Carter had nothing to do with it,” I said, and pointed to the red marks on my arm. “Quincy grabbed me. The proof is right there.”

Celia narrowed her eyes. “Oh, I have no doubt that a lot of people would like to grab you and shake you until you left town, but I know you’re up to something.”

“The only thing I’m up to is shopping,” I said. “And you’re in my way.”

“If Quincy really assaulted you,” Celia said, “how come you haven’t filed a report yet? I asked Carter and he said you would file it after you’d seen a doctor. He’s in the office now. It wouldn’t take a minute to get your statement in writing. Then you could be certain that woman-beater Quincy and his criminal son wouldn’t be walking around Sinful.”

If I gave Carter a statement, Celia would see to it that Quincy sat in jail until he went to trial. A trial that I would have to testify at, starting with stating my name with my hand on a Bible. Not a good look for someone whose entire identity was a lie. And even if there weren’t that tiny problem with lying under oath, I didn’t want Quincy in jail any longer than he had to be.

“The doctor said I needed to ice my arm, take some aspirin, and rest,” I said, “which is what I’m going to do as soon as you stop your yapping and let me go buy some aspirin. I’ll file the report when I feel better. I doubt Quincy is a flight risk.”

“You may pretend to be all injured innocence,” Celia said, “but I don’t buy it for a minute. Whatever you’re up to, you’re going down for it this time.”

“You better hurry up,” Gertie said. “The election recount results will be in soon.”

Celia glared at her. “And when they proclaim me the winner—again—things are going to change around here. The days of you two running this town are over.”

“You may get to be mayor of this town,” Ida Belle said, “but you will never matter.”

Celia’s eyes widened and she sputtered for a moment. Apparently unable to think of a witty comeback, she whirled around and stalked off down the sidewalk, then plopped down on a bench in front of the sheriff’s department.

“Well, I guess strolling in the sheriff’s department and nicely asking questions is out,” I said.

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