Murder Of A Snake In The Grass by Denise Swanson

Author:Denise Swanson [Swanson, Denise]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781101567555
Publisher: Signet
Published: 2003-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Tender Mercies

What could Fayanne Emerick and Mayor Clapp have to do with money and Gabriel Scumble? Skye tossed this question around as she drove toward her folks’ house. As she retraced her route back down Kinsman to Maryland Street, she noticed that Deputy McCabe was back in place at the junkyard. She hoped Junior and Cletus weren’t planning on returning to the scene of their crime.

Easing around the sharp curve after Webster Drive, she turned right onto County Line Road. Her parents’ farm was a mile or so east off the paved road. She was a little early, but she wanted to make sure she arrived before either Luc or Simon. This meal would be enough of an inquisition for them without giving her relatives a chance at the defendants alone.

Skye caught her breath as she turned into her parent’s well-tended lane. Cars completely covered the white pea gravel. May must have invited every aunt, uncle, and cousin within three hundred miles on both sides of the family. There were more people here today than at most wedding receptions.

Oh, no. Skye spotted her mother’s concrete goose lawn ornament, and her hand flew to her mouth. The goose was dressed in a white gown with a veil on top of its head. Since it was usually attired in holiday garb, this couldn’t be a good sign. Please, God, even May wouldn’t throw a surprise wedding, would she?

Uncle Charlie, her father, and a dozen or so other male relatives were sitting on lawn chairs under the oak, near the back door of the red brick ranch-style house. Jed’s brother, Skye’s Uncle Wiley, was noticeably absent. His youngest son, Kenny, had passed away in August and Wiley wasn’t up to attending parties yet.

Due to the summerlike weather, the trees still had their leaves and the acre of grass remained in putting green condition. Sometimes she wondered whether her dad really did cut the lawn with manicure scissors.

When Jed noticed Skye, he got up and met her by the steps near the back patio. His faded brown eyes twinkled in his tanned, leathery face. His steel gray crew cut didn’t move when he scratched his head. “Your mom’s waiting for you.”

“Why? I’m on time. I’m even early.” Anxiety crawled up Skye’s neck. Her dad didn’t usually move from his chair to greet her.

“She wants to talk to you before everyone gets here.”

“You mean more people are coming?” Skye felt dizzy at the thought of facing even more relatives.

“Never mind that; just get inside and calm that woman down.”

She pointed. “Why does Mom have a wedding dress on the goose?”

Her father wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Who knows? Just go talk to her.”

Skye took a deep breath and pushed open the door. The large celery-colored kitchen was cut in half by a peninsula. Usually stools edged the counter, but today women from age twenty to eighty crowded the room, scuffing the green linoleum through its fresh coat of wax. May held the place of honor at the stove, whipping mashed potatoes with an electric mixer.

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