Murder of a Mail-Order Bride by Mimi Granger

Author:Mimi Granger [Granger, Mimi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2022-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Tuesday

Was disappointed you weren’t open yesterday.”

The woman who stood on the other side of the front counter of Love Under the Covers from me was short and squat and wore a name tag that said she was Dottie. She had a mouth that reminded me of a rectangle, hair that was mostly red but dark at the roots, and a way of squinching up her eyes when she talked that made me automatically check over my right shoulder because it looked like she was sure there was something there that I wasn’t aware of.

There wasn’t.

“Always closed on Monday.” I smiled and gladly accepted the stack of books Dottie handed over the counter to me.

Dorothy Garlock, Samantha Hunter, Donna Cummings, Meg Maguire.

All from our Previously Read display (the books were donated and when I sold them, all the money went to the local food bank). Older titles, but I knew they all had one thing in common.

“You like trains.”

She stepped back, smiled. “You know your books!”

“I know these all have a connection with trains or subways. Great choices, by the way.” I slipped the books into a bag and took Dottie’s money. “And let me guess, you’re with the train group that’s in town.”

She raised her chin at the same time she touched a finger to her name tag. “President.”

“Nice!” I handed her the change. “It can’t be easy arranging a full week of programming and outings to keep train people interested.”

“They’re a good group—they pretty much take care of themselves. There’s a railway preservation society in Cleveland and tomorrow we’re headed up there for a private tour. One of our members arranged that. Tonight, we’re doing a murder mystery dinner on the train in the park.” She wrinkled her nose. “Considering talk going around town is all about that bride who was murdered, that’s probably in bad taste. But we paid to use the script and our volunteers went above and beyond as far as costumes and props. Seems a shame to abandon it all.”

“I totally agree.” I slid the bag of books across the front counter, but I didn’t take my hand from it. “Do you know all the people who are here with the group?” I asked her.

She didn’t have to think about it. “Pretty much. I’ve been national president for six years now, and I’m from upstate New York. We’ve got an active chapter there.”

“How about Annalise Kowalski?”

“Hmmm, that one.” This time, she did have to think. I had a feeling she knew exactly who I was talking about, she just wasn’t sure what to say. “Never met her before she showed up here.”

“But she’s a train lover. Just like you.”

“Can’t imagine she’d be here if she wasn’t. Lucky to get in. We had a cancellation. Old Henry Seabrook. Great fellow. From out in Kansas somewhere. Exploring an old train yard out there, tripped, and broke his leg.”

“Last minute?”

“Annalise?” Dottie nodded. “Sure. As it happens, heard from Henry and that was the very day Annalise called to see if we had any spots open.

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