Snow & Sneakery: A Connie Cafe Novella (Connie Cafe Mystery Series Book 8) by Maisy Marple

Author:Maisy Marple [Marple, Maisy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CCS Publishing
Published: 2021-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

11

Reba was still bundled up tightly, looking more Nanook of the North than she had earlier, which was saying something.

My mother was standing next to her with her gloved hands in her pockets, shaking slightly as the grip of the icy day had taken hold.

“Normally, I’d ask for a hot chocolate from the cafe,” she called out as Penny and I approached. “But it doesn’t seem right to seek a warm refuge while that poor child is out there somewhere in this cold.”

“I take it you haven’t had any luck,” I said walking up behind Penny.

“Not a lick,” my mother shook her head.

“Mfrmurpoemd,” Reba added, though it was impossible to make out the words that were coming from her mouth through all of the layers she was talking through.

I looked closely and thought I saw the slightest hint of a nod, but again, it was tough to discern any movements or syllables coming from her in her current state of wrapping.

My mother rolled her eyes and said, “I don’t know what I was thinking, going along with that one.”

Reba’s whole body turned, her feet leaving the ground with a jump so she could face my mother and give her a death stare, which went mostly unnoticed as her eyes were visible, but without the context that the rest of her face would provide, it was all but impossible to read those eyes.

“Anyway,” I said, changing the subject, trying to hold back a chuckle as Reba turned back to face me, giving the same two footed jump she’d used to turn toward my mother a moment earlier. “I’ve called Ted and they’ve had no luck either.”

“That’s a shame,” my mother shook her head. Then she turned to Penny. “Have you called your parents and tried to get them to join in the search?”

Penny’s eyes dropped to her feet. “Not yet. I’m still working myself up to that.”

“Well, I wouldn’t work too long on it or that poor boy of yours is going to freeze to death out there somewhere.”

“Mother!” I chided.

“What?” My mother shrugged. “I know you all come from a different generation, but my generation deals in truths. We’ve seen things and have dealt with death in ways you’ve never had to. And from where I’m standing, if we don’t get a move on and get all hands on deck, that poor boy is going to die out there somewhere. It’s not like it’s a spring day or anything. It’s the dead of winter, and our bodies are already starting to feel the effects of things.”

Reba reached her gloved hands up to her face and pulled down the layers in front of her mouth.

“I’m fine,” she said, oblivious to the seriousness of the conversation.

“Reba,” my mother turned to face her. “Do us a favor and shut up. We have more important things to worry about than your internal temperature.”

Reba absorbed the punch in stride and removed her hand from her face, allowing her layers to go back to their original position.

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