Snow Laughing Matter (Alaska Cozy Mystery Book 12) by Wendy Meadows

Author:Wendy Meadows [Meadows, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Majestic Owl Publishing LLC
Published: 2019-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Lacey handed Sarah a brown paper cup full of fresh coffee. “Tastes like dirt but it's all I've got,” she said in a rough but friendly voice. “Manford, you get yourself on outside and go help Downy feed them elephants. I ain't paying you to stand around.”

“But I'm on vacation,” Manford told Lacey. “Last night was our last show, remember? Besides, it's warm in here.”

Amanda glanced around the inside of Lacey's fifth-wheel RV. The interior was fancy and polished—sparkling clean. The design Lacey had chosen made Amanda feel as if she had walked back through time and entered an 18th-century palace. Shiny mirrors and gold frames all around. Not what one would expect from a circus woman, that was for certain. “Oh, listen to your boss, runt,” she told Manford and happily took a sip of coffee from her own paper cup. “Let us women-folk talk.”

“Stop calling me runt, you...” Manford paused, shook his head, and then simply looked up at Sarah. “I'll be in the elephant tent if you need me.”

“And don't expect overtime,” Lacey told Manford and tipped Sarah and Amanda a quick wink. “Good deeds pay for themselves.”

Manford shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. “Lacey, the way you pay me I'm better off living on good deeds.”

“Don't you forget it, either,” Lacey laughed and lovingly sent Manford on his way. “Now that it's just us ladies, let's chat.” Lacey patted a fancy white and pink parlor couch. “Sit down.”

Sarah remained by the door. “I prefer to stand,” she told Lacey in a polite voice. Amanda happily plopped down on the couch and found herself a warm spot.

Lacey sat down next to Amanda, brushed at her long dress with a faded flower print, and then checked her gray hair. “Last night was our last act,” she pointed out. “I'd really like to get my circus back on the road.”

“I can't give a green light yet,” Sarah apologized. “Lacey, last night was very cold and dark. The killer has the upper ground on us and still does.” Sarah took a sip of the coffee and winced. “Wow...it does taste like dirt.”

Lacey nodded her head. “This coffee was given to me in bulk by a man in Seattle who operates a charity for sick children. The coffee was donated to him by a man in central America.” Lacey folded her arms. “He couldn't pay for the sick children to see the circus—wouldn't have charged him anyway—but he insisted I take the coffee as payment.”

“I think the coffee tastes pretty good,” Amanda told Lacey and took a sip. “Yeah, real good.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “June Bug, you would drink hot lava,” she sighed and focused back on Lacey. “Lacey, I'm sure the killer is traveling with your circus.”

“All of my people gave statements to Chief Andrew,” Lacey insisted. “My people are clean, Sarah. I'm very particular—”

“Do you know who is traveling with your people?” Sarah gently interrupted Lacey.

Lacey paused, taken aback. “I don't poke my nose where it doesn't belong, if that's what you mean.

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