Water Town: A Humorous Beaver Island Mystery (The Beaver Island Mysteries Book 4) by Maia Ross

Author:Maia Ross [Ross, Maia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Amateur female detectives, Amateur female Sleuths, Amateur sleuth mysteries, Amateur sleuth mystery, Amateur sleuth, Amateur sleuths, Amateur Women Sleuths, Cosy, cozy books mysteries, cozy detective books, cozy detective mysteries, cozy mysteries humorous women, Cozy, crime fiction, Dark Comedy, Dark Humor, humor, Humorous Dark Comedy, Humorous, Mystery, new cozy mystery, new cozy series, new cozy, new mystery series, new mystery, Quirky, Women Sleuths, women's crime fiction, women's crime, women's mystery, thriller suspense fiction
Publisher: Lazy Beaver Press
Published: 2022-08-30T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Three—Irma

“What do you mean, Leo’s missing?” I said to Mack.

Mack adjusted himself in his seat like his hip was hurting him. I squashed my sympathy down into a tiny ball until it was gone. Now was the time for answers.

“Leo was supposed to come over last night and didn’t,” he said.

“What time?”

Mack exhaled and drank some coffee. “You know, Irma, you seem like a nice lady and all, but you’re awfully nosy.”

I smiled pleasantly. Waited.

He put his cup down and looked like he wanted to ask me to leave. Until he saw that smile. “Uh…”

“I don’t think it’s nosy to be concerned about the goings-on in my very own hometown.” I took a stage-sip of coffee. Bloody awful. “Do you?”

“Uh…”

“Do you have something to hide, Mack?” I continued softly. “I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but Tanner seemed quite upset with you the other night, did he not?”

He closed his eyes. “You know what’s funny? When the people who are supposed to be taking care of you, like your parents, aren’t the best, those of us who step in to help can sometimes be the ones who get all the blame. How is that fair?” He finished his coffee and put the mug down on the side table. After blinking a few times, his gaze shifted out to the lagoon.

My eyes narrowed as I studied him. His shoulders were slumped, his facial expression troubled. He started fiddling with some knitting yarn.

“Mack?” I said gently.

“Hmmmmm?” He was still looking out at the little lake, so I tapped him on the arm. “Yes?”

“It’s best for any information you know to come out now instead of the police finding it later.”

“Why?”

“Because they’ll arrest you for tampering with an active investigation, that’s why.” I smiled that same smile again. “And I will be most irate.”

“Speaking of sharing, Irma, what exactly did Tanner say to you when you frog-walked him out of here the other night?”

“An excellent question. He was very angry with Leo. And not all that pleased with you.”

“I only found out about Leo after Bennie’s death!”

“What exactly did you find out about Leo?”

Mack scrubbed a hand across his face. “That he existed, that he lived in Las Vegas.” Then he mumbled something.

Alarm knifed through my body. “What was that?” I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

“There was another child.”

“Bennie had another child? Another son?”

He shrugged, looking miserable. “I don’t know. Bennie left a letter for me with his attorney, which told me all about Leo, his name, where he was born, all that stuff. But there was a brief mention that there might be a third child. I was aware that he’d been told he might have another kid about twenty-five, thirty years ago, but the mother must have declined to pursue child support.” He met my eyes. “Or Bennie paid her off.”

I rubbed my forehead. “At this point, I’m starting to wonder if Bennie faked his own death.”

His reply was a short, harsh noise. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”

Another faux sip of coffee reminded me why I detested the beverage.

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