Wild Crime by Julie Howard

Author:Julie Howard [Howard, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery; woman sleuth; amateur sleuth; suspense; psychological; single mom; romantic mystery; romantic suspense; domestic suspense; domestic mystery;
ISBN: 9781509228638
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2019-09-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Wiry, energetic Patrick McCarty, the county postman, thudded the day’s packet of mail on the office counter. The stack would consist mostly of junk mail, at least one letter of complaint about city roads—most of which were potholed—and, if Meredith was lucky, a bill to pay. A ‘real’ bill meant something interesting to do—beyond filing and sweeping. Any complaints would be copied and distributed to the city council who, as a rule, ignored them. The quiet town of Hay City conducted little business and seldom changed.

“Another love note from Captain Harry,” Patrick announced, tossing a blue envelope on top of the pile.

She rose to greet him, thankful for someone to talk to. Curtis started his morning in the town of Misery, visiting a store owner whose windows were soaped overnight, so he wouldn’t be back until lunchtime. She smiled at Patrick’s small joke about the Captain, a crotchety old man who voiced opinions, all of which were strident, and about everything. “I wonder what he’s complaining about this time.”

Laced with profanities, Captain Harry’s tirades were well-known in the community. His letters rambled about everything from Chinese tariffs to claims that pollution drifting from Los Angeles to Hay City affected his lungs. He lived in his own mountain compound, surrounded by barbed wire, where he’d dug his own pond. In the summer, he could be found cruising about the pond each day in a home-built canoe, thus the tongue-in-cheek nickname, “Captain.”

“Probably another one about seceding from the U.S. of A. He gave me an earful about taxes and federal lands and privatizing the postal service.”

She eyed the thick blue envelope, envisioned the rant it might contain and grinned. “Great. Can’t wait to read it.”

The letter to her father sat on her desk and she glanced back once in indecision. Was the wording right? Should she hand it over to the U.S. mail?

He leaned against the counter as she ducked her head and thumbed through the rest of the mail. “You have a pretty stone there. May I see it?” Patrick gestured toward her hand and leaned forward.

She extended her hand and the mailman bent over the ring, holding her fingers lightly.

Upon rising that morning, prompted by Raymond’s interest, she’d taken a perverse pleasure in wearing her mother’s gaudy ring, aware if her cousin showed up again she’d need to slip it off and pocket it. Promised to her cousin or not, and most likely not, her grandmother decided to pass the ring down to her. Finders, keepers. She was both flattered and surprised the mailman noticed the ring, but it was probably because it was a bit garish. At almost two carats, the stone was a size that screamed “look at me.”

“Very nice. Very, very nice,” he muttered, and then eyed her with an assessing gaze. “Where’d you come across this?”

“It was my mother’s. Not quite my style though.”

He held on to her hand, and turned an intense eye to the ring. “Unusual,” he murmured, then released her hand. “I know a thing or two about stones.

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