An Embarrassment of Itches: An Animal Lovers Cozy Mystery (Ginny Reese Mysteries Book 1) by M. K. Dean

Author:M. K. Dean [Dean, M. K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Redclaw Publishing
Published: 2021-07-16T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

At five foot two, my mother had the delicate frame of a bird.

If that bird was a sparrowhawk, that is.

For over forty years, she’d run her classroom with an iron fist. She believed in rules and discipline, and the children in her classes had quickly learned she was not to be trifled with. She’d butted heads with parents and frustrated various administrations, but above all, she’d always put her students first. She’d gotten the best out of kids everyone else had given up on, and there were many adults now who could point to her influence and say she’d changed their lives for the better.

Most people bowed, if not cowed, to her dynamic presence.

Joe was not most people.

When my mother announced I was coming with her, I stood as though I were twelve years old again and she was picking me up from the principal’s office for some childish infraction.

Joe was not finished with me, however. “Your time is still unaccounted for between midnight and three a.m. on the night in question.”

I gave a helpless shrug. I was in bed, asleep. What more did he want?

“I said, not another word, Ginny.”

“A shrug isn’t speaking, Mom.”

She opened her mouth to say something no doubt cutting, but Joe intervened between us. Calmly, he faced down the cyclone that was my mother. “We’ll be in touch if we have any further questions.”

“If you need to speak with my daughter again, you can contact us through our lawyer.” My mother’s indignation brought color to her cheeks, or else it was department-store rouge she favored. She pushed up the sleeves of her white cotton blouse. “Are you arresting her?”

“He’s clearing me as a suspect, Mom.” I shot Joe an apologetic look and was disturbed when he stood stony-faced without agreeing that was the purpose of the questioning.

After too long a moment, he said, “It’s a mere formality, Mrs. Reese.”

My mother harrumphed and said, “I’ll wait for you out front, Ginny.”

The look she leveled at Joe before leaving contained nothing but pure venom.

“Sorry,” I muttered as Joe ushered me to the door.

“Don’t apologize.” He spoke lightly, as though it were of no consequence. “She hasn’t changed much, has she?”

As he walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder if my mother hadn’t been a factor in his leaving me behind. If she was, then good riddance. I didn’t need anyone in my life who couldn’t stand up to my mother. Bad enough I kowtowed to her more often than not.

On the other hand, he could have been afraid I might turn into her one day.

Which honestly, was a justifiable reason for dumping me.

As promised, my mother was waiting for me when I entered the main office. She pulled a moist towelette dispenser out of her cavernous purse and handed one to me while glowering at everyone in the sheriff’s office who dared to look in my direction.

“Here. Clean your hands.”

I could have used one of these yesterday after I got fingerprinted, but I thought it wise not to mention that little detail.

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