Bake It to the Limit by Wendy Meadows

Author:Wendy Meadows [Meadows, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Majestic Owl Publishing LLC

Chapter Six

Billy stopped the tractor on a wet, muddy lane snuggled in between rows of apple trees that seemed to stretch out forever like black bats fluttering in the night. Rita and Rhonda knew the black bats were just the leaves of apple trees fighting the wind, but their imaginations were working overtime and it was difficult to overcome the unwanted illusion. “Ready?” Brad asked.

Rita and Rhonda nodded their heads, stood up, and walked to the end of the wagon, watching Brad set down the wooden plank. “Age before beauty,” Rhonda told Rita again, grinning.

“You're real funny,” Rita cracked. She pushed open her umbrella and made her way down the wooden plank. The rain was falling much harder, making it difficult to see. “Rain, rain go away,” she whispered as Billy climbed off the tractor.

Rhonda popped open her umbrella, stepped out into the rain, and spotted Billy walking up to Rita. “How far, Billy?” she called out.

“Just over there!” Billy yelled over the rain, tossing his right thumb toward the left side of the lane.

Brad walked down the wooden plank, studied the night, and nodded his head toward Billy. “Let's go, Billy,” he said sternly.

“Sure thing,” Billy replied and looked at Rita and Rhonda. He couldn't tell which sister was which. All he knew was that both women sure were pretty standing out in the rain. But he didn't have time to act like a silly schoolboy suffering from puppy love. A man was dead, and Billy Northfield had a job to do. “This way,” he said somberly and trudged off into the rain.

“Let's go,” Rhonda whispered to Rita, and she started after Billy. Rita followed closely behind. Brad Bluestone brought up the rear.

Billy quickly worked his way past one apple tree and then another, heading deeper into the orchard, stepping on fallen apples in shallow puddles of water. He suddenly came to a stop. “There,” he called out, pointing at the ground.

Rhonda rushed up to Billy, nearly tripping over the fallen apples lying on the ground. She looked at where he was pointing. She spotted a dark figure face down on the ground. “We have a body!” she called out to Rita and Brad.

Rita, nearly tripping over every apple she stepped on, hurried up to Rhonda, spotted the dead body, and nodded. “Billy, go back and secure the tractor. The killer could be anywhere.”

“I have my rifle on the tractor,” Billy promised. “Ain't no one gonna sneak off with it on my watch.”

Brad stepped up beside Rita and spotted the dark, wet form of Valentine DeVivo. “Shoot first and ask questions later,” he ordered Billy.

“I sure will,” Billy promised and began to hurry away. But then, he stopped, turned around, and looked at Rita and Rhonda. “My thinking is that whoever killed that fella ain't around,” he said thoughtfully. “José found that fella while he was taking a walk.” Billy shook his head. “Maria had skipped out on supper with him again. José gets mighty sad when that happens and takes long walks through the orchards.

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