Buttercup Bend Mysteries: Books 1–3 by Louise Debbie De

Author:Louise, Debbie De [Louise, Debbie De]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Google: sjXKEAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Next Chapter
Published: 2023-07-07T07:40:46+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Cathy decided to go back and speak with Marjorie MaGregor. From the photo Howard had shown her, it was obvious the woman lied to Nancy about her relationship to Bodkin. Marjorie’s house was also on the way home.

It was dark when she left Sangria’s house, although it was only after six. In October, the days were short. A full moon rose in the sky, lighting her path up the walk, but the blinds were drawn on Marjorie’s windows, and she couldn’t see anything inside.

She knocked on the door and waited. She knew it would take the old woman a few minutes to answer, walking with her cane. But she came sooner than Cathy expected.

“You again?” It wasn’t a friendly greeting.

“Sorry to bother you, Mrs. MaGregor, but I need to ask you something else. It won’t take long. Please, may I come in?”

“No, and I won’t come out either. I have nothing else to say to you. Go away.”

She began to close the door when Cathy heard a voice from inside. It wasn’t the television this time. She recognized Charlie’s voice saying, “She lie. She lie.”

Cathy rushed past the woman into the house.

“What are you doing? I’ll call the police.”

“I think I’m the one who should call the police!”

Charlie sat in his cage inside the cluttered living room.

“That’s Bodkin’s parrot. You’re the one who took him.” Even as she accused the woman, she wondered how she’d done it. She’d told Cathy earlier that she didn’t drive and that she couldn’t walk into town anymore. Yet she was at the wake, and Charlie disappeared before the evening service started.

Marjorie, realizing she’d been caught, said, “Okay, so I took him. Do you know how little money my sons send me each month? I hardly have enough to eat. That bird is worth a good sum.”

There was something about her confession that didn’t ring true. It wasn’t the words, but the way she said them, her eyes cast downward, avoiding Cathy’s.

“You have to return him to Bodkin’s daughter. If not, I’ll tell the sheriff.”

“You’ll have an old woman arrested?”

“You’re a thief. Charlie doesn’t belong to you.”

She didn’t expect Marjorie to break down in tears. “Please don’t call the sheriff,” she sobbed. “I promise I’ll bring the bird back.”

While Cathy felt sorry for the woman, she didn’t quite believe her. “I won’t call the sheriff if you call Samantha Bodkin.” She handed Marjorie her cell phone. “She’s in my contacts.”

The woman, eyes dry now, tossed down the phone. “I don’t use these fancy phones. I’ll call from the one in my bedroom.” With that, she ambled down the hall with her cane.

Cathy followed and watched as the woman used a rotary phone, circa 1950, to call Bodkin’s daughter. When she hung up, she said, “She’s coming over right now. Are you happy?”

“You’ll be lucky if she doesn’t press charges.”

“She should pay me a reward.”

Cathy couldn’t believe the woman would expect money for stealing the parrot.

Sam arrived a few minutes later. “Charlie!” she exclaimed, rushing to the cage.

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