Last Words by Ines Saint

Author:Ines Saint [Saint, Ines]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Six

“Trying to still gossips’ tongues is like putting up doors in open fields.”

Miguel Cervantes Saavedra; Don Quixote

After my third cup of coffee, I went to my closet and grabbed the first funeral-home appropriate unwrinkled skirt I saw—a long, lightweight, black, and white Greek key-patterned wraparound. Normally I would pair this with a tank top or a V-neck T-shirt, but I felt my destination called for a black button-down shirt, even though another hot and humid day awaited.

I tried to walk Tito, but he became outraged when his nemesis, a designer Shih-Poo from down the street, peed in our front yard, right in front of his face. Tito then insisted on peeing in every corner of our yard until he was panting with dehydration, and then pulled me to the Shih-Poo’s yard, where he pooped and peed.

Abuela Nydia had given Tito to me, and he was just like my mom’s whole side of the family. “Calm until provoked. Indignation loud and never subtle,” I said, shaking my head at him as I cleaned up his business. He looked into my eyes and barked twice, raising his head higher each time. “I know, I know. I get that from them, too. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.” We went home, I poured Tito some water, and at fifteen to eight, I stepped out the door to see Abuela Luci had been about to knock.

Her eyes lit up the moment she saw me. “Oh, good, you’re wearing the skirt I got you. The spirits screamed that it was you the moment we saw it, and now I see why. It’s perfect for your new job. Somber colors, but with a creative flair, you know?”

“My new job?”

“Postmortem reconstructive specialist. I looked it up.”

I paused, not quite ready to allow the idea to take root, but not ready to refute it, either. Carefully I said, “I think I did a good job, Abuela. Mayor Sandberg looks like the person we all knew, and she looks at peace.”

Abuela gave me a look of disbelief. “But no one knew her, nena. She was an impostor.”

My jaw dropped. “You know?”

“Everyone knows.”

“How?”

Abuela sashayed over to the porch swing in her favorite red espadrilles, patted the seat beside her, and spilled the latest. Late last night, Brenda Mumford asked Pappa if she could come down to the funeral home to see how her mom had turned out. Lieutenant Mahoney and Sergeant Beemer arrived a short time later, to look over Mayor Sandberg once more, and they took the opportunity to question Brenda about a certain missing birthmark. They then showed Brenda records from a now-closed orphanage in upstate New York, stating that Tilly Sandberg was an identical twin. When they shared their belief that this twin had taken Tilly’s place twelve years ago, Brenda became distraught. They couldn’t reach Brenda’s husband, so Brenda called Tessa Baker to take her home… which is, of course, how the entire city found out before midnight.” Abuela shook her head. “It’s just like one of those telenovelas we love.

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