Pageants and Poisons: A Pageants for Posey Cozy Mystery Book One by Laura Marie Altom

Author:Laura Marie Altom [Altom, Laura Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fulton Court Press
Published: 2024-01-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Since Posey had turned on the TV upstairs—Sponge Bob sang through the floorboards—I knew she was reasonably safe.

As for Clara, I didn’t care.

I crept to the door, drew back the lace panel Gammy had long ago installed over the door’s clear glass, and nearly collapsed with relief.

“Thank goodness...” I fumbled unlocking the door, but once I did, I opened it, and threw myself into Luke’s arms.

That’s when my tears started.

“Hey...” Luke still held me while simultaneously tossing the sacks he’d been holding to one of Gammy’s rockers. “You’re smashing our burgers.”

“I’m not hungry.” I held him. Only just now did I realize that the only thing I craved was him. Did that make me a bad person? Probably, but I didn’t care.

“What happened?” He smoothed one his strong hands up and down my back. With his other, he held my head firm to his chest. “Shh... Babe, whatever it is, I’m here. Why didn’t you call?”

He called me, Babe.

“I would have loved to, but it happened so fast.” I sniffled. “Only nothing really happened at all, but I was so scared. And Posey wouldn’t back down, but I was terrified for her, and so I snapped. And then she was crying, and Clara was popping off with one of her classic, rude Clara-isms and—”

“Shh...” How it was possible, I don’t know, but he held me even closer, and I swear his warmth, his incredible scents of barn and sweat and burgers made me feel if for just that moment, all was right with the world. “Let’s take this inside. We’ll find Posey, kick out Clara, and enjoy our late lunch.”

“Yes,” I managed. Only now did I notice the ever-present heat. “I feel terrible about making Posey cry.”

“If I know my rambunctious daughter like I think I do, she no doubt needed a scolding.”

He helped me and our burgers into the shop. Not only did Luke lock the door, but he also shoved a heavy side table in front of it.

We trudged up the stairs and sat around my grandmother’s kitchen table like a family.

“Posey...” After sitting in silence for a few minutes, I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, I yelled. Not that it’s an excuse, but I was afraid that man was going to hurt all of us.”

“He seemed nice to me.” Posey dredged a French fry through a pool of ketchup on her plate. “Sorry.”

“Firefly,” Luke set down his burger. “I know we’ve talked about an awful lot of grown-up stuff lately, but—”

“You mean like murders?” She crammed more fries into her mouth.

Luke sighed.

“Hello?” called a cigarette-raspy voice from downstairs.

I groaned. I’d totally forgotten Clara had been out back chain smoking.

“Come on up!” I hollered.

Posey made a face. “I don’t like her.”

“I don’t like you either,” Clara said from the top of the stairs.

Luke scowled. “Clara, we need to talk about boundaries. You can’t just walk into Grace’s home uninvited—especially with trouble brewing.”

“Who are you to talk?” Clara brushed past Luke and plopped down in a chair. “I’ve been around Grace practically her whole life.

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