Powdered Murder by Gardner A

Author:Gardner, A. [Gardner, A.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2015-09-02T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Prepare for the worst," I said as I unlocked the door to my apartment. There had been no sign of Joy on our drive into town. There were no signs of any accidents either. Patrick and I were surprised to see that Mrs. Tankle's lights were still on in The Painted Deer Bookshop.

"What do you mean?" Patrick asked.

"Oh there you are. Finally!" Mrs. Tankle hustled out of her shop at just the right moment.

"Mrs. Tankle," Patrick said, taking her arm. "You shouldn't be running around like that when there's ice all over the place. You might slip and fall."

"Well, I didn't," she barked at him. "I still have some fight left in me." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. "Go on and open the door, Essie. I heard those two yelling and screaming. I called the sheriff but he hasn't shown yet. I warned you about letting that bum Wade Porter into your apartment."

"Yes, I know, Mrs. Tankle." I nodded apologetically. "I am so sorry."

"Don't make it a habit," she scolded me. "I could have lost business because of it. Lots of my customers like to stay and do some reading after they make their purchases, especially the ones on couples' retreats who are looking for an hour alone in peace and quiet."

"Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of a couples' retreat?" Patrick chuckled. I immediately shook my head.

"What was that?" Mrs. Tankle asked snidely.

"Nothing," he lied. "I mean, I too am very sorry for the noise."

"Well…" She took a deep breath as if accepting our apologies. "It's not your fault, Patrick." She looked at me. "Or yours, Essie."

"Let's sort this whole thing out, shall we?" Patrick gestured towards the door, and I quickly pushed it open. What I found looked like a crime scene.

The coffee table was overturned and all the sofa cushions were on the floor. Some even looked like they had been tossed at the television. The kitchen was a mess. Food was all over the counters and a couple of empty water bottles were on the kitchen floor. Mrs. Tankle jumped when a loud bang came from one of the bedrooms.

"That's it!" she shouted. "I have had it!"

Patrick and I looked at each other as more noises came from Joy's bedroom. My eyes darted from the empty liquor bottle in the kitchen to the trail of clothes leading towards the door where Mrs. Tankle was standing.

A pair of jeans.

A skirt.

A blouse tangled with a lacy push-up bra.

"Mrs. Tankle," I shouted. "Mrs. Tankle, don't!"

But I'd yelled my warning too late.

Naively, Mrs. Tankle pushed open the bedroom door ready to give my sister a piece of her mind. What Mrs. Tankle saw was enough to give her a heart attack instead. The noises grew louder and Mrs. Tankle clutched her chest, letting out a blood-curdling scream. My eyes went wide enough to pop out of my head. Joy and Wade were intertwined so tightly on her bed I couldn't tell what belonged to who. Joy's bare skin looked tan compared to Wade's nude complexion.

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