aliens?”
“According to Tammy, something a lot more human abducted Bootsie. She supposedly has some young man she’s seeing. Someone mentioned to me that she thought it was Connor.”
Red grunted noncommittally, but raised his eyebrows.
“Agnes’ son is the only lothario I can think of,” added Myrtle, studying Red. He looked like he might know something about Bootsie’s love life.”
“Connor must’ve had his hands full with Tammy.”
“Tammy was enough to keep anybody busy,” Myrtle agreed. “I don’t know if Connor was cheating on Tammy or not. I don’t know whom Bootsie is seeing, but Tammy seemed pretty sure it was someone .”
“I really don’t see Connor being interested in Bootsie,” said Red.
Myrtle felt a touch of guilt over Kat. Had she sent a pink-haired lamb to the slaughter? What if Connor were some kind of lady-killer…for real? “I guess you’re right. He’s probably just not ready to settle down.
This conversation with Red wasn’t going as well as it should. He was giving her some hints as to whom they were interested in investigating closer, but she was talking too much. What she needed was some fresh information. And another cop. “Red, I was thinking, why don’t you invite Detective Lieutenant Perkins over to supper tonight? He’s a visitor to Bradley, after all, and it would be the polite thing to do.”
Red peered at her through squinty eyes. “You’re not planning to pump him for information, are you?”
She looked down her nose at him. “Of course not. We should extend our hospitality, that’s all.” Thunder rumbled ominously outdoors and Red frowned at her suspiciously.
“Well, I don’t know. It’s kind of last minute for Elaine.”
Myrtle said, “I’ll call Elaine’s cell phone real quick—she was going to finish up her errands at the store. She could pick up some food from the grocery store deli; fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, fruit. I’ll even pay for it!” She felt very benevolent. “Oh, and Miles can come, too. You know how he enjoys going out for dinner.”
Red sighed. “I guess so. Thanks for hijacking my quiet evening.”
Myrtle acted as demure as a very big-boned woman could. “You know, Red, I’ve been meaning to drop by and visit with Prissy for a while. Just to see about volunteering to read for the preschool classes,” she hurried on as Red opened his mouth to object. “After all,” she said with a sanctimonious air, “it’s important to give something back to the community.”
Red politely overlooked that his mother had been immune to the need for community involvement for the past eighty years. “You’re messing with a hornets’ nest.”
“I’m visiting Prissy , that’s all. She’s hardly a homicidal maniac. Besides, she’ll actually talk to me. When you were there, she was probably too stunned to even say anything.”
“Be careful, Mama.”
It was the second warning she’d received that day. But humming the hymn put the warning right out of her head.
Prissy’s cottage was just a short walk from Red and Elaine’s house. Myrtle strolled down the sidewalk through downtown Bradley. The old street was divided by a grassy median with a row of dogwoods down the center. The streetlights flanking the road were hung with American flags. What could have been hokey in another town was perfect for Bradley. She gave an appreciative sniff as she passed Bo’s Diner, packed with the lunchtime crowd. She walked by the small city hall with the fountain in front and took a left down the next street.
Prissy’s little yard was plucked, pruned and manicured with luscious zoysia grass, yellow Jessamine enthusiastically climbing her fence and English ivy scaling the shady side of the house. Steep concrete stairs climbed to the cheery red front door. Myrtle took a deep breath and carefully mounted the steps. They were even steeper than they’d looked and she gasped for breath as she leaned against Prissy’s
“According to Tammy, something a lot more human abducted Bootsie. She supposedly has some young man she’s seeing. Someone mentioned to me that she thought it was Connor.”
Red grunted noncommittally, but raised his eyebrows.
“Agnes’ son is the only lothario I can think of,” added Myrtle, studying Red. He looked like he might know something about Bootsie’s love life.”
“Connor must’ve had his hands full with Tammy.”
“Tammy was enough to keep anybody busy,” Myrtle agreed. “I don’t know if Connor was cheating on Tammy or not. I don’t know whom Bootsie is seeing, but Tammy seemed pretty sure it was someone .”
“I really don’t see Connor being interested in Bootsie,” said Red.
Myrtle felt a touch of guilt over Kat. Had she sent a pink-haired lamb to the slaughter? What if Connor were some kind of lady-killer…for real? “I guess you’re right. He’s probably just not ready to settle down.
This conversation with Red wasn’t going as well as it should. He was giving her some hints as to whom they were interested in investigating closer, but she was talking too much. What she needed was some fresh information. And another cop. “Red, I was thinking, why don’t you invite Detective Lieutenant Perkins over to supper tonight? He’s a visitor to Bradley, after all, and it would be the polite thing to do.”
Red peered at her through squinty eyes. “You’re not planning to pump him for information, are you?”
She looked down her nose at him. “Of course not. We should extend our hospitality, that’s all.” Thunder rumbled ominously outdoors and Red frowned at her suspiciously.
“Well, I don’t know. It’s kind of last minute for Elaine.”
Myrtle said, “I’ll call Elaine’s cell phone real quick—she was going to finish up her errands at the store. She could pick up some food from the grocery store deli; fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, fruit. I’ll even pay for it!” She felt very benevolent. “Oh, and Miles can come, too. You know how he enjoys going out for dinner.”
Red sighed. “I guess so. Thanks for hijacking my quiet evening.”
Myrtle acted as demure as a very big-boned woman could. “You know, Red, I’ve been meaning to drop by and visit with Prissy for a while. Just to see about volunteering to read for the preschool classes,” she hurried on as Red opened his mouth to object. “After all,” she said with a sanctimonious air, “it’s important to give something back to the community.”
Red politely overlooked that his mother had been immune to the need for community involvement for the past eighty years. “You’re messing with a hornets’ nest.”
“I’m visiting Prissy , that’s all. She’s hardly a homicidal maniac. Besides, she’ll actually talk to me. When you were there, she was probably too stunned to even say anything.”
“Be careful, Mama.”
It was the second warning she’d received that day. But humming the hymn put the warning right out of her head.
Prissy’s cottage was just a short walk from Red and Elaine’s house. Myrtle strolled down the sidewalk through downtown Bradley. The old street was divided by a grassy median with a row of dogwoods down the center. The streetlights flanking the road were hung with American flags. What could have been hokey in another town was perfect for Bradley. She gave an appreciative sniff as she passed Bo’s Diner, packed with the lunchtime crowd. She walked by the small city hall with the fountain in front and took a left down the next street.
Prissy’s little yard was plucked, pruned and manicured with luscious zoysia grass, yellow Jessamine enthusiastically climbing her fence and English ivy scaling the shady side of the house. Steep concrete stairs climbed to the cheery red front door. Myrtle took a deep breath and carefully mounted the steps. They were even steeper than they’d looked and she gasped for breath as she leaned against Prissy’s
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