A Plain Malice: An Appleseed Creek Mystery (Appleseed Creek Mystery Series Book 4) by Amanda Flower

backside of the itinerary there was a list of all the guests’ names. I had met everyone on the list except Earl Kepler and Duke and Doris Kite.
    I patted Becky’s arm. “ I’m sorry. I messed up. I should have called you right away.”
    She s hrugged. “It’s okay.”
    “W hy don’t you talk to Ellie about going home early?”
    She shook her head.
    “All right. Then, I will see you later I had better go see about the bus passengers.” I removed Timothy’s pickup keys from my pocket. “Timothy is around here somewhere. Can you give them to him?”
    She droppe d the keys in her apron pocket.
    At twenty until three, Hudson had the bus at the curb in front of the restaurant. All of the passengers were already aboard.
    “What took you so long?” he asked.
    I guessed it was Hudson’s idea of a greeting. “I told everyone to be back on the bus at three. They’re early.”
    “This is an early to bed, early to rise crowd. Always assume that they need less time than you give them. They want to go to the inn and take off their orthopedic shoes.”
    “Thanks for the advice,” I muttered.
    Hudson smiled. “You’re welcome.” He handed me the mic. “Now, hit it and entertain the masses.”
    I took the microphone from his hand with a grunt.
    At the inn, Gertie handed me her roll bag as she disembarked. “Careful with that. It has my jerky.”
    Melinda shook her head as she took the bag from me.
    I consulted the itinerary again while they made their way to the entrance. “You will have dinner here at the inn tonight at six in the dining room.”
    Fred scowled. “ Why doesn’t this place have cable? I want to watch the game. We got in too late last night for me to complain.”
    I wondered if there was a specific game Fred wanted to watch or any game would do. I couldn’t remember if I even saw a television in Pearl’s room earlier in that day. “It’s an Amish inn.”
    “It’s ridiculous.”
    His wife Nadine trilled in laughter. “Oh, Fred, don’t be such a grumpypuss.”
    To me, i t looked like Fred was a professional grumpypuss.
    Jane answered questions at the desk, and Ephraim stood nearby, alert and ready to help the guests with their every need. When he saw me, he slipped away again. I frowned and debated too long about going after him.
    I slipped away to check on Pearl before I left. I knocked on the door. There was no answer. “Pearl? It’s Chloe. I just wanted to say good-bye. I’m leaving for the day.”
    Still nothing. Was she asleep?
    I hurried down the stairwell to the first floor to find Fred arguing with Jane about the lack of televisions in the inn. “Do you have cable in your part of the inn?”
    Jane’s friendly smile waned. “Cable?”
    “Yes , for a tele-a-vision.” He said the word extra slow as if he thought she didn’t know what he meant.
    I balled my hands into fists.
    Jane’s smile resurfaced, and her Pennsylvania Dutch accent became more pronounced. “What is this television you speak of? I don’t know what you mean?”
    Fred’s mouth fell open. “ What kind of backwoods place is this?”
    Jane forced a smile. “You are staying at an Amish inn, and our life is plain.”
    He pointed a finger at her. “Who are you kidding? This place is lit up like a Christmas tree with electric lights. How Amish is that?”
    “Would you like me to turn the light s off, Sir?” Jane asked.
    Gertie poked her head between Fred and Nadine at the counter. “ Make due, Fred. I don’t have Wi-Fi.”
    Nadine place d a hand on her husband’s arm. “Oh, Fred, she knows what a television is. She’s just teasing you. Aren’t you, Jane?”
    Nadine and Jane shared a conspiratorial wink, and my fists unclenched at my sides. “I’ve seen the m at Wal-Mart,” Jane said.
    Fred picked up his roll bag and stomped away from the desk. Nadine shouted out apologies as she hurried behind him.
    I placed my hands on the counter. “Do you know where Pearl is?”
    She looked confused.
    “The lady who