A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer

might lead to someone who did have a motive, please let me know.”
    “There was something odd…” Flo took another sip of her tea and replaced her cup on the saucer. “Nothing definite, but she wasn’t quite the same these last few days. Something was making her very nervy.”
    “Do you know what?”
    “I don’t, I’m sorry to say, but I thought maybe somebody was threatening her. Several times when I was here the last couple of weeks, the phone rang. Normally, I wouldn’t pick it up, but I thought maybe it was the realty office trying to reach me.”
    “Who was calling?”
    “Have no idea. The first time, a man’s voice said, ‘Get out of town and don’t come back.’ Made me jump out of my skin, I’ll tell you.”
    “What did you do?” Lucky asked.
    “I yelled right back at him and said, ‘Whoever you are, you leave this house alone.’ I think the call was to scare her and whoever it was realized then that I wasn’t her at all. It happened a few more times, but there were no words. He just breathed heavy and hung up.” Flo folded her fingers around her teacup and leaned closer, almost whispering, “And she had a gun.”
    “A gun? Whatever for?”
    “I tell you, she was scared of somebody. I came here late in the day one time. It was already dark. She wasn’t expecting me that late. She was fine once she realized it was only me, but she was real jumpy nonetheless.”
    “Did you tell her about the phone calls?”
    “I most certainly did.” Flo sniffed.
    “What was her reaction?”
    “She looked a little strange, a little white around the lips if you know what I mean. At first she didn’t say anything, just stared at me real cold like the eyes of a dead fish, and then she laughed. Not a happy laugh neither, more like a ‘we’ll see about that’ kinda laugh, and she said something then.”
    “Do you remember what it was?”
    Flo shook her head and looked off in the distance, thinking for a moment. “I don’t remember exactly, but something like ‘We’ll see who gets out of town first, won’t we.’ Fair sent chills down my spine, something in her eyes.”
    Lucky’s head was finally clearing. “Flo, what did you say earlier about the bedroom being torn up?”
    “It’s a complete mess. I’ll have to straighten it all up, but I tell you I’m not coming back here—never! Come on, have a look.”
    Lucky followed Flo down the hall and stopped in shocked silence when she saw the room. Every drawer, every item of clothing had been pulled out of the closet. Every box and its contents had been dumped on the floor. Diamond jewelry embedded in the carpeting glittered in the overhead light. The bedclothes had been pulled off the mattress, and the mattress and box spring were tipped on their sides.
    “Flo, it looked nothing like this when I got here. I rummaged around, but I didn’t disturb a thing.”
    “I believe you, dear. Somebody pushed you down the stairs and somebody was desperate to find something she had.”
    Lucky shook her head in disbelief. “But what? There was nothing here except some expensive jewelry and clothing. Nate must have taken her laptop and any papers she might have had. Whatever they were searching for is probably at the police station.”
    Lucky bent down and picked up the scattered pieces of jewelry before they were stepped on and crushed. “Here, Flo, I’ll give you a hand. This bedding is way too heavy forone person.” She moved to the other side of the bed and together they maneuvered the box spring back on the bed frame and finally the mattress.
    “Just dump all those linens in the hallway. I’ll have to wash those and put them away for whenever they get the next tenant.”
    “Okay. I’ll hang the clothes back up in the closet. I think Eleanor’s arranging for someone to pack up all this and ship it to her brother.”
    “That’s fine, but it won’t be me. I’m taking all this to the Laundromat. I don’t want to be in this house one more minute