Becklaw's Murder Mystery Tour (Jo Anderson Series) by Dane McCaslin Page B
Authors: Dane McCaslin
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handbasket.’ I couldn’t have said it better.
OK, I said to myself, think, Jo. Where else might she have gone? Home, maybe? That would entail a jaunt to her car, which was in the parking lot … the parking lot! Oh, no, I groaned inwardly. She’d see Josie and no one would be with her.
I darted down the hall, my long skirts caught up in my hands. It occurred to me then that I had been doing a lot of dashing about in these high-heeled shoes, and they weren’t half bad. Maybe the women of the Old West did know a thing or two about comfort after all.
My mind was digressing, a sure sign that I was losing it. Hold it together, Jo, I admonished myself. First things first: report back to the Becklaw gals and tell them that Lily is nowhere to be found. They’ll know what to do.
Why in the world had I thought that they would be any better at this than I was? As soon as I delivered my news, Miss Bea’s face turned ashen, Miss Lucinda’s mouth fell open and stayed that way, and Leslie’s eyes filled with tears.
‘What?’ I demanded. I looked at each of them in turn, waiting for someone to enlighten me.
‘Oh, Jo,’ began Leslie, voice quavering. ‘If someone is hunting down women and Lily’s missing, she might be in danger, too! Poor Josie. Poor Lily.’ She put her face into her hands.
Really, now. It’s a wonder more people don’t get hurt leaping to conclusions as quickly as they do, present party not included. My leaps of logic were based on – well, logic. I all but snapped my fingers in their faces to bring them back to reality.
‘Look, just because I can’t find her doesn’t mean she’s not here somewhere. I’m going back out to the parking lot and making sure she’s not there. Or is there, as the case may be. Leslie?’ I quirked an eyebrow at her in an invitation to join me.
‘Miss Lucinda, will you two be OK?’ Leslie stood to her feet, hesitating briefly. I absolutely adored such displays of loyalty. We were becoming a very tightknit group indeed.
‘We’ll be fine, my dear,’ said Miss Lucinda bravely. I noticed she had included Miss Bea in her answer, although she might have begun speaking in terms of the royal ‘we’. Either way, I was sure the two of them would be perfectly all right.
Leslie and I wove our way through the scattered tables and back out the front door. An evening chill had settled in earnest now, and I wished that I’d grabbed my jacket while I was in the dressing room. I shivered. It occurred to me the shiver might not be only from the coolness in the air.
We paused at the edge of the parking lot, each scanning the scene for a glimpse of Lily’s bright pink costume. Of course, she might have tossed a sweater or something on top of it; the more I thought about that, the more likely it seemed. Lily was as modest as they came.
‘Let’s walk over and ask that officer whether or not anyone has seen Lily out here.’ I said to Leslie, pointing out the young woman in a Manchester uniform. ‘She might not even be here, you know.’ I put action to my words and began striding toward the policewoman, Leslie hurrying to catch up.
‘I hope you’re right, Jo,’ Leslie said. ‘I’d really hate for her to see …’ – she gulped – ‘for her to see Josie this way without anyone with her.’
Leslie was so tenderhearted sometimes; it was no wonder that LJ felt safe with her.
‘I agree,’ I replied, ‘which is why I’m going to ask this nice officer,’ I paused, looking at the shiny badge on the woman’s uniform jacket, ‘this nice Officer Kingsley if she might have seen our friend Lily.’ I smiled in what I hoped was a friendly fashion at the poker-faced officer. My lips felt like they were stuck against my teeth, my mouth had gone so dry.
‘Who are you looking for?’ The question was directed at me, although I caught the swift glance that took in Leslie as well. Boy, these officers had quick eyes. They probably saw everything and then some.
‘We are
OK, I said to myself, think, Jo. Where else might she have gone? Home, maybe? That would entail a jaunt to her car, which was in the parking lot … the parking lot! Oh, no, I groaned inwardly. She’d see Josie and no one would be with her.
I darted down the hall, my long skirts caught up in my hands. It occurred to me then that I had been doing a lot of dashing about in these high-heeled shoes, and they weren’t half bad. Maybe the women of the Old West did know a thing or two about comfort after all.
My mind was digressing, a sure sign that I was losing it. Hold it together, Jo, I admonished myself. First things first: report back to the Becklaw gals and tell them that Lily is nowhere to be found. They’ll know what to do.
Why in the world had I thought that they would be any better at this than I was? As soon as I delivered my news, Miss Bea’s face turned ashen, Miss Lucinda’s mouth fell open and stayed that way, and Leslie’s eyes filled with tears.
‘What?’ I demanded. I looked at each of them in turn, waiting for someone to enlighten me.
‘Oh, Jo,’ began Leslie, voice quavering. ‘If someone is hunting down women and Lily’s missing, she might be in danger, too! Poor Josie. Poor Lily.’ She put her face into her hands.
Really, now. It’s a wonder more people don’t get hurt leaping to conclusions as quickly as they do, present party not included. My leaps of logic were based on – well, logic. I all but snapped my fingers in their faces to bring them back to reality.
‘Look, just because I can’t find her doesn’t mean she’s not here somewhere. I’m going back out to the parking lot and making sure she’s not there. Or is there, as the case may be. Leslie?’ I quirked an eyebrow at her in an invitation to join me.
‘Miss Lucinda, will you two be OK?’ Leslie stood to her feet, hesitating briefly. I absolutely adored such displays of loyalty. We were becoming a very tightknit group indeed.
‘We’ll be fine, my dear,’ said Miss Lucinda bravely. I noticed she had included Miss Bea in her answer, although she might have begun speaking in terms of the royal ‘we’. Either way, I was sure the two of them would be perfectly all right.
Leslie and I wove our way through the scattered tables and back out the front door. An evening chill had settled in earnest now, and I wished that I’d grabbed my jacket while I was in the dressing room. I shivered. It occurred to me the shiver might not be only from the coolness in the air.
We paused at the edge of the parking lot, each scanning the scene for a glimpse of Lily’s bright pink costume. Of course, she might have tossed a sweater or something on top of it; the more I thought about that, the more likely it seemed. Lily was as modest as they came.
‘Let’s walk over and ask that officer whether or not anyone has seen Lily out here.’ I said to Leslie, pointing out the young woman in a Manchester uniform. ‘She might not even be here, you know.’ I put action to my words and began striding toward the policewoman, Leslie hurrying to catch up.
‘I hope you’re right, Jo,’ Leslie said. ‘I’d really hate for her to see …’ – she gulped – ‘for her to see Josie this way without anyone with her.’
Leslie was so tenderhearted sometimes; it was no wonder that LJ felt safe with her.
‘I agree,’ I replied, ‘which is why I’m going to ask this nice officer,’ I paused, looking at the shiny badge on the woman’s uniform jacket, ‘this nice Officer Kingsley if she might have seen our friend Lily.’ I smiled in what I hoped was a friendly fashion at the poker-faced officer. My lips felt like they were stuck against my teeth, my mouth had gone so dry.
‘Who are you looking for?’ The question was directed at me, although I caught the swift glance that took in Leslie as well. Boy, these officers had quick eyes. They probably saw everything and then some.
‘We are
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