Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 06 - Magnolia Mansion Mysteries by Hope Callaghan Page B

glared at Liz.  “You didn’t do much better.” She mimicked her sister.  “Did you hear about the body they found in Belhaven?”
    Liz shrugged.  Yeah.  It probably wasn’t the best choice in words to say to someone whose love interest had just disappeared. “So how is the investigation going?”
    Gloria shrugged.  “Kind of at a standstill until they identify the body,” she admitted.
    Gloria told her who she thought it was and why. She changed the subject and they talked about Jill and the boys.  Liz mentioned that her son, Eric, was coming for a visit.  Eric lived somewhere out in Colorado.  Gloria could never remember exactly where.  He had a girlfriend that Liz had never met.  “Is he bringing his girlfriend?”
    “Casey?” Liz sawed off a piece of the liver on her plate and took a bite.  “Yep.  Finally get to meet her.”
    After they finished eating, the three of them wandered back to Liz’s place.  They chatted for a while and the conversation turned to the coins.  “David said they’re close to a decision and it’s looking good.”
    Gloria tried not to get her hopes up.  She didn’t want to be disappointed if the courts ruled in the state’s favor.  She glanced at her watch.  “We better go.  I want to get home before dark.”
    Liz walked her to the door.  “How’s it going with Al?” Gloria asked as she grabbed the door handle.
    Liz blushed.  Her eyes slid to the ground. “Pretty good,” she answered vaguely. 
    “Hmm.” Gloria nodded. She didn’t press the issue. 
    Gloria and Mally strolled back to the car. She opened the door for Mally then slid into the driver’s seat before heading back to Belhaven. 
    Dot’s dinner rush was over and only a couple cars were parked out front.  For a split second, Gloria thought about stopping but drove on instead. 
    She needed a good night’s rest what with the boys coming the next day.  Mally and Gloria headed inside and settled in to watch Gloria’s favorite TV show, Detective on the Side.
    After the show ended, she wandered off to bed with Mally and Puddles in tow.  She switched off the light and slid in between the sheets. Mally crawled in on the other side and Puddles curled up next to Gloria’s head.  She squeezed her eyes shut and began to pray, asking God for a restful night, certain that tomorrow was going to be a busy one! 
     

Chapter 10
     
    Gloria woke early the next morning.  At first, her foggy brain couldn’t register exactly why she was up so early, then it dawned on her.  Her grandsons, Tyler and Ryan, were coming for a visit! 
    She flung back the covers, shoved her feet in her slippers and headed to the kitchen for a pot of caffeine.
    Mally headed for the porch door and let out a low whine. It was time to go out.
    Gloria pulled her robe tight and cinched the belt before stepping onto the porch. She smoothed her hair back and reached for the paper. 
    Smack dab on the front page of the morning paper was the headline:  “Bad Luck or Black Widow?” Below the caption was a picture of Andrea’s house with the dumpster off to the side.  Her heart sank.  She hoped Andrea hadn’t seen the paper – but chances are, she had. 
    She and Mally wandered into the house. Gloria set the paper on the table and poured a cup of coffee before sliding into a kitchen chair and slipping on her glasses.  The article was brief.  It told how another body – this one a skeleton – had been found in a dumpster out in front of the newly-renovated house.  The article mentioned Andrea by name.  How her husband had been found murdered and just weeks later, a body had been found in the shed on the property she had just purchased. 
    After she read the article, she folded the paper in half and shoved it to the back of the table.  It did seem as if Andrea had the worst luck in the world.  What were the chances of another body popping up on her property? 
    But each of those mysteries had been solved and Andrea had