Pretty is as Pretty Dies (A Myrtle Clover Mystery) by Elizabeth Spann Craig

around for anyone else looking especially smug. The Hallelujah chorus during a service for a widely disliked woman was really asking for sarcastic smiles, after all. Kitty Kirk looked frumpy
and gray-faced. Benton and Tippy Chambers stood at attention, but
Benton's eyes were cutting all over the sanctuary. Looking for hands
to press after the service, probably. Politicians never took a day off.
Althea Hayes was there, looking sad. Probably thinking about the
quick graveside service her husband Tanner was given just days ago.
From Myrtle's vantage point she couldn't really see any other faces.
Red gave her a hard look and she stopped craning her head around.
    A graveside service followed the funeral. Judging from the way
the sanctuary emptied out ten minutes later, Myrtle doubted there
would be anyone in attendance but Cecil and his sister. She noticed they were at the front of the sanctuary, talking to the minister. Parke's daughter looked more and more displeased as Cecil's
smirk grew.
    "Coming, Myrtle?" asked Elaine, looking at her watch. Red edged
toward the sanctuary door.
    Myrtle cast another glance at the now-dueling siblings. "I'm
going to just sit here for a few minutes." Elaine stared at her, uncomprehendingly. Red gave a gusty sigh and made a shoving, hurry-up
motion in the direction of the door to Elaine. Since Elaine was still staring at Myrtle, who had seemed too eager to leave only a few minutes ago, Myrtle repeated, louder, "I'm just going to sit here for a few
minutes."

    Red ran a hand through his red hair, standing it up on end.
"What are you going on about? We're driving you home and we're
leaving now. Service is over, Mama."
    "I'll walk home." Now Red was staring at her. "It's a nice day,"
she said stubbornly. "Besides. I want to ... pray."
    "Pray!?" chorused Elaine and Red.
    "Yes," she answered with determination. "I'm an old woman
who might not have much time left on this earth. Funerals just remind me of the ticking of the clock." She smiled sweetly at Elaine
and Red's stunned expressions. "So ... just leave me." They continued looking at her. "To pray. And then walk." Myrtle pointedly
closed her eyes in a pious posture.
    Red opened and closed his mouth several times like a guppy,
while Elaine pulled him toward the sanctuary door. Elaine had her
own suspicions about Myrtle's sudden spirituality. She couldn't wait
to see the end of the service, and an octogenarian seemed a little old
to have a sudden change of heart. Plus, she had noticed the feuding
siblings at the front of the church, too. It seemed very convenient
that Myrtle had picked that moment to find God. She knew there
was no use changing her mind once it was made up, however. She
directed her spluttering husband to his car.
    Myrtle decided that she would be much more inspired to prayer
if she moved closer to the front of the church. She could barely even
see the altar where she was, she reasoned. Cecil and his sister were so
deep in debate that they never noticed the gray-haired, big-boned woman moving slowly up the side aisle toward the front. Too bad
Methodists don't kneel. She could really hide, then.

    Myrtle leaned close. The words were getting lost in the vaulted
ceiling. Or maybe it was Myrtle's ears that were the problem. Whatever the problem, Myrtle wasn't getting good reception. Nathaniel
Gluck had left minutes ago but probably had an idea what the argument had been about. She made a mental note to ask him. All
she was picking up was angry tones. She moved several more pews
up until she was sitting in the same pew that Cecil and his sister
had shared and resumed her prayerful stance. Now the voices came
in clearer. Cecil's sister was letting Cecil have it for always taking
money from her and not giving anything back. And exposing her
to unsavory characters. Myrtle focused more, hoping more would
be said about the seedy louts. Her concentration was interrupted
by a faraway sneezing that