The Feed Store Floozy (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) by Judy Nickles

problem.”
    She hung up and turned to face Jake and Penelope. “Brad said he’d be here for his pie in about an hour.” She put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. “You won’t believe what happened.”
    “Can you tell us?” Penelope asked.
    “Harvey Hadden broke into the store and went upstairs, where he found Brice and Jill in Miss Madeline’s room, and…”
    “Maybe you better not go any further,” Penelope interrupted.
    Rosabel grinned. “It’s not what you think. They were having a knock-down drag-out screaming match—some people on the street heard them—but apparently Harvey had a jug of shine with him, and by the time Brad and Parnell got there, everybody loved everybody.”
    “What is Harvey doing hanging around there?” Jake asked.
    Penelope made a quick decision to let Brad share what she’d found out at the archives, so she shook her head.
    Rosabel sat down again. “But there’s a matter of Brice’s wallet, which is n ow empty, and he’s swearing Harvey took the money. Harvey’s swearing he didn’t, and Jill Jerome is backing him up, and now everybody hates everybody again.” She went off in a fit of giggles. “Someday I’m going to write a book.”
    “At least nobody killed anybody,” Penelope said.
    Brad picked Rosabel up later but took his pie with him. “I’ve got paperwork,” he told Penelope.
    “You locked them all up?”
    “Until they’re sober anyway.”
    “Lucky you.”
    “Yeah. Thanks for supper, Mother. I’ll talk to you later.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN
     
    The next day, when Penelope met Mary Lynn for lunch at the Garden Spot, she noticed Jill Jerome sitting across the restaurant. “Don’t tell me she’s still here,” Mary Lynn muttered.
    “Looks like it.”
    “I don’t care what she says, something’s going on between Brice and her. Too bad. Did you ever meet his wife?”
    “ No. Don’t jump to conclusions, Mary Lynn.”
    “You did, didn’t you?”
    “Not necessarily.”
    Mary Lynn rolled her eyes and plopped into a chair, hanging her zebra-print bag on the back of it. “I guess nothing came of her accusation that Brice tried to do whatever it is he’s supposed to have tried to do.”
    Penelope laughed. “I guess not.” She thought of the scene in Miss Madeline’s room the night before and wished she could share it.”
    As soon as the waitress took their orders and left, Jill Jerome sashayed across the room—Penelope t hought everyone would agree the woman sashayed —and stood beside the table. “Well, Mrs. Mayor and Mrs. B&B.”
    She’s still drunk, Penelope thought. She sniffed to catch the scent of alcohol, but it wasn’t present.
    “I’m stone cold sober, Mrs. Pembroke,” Jill said, dropping her voice. “I’m sure you heard about last night. It must be nice to have an in with the local police department.”
    Mary Lynn frowned across the table. “Last night?”
    “Never mind,” Penelope said. “Look, Miss Jerome, why don’t you just go back to Dallas? What’s keeping you here?”
    Jill’s crooked smile menaced the women. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
    “Actually, I wouldn’t.”
    “My film turned up, by the way.”
    I bet it was never missing to begin with.
    “Film?” Mary Lynn asked. “Oh, those pictures you took upstairs at the store. What are you going to do with them?”
    “You’ll find out soon enough. Or maybe you won’t. I’m willing to bet nobody in this antiquated town reads anything besides recipes and true love stories.”
    “You’d be surprised,” Penelope said. “Well, I’m glad the film turned up. Now you can…”
    “I can do what Wally set out to do.”
    “Which was?”
    “Make a bundle, of course. His editor has even agreed to let me write the story from Wally’s notes and use the photographs I took.”
    “I see.”
    Mary Lynn glared at Jill. “Just what is a story about a small-town pleasure parlor worth?” Her face flushed.
    “Plenty. I’d be willing to name a figure if your