Sleuthing at Sweet Springs (The Sleuth Sisters Mysteries Book 4)

by Maggie Pill

  “Why don’t you ask Derrick to help?” I suggested. “He’ll keep you from falling and hurting yourself.” It was like a skit we did over and over. Harriet liked Derrick, who was clever enough to promise he’d help her practice walking as soon as he could and then hurry away as if too busy at the moment. It was how we kept her in the wheelchair instead of in a heap on the tile floor.

  “That’s what I’ll do,” Harriet said. “I’ll ask Derrick.”

  When we left a few minutes later, Dale squeezed my arm. “You can always handle her.”

  “Years of experience,” I replied, rolling my eyes.

  Holding the door for me, he said, “I’m sorry, Faye.”

  “For what?”

  He shrugged. “Your life, I guess. You got stuck with a man who wasn’t much to start with then got worse. You have a mother-in-law who’s never given you a break.” Setting his cap on his head, he finished, “Retta and Barb had their troubles, but they’ve got nice houses and money to buy what they want.”

  “Stop right there, Dale Burner!” I followed him to the passenger side of the car and backed him up against the door. “Don’t tell me about my life. I married you because I loved you, and I still love you. Your mother can be as ornery as she wants. I don’t care. You and I are together, and that’s what I want. Not money, not a big house, not an expensive car—though I’ll be glad to get mine back and not have to borrow Barb’s.” I put my arms around his neck. “Whatever life hands us, we’re going to handle it—together.”

  “Get a room!” said a voice behind us, and I turned to see two teenagers passing. They were clearly shocked at the sight of two old people apparently necking.

  I looked back at Dale, and the humor of the moment caught up with us. Smiling at each other, we stood in our embrace for a moment longer before I backed away. “Let’s go home, Mr. Burner.”

  “Okay with me, Mrs. Burner.”

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Barb

  Rory made dinner for us at his place the night after Diane Landon’s arrest. As we dined on his version of Chicago-style pizza, which was delicious, we pooled information. “Stan Wozniak didn’t seem like a killer to me,” I said, “and I checked on Rick Chou, our other suspect. He wasn’t in Allport Labor Day weekend, and he has no connections to industry.” I smiled. “The guy apparently makes his money as a hand and foot model for commercials.”

  “Foot model? You mean like for foot fungus ads?”

  I shrugged. “Someone has to do it. Anyway, that narrowed it down to one or both of the Landons as Gail’s partner.”

  “And her eventual killer.”

  Rory supplied details about the crimes. “In the back of Diane’s car we found the clothing she wore when she played someone else. Along with the disguise she used to get Clara out of the Meadows, she had several men’s outfits, all padded to change her body shape. We found the boots that made the footprint on Marsh’s porch, and an assortment of hats, gloves, wigs, and theater makeup. One outfit is probably what she wore in Florida to pose as the gang-banger at the ATMs. Another is like what Retta described as the man who threatened her with a hoe at Clara’s place. That one smelled like smoke, so I’m guessing she wore it to set fire to the Warner place—”

  I interrupted. “When was Retta threatened with a hoe?”

  Rory’s eyes widened as he realized I didn’t know about that. “Forget I said anything, okay?”

  I sighed. Retta was hopeless. If I let on that I knew, she’d blame Rory for tattling, and it wouldn’t change any future action she might take. We’d just have to watch her more closely.

  “Can you prove Diane killed Gail or Mr. Marsh?”

  “Marsh’s death will be tough to prove. She covered her tracks pretty well.”

  “The footprint on his porch?”

  “It puts her there, but being on the guy’s porch doesn’t prove she killed him.”

  I was disappointed. “How about Gail?”

  “There we’ve been luckier. Diane acted quickly on that one, which meant she made mistakes.” Rory settled in closer and put his arm around me. “We think Gail called Diane when she began to suspect crimes were being committed in order to get the properties on Sweet Springs. Sensing Gail was getting cold feet, Diane suggested they meet at the springs.”

  “Where she killed her.”

  “Hey, this is my story, let me tell it,” he said in mock disgust. “With her fear of water, Diane knew there was no way she’d get Gail out on the dock. She hit her with something—”

  “Probably the hoe she chased Retta with,” I grumbled.

  “They’re checking that as we speak. Anyway, she hit her hard enough to daze her, then carried her to the end of the dock, where she bashed Gail’s head against a post so it looked like she fell in out there.”

  “Carrying Gail that far couldn’t have been easy.”

  He shrugged. “You can’t say the woman wasn’t determined.”

  “I guess not.” I snuggled against him. “But she’s certainly evil.”

  ***

  When I got home that night, The Brat was waiting, angry but still beautiful. When she smelled that I’d brought some beef home, she let me pet her as she ate, making little growly noises in the back of her throat. When the meat was gone, she stayed, arching her back as I continued stroking her fur.

  “Are you full, or should I get a kitty treat for dessert?”

  To my amazement, the cat stepped daintily into the room. I dropped into the chair that sat beside the window, and she hopped onto my lap as if it were something we did every night. Holding my breath, I kept petting, and after a few seconds, she curled herself into a circle and lay down. I imagined mentioning casually to Faye in the morning that I’d adopted a cat.

  “If we’re a couple now,” I asked the warm ball of fur on my lap, “are we pet and owner or cat and servant?”

  In answer, the cat closed her eyes and began to purr.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Maggie Pill is also Peg Herring, but Maggie’s much younger and cooler.

  Visit http://maggiepill.maggiepillmysteries.com and Peg’s site http://pegherring.com for more great mysteries.

  Have you read Book #1, The Sleuth Sisters, yet?

  Learn how the sisters started their detective agency, found a long-lost murder suspect, and almost went from three sisters to two.

  How about Book #2, 3 Sleuths, 2 Dogs, 1 Murder?

  When Retta’s “gentleman friend” is arrested for murder, the sisters must brave a winter wilderness, far removed from any chance of rescue. Three determined women, with help from two dogs and a pair of horses, can do anything. Sister Power!

  And Book #3, Murder in the Boonies

  Renters on the family farm disappear without a trace, and the sisters are left to solve the mystery, deal with a menagerie, and stop a plot that would spell disaster for Michigan’s famous Mackinac Island.

  Books available from Amazon (print, e-book, & audiobook) and Ingram (print only).