Homicide by Hamlet (Cozy Mystery) Book #3 (Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery Series)
Page 15
Gerald lunged at me, his hands reaching for my throat.
I dodged him as I ran to the stage, but my dress caught between my legs. I had to stop to yank up the fabric, or fall on my face.
He caught up with me.
I grabbed the nearest item I could find, which happened to be the skull prop. I lifted it in the air, as I panted. “Do not come one inch closer to me.”
“What are you going to do?” He held up a hand.
“What you did to Priscilla, crack your cranium.” My chest tightened as sweat trickled down my spine. My arm shook as I held the skull overhead.
“Now, now, you don’t mean that.”
“Yes I do. You have it coming to you, you charming sociopath killer!”
“You have to understand Priscilla deserved what she got. She was going to ruin me, everything I am and have would be destroyed.”
“You are wrong. No one deserves to be murdered,” I gasped.
“You forget, you’re all alone now. There’s no hero to save you. Priscilla deserved what she got and so do you.” His nostrils flared as he inched toward me. He reached in his waistband and pulled out a revolver. “I haven’t used this since sixty-nine. But I bet it still works. Let’s try it out.” He leveled the gun at me.
“Oh no, you don’t,” I screamed hoping the mic picked it up.
I threw the skull at him, hitting his hard in the head.
The metal gun clattered on the wooden floor. He tottered back and lost his balance and fell to the floor.
I jumped on top of his prone body. My full figured girth was an asset for pinning him down. I sat on his back and pulled his arms together behind him. “Remember, Gerald, as I told you before, I can save myself.”
His voice was muffled. “You should’ve left it alone. You, you, you’re a….”
“I think superhero is the word you’re looking for.” I grinned.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
One month later
Finishing my daily water aerobics class, I showered, left the Chatham Aquatic Center and headed over to Cat’s house to pick her up.
Bezu wanted all the Chubby Chick Club members at her house for dinner, because she had an important announcement.
I pulled up in front of Cat’s house, put my car in park and honked the horn.
Cat climbed in my car and fastened her seatbelt. She was often mistaken for much younger than early forties. She had thick dark hair and a small compact athletic build. “Are you thinking Bezu’s going to tell us she’s gotten engaged?”
“I’m pretty sure, but act surprised anyway.” I put my car in drive. “After all, she’s spent nearly a month in Brazil with Luiz and his family.”
“Speaking about boyfriends, what about you and my grandfather going out again?” Cat tapped my arm. “Remember you had a fun date, even though that was a while ago?”
“He’s a great guy and yes the date we had was fun. And as much as I like older men, I’m not sure if I’ll go out with your grandfather again.”
“Why not?”
“My luck with boys who are friends isn’t that great. And even worse for those of the almost romantic nature. Remember, the last guy companion I had is going to spend the rest of his life behind bars for homicide.”
“Gerald Gill, yup. And what a great job you did solving that case.” Cat flipped her hair over her shoulder, emitting the scent of apples. “Did you ever think of starting a second career as a detective?”
“No.” I turned onto Victory Drive. “My schedule is packed. I have more work as a visiting professor and acting coach with local colleges, as well as from Universities in South Carolina and Florida, than I know what to do with. Honestly, I think I’m working harder now that I’m retired than I did as a full-time professor. I think I need a vacation from retirement.”
Cat laughed. “Isn’t is nice to be in demand?”
I had to admit, Bezu had been right. Opportunities came knocking and I kept answering. These were the best days of my life. I felt powerful and needed.
My phone rang. Cat motioned for me to get it, so I hit answer. I clicked it over to hands free Bluetooth.
“It’s Winona, I have some news for you, but I hope that I’m not disturbing you.” Her voice came out of my car speakers.
“Not at all. What’s going on?” I asked.
“I’m having the best time with my dad and brother, thanks to you for bringing us together. I really can’t thank you enough,” Winona said.
“Actually, I think that you have. You’ve told me thanks no less than a zillion times. So, yes, you have thanked me enough.” I laughed.
“I have to tell you the great news. I found Priscilla’s prenuptial, and her attorney is filing papers to take Dwight to court to remove him as beneficiary.” Her voice sounded light and joyful. “Not only do I have my real family now, but soon I’m going to have the family home.”
“I’m so happy for you.” I turned onto Bezu’s street. “I heard you’ve applied to be a team leader at next year’s theater camp?”
“Not that I want any favors, but I heard rumors that you’ve already been appointed to take Gerald Gill’s former position for next summer,” Winona said.
“Wow, news travels fast. And yes, I’ve accepted that position.” I turned on my directional signal.
“Congratulations,” she said.
“And you don’t even have to ask, I’d already planned to put a good word in for you to the selection committee,” I said. “Let’s hope that next year there is more theater, and less real drama.”
We both laughed and said goodbye.
As I parked in front of Bezu’s house, Cat turned to face me. “Annie Mae, I think retirement suits you. I’ve never seen you so happy and full of life. And it’s hard to pin down, but it’s like you have, well, um—”
I winked at her. “Superhero powers.”
THE END
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading HOMICIDE BY HAMLET. If you enjoyed this story, please do me a huge favor. Go back to Amazon.com and please leave an honest review. It only takes a couple of minutes and will help me a great deal.
Thank you again!
Lois
Additional Works by Lois Lavrisa
LIQUID LIES (Mystery, Thriller, Suspense)
Kindle Top 100 Bestseller
One dead body, two girls with a secret in the Kindle Bestselling mystery thriller LIQUID LIES. What happens when a night of celebration turns deadly?
To find out, CLICK HERE to purchase your copy.
“A fast paced ‘who done it’ full of twists and turns—a winner!”
Rita Herron, Bestselling Award winning author.
CHRISTMAS CORPSE CAPER (Short Story Mystery Suspense)
A Prequel to LIQUID LIES
One Christmas Eve. One missing body. Too much Mayhem in the short story mystery suspense CHRISTMAS CORPSE CAPER, a prequel to LIQUID LIES.
To purchase your copy, CLICK HERE.
“Halfway through his apprenticeship at the Kincaid funeral home, Mark Stevens is spending his first night alone at work. It turns out to be an eventful night, complete with strange noises, disappearing bodies, hidden jewels and finally a date with the colleague he has had a crush on since fifth grade. This was a great short story.” Somi, Amazon Reviewer.
PICTURE NOT PERFECT (Short Story/YA Mystery Romance)
Volume One of Thomson Twins Tales
Chubby Chicks Club Spinoff
She loves me? She loves me not? Find out in the young adult mystery romance short story PICTURE NOT PERFECT.
To purchase your copy, CLICK HERE.
“Who wouldn’t love this story about a guy working at an ice cream joint solely to earn enough cash to take his girlfriend to prom? A modern fairytale that offers a wonderful morale of the story.”
Usako, Good Reads Reviewer.
TURNABOUT TWIST (Short Story/YA Romance)
Volume Two of Thomson Twins Tales
Chubby Chicks Club Spinoff
Can a vampire and a superhero save this young couple’s relationship? Find out in this romantic short story TURNABOUT TWIST.
To purchase your copy, CLICK HERE.
“Wow I loved this YA short story! Well written with fun characters and a unique entertaining plotline-I thoroughly enjoyed it!”
Patricia Mason, Bestselling Award winning author.
TREAT OR TRICK (Short Story/YA Suspense)
Volume Three of Thomson Twins Tales
Chubby Chicks Club Spinoff
It’s a game of Cat and Mouse in the short story TREAT OR TRICK.
To purchase your copy, CLICK HERE.
“I’m a fan of Ms. Lavrisa’s first novel, LIQUID LIES, so was pleased to see she’s introducing new characters for what I hope will be yet more entertaining, contemporary stories.”
D. Shea, Amazon Reviewer.
“Set in Savannah Georgia, this quirky little tale is big on fun!”
Patricia Mason, Award winning bestselling author.
DYING FOR DINNER ROLLS: Book One (Cozy Southern Mystery)
“Chubby Chicks Club” Mystery Series
Summer 2013
Dinner gets deadly. THE CHUBBY CHICKS CLUB are a rag tag group of Savannah, Georgia friends who find themselves investigating a club member’s mysterious death, with time running out for them to find the killer before the killer finds them.
MURDEROUS MUFFINS: Book Two (Cozy Southern Mystery)
“Chubby Chicks Club” Mystery Series
Winter 2014
Singing pop songs can be fatal. In Murderous Muffins, Bezu finds one of her tenants dead. The murder weapon? Muffins. Book Two in THE CHUBBY CHICKS CLUB mystery will keep you guessing who done it.
HOMICIDE BY HAMLET: Book Three (Cozy Southern Mystery)
“Chubby Chicks Club” Mystery Series
Spring 2016
Shakespeare causes murder on the set. Annie Mae finds herself knee deep in a theatrical nightmare as her opposing acting professor ends up crushed under scenery—scenery that Annie Mae created. Which leads her to be the number one suspect. Even her friends in THE CHUBBY CHICKS CLUB begin to believe that Annie Mae committed the crime, but did she?
KILLING WITH KINGS: Book Four (Cozy Southern Mystery)
“Chubby Chicks Club” Mystery Series
Arriving Winter 2016
High stakes poker can kill you. In Killing with Kings, José’s monthly poker game ends up with someone dead, and fingers point to José as the murderer. José stands to lose everything if he does not find the true killer. Enlisting the help of his CHUBBY CHICKS CLUB means he also has to reveal who he really is, and that in and of itself could be career suicide.
PUZZLED BY PURPLE: Book Five (Cozy Southern Mystery)
“Chubby Chicks Club” Mystery Series
Arriving Spring 2017
Dead End —Game Over. In Puzzled by Purple, Cat is determined to find her father’s killer. When Annie Mae and Cat discover who inked the purple message in the crossword puzzles, their lives are in jeopardy. Will they get out alive? Or die with the answer to the puzzle?
A few of Lois Lavrisa’s moments:
A reluctant ‘Cinderella moment’: Although she fought it, she went along and agreed to be set up on a blind date with a brother-in-law of a co-worker. This year they will celebrate their silver, twenty-five year, wedding anniversary.
The most ‘surreal moments?’: Giving birth to her four children.
An ‘embarrassing moment’: She flashed John Stamos, on accident, while nursing her daughter.
A ‘what’s a girl supposed to do’ moment: During her 1985-1986 season as a NBA Chicago Bulls Luvabull cheerleader, she hung out with players from the Super Bowl XX Chicago Bears. As a Luvabull, she wasn’t allowed to fraternize with the Bulls, and she didn’t.
An ‘I can’t believe it’s a job moment’: During college she was hired as backstage security for concerts. Which, in reality, meant she got to stand behind stage and watch the shows close-up, often meeting the acts including John Mellancamp, Heart, The Go—Go’s, INXS, Flock of Seagulls and Adam Ant, and playing Frisbee with Michael Hutchence of INXS.
Lois Lavrisa is an Amazon Kindle Bestselling, Award Winning Author
who writes “Mysteries with a Twist.”
When not writing, Lois Lavrisa juggles her packed schedule as well as those of her four children, while trying to find time for a date night with her husband. Lois often daydreams about taking a year, or more, off and traveling the world, laughing, eating and exploring her way through one hundred and ninety six plus countries. Right now, though, she’d take going away for a night.
Table of Contents
Reviews
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Connect Online
Also by Lois Lavrisa
Dedication
Homicide by Hamlet
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Afterword
Additional Works by Lois Lavrisa
A few of Lois Lavrisa’s moments: