Old Fashioned Murder (A Ryli Sinclair Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Jenna St James

  “Sorry I’m late.”

  Aunt Shirley looked up from her hairstyle magazine and gave Paige the hawk eye, looking her up and down. “You don’t look knocked up yet. What’s taking so long?”

  I grabbed hold of Paige’s hand to keep her from going all spider monkey on Aunt Shirley. “You’re not late. Come sit next to me.”

  Luckily Daphnie came over to get Aunt Shirley and we were left in peace. I tried not to look worried when Aunt Shirley started waving her hands above her head and Daphnie clapped her hands in glee. Something told me none of it was a good sign.

  Daphnie plunked Aunt Shirley down in the chair and snapped a black cape on her. I was blocked from seeing anything else being done to Aunt Shirley.

  “I’ll go with you today to the Manor and pack some of her things. That’s why I was late. I went ahead and stopped at the grocery store to pick up boxes for you. I have boxes, newspaper, and packing tape.”

  “Wow, you’re seriously prepared. Which scares me. You realize I’m not taking her that long, right?”

  “Of course, of course!”

  I could tell Paige wasn’t really sure. “I’m not,” I insisted. “The Manor has to take her back…or I’ll go crazy.” I was practically sobbing now. While I love Aunt Shirley, I didn’t think I could take living with her full time.

  “Your mom called Matt this morning and asked him to tag along with Garrett to talk with Lucy Stevenson. She thinks the two of them can sweet talk her into taking Aunt Shirley back.”

  I sent up a quick prayer that she was right.

  “I just popped your aunt under the dryer and she’ll be ready soon,” Daphnie called out as she motioned for another customer to sit in her now empty chair.

  “I told my mom I’d run by the farm real quick this morning,” Paige said. “I’ll meet you at the Manor.”

  “Sounds good. I better go see if she needs anything,” I said.

  Aunt Shirley was sitting under a huge dryer next to another elderly lady. It was obvious from the forward tilt of Aunt Shirley’s head that the heat from the dryer had already put her to sleep. She actually looked pretty peaceful with her hands folded in her lap, eyes closed, mouth slightly open.

  I reached down to touch her when she suddenly let out a huge snore. Unfortunately, her top dentures chose that moment to pop out of her mouth and land in her folded hands. I shrieked and practically fell backward, causing me to wake Aunt Shirley.

  “Oops.” Aunt Shirley laughed when she saw her teeth in her hands. She picked them up and shoved them back in her mouth. “See, right as rain.”

  The little old lady sitting under the dryer next to Aunt Shirley nodded her head, which caused her rollers to clink against the side. “Yep, happens to me all the time.”

  * * *

  “You know what I think?” Aunt Shirley said as we pulled into the visitor’s space outside the Manor. “I think you’re just jealous!” She got out her phone, took a selfie, and posted it to her two social media accounts.

  I shut off the Falcon and turned to stare at her. Her new haircut was an absolute disaster. Think weed eater meets teenage emo angst. Her thin hair was now parted at her left ear and swept all the way over, causing her right eye to be partially hidden behind a cap full of white hair—hence the teenage emo angst part. Where her hair should have been on the left side of her head by her ear was now completely shaved, with just tiny stubble dotting her head—hence the weed eater part. But the absolute best part of the cut was the stubble. It was colored bright purple. Yes, bright purple. Then when you traveled back to the right side of her head—it was miraculously a head full of white hair again.

  “It’s the latest thing,” Aunt Shirley assured me. “I feel like a new woman. I bet when the guys see me they’re gonna be all over me. Maybe even Bert Livingston will dump Virginia and take me out. I’d make a good trophy wife.”

  I laughed at that. One thing for sure, Aunt Shirley could always make me laugh. “Let’s go, Diva. Your audience awaits.”

  “Now you’re catching on.”

  We met up with Paige at the front entrance. She took one look at Aunt Shirley’s hair and her mouth hit the floor.

  “I know. I had the same reaction,” I told her.

  Aunt Shirley held up a hand. “Daphnie says it’s all the rage.”

  Luckily no one was manning the desk, so we were able to slide by without notice. Well, as much as three ladies—one sporting purple emo hair carrying boxes, newspaper, and tape—could go unnoticed.

  As we got ready to pass Sheri Daniels’s office, I pressed my finger to my lips letting them know to be quiet. Since the door was partially opened again, I couldn’t stop myself from pressing my ear against the open space. By this time I was good at guessing voices.

  “What do you mean he’s not answering the door?” Sheri demanded. “I have the shipment he’s been hounding me about.”

  “I’m telling you,” Thomas Shifley said. “I tried twice to get him to open up, but he’s not opening.”

  “On your next round, you go up there and open that door. I want the money for his stuff!”

  I motioned the girls to go and we made our way to the elevator. No one said a word as we waited for the elevator doors to open.

  “So, what do you think?” Aunt Shirley demanded once the doors closed. “Think they were talking about Manning?”

  “Sure do,” I said. “Guess he’s sicker than we all thought.”

  There wasn’t anyone in the hallway when we got off the elevator which wasn’t unusual up on the third floor, but it still felt eerily quiet as Aunt Shirley unlocked her front door.

  “You take the bedroom, and we’ll start in the kitchen,” I told Aunt Shirley. “We’ll just take perishables that you will need for the next couple days until we know what’s going on.”

  “I don’t need much now that I’m living with you, roomie,” Aunt Shirley cackled. “And don’t forget to pack all my cans of black beans. I need to stay regular, ya know!”

  I slowly closed my eyes and counted to ten. I couldn’t imagine sitting at a dinner table night after night with Aunt Shirley and her plate of black beans. Garrett had better come through with keeping Aunt Shirley here or I was moving in with him—proper etiquette aside.

  “Should you call your mom and see how things are going on her and Garrett’s end?” Paige asked as she handed me a half-opened bottle of tequila from the freezer.

  “Is this for me to drink or pack?” I joked. Even though I wasn’t in much of a joking mood.

  Bam! Bam! Bam!

  “Manning, open up. I have your order here and you need to pay this invoice.”

  Aunt Shirley hobbled back in the kitchen. “He’s making enough noise to wake the dead.”

  I gave Aunt Shirley a sly grin. “I say we go over there and pay our last respects one more time before you leave.”

  Aunt Shirley ran to the door and flung it wide open. “What’s going on here, Shifty?”

  Thomas Shifley whirled and glared at Aunt Shirley. “None of your business. Aren’t you supposed to be moved out?”

  I stepped out in the hallway, Paige following at my heels. “You might wanna watch your tone,” I said. “I’ve seen Aunt Shirley beat a man to death for less.”

  I hadn’t really, but it sounded cool.

  Aunt Shirley hooted and hit me in my arm.

  Ouch!

  “Good one.” Aunt Shirley folded her arms across her sagging chest. “Yeah, Shifty. I once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.”

  I bit back a chuckle. Paige couldn’t help it and giggled. Aunt Shirley was good at deadpan deliveries.

  “I don’t know about no man getting shot in Reno,” Shifley said, oblivious to the joke. “But what I do know is that this doesn’t concern you, so get back in your apartment.”

  Virginia’s apartment door opened. “My goodness, what’s going on out here?” she asked. “I can hear you clear back in my bedroom.”

  “Whoohoo,” Aunt Shirley danced. “
You got Livingston tied up back in your bedroom you say?”

  Virginia’s elegant face turned pink. “Of course not! I just simply asked what was going on out here.”

  Three more front doors opened. Lovey and Dotty came into the hallway, each carrying a glass of water…or gin and tonic. I couldn’t tell. And with them you never knew.

  The McElroys also stepped out into the hallway from their apartment, muttering about the noise. An elderly female neighbor—apartment 370 on the other side of Manning—also wheeled her walker out into the hallway. The only resident on the floor not out in the hallway was Manning.

  Something was definitely wrong.

  “I do believe something is rotten in the state of Denmark,” Aunt Shirley said.

  Thomas Shifley gave us all one more scowl before he took a set of keys out of his pocket and unlocked Manning’s front door. He cupped his hand around his mouth. “Ray Manning, you in here?”

  Silence.

  “Well, what’re you waiting for?” Aunt Shirley demanded. “Get on in there and see what’s going on.”

  Shifley was caught. He looked terrified, but he didn’t want to let on he was. He wiped his hands on his uniformed white pants and pushed out a deep breath. He took one step into the apartment, and we all followed close on his heels.

  “Ray Manning, are you in here?” Shifley called out again as he made his way slowly to the living room.

  “I’ll check out the bedroom.” I motioned for Paige and Aunt Shirley to follow. I fished out my cell phone from my pocket, just in case I needed to snap pictures real quick and look for clues.

  I pushed open the bedroom door and was immediately flooded with the smell of musty old man. Not a pleasant odor. Manning’s bed was unmade, and his clothes strewn all over the floor. A couple boxes were pushed up against the wall, but he was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where the heck is he?” Paige asked.

  A scream reverberated throughout the small apartment, and the three of us took off for the sound.

  We found Mrs. McElroy standing in the narrow hallway pointing wordlessly into the bathroom. It obviously wasn’t going to be good news.

  And just my luck it would be in the bathroom.

  I looked up and caught Lovey’s eye at the end of the hallway by the living room. I could tell we were thinking the same thing.

  “Let me through. Let me through,” Mr. McElroy demanded as he pushed his way past the people in the living room and shuffled toward his wife. “What’s wrong, my pet?”

  Mrs. McElroy still couldn’t talk, only point. I gently pushed past Mrs. McElroy and braced myself for what I’d see.

  And nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. Manning, face down on the linoleum floor, in a pile of his own vomit.

  Aunt Shirley popped up behind me. “You think this is a good time to get a selfie with Manning’s body? Be a cool way to introduce my new hairstyle to our Gazette readers.”

  CHAPTER 12

  * * *

  “Mr. Shifley, you need to call downstairs and let them know,” Virginia whispered. She looked pale and scared.

  Shifty didn’t say a word. Instead, he kept his gaze glued to Manning.

  “I can’t believe he was really that sick,” Lovey said. “I mean, to just up and die of the flu seems excessive.”

  I thought so too, which is why I wasn’t sure it was strictly the flu. But before I said anything to anyone else, I wanted to check out a few things. I especially didn’t like the way Shifley was staring at Manning.

  “I’m gonna take a look at his room real quick,” I said.

  Neighbor 370 stuck out her cane and hit me in the shin. “Wait just a second there, young lady. I don’t think you should be touching anything.”

  “I won’t touch anything.”

  “What gives you the right to go back there to his bedroom?” Neighbor 370 challenged.

  Aunt Shirley let out a cackle. “How about the fact she gives the chief of police a good time in—”

  “Aunt Shirley!” I hissed. I could feel my face burn. While a part of me wanted to tape Aunt Shirley’s vulgar mouth closed, the other part of me wanted to stick my tongue out at Neighbor 370 and say, “Yeah, so take that!” I didn’t, of course. But I did make a point of knocking her cane away as I headed down the rest of the hall toward his bedroom. I didn’t have to look to know Aunt Shirley and Paige were following me.

  “You’re gonna check out those boxes, aren’t you?” Aunt Shirley asked.

  “Yep. I’m pretty sure the stolen merchandise from the pantry is in there.”

  Paige sighed. “So you’re thinking this is more than an older man dying because he’s been sick?”

  I looked at Aunt Shirley, trying to guess what she was thinking. “Yes, I do. I think there might be more to the story than he just up and died from the flu. Especially if we find stolen goods in here.”

  Aunt Shirley nodded her head. “Agreed.”

  “Do you want me to snap pictures while you call Garrett?” Paige asked and got her phone out of her purse. “This way you can deny all allegations.”

  “Good thinking.” I’d been dating Garrett long enough to know if it turned out I was right, he wasn’t going to be happy about this discovery. If he knew I was in the bedroom snooping around, he was going to be extra mad I got personally involved. I know it’s probably blurring the lines a little, having Paige snap the pictures instead of me, but I still felt okay about it.

  “Aunt Shirley, go grab a towel from the kitchen so we don’t get fingerprints on the boxes.”

  “Got one right here.” Lovey, Dotty, and Virginia were huddled together in the doorframe. Lovey held out a white dishcloth to Paige.

  “You might want to hurry,” Dotty said. “Mr. Shifley finally got his head out of his butt and he’s calling downstairs for help.”

  We all moved in closer as Paige wrapped the towel around her hand and carefully grabbed the middle of one of the cardboard boxes and lifted up the panel. We all leaned in to get a closer look inside. There were toiletries, medications, numerous packages of starter seeds for a vegetable garden and flower garden, utensils, and napkins. Nothing stood out to me as to why Manning would have stolen this particular shipment from the pantry.

  “I’m going to assume these are the stolen boxes from the pantry,” I said.

  “Why would he steal them?” Lovey asked.

  I shrugged and looked at Aunt Shirley. “I think it’s time to call Garrett. I think Manning may have died from more than just sickness.”

  Virginia let out a gasp. “Do you really think so?”

  I didn’t say anything more. I took out my phone and dialed Garrett. The butterflies in the pit of my stomach were beginning to spread their wings. I suddenly had the urge to throw up.

  He picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Sin. Not to worry, I’m working on the Aunt Shirley thing right now.”

  I cleared my throat. “Well, I’m calling for a different reason. You know how I came to the Manor to get some of Aunt Shirley’s stuff?” I didn’t wait for a reply. “Well, it seems Aunt Shirley’s neighbor, Mr. Manning, is dead. He died in his bathroom. I thought you should know.”

  Silence. “Is this a police matter? I mean, I don’t want to sound harsh, but don’t people die there all the time?”

  “Well, yes. And he had been sick. But…”

  “But what?”

  “He has some stolen items in his room.”

  “What?”

  There was no way I could explain this rationally. “I just really think you should come over. I don’t think it was natural causes.”

  Garrett sighed. “I’ll be right there. Tell me you didn’t touch anything.”

  I looked at Paige. “I didn’t touch anything. Promise.”

  Garrett grunted and hung up.

  “He’s on his way.”

  I was about to have Paige lift the lid of another box when I heard Thomas Shifley yelling from the hallway. “Get away from there! You can’t be in here.”<
br />
  “Give us one good reason why not?” Aunt Shirley shot back.

  Shifley was saved from answering when a couple orderlies from downstairs arrived to help take out the body. I recognized one of them as Carl Baker from the other day. He stopped in his tracks and gave Shifley a hard stare.

  Shifley herded us back out to the living room. It didn’t take long before Sheri Daniels arrived looking angry and put out. I hoped Garrett hurried and got here before they started moving the body too much.

  “What’s going on here?” Sheri demanded.

  “Manning is dead,” Aunt Shirley said. “And he has a ton of stolen merchandise in his bedroom.”

  Sheri’s eyes cut to Shifley before she ran down the hallway. She was back within seconds, her face pinched and red. “Where’s the rest of it? Did anyone touch this stuff?”

  Neighbor 370 pointed her cane at me.

  Jeez, her and Manning must have gotten along swimmingly with all the cane pointing.

  “I told her not to go in there,” Neighbor 370 said.

  “Am I interrupting?” Garrett asked as he and my brother, Matt, moved farther inside the apartment.

  Sheri puffed out her chest. “I’m the Coordinator, Sheri Daniels. This is Oak Grove Manor business. The death of a resident does not require your help.”

  I bit back a chuckle and waited for Garrett to unleash on her. I wasn’t disappointed.

  “I’ve been informed that the deceased was found with stolen goods in his possession. I have probable cause. So if you will excuse me, I will be taking over from here.”

  His icy tone left no doubt that he didn’t give two poops whether or not she liked it. He was taking over.

  “Our Executive Director, Lucy Stevenson, will be hearing about this,” Sheri said.

  “I can’t wait,” Garrett said dryly. “Until then, I expect all of you to wait here while we conduct our investigation.”

  For the first time, Garrett took in Aunt Shirley’s new look. “What did you do to your hair?”

  Aunt Shirley smiled and patted her head. “You like?”

  Garrett didn’t say a word.