Read Online 1 Target of Death by Madison Johns - Free Book Online Page A

spray.”
    Dixie gave her hair a careful pat. “I hate
pumps; aerosols work much better.”
    Margarita waited for us downstairs with an
anxious look on her face. “Hurry and take the chili down before the parade
starts.”
    “Too late,” a customer near the window
said.
    “Not to worry. We’ll carry it down. Just
give me some pot holders.”
    She handed me what I requested and also the
crockpot that was filled with my version of Louisiana chili. I darted past the
packed sidewalk as floats being pulled by horses passed by, all painted white
with matching lace cut into patterns of snowflakes. We ducked when the clowns
tossed candy. As children ran to catch it, I almost tripped over them. I
elbowed my way between two camouflage-dressed men and ambled across the street
between a float carrying the snow queen and one carrying figure skaters.
    “You can’t do that,” a lady bellowed, as we
made it to the other side, but I pressed on.
    I was panting heavily by the time I made it
to where the chili cook-off was. “It’s too late for any more entries,” bellowed
a man dressed in plaid.
    “Be nice now, Milton. Margarita called me
ten minutes ago and told me there was another entry.”
    “So, you’re the famous Milton Pabis?” I
asked. “Like, the same one who wins the chili competition every year?”
    “Yes,” he said with pride.
    “Well, I wouldn’t count on winning this
year.”
    The woman clapped her hands. “I just love
healthy competition. I’m Nancy Briggs, by the way. I work at the sheriff’s
department, but I’m the hostess of this event.”
    Sheriff’s department, eh? We might have
just run into a bit of luck. “Nice to meet you. How does this chili cook-off
work? I can see all of the chili is already cooked and waiting.”
    She carried my chili and placed it on the
table alongside the other crockpots and plugged it in. She then placed a card
in the front, identifying my pot as number twenty-two. “Now skedaddle,
everyone. None of the entrants are allowed to be here. All throughout the day
people will be sampling the chili and voting.” She motioned to a big box with a
slot on the top.
    “Do you have trouble with any sabotage?” I
asked, giving Milton the evil eye.
    “Actually, yes. That’s why this year I made
up new rules.”
    “It’s not my fault I’m a town favorite,” Milton
said, as he stomped away.
    “Not to worry, girls. I plan to switch the
pots around so nobody will know who made what.”
    “Great plan.”
    “What do you think about the recent murder
in town?” Dixie asked. “Do you think it will hurt the winter festival any?”
    Nancy straightened her gloves. “It doesn’t
look that way. It might be a good idea to keep mum about the murder.”
    “We’d be happy to keep it to ourselves, but
the thing is, the sheriff thinks we are responsible,” I said.
    “I swear, how does Sheriff Price figure
that?”
    “We’re new in town.”
    “The way I see it is that there are plenty
of newcomers in town. Besides, it’s not really that much of a surprise to me
that Clayton met his end.”
    My eyes widened. “Oh, really? And why is
that?”
    Nancy switched around the crockpots as she
said, “He was a loud mouth for one, and the way he ran around on Marilyn was
just dreadful. If he were my husband, I’d have considered taking him out
myself.”
    “Oh.” I feigned shock. “Do you think that’s
what happened? Is his wife capable of murdering the man?”
    “I never said she was. I just said what I’d
have thought about if he were my husband, that’s all. Marilyn is on the mousy
side. Plus, Clayton was killed with an arrow, and from my recollection, Marilyn
doesn’t know how to shoot a bow.”
    “How well do you know her?”
    “Just saw her in passing, really. Poor dear
didn’t look very happy, but most of the town knew first-hand how her husband
was gallivanting around town behind her back.”
    “Do you think she knew about that?”
    “It’s a small town, dear. I