Read Online A Taste for Murder by Claudia Bishop - Free Book Online

out with the coffee. Sugar dribbled down his chin. He licked it off reflectively. "You got to be tough all over. That darn Mark Anthony Jefferson at the bank? Well, I had to get tough with him this morning. Wants to call in that loan I got right this minute." He looked at Myles. "He can't do that can he, Sheriff? I mean, it's gotta be against some law or other. I've been paying on the note right along."

"Can't help you there, Gil."

"Well, it's not right," Gil said again. "I have to find some cash somewhere. Thing is, people just aren't buying cars. Got any rich widows here at the Inn, Quill? One that might want to invest in one of the best little businesses in Hemlock Falls?"

"Sorry, Gil. It's been a tough year for everyone. But things are getting better, don't you think? Business looks great for us for the rest of the summer."

Gil gave her a cheerful smile. "You might be right. Now, I'll tell you who's got money. Marge Schmidt. That diner business is all cash, if you know what I mean, and she's not paying half the taxes I have to. 'Course, she doesn't have my expenses, either."

Quill, who knew how frequently Gil's wife, Nadine, went to Syracuse with Gil's charge cards, murmured sympathetically.

"Where is Marge, anyway?" asked Gil. "She's supposed to have my judge's costume with her."

"Right here!" boomed Marge. "And guess who I have with me!" She stumped into the Lounge towing Mavis behind her. "Everybody? I wanna introduce you to an old pal of mine, Mavis Collin wood. Mavis, this is the cast of the play I was telling you about. That's Gil Gilmeister." She winked at the car salesman and waved heartily. "Gil's the judge in the play. Next to him is Myles McHale, our sheriff. He's here 'cause of the traffic control and on account of we use some equipment that's gotta be safe. Then there's Howie Murchison, Tom Peterson, Mayor Elmer Henry. They're all witnesses to the witch, and say the things she's done. And Reverend Shuttleworth plays the minister who condemns the witch. Esther's our director. And Norm Pasquale directs the high-school band. You know, they play that Funeral March as the witch is dragged off in the sledge." Marge paused for breath.

Mavis waved at the crowd, and spoke in a low voice to Marge.

"Hah? That there's Betty Hall. She's my business partner. No way she could play the part."

Betty, unclear as to the nature of the discussion, clearly heard an insult implicit in Marge's dismissal of her, and said, "What the hell?"

"No," Marge said, again in response to a question from Mavis, "Clarissa's usually played by some girl from the high school. Miss Sarah poison-your-guts Quilliam's supposed to play it this year." She gestured in Quill's direction.

"Marge!" said Esther. "For heaven's sake! This is a private rehearsal. As director, I must insist that your guest wait outside while we finish."

"You've met before?" said Betty icily.

"Met before?" said Mavis breathlessly. "Why, we worked together for this age!"

"Doggone good dogs," said Marge cryptically.

"Doggone good dogs," responded Mavis, and both women went off into gusts of laughter.

"The fast-food chain," said Tom Peterson. "It's out of Syracuse. You wouldn't know this, Quill, but they do quite a bit of recruiting from the high school." He blinked his pale eyes slowly-rather, Quill thought, like a lizard in the sun.

"Yeah," said Norm Pasquale. "Hot dogs and paint are the only jobs our graduates get unless they go to college. It's not like the old days, when all the kids went back to the farm."

"So what's your point, Marge?" said Elmer impatiently.

"Point is that Mavis here is a hell of an actress. She can do this part better'n anyone here."

"Then she'll have to audition," said Esther.

"She din't." Marge threw a large thumb in Quill's direction.

"Yes, she did," said Esther. "I auditioned her. I'm the director, and I say who auditions and who doesn't:"

"Quiet!" said Elmer. "Whyn't you tell us your experience, Ms. Collinwood. What exactly did you