Read Online Arson Takes a Dare: The Third Marisa Adair Mystery Adventure (Marisa Adair Mysteries Book 3) by Jada Ryker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jada Ryker
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morning.”
Mae Rue twisted her wrist free and stared up into the dark, unreadable eyes. “What did your pet lummox mean by ‘so called’ farmhand?”
“Of course, you’d pick up on that from his rant.” The sheriff dropped her wrist as if it was too hot to hold, in spite of the cold air. “Blackie, you know you’re supposed to keep the details of the investigation to yourself.”
“But Coy Mitchell is not a farmhand. Jeremy Brooks was married to Mitchell’s sister Amy less than two months when she died in that freak accident in his grain silo. Mitchell must have taken the job to get close to his former brother-in-law.” The deputy’s bottom lip protruded. “And I’m not a lummox. Is that a type of ox? I have been called a big ox before, and it’s very hurtful.”
“Jeremy told me he’d never been married. You’re lying.” Mae Rue tilted her head back, staring up into the falling snow. I caught Jeremy in so many stupid lies. Is the deputy telling the truth? The sky was as gray as her mood, and the clouds were as heavy as her heart.
The deputy’s grin was mean, his blocky teeth and round head like a jack-o’-lantern. “It’s a matter of public record at the courthouse, Mrs. Brooks. Or a simple online search on your computer—”
“Be quiet, Blackie.” The sheriff moved away, staring at the ground around the snowmen.
One cautious eye on his boss, Blackburn inched nearer to her. He whispered, “Jeremy should have married my youngest sister, Beth Ann, the paralegal. She turned down a full-ride law school scholarship to stay near him. After Amy died, Beth Ann started haunting Jeremy’s favorite honky tonks.”
Blackburn watched his boss circling the snowmen. He breathed heavily, his exhales noxious. “Beth Ann was perfect for Jeremy. She can bale hay as well as any man, especially when she’s mad. She can field dress a deer.” He chuckled. “She’s not bad in a bar fight. My sister was there after Amy died, ready to be plucked like a ripe apple off a low-hanging branch. Then Jeremy passed her by for you, a mousy little librarian who can’t even line dance—-”
The sheriff held up a hand, cutting off the disgruntled flow of words. “Quiet, Blackie. Look at the snow around the snowmen. What do you see?”
Blackburn lumbered to the sheriff’s side, his eyes following the pointing gloved finger. “Smooth snow?”
“Exactly! Where are the footprints?”
The deputy shook his head, sending his hat to one side of his huge head. “Footprints?”
Despite her average height, Mae Rue felt short as she joined the taller men. She clenched her fists. “The snowmen builders should have left their footprints. But the snow is smooth. Where are their prints?”
Sheriff Norton shook his head. “It’s still snowing, and it’s windy. The breeze could have scattered fresh snow over the prints.”
“Or maybe the UFO scattered snow over the footprints.” The deputy perked up. “Let’s get to the pond. When I was a little boy, I used to catch frogs in there. If we find a crashed UFO and those weird little men, I bet I can get on television.” He quickened his pace toward the gate in the fence.
CHAPTER SIX
In the trauma hospital’s corridor, Marisa took a deep breath and tried to calm her angry thoughts. “If Elizabeth Furlong purrs at Alex one more time, I’m going to scratch out her fake blue eyes!”
“She not only wants Alex’s old job, she wants Alex.” Tara shook her head. “Elizabeth is careful to only ‘act out’ when he’s not present or not paying attention. And she’s really good at pouring on the old-fashioned sex appeal. Did you notice Tom was wearing a tie the exact same shade of blue as Elizabeth’s suit? I wonder if it’s a coincidence.”
“I didn’t notice,” Marisa admitted. “But I have noticed that our meetings drag on nearly twice as long since she arrived. She pretends to ask questions. But the questions are
Mae Rue twisted her wrist free and stared up into the dark, unreadable eyes. “What did your pet lummox mean by ‘so called’ farmhand?”
“Of course, you’d pick up on that from his rant.” The sheriff dropped her wrist as if it was too hot to hold, in spite of the cold air. “Blackie, you know you’re supposed to keep the details of the investigation to yourself.”
“But Coy Mitchell is not a farmhand. Jeremy Brooks was married to Mitchell’s sister Amy less than two months when she died in that freak accident in his grain silo. Mitchell must have taken the job to get close to his former brother-in-law.” The deputy’s bottom lip protruded. “And I’m not a lummox. Is that a type of ox? I have been called a big ox before, and it’s very hurtful.”
“Jeremy told me he’d never been married. You’re lying.” Mae Rue tilted her head back, staring up into the falling snow. I caught Jeremy in so many stupid lies. Is the deputy telling the truth? The sky was as gray as her mood, and the clouds were as heavy as her heart.
The deputy’s grin was mean, his blocky teeth and round head like a jack-o’-lantern. “It’s a matter of public record at the courthouse, Mrs. Brooks. Or a simple online search on your computer—”
“Be quiet, Blackie.” The sheriff moved away, staring at the ground around the snowmen.
One cautious eye on his boss, Blackburn inched nearer to her. He whispered, “Jeremy should have married my youngest sister, Beth Ann, the paralegal. She turned down a full-ride law school scholarship to stay near him. After Amy died, Beth Ann started haunting Jeremy’s favorite honky tonks.”
Blackburn watched his boss circling the snowmen. He breathed heavily, his exhales noxious. “Beth Ann was perfect for Jeremy. She can bale hay as well as any man, especially when she’s mad. She can field dress a deer.” He chuckled. “She’s not bad in a bar fight. My sister was there after Amy died, ready to be plucked like a ripe apple off a low-hanging branch. Then Jeremy passed her by for you, a mousy little librarian who can’t even line dance—-”
The sheriff held up a hand, cutting off the disgruntled flow of words. “Quiet, Blackie. Look at the snow around the snowmen. What do you see?”
Blackburn lumbered to the sheriff’s side, his eyes following the pointing gloved finger. “Smooth snow?”
“Exactly! Where are the footprints?”
The deputy shook his head, sending his hat to one side of his huge head. “Footprints?”
Despite her average height, Mae Rue felt short as she joined the taller men. She clenched her fists. “The snowmen builders should have left their footprints. But the snow is smooth. Where are their prints?”
Sheriff Norton shook his head. “It’s still snowing, and it’s windy. The breeze could have scattered fresh snow over the prints.”
“Or maybe the UFO scattered snow over the footprints.” The deputy perked up. “Let’s get to the pond. When I was a little boy, I used to catch frogs in there. If we find a crashed UFO and those weird little men, I bet I can get on television.” He quickened his pace toward the gate in the fence.
CHAPTER SIX
In the trauma hospital’s corridor, Marisa took a deep breath and tried to calm her angry thoughts. “If Elizabeth Furlong purrs at Alex one more time, I’m going to scratch out her fake blue eyes!”
“She not only wants Alex’s old job, she wants Alex.” Tara shook her head. “Elizabeth is careful to only ‘act out’ when he’s not present or not paying attention. And she’s really good at pouring on the old-fashioned sex appeal. Did you notice Tom was wearing a tie the exact same shade of blue as Elizabeth’s suit? I wonder if it’s a coincidence.”
“I didn’t notice,” Marisa admitted. “But I have noticed that our meetings drag on nearly twice as long since she arrived. She pretends to ask questions. But the questions are
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