Read Online Becklaw's Murder Mystery Tour (Jo Anderson Series) by Dane McCaslin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dane McCaslin
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I’m afraid Miss Bea left her handbag in your office. Could I get it for her, please?’ I gave him my most charming smile.
‘Why, certainly! Let me go around and unlock the office for you.’ He stepped out into the sunlight, pulling the door behind him quickly. Maybe Mrs McLaughlin was indisposed.
I followed his lanky frame around the side of the building and to the front door. He inserted a key on a bunch pulled from his pants pocket, holding the door to let me go in first.
I spotted the handbag right away, sitting safely where Miss Bea had placed it that morning. Catching it up, I thanked Mr McLaughlin for his time and left, waving merrily at him.
LJ and Miss Lucinda were exactly where I had left them, in almost the exact same position. LJ’s face was a study in misery, and Miss Lucinda looked like she’d eaten a very sour lemon.
Hmm, I thought. Time to institute a little camaraderie here.
‘So,’ I said, with what I hoped was a natural smile, ‘will you be joining us, Miss Lucinda?’ I have no idea why I said that; the words seemed to come from somewhere other than the Land of Common Sense.
‘I rather think that I will,’ she replied, lavender hair bobbing in the light breeze that had sprung up. ‘You, young man!’ This was directed at a very startled LJ, who stood as straight as he could. I half expected him to salute. ‘Go get that good-for-nothing sister-in-law of mine and those other two young people. We have an appointment at the Silverton Country Fairground.’
Somehow we all managed to cram into the station wagon. Miss Bea, still reeling from the shock of having run into her dead husband’s sister, drove worse than usual. I was good and carsick by the time we arrived at our destination.
The fairgrounds were set smack dab in the middle of a large, meadow-like area, surrounded by thick stands of spruce and fir trees. For some reason, the locals seemed to have an affinity for faux log buildings, and every structure on the site looked like it had come from the same factory as the McLaughlins’ office. We parked near the entrance in the lot reserved for fair employees (I suppose that’s what we were), and we hustled off to meet our bit-parters.
The building where the dinner theater would take place was near the center of the grounds; surrounded by low hedges and with flower boxes at the windows, it might well have passed itself off as a private residence.
The huge oak door was propped open with a metal chair. I could hear the sound of voices coming from somewhere inside, talking and laughing with one another. I tried to relax, hoping that the tension I had felt before had dissipated.
I would soon find out that I was wrong. Dead wrong, in a manner of speaking.
Josie sat on a chair near the back of the building, literally surrounded by the Andy, Julian, and Bert contingency. Trying not to be obvious, I glanced around for Lily and finally spotted her sitting alone, head low over the book in her lap. I let out my breath, which I’d been holding without realizing it. That was OK, then. At least there was no verbal sparring going on, no one trying to outdo the other.
They looked up as we entered the darkened hall. Andy sprang to his feet, followed by Bert and Julian. They walked over to meet us, shaking hands with Derek and LJ, and giving the females a friendly nod. They each gave Miss Lucinda a curious glance, but said nothing.
‘We’re ready to get started, Miss Bea. Just tell us what we need to do to get the place set up,’ Andy spoke up, looking eager to please.
Bert nodded. ‘Yeah. Just tell us what to do, ma’am.’
Miss Bea looked more energized than she had for the past hour. Turning to look around the spacious room, she pursed her lips as she planned.
Miss Lucinda rolled her eyes.
I leapt into the fray. ‘Why don’t you have Derek and LJ direct these guys, and Leslie and I will take the gals for some costume fittings?’
Miss Bea gave me a grateful smile. ‘That sounds
‘Why, certainly! Let me go around and unlock the office for you.’ He stepped out into the sunlight, pulling the door behind him quickly. Maybe Mrs McLaughlin was indisposed.
I followed his lanky frame around the side of the building and to the front door. He inserted a key on a bunch pulled from his pants pocket, holding the door to let me go in first.
I spotted the handbag right away, sitting safely where Miss Bea had placed it that morning. Catching it up, I thanked Mr McLaughlin for his time and left, waving merrily at him.
LJ and Miss Lucinda were exactly where I had left them, in almost the exact same position. LJ’s face was a study in misery, and Miss Lucinda looked like she’d eaten a very sour lemon.
Hmm, I thought. Time to institute a little camaraderie here.
‘So,’ I said, with what I hoped was a natural smile, ‘will you be joining us, Miss Lucinda?’ I have no idea why I said that; the words seemed to come from somewhere other than the Land of Common Sense.
‘I rather think that I will,’ she replied, lavender hair bobbing in the light breeze that had sprung up. ‘You, young man!’ This was directed at a very startled LJ, who stood as straight as he could. I half expected him to salute. ‘Go get that good-for-nothing sister-in-law of mine and those other two young people. We have an appointment at the Silverton Country Fairground.’
Somehow we all managed to cram into the station wagon. Miss Bea, still reeling from the shock of having run into her dead husband’s sister, drove worse than usual. I was good and carsick by the time we arrived at our destination.
The fairgrounds were set smack dab in the middle of a large, meadow-like area, surrounded by thick stands of spruce and fir trees. For some reason, the locals seemed to have an affinity for faux log buildings, and every structure on the site looked like it had come from the same factory as the McLaughlins’ office. We parked near the entrance in the lot reserved for fair employees (I suppose that’s what we were), and we hustled off to meet our bit-parters.
The building where the dinner theater would take place was near the center of the grounds; surrounded by low hedges and with flower boxes at the windows, it might well have passed itself off as a private residence.
The huge oak door was propped open with a metal chair. I could hear the sound of voices coming from somewhere inside, talking and laughing with one another. I tried to relax, hoping that the tension I had felt before had dissipated.
I would soon find out that I was wrong. Dead wrong, in a manner of speaking.
Josie sat on a chair near the back of the building, literally surrounded by the Andy, Julian, and Bert contingency. Trying not to be obvious, I glanced around for Lily and finally spotted her sitting alone, head low over the book in her lap. I let out my breath, which I’d been holding without realizing it. That was OK, then. At least there was no verbal sparring going on, no one trying to outdo the other.
They looked up as we entered the darkened hall. Andy sprang to his feet, followed by Bert and Julian. They walked over to meet us, shaking hands with Derek and LJ, and giving the females a friendly nod. They each gave Miss Lucinda a curious glance, but said nothing.
‘We’re ready to get started, Miss Bea. Just tell us what we need to do to get the place set up,’ Andy spoke up, looking eager to please.
Bert nodded. ‘Yeah. Just tell us what to do, ma’am.’
Miss Bea looked more energized than she had for the past hour. Turning to look around the spacious room, she pursed her lips as she planned.
Miss Lucinda rolled her eyes.
I leapt into the fray. ‘Why don’t you have Derek and LJ direct these guys, and Leslie and I will take the gals for some costume fittings?’
Miss Bea gave me a grateful smile. ‘That sounds
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