Read Online Bernadine Fagan - Nora Lassiter 01 - Murder by the Old Maine Stream by Bernadine Fagan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bernadine Fagan
Tags: Mystery: Cozy - Maine
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to be my day to be onstage.
And the Oscar goes to… .
Hannah motioned me to the chair next to her.
“Finally,” Agnes commented. “My knee’s been bothering me, sittin’ on these metal chairs so long. He should get better chairs.”
“I’m sorry, Aunt Agnes,” I said. “I was … busy.”
“She’s dizzy.” Agnes called out. “Someone help. Quick. Before she faints.”
“ Busy . She said she was busy,” Ida clarified with a smirk that resembled a twisted pretzel.”
“Doing what?” Agnes asked.
“You need that knee surgery,” Hannah told Agnes. “I’ve been telling you for about a year now. You’ve got to make the decision. Just do it, for heaven sakes. We’re sick of hearing about your gosh darn knee.
Ida suggested, “You should talk to Helen in Senior Citizens. She had her knee done last year. She’s up and running around like nobody’s business.”
“Oh, that one,” Hannah said. “Ever since her operation, she thinks she’s a regular Marilyn Monroe. Dyed her hair brassy blond. Wears those tight clothes.”
The uncles exchanged approving glances. They gave me a big hello, big smile, nothing like the reserved reception at the Country Store earlier today. I played the game, and gave them an equally big hello. Strange people, these Mainers.
Exhausted, I slumped in the chair. My detective career had about done me in.
“Where’s Uncle JT?” I whispered to Hannah.
She nodded toward Ellie. “Don’t know. Ellie said he was off somewhere on business.” Her tone implied this was strange, and she wasn’t sure Ellie had told her the truth.
The lawyer, a man I thought looked a little like George Washington on the dollar bill, without the wig, of course, sat at a huge oak desk angled in front of a bay window. My eyes were drawn to a view of towering pines, a pond, a small dock. In summer it would be the perfect place to sit and listen to the loons. That made me smile. Today I’d listened to human loons.
Looking at me, the lawyer cleared his throat. “I think we should get started. This won’t take long.”
Hannah waved her hand. “Everyone’s here. Read away.” She smiled at the uncles, and finally me, the smile losing a shade of brightness the longer she looked at me. “Are you all right, Nora? You look different. Your hair is so high.”
I tried to press it down, not an easy task. Damn Mary Fran and her teasing comb. And her trigger-finger on that hair spray can. I had Brillo hair.
“And your forehead … did you get stung by wasps? Do you need treatment?”
“I’m fine. I just need to sit here.”
Hannah leaned over to give me a kiss and I leaned toward her. My hair touched her face, and she flinched. I quickly checked her for cheek abrasions. She seemed all right. However, when she sat back, she wrinkled her nose, looked around and sniffed the air as if she’d smelled something unpleasant. I casually lifted my arm and sure enough, that sour milk was more than a memory. I thought I’d cleaned it. Instead of enlightening Hannah, I feigned ignorance.
The lawyer had several pages in front of him. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t have given them to someone in the family instead of having this formal reading, or even mailed them out. He’d explained in his letter that Great-grandma Evie had requested a reading with the family assembled, and everyone had agreed to respect her wishes. I suppose when you reach ninety-five and make requests, people try to oblige. Evie was a strong woman, leader of the Lassiter clan for many years.
The lawyer read off a list of items—nothing of consequence—that Grandma wanted family members to have. I was bequeathed a hankie with lavender lace tatting. I was a little hurt, but bobbed my head graciously to hide my feelings. I’d driven hundreds of miles for a hankie? Well, what did I expect? I was out of the loop, an estranged family member, and I should be grateful, I suppose, that I’d even been invited to this reading.
I
And the Oscar goes to… .
Hannah motioned me to the chair next to her.
“Finally,” Agnes commented. “My knee’s been bothering me, sittin’ on these metal chairs so long. He should get better chairs.”
“I’m sorry, Aunt Agnes,” I said. “I was … busy.”
“She’s dizzy.” Agnes called out. “Someone help. Quick. Before she faints.”
“ Busy . She said she was busy,” Ida clarified with a smirk that resembled a twisted pretzel.”
“Doing what?” Agnes asked.
“You need that knee surgery,” Hannah told Agnes. “I’ve been telling you for about a year now. You’ve got to make the decision. Just do it, for heaven sakes. We’re sick of hearing about your gosh darn knee.
Ida suggested, “You should talk to Helen in Senior Citizens. She had her knee done last year. She’s up and running around like nobody’s business.”
“Oh, that one,” Hannah said. “Ever since her operation, she thinks she’s a regular Marilyn Monroe. Dyed her hair brassy blond. Wears those tight clothes.”
The uncles exchanged approving glances. They gave me a big hello, big smile, nothing like the reserved reception at the Country Store earlier today. I played the game, and gave them an equally big hello. Strange people, these Mainers.
Exhausted, I slumped in the chair. My detective career had about done me in.
“Where’s Uncle JT?” I whispered to Hannah.
She nodded toward Ellie. “Don’t know. Ellie said he was off somewhere on business.” Her tone implied this was strange, and she wasn’t sure Ellie had told her the truth.
The lawyer, a man I thought looked a little like George Washington on the dollar bill, without the wig, of course, sat at a huge oak desk angled in front of a bay window. My eyes were drawn to a view of towering pines, a pond, a small dock. In summer it would be the perfect place to sit and listen to the loons. That made me smile. Today I’d listened to human loons.
Looking at me, the lawyer cleared his throat. “I think we should get started. This won’t take long.”
Hannah waved her hand. “Everyone’s here. Read away.” She smiled at the uncles, and finally me, the smile losing a shade of brightness the longer she looked at me. “Are you all right, Nora? You look different. Your hair is so high.”
I tried to press it down, not an easy task. Damn Mary Fran and her teasing comb. And her trigger-finger on that hair spray can. I had Brillo hair.
“And your forehead … did you get stung by wasps? Do you need treatment?”
“I’m fine. I just need to sit here.”
Hannah leaned over to give me a kiss and I leaned toward her. My hair touched her face, and she flinched. I quickly checked her for cheek abrasions. She seemed all right. However, when she sat back, she wrinkled her nose, looked around and sniffed the air as if she’d smelled something unpleasant. I casually lifted my arm and sure enough, that sour milk was more than a memory. I thought I’d cleaned it. Instead of enlightening Hannah, I feigned ignorance.
The lawyer had several pages in front of him. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t have given them to someone in the family instead of having this formal reading, or even mailed them out. He’d explained in his letter that Great-grandma Evie had requested a reading with the family assembled, and everyone had agreed to respect her wishes. I suppose when you reach ninety-five and make requests, people try to oblige. Evie was a strong woman, leader of the Lassiter clan for many years.
The lawyer read off a list of items—nothing of consequence—that Grandma wanted family members to have. I was bequeathed a hankie with lavender lace tatting. I was a little hurt, but bobbed my head graciously to hide my feelings. I’d driven hundreds of miles for a hankie? Well, what did I expect? I was out of the loop, an estranged family member, and I should be grateful, I suppose, that I’d even been invited to this reading.
I
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