Read Online Ed Lynskey - Isabel and Alma Trumbo 01 - Quiet Anchorage by Ed Lynskey - Free Book Online
Authors: Ed Lynskey
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their rounds. Alma and Isabel threaded down the first aisle between the different ladies’ sympathetic smiles and gentle nods offering their support for Megan. Isabel pressing the ladies’ forearms thanked them. Tall and lanky, Rosie by looking over Lotus’s head first spotted Alma.
“I hope you don’t mind us bending your ears,” she said.
“But we brought a few questions to ask you,” said Isabel.
Wary, the stout Lotus tilted her eyebrows. “What sort of questions?”
“Did Jake Robbins make any known enemies or disgruntled customers?” asked Isabel.
“How the devil might we know something like that?” asked Rosie, more suspicious.
Alma moved to reorient their conversation. “I know Jake’s daddy Hiram Robbins had an Irishman’s temper and every once in a green cheese moon, it got the best of him because he always loved ripping into a good brawl.”
Never to be outdone telling a story on the locals, Lotus jumped in. “But that’s not true of Jake. Quiet and serious, he took more after his mother and kept his nose pressed to the grindstone.”
Rosie scratched her collarbone. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
“I sleep fine knowing Sheriff Fox has it well in hand,” said Lotus.
“Are you saying Megan is guilty?” asked Alma, her words tart.
“Not at all, just I’m not clever enough to peg any suspect,” replied Lotus.
“Maybe you can help us,” said Isabel. “Who was in Jake’s circle of friends?”
“As far as I know, he never had a close friend,” replied Lotus.
Rosie offered her take. “He was just the silent, strong type. I never saw him shed a tear at his daddy’s funeral, not like me who cried out my eyes.”
Lotus went on her own fishing expedition. “What did Sheriff Fox find on Megan? A ton of circumstantial evidence? Did Jake and she quarrel over him stealing milk through the fence again? Does she carry a handgun in her purse?”
“Lotus, I’m sorry to say, but your questions are also my questions,” replied Isabel.
“What I’ve wondered is who stands to get Jake’s property?” said Rosie.
Alma cocking her head glanced at Isabel. “Did he have any next-of-kin or make out a will?”
“I don’t know.” As a pretense, Isabel checked the wall clock. “We better go finish our errands, Alma.”
Alma picked up her sister’s cue. “We are running late. Thanks, Rosie and Lotus.”
“You know where to find us,” said Rosie.
“Keep us abreast of any updates,” added Lotus.
“You bet,” lied Alma.
Isabel spoke, her murmur guarded, once they were out of earshot in the lot outside of Clean Vito’s. “Jake had no next-of-kin, but he did leave a will.”
“If he’d no immediate family, who ends up with his earthly possessions? Was it a kissing cousin or a local charity?”
“Megan told me she inherits the whole ball of wax.”
“Why did you wait until now to tell me this?”
“Because Rosie’s nosiness is what jogged my memory.”
Turning thoughtful, Alma undid the sedan doors. “Why did he draw up his will?”
Isabel shrugged into her seat. “I can only guess that facing the prospect of marriage spurs a young man to mature in ways like creating his will.”
“His will supplies a motive for murder. Sheriff Fox can allege Megan conspired to get her hands on his property by murdering him.”
“Why would she kill Jake for that depressing stucco house? Sheriff Fox is more likely to cite Jake’s wandering eye as a reason to commit his murder. They broke off their engagement more than once over it. Sheriff Fox will claim they didn’t patch up things, and his latest indiscretion was the last straw for her.”
“He’ll have to prove it by naming who Jake’s latest floozy was.” Alma turned the key and started up the sedan. “He’ll have his work cut out because Jake did no such thing.”
“Did he create a will to demonstrate to Megan that he was making a serious commitment?”
“Only God knows what he really was
“I hope you don’t mind us bending your ears,” she said.
“But we brought a few questions to ask you,” said Isabel.
Wary, the stout Lotus tilted her eyebrows. “What sort of questions?”
“Did Jake Robbins make any known enemies or disgruntled customers?” asked Isabel.
“How the devil might we know something like that?” asked Rosie, more suspicious.
Alma moved to reorient their conversation. “I know Jake’s daddy Hiram Robbins had an Irishman’s temper and every once in a green cheese moon, it got the best of him because he always loved ripping into a good brawl.”
Never to be outdone telling a story on the locals, Lotus jumped in. “But that’s not true of Jake. Quiet and serious, he took more after his mother and kept his nose pressed to the grindstone.”
Rosie scratched her collarbone. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
“I sleep fine knowing Sheriff Fox has it well in hand,” said Lotus.
“Are you saying Megan is guilty?” asked Alma, her words tart.
“Not at all, just I’m not clever enough to peg any suspect,” replied Lotus.
“Maybe you can help us,” said Isabel. “Who was in Jake’s circle of friends?”
“As far as I know, he never had a close friend,” replied Lotus.
Rosie offered her take. “He was just the silent, strong type. I never saw him shed a tear at his daddy’s funeral, not like me who cried out my eyes.”
Lotus went on her own fishing expedition. “What did Sheriff Fox find on Megan? A ton of circumstantial evidence? Did Jake and she quarrel over him stealing milk through the fence again? Does she carry a handgun in her purse?”
“Lotus, I’m sorry to say, but your questions are also my questions,” replied Isabel.
“What I’ve wondered is who stands to get Jake’s property?” said Rosie.
Alma cocking her head glanced at Isabel. “Did he have any next-of-kin or make out a will?”
“I don’t know.” As a pretense, Isabel checked the wall clock. “We better go finish our errands, Alma.”
Alma picked up her sister’s cue. “We are running late. Thanks, Rosie and Lotus.”
“You know where to find us,” said Rosie.
“Keep us abreast of any updates,” added Lotus.
“You bet,” lied Alma.
Isabel spoke, her murmur guarded, once they were out of earshot in the lot outside of Clean Vito’s. “Jake had no next-of-kin, but he did leave a will.”
“If he’d no immediate family, who ends up with his earthly possessions? Was it a kissing cousin or a local charity?”
“Megan told me she inherits the whole ball of wax.”
“Why did you wait until now to tell me this?”
“Because Rosie’s nosiness is what jogged my memory.”
Turning thoughtful, Alma undid the sedan doors. “Why did he draw up his will?”
Isabel shrugged into her seat. “I can only guess that facing the prospect of marriage spurs a young man to mature in ways like creating his will.”
“His will supplies a motive for murder. Sheriff Fox can allege Megan conspired to get her hands on his property by murdering him.”
“Why would she kill Jake for that depressing stucco house? Sheriff Fox is more likely to cite Jake’s wandering eye as a reason to commit his murder. They broke off their engagement more than once over it. Sheriff Fox will claim they didn’t patch up things, and his latest indiscretion was the last straw for her.”
“He’ll have to prove it by naming who Jake’s latest floozy was.” Alma turned the key and started up the sedan. “He’ll have his work cut out because Jake did no such thing.”
“Did he create a will to demonstrate to Megan that he was making a serious commitment?”
“Only God knows what he really was
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