Read Online Halloween Hiccups: A Mercy Mares Cozy Mystery Novella by Ava Mallory - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ava Mallory
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there. She had third and fourth graders in the same room.” Ernie tried to jog my memory.
“Yes, I was in third grade. No offense, but you and I are the same age?” I asked, taking note of his silver mane and the age spots splattered across his forehead.
Ernie chuckled. “No, probably not. I was a fourth grader, so I'm at least a year older than you are, but obviously life and unfortunately now Stanley's death has taken a toll on me.” He said with a touch of sadness in his voice. “Well, Stanley and I have been friends longer than I can remember. I don't know what I'm going to do without him. As you know all too well, he wasn't the easiest person to get along with. He had his moments. Boy, did he have his moments.” Hank sniffled as he remembered his friend.
I nodded and made conversational noises as he continued, while trying to focus on the drive.
“After his divorce, Stanley changed. He became bitter. I couldn't blame him. She took everything from him. I always knew that she was no good for him, but love has a funny way of making us do things we wouldn't normally do.” Hank said.
That was news to me. What kind of woman would marry that weasel of a man and how come I'd never heard anything about it before this?
“Stanley was married? To who?” I asked, imagining the kind of woman who would fall for him. She wouldn't have been a friend of mine, that's for sure.
Ernie pulled into the block where the Anderson Manor sat, looking down ominously at the town of Lake Villa.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, my senses on high alert now.
Ernie pulled up the small hill and parked in front of the steep stairs leading up to the manor.
“I want you to see something.” He said, giving no clue as to whether or not his intentions were good or evil. The way my mind worked, I had a hunch – a gut feeling – that this trip wasn't just about a couple of old classmates shooting the breeze.
Remembering that my phone was still on in my pocket, I spoke loud enough for Ruby to hear. “Why are we at Anderson Manor? I repeat, Anderson Manor? Why have you driven me here, Ernie – that's capital E for echo, R for...”
Ernie gasped. “What are you doing? Why are speaking like that? Who are you talking to?”
I stopped my not-so-inconspicuous behavior and answered him. “Sorry, but this is all so unusual. I've asked you where we were going and you didn't answer. Forgive me if I'm a little paranoid, but a man – a man we both know – was just murdered.” I pointed out the window to the corn stalks. “Right here. And, now you've driven me here. What am I supposed to think?”
The response I expected was some sort of explanation or denial or maybe even a confession. Ernie didn't offer me any of those.
He laughed heartily, amused by my paranoia.
“You think I brought you here to hurt you? Why? What have I ever done to you or to anyone?” Ernie asked, offended by my assumptions about him. “I brought you here because I need your help. I heard that you've helped the police before. You've helped them find murderers. When I heard that you were here at the manor, searching for clues, I thought that you would be willing to help me.” He sighed in frustration. “Mercedes, I'm not going to hurt you. I need your help.”
I still wasn't convinced. He hadn't told me anything yet.
“My help? I don't know anything about what happened here that night. I was at home, in bed.” I said.
He slid out of the car and walked around behind it to get to my side and opened the door for me.
“Come with me.” He said, holding out his hand for me to take.
I took it tentatively, but not before alerting Ruby to what was happening.
“You want me to go inside the Anderson Manor with you, Ernie?” I asked loudly.
He rolled his eyes. “Take your phone out of your pocket and let your friends know that, yes, we are going inside and we will
“Yes, I was in third grade. No offense, but you and I are the same age?” I asked, taking note of his silver mane and the age spots splattered across his forehead.
Ernie chuckled. “No, probably not. I was a fourth grader, so I'm at least a year older than you are, but obviously life and unfortunately now Stanley's death has taken a toll on me.” He said with a touch of sadness in his voice. “Well, Stanley and I have been friends longer than I can remember. I don't know what I'm going to do without him. As you know all too well, he wasn't the easiest person to get along with. He had his moments. Boy, did he have his moments.” Hank sniffled as he remembered his friend.
I nodded and made conversational noises as he continued, while trying to focus on the drive.
“After his divorce, Stanley changed. He became bitter. I couldn't blame him. She took everything from him. I always knew that she was no good for him, but love has a funny way of making us do things we wouldn't normally do.” Hank said.
That was news to me. What kind of woman would marry that weasel of a man and how come I'd never heard anything about it before this?
“Stanley was married? To who?” I asked, imagining the kind of woman who would fall for him. She wouldn't have been a friend of mine, that's for sure.
Ernie pulled into the block where the Anderson Manor sat, looking down ominously at the town of Lake Villa.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, my senses on high alert now.
Ernie pulled up the small hill and parked in front of the steep stairs leading up to the manor.
“I want you to see something.” He said, giving no clue as to whether or not his intentions were good or evil. The way my mind worked, I had a hunch – a gut feeling – that this trip wasn't just about a couple of old classmates shooting the breeze.
Remembering that my phone was still on in my pocket, I spoke loud enough for Ruby to hear. “Why are we at Anderson Manor? I repeat, Anderson Manor? Why have you driven me here, Ernie – that's capital E for echo, R for...”
Ernie gasped. “What are you doing? Why are speaking like that? Who are you talking to?”
I stopped my not-so-inconspicuous behavior and answered him. “Sorry, but this is all so unusual. I've asked you where we were going and you didn't answer. Forgive me if I'm a little paranoid, but a man – a man we both know – was just murdered.” I pointed out the window to the corn stalks. “Right here. And, now you've driven me here. What am I supposed to think?”
The response I expected was some sort of explanation or denial or maybe even a confession. Ernie didn't offer me any of those.
He laughed heartily, amused by my paranoia.
“You think I brought you here to hurt you? Why? What have I ever done to you or to anyone?” Ernie asked, offended by my assumptions about him. “I brought you here because I need your help. I heard that you've helped the police before. You've helped them find murderers. When I heard that you were here at the manor, searching for clues, I thought that you would be willing to help me.” He sighed in frustration. “Mercedes, I'm not going to hurt you. I need your help.”
I still wasn't convinced. He hadn't told me anything yet.
“My help? I don't know anything about what happened here that night. I was at home, in bed.” I said.
He slid out of the car and walked around behind it to get to my side and opened the door for me.
“Come with me.” He said, holding out his hand for me to take.
I took it tentatively, but not before alerting Ruby to what was happening.
“You want me to go inside the Anderson Manor with you, Ernie?” I asked loudly.
He rolled his eyes. “Take your phone out of your pocket and let your friends know that, yes, we are going inside and we will
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