Read Online Mad as Helen by Susan McBride - Free Book Online Page A

Helen thought, though she could hardly blame her. After the trying events of the past twenty-four hours, the girl needed rest. Helen had insisted that Nancy stay at her house rather than go back to her apartment, and she planned to keep her there for as long as it took Biddle to solve Grace Simpson’s murder.
    Helen shook her head, sure the sheriff’s barrage of questions had hardly helped matters any. As if stumbling upon a murder scene wasn’t frightening enough.
    I didn’t mean for it to happen, she recalled Nancy telling Frank Biddle.
    No, of course she didn’t.
    It’s so unfair, Nancy had remarked after Grace had publicly humiliated her . I’ve worked day and night to make her happy, and it was never enough. I hate her, Grandma, I do. I’m so mad, I could choke her.
    Helen frowned, knowing how hurt Nancy felt, how frustrated. But Nancy was a quiet girl who’d always worked hard and kept to herself. Even if she’d fought with Grace, she would never have picked up a baseball bat and beat her to death with it.
    “Stop it,” she told herself.
    Nancy wouldn’t hurt a fly, and Helen well knew it.
    Unfortunately, Sheriff Biddle seemed to have his doubts.
    The phone rang downstairs, twittering like a deranged bird, and Helen jumped.
    She hurried back down the steps as quietly as she could, reaching the phone just as it twittered again.
    Snatching it up, she asked breathlessly, “Yes? Who is it?”
    “It’s me, ma’am. Frank Biddle.”
    Helen gritted her teeth. “Sheriff, please, I told you I’d bring Nancy down when she was up and about. She’s still in bed, sleeping.”
    “It’s noon,” he said.
    “Thank you for that information,” Helen replied, telling him, “good-bye.” She was about to hang up when she heard him saying, “Ma’am, wait, ma’am!”
    Helen returned the receiver to her ear. “Yes, Sheriff?”
    “I just heard from Doc Melville, and it appears the murder was committed where the body was found, meaning Ms. Simpson’s bedroom. There’s no evidence the body was moved, so it looks like she died where she fell. Oh, and forensics confirms the murder weapon was the baseball bat that Miss Sweet was holding when she ran out of the house.”
    “So?” Helen said stiffly.
    “So your granddaughter’s fingerprints were on the bat, ma’am. In fact, they’re the only clear prints found on it other than Grace’s. There are a couple of smudged prints that we’re checking out—”
    “Anything else?” Helen interrupted.
    “Not yet, although Doc said the ME’s about through with his examination. I’m heading over to Ms. Simpson’s office now to see what I can find out there.”
    “Is that all?”
    “Yes, ma’am, except that I’ll want to talk to Miss Sweet again.”
    “Good-bye, Sheriff.”
    “Ma’am, wait—”
    But this time, Helen hung up.

 
    Chapter 12
    “ S O IT ’ S TRUE ?” Clara Foley asked, leaning over the table.
    “Oh, it’s true all right.” Bertha Beaner nodded.
    “Ding dong, the witch is dead,” Clara said and settled back into the booth, exhaling loudly. “Has anyone been arrested?”
    “Mattie Oldbridge said the sheriff took Helen Evans’s granddaughter in for questioning.”
    “Oh, my.”
    “Well, he had to.” Bertha took a sip of her cola before adding, “She’s the one who found the body.”
    “How was Grace killed?”
    Bertha shrugged. “Mattie wasn’t entirely sure, but one can’t help but wonder—”
    The door to the diner opened with a jingle, and Bertha Beaner stopped talking and glanced over Clara’s substantial shoulders to see Mattie Oldbridge entering the place.
    “Speak of the devil,” Bertha murmured and lifted a hand. “Yoo hoo, Mattie!” she called and beckoned her over. “We were just talking about dear departed Grace. Seeing as how you live next door, well, we figured—”
    “That you could fill us in on more of the details,” Clara finished for her.
    Bertha gave her a look and muttered, “I was getting to it, for