Read Online miss fortune mystery (ff) - bloodshed in the bayou by Leslie Langtry - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leslie Langtry
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He shouldn’t hafta pay a fine when it ain’t his fault!”
I wasn’t surprised by this outburst. The Roach Family, which actually just consisted of So-So, his mama, and his daddy’s cremains inside a taxidermied squirrel, usually argued public fines, no matter how small.
Carter shrugged. “I’m sorry Mrs. Roach. But the law is the law. Now if he remembers who shot his boat, I can press charges.”
Mama Roach frowned…I think… “He don’t know who done it! I told you that! He was just out fishin late one night and someone shot at his boat.”
I suspected that no one was really targeting So-So’s boat. It wasn’t really hunting season but I was usually up to my eyeballs in poachers all year round.
“You know what?” I said getting to my feet and taking the ticket from her. “I’ll forget about it as long as So-So gets that hole patched before he goes back out on the water. Deal?”
To be honest, I just didn’t want to deal with one more thing. I had to get out to see Mom, check in with Ida Belle and see if I could beg that outfit off Peggy Sue again before the funeral services tomorrow.
“Fine!” Mrs. Roach spat, giving me the distinct impression that she was angry she’d had to talk me into tearing the ticket up. I left before either she or Carter could stand and was on the road to Mudbug in no time.
This whole situation was a mess. Not just because my dumbass dad had the bad taste to show up dead after almost thirty years, or that Mom was crazy enough to tell people she did it. But getting involved with mobsters, having my house invaded, and finding out Hugo was a crook was a huge pain in the ass.
Okay, so it wasn’t all bad. I’d probably been more social in the last couple of days than I had in years. And I liked hanging around with Ida and Gertie, Ally and Fortune. I thought about the portraits on the walls going up the stairs. The more Peggy Sue came out of her shell, I’d drifted into one.
Was it a caregiver thing? I’d heard that people who have to take care of a family member become kind of introverted. That’s what I’d been doing all this time. And while I wouldn’t want to make a habit out of hanging out with mobsters and fighting off intruders, it was fun having friends around.
Friends. Was that what these women were? I’d known two of them my whole life but I’d never really hung out with them. And that Fortune. I could tell she’d be fun. Had I wasted all these years by becoming a recluse?
The only people I saw regularly were my co-workers. But we were out of the office more than in. I saw Eleanor Woodruff at the nursing home once or twice a week, but that was just to say ‘hi.’ Huh. I guess I really had hidden myself away.
Well once this was over, I was going to take Ally, Ida Belle, Gertie and Fortune out to dinner in New Orleans. Maybe we could even have lunch regularly or something. My spirits started to lift a little. After all, this would all be over soon. Why couldn’t I have a real life?
My step was a little lighter as I got out of the car and walked into Sunnyvale.
“You look happier than you’ve been in a long time!” Eleanor said with a smile.
“Now that Mom’s been cleared of murder, things are looking up!” I answered back.
Eleanor’s smile faded into a look of confusion and I realized she probably had no idea what I was talking about. I was about to explain when the phone rang and she answered it. Oh well, I thought as I made my way to Mom’s room, maybe I’ll see if Eleanor wants to hang out some time. My social life was definitely looking up.
“Hey Mom!” I bent and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and settled down beside her on the bed. She looked tired. Maybe I shouldn’t bring this all up.
“Margaret.” Mom said as if she’d been expecting me. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“What about?” She was probably going to tell me she hadn’t seen Hugo and didn’t remember confessing to killing him. I straightened the
I wasn’t surprised by this outburst. The Roach Family, which actually just consisted of So-So, his mama, and his daddy’s cremains inside a taxidermied squirrel, usually argued public fines, no matter how small.
Carter shrugged. “I’m sorry Mrs. Roach. But the law is the law. Now if he remembers who shot his boat, I can press charges.”
Mama Roach frowned…I think… “He don’t know who done it! I told you that! He was just out fishin late one night and someone shot at his boat.”
I suspected that no one was really targeting So-So’s boat. It wasn’t really hunting season but I was usually up to my eyeballs in poachers all year round.
“You know what?” I said getting to my feet and taking the ticket from her. “I’ll forget about it as long as So-So gets that hole patched before he goes back out on the water. Deal?”
To be honest, I just didn’t want to deal with one more thing. I had to get out to see Mom, check in with Ida Belle and see if I could beg that outfit off Peggy Sue again before the funeral services tomorrow.
“Fine!” Mrs. Roach spat, giving me the distinct impression that she was angry she’d had to talk me into tearing the ticket up. I left before either she or Carter could stand and was on the road to Mudbug in no time.
This whole situation was a mess. Not just because my dumbass dad had the bad taste to show up dead after almost thirty years, or that Mom was crazy enough to tell people she did it. But getting involved with mobsters, having my house invaded, and finding out Hugo was a crook was a huge pain in the ass.
Okay, so it wasn’t all bad. I’d probably been more social in the last couple of days than I had in years. And I liked hanging around with Ida and Gertie, Ally and Fortune. I thought about the portraits on the walls going up the stairs. The more Peggy Sue came out of her shell, I’d drifted into one.
Was it a caregiver thing? I’d heard that people who have to take care of a family member become kind of introverted. That’s what I’d been doing all this time. And while I wouldn’t want to make a habit out of hanging out with mobsters and fighting off intruders, it was fun having friends around.
Friends. Was that what these women were? I’d known two of them my whole life but I’d never really hung out with them. And that Fortune. I could tell she’d be fun. Had I wasted all these years by becoming a recluse?
The only people I saw regularly were my co-workers. But we were out of the office more than in. I saw Eleanor Woodruff at the nursing home once or twice a week, but that was just to say ‘hi.’ Huh. I guess I really had hidden myself away.
Well once this was over, I was going to take Ally, Ida Belle, Gertie and Fortune out to dinner in New Orleans. Maybe we could even have lunch regularly or something. My spirits started to lift a little. After all, this would all be over soon. Why couldn’t I have a real life?
My step was a little lighter as I got out of the car and walked into Sunnyvale.
“You look happier than you’ve been in a long time!” Eleanor said with a smile.
“Now that Mom’s been cleared of murder, things are looking up!” I answered back.
Eleanor’s smile faded into a look of confusion and I realized she probably had no idea what I was talking about. I was about to explain when the phone rang and she answered it. Oh well, I thought as I made my way to Mom’s room, maybe I’ll see if Eleanor wants to hang out some time. My social life was definitely looking up.
“Hey Mom!” I bent and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and settled down beside her on the bed. She looked tired. Maybe I shouldn’t bring this all up.
“Margaret.” Mom said as if she’d been expecting me. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“What about?” She was probably going to tell me she hadn’t seen Hugo and didn’t remember confessing to killing him. I straightened the
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