Read Online Mourning In Miniature by Margaret Grace - Free Book Online
Authors: Margaret Grace
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with Henry, but I needed someone to talk to. My head ached from the stress.
There was only one sure way to ease the tension.
I knew what I was about to do was sneaky. Maddie would never forgive me. Not until I took her to Ghirardelli’s this afternoon, anyway.
I looked around at the crowd and leaned over the table. You never knew where there was a mole. “Henry, I have a big favor to ask.”
“Hit me with it,” he said.
Bad choice of words. I swallowed hard.
“I have an important errand to run that I can’t take Maddie to. Would you mind taking her home with you and I’ll pick her up later?”
Henry’s eyebrows went up a tad, surprised, but he recovered nicely. “Can I have your chocolate malt?”
I liked his style.
Chapter 5
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, I reminded myself, so I was on my way to get more. There was no use having a nephew, one whose hand you’d held crossing the street not that long ago, on the police force if you couldn’t take advantage of it.
I walked the few blocks down Springfield Boulevard, past the high school and the now-deserted groundbreaking site, to the police department, part of the civic center complex along with the city hall and the library. On my way down the street and up to Skip’s second-floor cubicle, I rehearsed.
“You got me involved,” I’d say, reminding him of his phone call alerting me to David’s murder and requesting my help in locating Rosie. Maybe that was too junior high, reminiscent of many such “he started it” exchanges between Skip and my son, Richard.
“I’d like to help” wouldn’t work, since Skip consistently reminded me that the Lincoln Point Police Department had enough sworn officers to take care of business.
“Excuse me?” he’d say. “Do you have a badge?”
“I’m your only aunt and you owe me” might do the trick, but I’d used it before.
I realized I needed some new material.
I always preferred dealing with female LPPD officers, not because of any sexist or feminist leanings, but because usually they were hot for (Maddie’s term; I still preferred the old-fashioned “sweet on”) Skip. This meant that they’d be especially accommodating and nice to me. It didn’t seem to matter that Skip and June, my next-door neighbor, were practically engaged. Maybe even one step closer this weekend since Skip had taken June to Seattle to meet his mother’s boyfriend’s family. Never mind that the weekend was cut off at the pass. His intentions spoke of commitment.
Was every extended family this complicated to talk about?
I was in luck. Lavana Rollins, an attractive member of the almost-thirty crowd, like Skip, was on duty at the front desk. After the hot-weather talk, I got to my point.
“Too bad Skip had to cut his trip to Seattle short,” I said to Lavana.
“Yeah, we got this big case, and so many people are on vacation in faraway places. Poor Skip was close enough to be called back.”
“I just heard the announcement. It’s such a shame about David Bridges,” I said.
“Too true. I didn’t know him, but I guess he was very popular around here during the football heyday at the high school.”
The days Lincoln Point expected to get back with a new stadium. “I had David as a student a long time ago. I hope you’re making progress finding his killer.”
“Ha. They don’t tell me anything. I’m just a uniform,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my job. I get to carry the evidence.” Lavana’s laugh was hearty, befitting her substantial frame. “The strangest thing came in this morning, though. You’d have found it very interesting.”
I didn’t have to fake my intense curiosity. “Oh?”
“Hey, Rollins.” I heard a deep voice from behind the wide front counter where Lavana stood. “How about those files?”
“Gotta go,” Lavana told me. “Skip should be here any minute. You can go on back and wait.”
That was my hoped-for scenario: that I’d have a few
There was only one sure way to ease the tension.
I knew what I was about to do was sneaky. Maddie would never forgive me. Not until I took her to Ghirardelli’s this afternoon, anyway.
I looked around at the crowd and leaned over the table. You never knew where there was a mole. “Henry, I have a big favor to ask.”
“Hit me with it,” he said.
Bad choice of words. I swallowed hard.
“I have an important errand to run that I can’t take Maddie to. Would you mind taking her home with you and I’ll pick her up later?”
Henry’s eyebrows went up a tad, surprised, but he recovered nicely. “Can I have your chocolate malt?”
I liked his style.
Chapter 5
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, I reminded myself, so I was on my way to get more. There was no use having a nephew, one whose hand you’d held crossing the street not that long ago, on the police force if you couldn’t take advantage of it.
I walked the few blocks down Springfield Boulevard, past the high school and the now-deserted groundbreaking site, to the police department, part of the civic center complex along with the city hall and the library. On my way down the street and up to Skip’s second-floor cubicle, I rehearsed.
“You got me involved,” I’d say, reminding him of his phone call alerting me to David’s murder and requesting my help in locating Rosie. Maybe that was too junior high, reminiscent of many such “he started it” exchanges between Skip and my son, Richard.
“I’d like to help” wouldn’t work, since Skip consistently reminded me that the Lincoln Point Police Department had enough sworn officers to take care of business.
“Excuse me?” he’d say. “Do you have a badge?”
“I’m your only aunt and you owe me” might do the trick, but I’d used it before.
I realized I needed some new material.
I always preferred dealing with female LPPD officers, not because of any sexist or feminist leanings, but because usually they were hot for (Maddie’s term; I still preferred the old-fashioned “sweet on”) Skip. This meant that they’d be especially accommodating and nice to me. It didn’t seem to matter that Skip and June, my next-door neighbor, were practically engaged. Maybe even one step closer this weekend since Skip had taken June to Seattle to meet his mother’s boyfriend’s family. Never mind that the weekend was cut off at the pass. His intentions spoke of commitment.
Was every extended family this complicated to talk about?
I was in luck. Lavana Rollins, an attractive member of the almost-thirty crowd, like Skip, was on duty at the front desk. After the hot-weather talk, I got to my point.
“Too bad Skip had to cut his trip to Seattle short,” I said to Lavana.
“Yeah, we got this big case, and so many people are on vacation in faraway places. Poor Skip was close enough to be called back.”
“I just heard the announcement. It’s such a shame about David Bridges,” I said.
“Too true. I didn’t know him, but I guess he was very popular around here during the football heyday at the high school.”
The days Lincoln Point expected to get back with a new stadium. “I had David as a student a long time ago. I hope you’re making progress finding his killer.”
“Ha. They don’t tell me anything. I’m just a uniform,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my job. I get to carry the evidence.” Lavana’s laugh was hearty, befitting her substantial frame. “The strangest thing came in this morning, though. You’d have found it very interesting.”
I didn’t have to fake my intense curiosity. “Oh?”
“Hey, Rollins.” I heard a deep voice from behind the wide front counter where Lavana stood. “How about those files?”
“Gotta go,” Lavana told me. “Skip should be here any minute. You can go on back and wait.”
That was my hoped-for scenario: that I’d have a few
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