Read Online Murder by Arrangement (Edna Davies mysteries Book 5) by Suzanne Young - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Young
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with her down the hall.
“When is Charlie
picking you up for dinner?” Edna called to Starling.
“He’s not.”
Starling glanced back over her shoulder with a pout. “He called just before
Lettie’s mother arrived and said he has to work tonight. They’re expecting
emergency conditions and want all available personnel on duty. We’re postponing
our dinner date,” she said, adding with emphasis and a roll of her eyes, “ again .”
She turned abruptly to face Edna and scowled. “Did you have this much trouble
trying to get a date with Dad when he was on call at the hospital?”
Edna was taken
aback for a second or two and nearly whooped with delight. Is this a hint
that something more serious is going on between her and Charlie ? Edna
wondered, but didn’t want to push the matter at that moment. Starling would
confide in her when the time was right, or clam up, if it weren’t. Instead,
Edna said, “I’ll call Mary and see if she’d like to come for supper.”
“What are we
having?” Amanda asked, pausing in the archway, and the look passing between
mother and daughter broke.
“How about
chicken pot pie?” Edna suggested, her glance lowering to her granddaughter’s
face. “Comfort food for a cold night.”
The resounding
cheers from her daughter and granddaughter made her laugh, but as they
disappeared into the living room, she wondered if she’d have a chance to get
Mary alone long enough to ask what she knew about the Haverstrum and Beck
scandal.
Chapter 8
After a deep and
dreamless sleep, Edna awoke and rose early. The storm had ended, leaving six
inches of snow in its wake. Glancing out the window at the scene below, she saw
that the Benton brothers, neighborhood teenagers who shoveled for the Davies
and Mary without having to be phoned each time, had already cleared the drive.
Edna idly wondered if they were on break this week or had they dragged
themselves out of bed on one of the few mornings they could sleep in. She made
a mental note to add a generous tip when they came around to collect.
Going down to
the kitchen, she made coffee and took a cup to her office. She wanted to resume
her search of news about Gregory Haverstrum before Amanda and Starling came
down for breakfast, but the computer hadn’t finished booting up when the
doorbell rang. Surprised, she looked at the wall clock and realized it wasn’t
yet eight o’clock.
“Who in the
world …” she muttered, hurrying into the front hall.
Before she
reached the door, she heard muffled banging, as if gloved hands were pounding
on the wood. A faint voice called through the heavy wood, “Edna? Edna, are you
up. Please let me in.” The doorbell rang again.
Tuck ?
Recognizing the voice, Edna grew increasingly agitated by the urgency in her
friend’s tone. She fumbled with the deadbolt.
“Tuck?” Edna
finally had the door open. Frowning, she wondered what had brought her friend
to the house, and why she seemed so distressed. “Was I supposed to join you in
church this morning?” She tried to remember if she’d forgotten a previous
engagement with all that had been distracting her for the past few days.
Ignoring the
question, Tuck pushed past her into the hall, unwrapping a cashmere scarf from
her neck as she did so. “Oh, Edna, something terrible has happened.” Tuck always
wore a slightly puzzled expression as if not certain how she had gotten where she
was. This morning, her eyes, the same sky blue as her scarf, appeared both
frightened and bewildered. She stripped off her jacket, and Edna saw how upset
Tuck must’ve been when she dressed. Usually so meticulously turned out, Tuck
seemed to have pulled on an old pair of navy blue stretch pants and a light
green turtleneck. Edna’s attention was drawn away from Tuck’s clothing at her
friend’s next words. “Peppa’s been arrested,” she blurted, plopping down on a
nearby ladder-back chair.
“Arrested? For
what?” Edna couldn’t
“When is Charlie
picking you up for dinner?” Edna called to Starling.
“He’s not.”
Starling glanced back over her shoulder with a pout. “He called just before
Lettie’s mother arrived and said he has to work tonight. They’re expecting
emergency conditions and want all available personnel on duty. We’re postponing
our dinner date,” she said, adding with emphasis and a roll of her eyes, “ again .”
She turned abruptly to face Edna and scowled. “Did you have this much trouble
trying to get a date with Dad when he was on call at the hospital?”
Edna was taken
aback for a second or two and nearly whooped with delight. Is this a hint
that something more serious is going on between her and Charlie ? Edna
wondered, but didn’t want to push the matter at that moment. Starling would
confide in her when the time was right, or clam up, if it weren’t. Instead,
Edna said, “I’ll call Mary and see if she’d like to come for supper.”
“What are we
having?” Amanda asked, pausing in the archway, and the look passing between
mother and daughter broke.
“How about
chicken pot pie?” Edna suggested, her glance lowering to her granddaughter’s
face. “Comfort food for a cold night.”
The resounding
cheers from her daughter and granddaughter made her laugh, but as they
disappeared into the living room, she wondered if she’d have a chance to get
Mary alone long enough to ask what she knew about the Haverstrum and Beck
scandal.
Chapter 8
After a deep and
dreamless sleep, Edna awoke and rose early. The storm had ended, leaving six
inches of snow in its wake. Glancing out the window at the scene below, she saw
that the Benton brothers, neighborhood teenagers who shoveled for the Davies
and Mary without having to be phoned each time, had already cleared the drive.
Edna idly wondered if they were on break this week or had they dragged
themselves out of bed on one of the few mornings they could sleep in. She made
a mental note to add a generous tip when they came around to collect.
Going down to
the kitchen, she made coffee and took a cup to her office. She wanted to resume
her search of news about Gregory Haverstrum before Amanda and Starling came
down for breakfast, but the computer hadn’t finished booting up when the
doorbell rang. Surprised, she looked at the wall clock and realized it wasn’t
yet eight o’clock.
“Who in the
world …” she muttered, hurrying into the front hall.
Before she
reached the door, she heard muffled banging, as if gloved hands were pounding
on the wood. A faint voice called through the heavy wood, “Edna? Edna, are you
up. Please let me in.” The doorbell rang again.
Tuck ?
Recognizing the voice, Edna grew increasingly agitated by the urgency in her
friend’s tone. She fumbled with the deadbolt.
“Tuck?” Edna
finally had the door open. Frowning, she wondered what had brought her friend
to the house, and why she seemed so distressed. “Was I supposed to join you in
church this morning?” She tried to remember if she’d forgotten a previous
engagement with all that had been distracting her for the past few days.
Ignoring the
question, Tuck pushed past her into the hall, unwrapping a cashmere scarf from
her neck as she did so. “Oh, Edna, something terrible has happened.” Tuck always
wore a slightly puzzled expression as if not certain how she had gotten where she
was. This morning, her eyes, the same sky blue as her scarf, appeared both
frightened and bewildered. She stripped off her jacket, and Edna saw how upset
Tuck must’ve been when she dressed. Usually so meticulously turned out, Tuck
seemed to have pulled on an old pair of navy blue stretch pants and a light
green turtleneck. Edna’s attention was drawn away from Tuck’s clothing at her
friend’s next words. “Peppa’s been arrested,” she blurted, plopping down on a
nearby ladder-back chair.
“Arrested? For
what?” Edna couldn’t
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