Read Online Murder by Mushroom by Virginia Smith - Free Book Online

Margaret asked.
    Jackie grimaced. “Well, he wasn’t thrilled, but I convinced him. I had to promise to come in if they run into problems later in the week.”
    Actually, her boss had told her she was crazy for wanting to mess around in a murder investigation and she should get a life. But she didn’t see any reason to tell that to Margaret.
    “How many people will we see today?”
    “Four.” Margaret slid open a desk drawer. “I usually only have three, but since Mrs. Sawyer’s still recovering from surgery I’ve been stopping by her house, too.”
    She retrieved a handful of church bulletins, then opened another drawer and removed a stack of cassette tapes. A pink tote came out of a third drawer, and she stuffed everything into it. She handed the tote to Jackie and motioned for her to follow as she left the room. Back in the kitchen, she added two Baggies full of cookies.
    “I like to take a little something to Mrs. Harrod and Mr. Sheppard,” she said. “The dining room there at the nursing home is nice enough, but I think they appreciate having a little snack in their own rooms.”
    Jackie peeked into the tote. The cookies looked like oatmeal, or maybe peanut butter. Two of her favorites.
    Margaret picked up a worn Bible from the counter. “I’m ready.”
    Finally! Tote bag in one hand, Jackie slung her purse across her shoulder as Pastor Palmer bestowed a kiss on Margaret’s cheek. “Tell them all I said hello and I’ll be along later in the week.”

     
    During the trip across town, Jackie fiddled with her recorder. Margaret had announced that they would visit Mrs. Sawyer’s house first, since it was the farthest away, and work their way back to the parsonage. A couple of times Jackie noticed her opening her mouth to say something, her forehead creased with lines, but then closing it again. She was probably concerned that too many questions might upset the old people, but she had nothing to be concerned about. Talking to old people was one of the things Jackie did best.
    They paused on Mrs. Sawyer’s front porch while Jackie turned on her little device. When everything was ready, she nodded toward Margaret, who rang the bell.
    Mrs. Sawyer greeted them, moving slowly with the aid of a walker. Margaret hugged the older woman gently. She looked so frail Jackie worried a breeze might overbalance her. She had to be at least eighty, but until her hip surgery a few weeks ago, Jackie had seen her often at church, both on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. She was a member of the Prime Timer Sunday school class, the one Mrs. Farmer had attended.
    “It’s nice to see you up and around,” Margaret exclaimed as they followed her into the tiny living room. “You look stronger than last week.”
    “I hate this thing,” Mrs. Sawyer confided, “but at least I’m able to walk on my own.” She lowered her voice. “My daughter was glad to go back to work. I think I was getting on her nerves.”
    “Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.”
    “Well, she was getting on my nerves sure enough.” The old lady smiled. “It’s good to be able to go to the restroom by myself.”
    Margaret laughed. “I’m sure it is. You know Jackie Hoffner, don’t you?”
    The older lady turned her wrinkled smile on Jackie. “Of course I do. How nice to see you. Young people don’t visit us old folks much these days.”
    Jackie returned the smile with a wide one of her own and took the extended hand gently. “We’ve missed you at church, Mrs. Sawyer.”
    The older woman gestured for them to sit on the couch and then dropped into a Queen Anne wing chair with obvious relief. “I would offer you coffee, but you’d have to make it yourself. Marsha leaves my lunch on a plate in the refrigerator, and getting it to the table is the extent of my ability with this thing. But I’m learning!”
    “That isn’t necessary,” Margaret assured her.
    The old lady looked at Jackie with a shrewd stare. “I hear you’ve been having some