Read Online Rest in Peach by Susan Furlong - Free Book Online

you were her prime suspect, like telling you not to leave town?”
    “No, but everyone knows I haven’t traveled much farther than Macon for the last twenty years.”
    I tapped the paper. “Point being, this article said the sheriff has a suspect in the case, but it didn’t necessarily say you, did it? Maybe Maudy Payne has another suspect. Or maybe there’s something she knows that’s not in the paper. Some sort of evidence that points the finger at someone else.”
    Ginny nodded, wiping at her eyes with the bottom of her apron. “Still, poor Emily. She’s going to be mortified when she reads this paper. And, the kids at school? You know how cruel they can be. Once they get ahold of this . . . why, it’s going to be awful for Emily. Me and my hot temper!”
    “You’re underestimating Emily. She’s stronger than you think, and so are you. You two will get through this just fine.”
    A tear ran down her cheek. “But she’s been dreaming about her cotillion ever since she was a little girl. This is all so unfair. First the dress and now all this.” Suddenly her eyes grew wide. “Oh no. The etiquette class is tomorrow evening!”
    “Etiquette class?” This was the first I’d heard about anysort of etiquette class. Then again, there’d been so much debutante talk lately, I’d pretty much tuned it all out. And honestly, the idea of anyone being interested in a class on etiquette at the moment didn’t fit my lingering vision of Vivien’s scissor-skewered neck one bit.
    Ginny’s head bobbed up and down frantically as she began wringing her hands. “Yes! At the diner tomorrow evening. It’s sort of a practice run for the girls to work on their table manners before the big dinner. They’ll be bringing their marshals, too.”
    I scrunched my brows and blinked a few times until Cade spoke up from across the room. “Their dates, Nola. Marshals escort the debutantes to the dinner and dance.” I did a double take. Why would Cade know something about marshals when I didn’t recall it at all? Had he been one once? I racked my brain trying to remember who he would have escorted to the cotillion dance way back when. Then I shrugged it off. What did that really matter anyway?
    “How am I going to face down all those people after this?” Ginny was pointing at the paper. “Everyone’s probably talking about me right this instant. Saying things like, ‘Emily’s mom is a murderer’ . . . and, oh Lawd!” She glanced at her watch. “I got to get back to the diner. Emily will be out of school soon.”
    Placing my hands on her shoulders, I leaned in and looked directly into her eyes. “Simmer down, Ginny. You need to hold it together for Emily, okay? Now tell me, who’s helping you with the etiquette class tomorrow?”
    She sucked in a jagged breath. “Well, Ida is in charge of instruction, of course—she’s a master of etiquette.” I rolled my eyes and nodded as she continued. “And a few of the other mothers. We’re acting as servers. It’s all set up likerole play. Like a real dinner, minus the food. That’s why the committee asked if it could be at the diner, so we could use the tables and chairs.”
    “Okay. No biggie. I’ll come and help, too. That way you know you’ll have some support in case some of those mothers come with gossip on their minds. I’ll talk to Hattie, see if she can also help.”
    “Y’all would do that?”
    “Of course. What are friends for?”
    Ginny seemed to breathe easier. “Sure. That’d be fine. Maybe I’ll even wear those new blue jeans Hattie helped me pick out.”
    “That’s the spirit,” I said. “Now, you better get back to the diner and take care of Emily. Remember what I said, though. She’s a strong girl, just like her mama.”
    As soon as she left, I trotted across the room and handed Cade the paper. “Ginny’s never going to live this down. Take a look at this! This is a hot mess. I’m so sick of Frances Simms and her antics. I swear, that