Read Online Runny03 - Loose Lips by Rita Mae Brown - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rita Mae Brown
Tags: cozy
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expenses in this town.”
Since the deuce wouldn’t start, Chessy, Paul, and Extra Billy pushed it out of the park with Fannie Jump Creighton at the wheel. A still-outraged Louise, on a short leash held by her sister, stomped home to get gardening tools and lanterns.
Celeste and Ramelle, with Maizie, drove on old Route 140 to Dingledine’s, where they had to talk Randy Dingledine into following them with a truckful of tulips, since the Packard could only hold so much.
“Now, Maizie, I don’t want you to be upset by all this. Mary’s in the grips of blind passion.” Celeste searched around for the appropriate vocabulary for a fourteen-year-old girl.
Maizie sighed romantically. “I thought it was swell.”
“Oh, God.” Ramelle rolled her eyes heavenward.
12
B uster patiently waited on the southwest corner of the square, behind City Hall and in front of Christ Lutheran Church. Yoyo, his best friend, Juts’s large long-haired tabby, sat next to him. Juts and Chessy, worn out from last night’s plantings, had forgotten to tightly close the screen door on the back porch and the animals scooted out once they discovered the mistake.
The singing inside all the churches on the square swelled to a crescendo. The cat and dog exchanged glances, deciding this was extremely interesting, and trotted up the long steps to the heavy wooden double front doors of Christ Lutheran, opened to welcome the faithful.
Yoyo shot down the carpeted center aisle as Buster contemplated his next move. Yoyo’s original intention was to find Juts and Chessy, but the intoxicating fragrance of massed flowers around the altar and communion rail proved too tempting. She picked up speed, hesitating only at the rail because beautiful needlepoint knee cushions were on the floor. This was heaven: something to tear and something to smell. A titter rolled through the congregation, a ripple from back to front. As Pastor Neely faced the altar he was unaware of the source of amusement. A pendulous lily proved more inviting to Yoyo than sharpening her claws on the needlepoint. She launched herself into the air and grabbed it with both paws, yanking it out of the arrangement.The paprika-colored pollen sprinkled on the floor as well as over her long whiskers.
Juts, wearing the disputed Bear’s department store hat, had her nose in the hymnal looking for the next hymn, and didn’t know Yoyo was experiencing a religious moment. Chessy elbowed her. She glanced up and didn’t see anything because Lillian Yost sat in front of her, her hat massive. The Hunsenmeir pew was in the fifth row and Cora was sitting in the middle; she didn’t see Yoyo either.
Buster, curiosity peaking, followed the cat down the aisle but was waylaid by the heavy odor of chocolate. He ducked into the pew with the Falkenroths and the Cadwalders, where he found a chocolate-covered marshmallow bunny, which little Paula Falkenroth had hidden in her white purse. Paula giggled when Buster, docked tail wagging, slid up to her in the pew. She soon stopped when he reached right in the purse and snatched her candy.
“Daddy!”
“Hush,” Walter whispered. He saw what Buster did but he also knew that Paula was forbidden to carry candy in her church bag. If her mother found out there would be a disagreeable discussion on the way home. Putting out a daily newspaper and building a new house used up Walter’s reserves of patience. He wanted a calm Easter.
Buster scampered out the pew as parishioners turned their knees to the side.
“I want my chocolate bunny!”
“Paula!” Her mother reached over Walter’s chest and pushed the child back on the pew.
Pastor Neely, still invoking many holy writs, faced the altar and couldn’t turn around.
The acolyte proved useless. At fourteen he thought this escapade an improvement on the service.
Yoyo, thrilled with the easy conquest of the lily, attacked the entire enormous arrangement. Flowers scattered everywhere.
“Pssst,” Juts hissed at
Since the deuce wouldn’t start, Chessy, Paul, and Extra Billy pushed it out of the park with Fannie Jump Creighton at the wheel. A still-outraged Louise, on a short leash held by her sister, stomped home to get gardening tools and lanterns.
Celeste and Ramelle, with Maizie, drove on old Route 140 to Dingledine’s, where they had to talk Randy Dingledine into following them with a truckful of tulips, since the Packard could only hold so much.
“Now, Maizie, I don’t want you to be upset by all this. Mary’s in the grips of blind passion.” Celeste searched around for the appropriate vocabulary for a fourteen-year-old girl.
Maizie sighed romantically. “I thought it was swell.”
“Oh, God.” Ramelle rolled her eyes heavenward.
12
B uster patiently waited on the southwest corner of the square, behind City Hall and in front of Christ Lutheran Church. Yoyo, his best friend, Juts’s large long-haired tabby, sat next to him. Juts and Chessy, worn out from last night’s plantings, had forgotten to tightly close the screen door on the back porch and the animals scooted out once they discovered the mistake.
The singing inside all the churches on the square swelled to a crescendo. The cat and dog exchanged glances, deciding this was extremely interesting, and trotted up the long steps to the heavy wooden double front doors of Christ Lutheran, opened to welcome the faithful.
Yoyo shot down the carpeted center aisle as Buster contemplated his next move. Yoyo’s original intention was to find Juts and Chessy, but the intoxicating fragrance of massed flowers around the altar and communion rail proved too tempting. She picked up speed, hesitating only at the rail because beautiful needlepoint knee cushions were on the floor. This was heaven: something to tear and something to smell. A titter rolled through the congregation, a ripple from back to front. As Pastor Neely faced the altar he was unaware of the source of amusement. A pendulous lily proved more inviting to Yoyo than sharpening her claws on the needlepoint. She launched herself into the air and grabbed it with both paws, yanking it out of the arrangement.The paprika-colored pollen sprinkled on the floor as well as over her long whiskers.
Juts, wearing the disputed Bear’s department store hat, had her nose in the hymnal looking for the next hymn, and didn’t know Yoyo was experiencing a religious moment. Chessy elbowed her. She glanced up and didn’t see anything because Lillian Yost sat in front of her, her hat massive. The Hunsenmeir pew was in the fifth row and Cora was sitting in the middle; she didn’t see Yoyo either.
Buster, curiosity peaking, followed the cat down the aisle but was waylaid by the heavy odor of chocolate. He ducked into the pew with the Falkenroths and the Cadwalders, where he found a chocolate-covered marshmallow bunny, which little Paula Falkenroth had hidden in her white purse. Paula giggled when Buster, docked tail wagging, slid up to her in the pew. She soon stopped when he reached right in the purse and snatched her candy.
“Daddy!”
“Hush,” Walter whispered. He saw what Buster did but he also knew that Paula was forbidden to carry candy in her church bag. If her mother found out there would be a disagreeable discussion on the way home. Putting out a daily newspaper and building a new house used up Walter’s reserves of patience. He wanted a calm Easter.
Buster scampered out the pew as parishioners turned their knees to the side.
“I want my chocolate bunny!”
“Paula!” Her mother reached over Walter’s chest and pushed the child back on the pew.
Pastor Neely, still invoking many holy writs, faced the altar and couldn’t turn around.
The acolyte proved useless. At fourteen he thought this escapade an improvement on the service.
Yoyo, thrilled with the easy conquest of the lily, attacked the entire enormous arrangement. Flowers scattered everywhere.
“Pssst,” Juts hissed at
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