Read Online The Possum Hollow Hullabaloo (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) by Judy Nickles - Free Book Online
Authors: Judy Nickles
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more people out here with her on Monday and screen all the kids for possible abuse.”
“You’re kidding!”
“That’s what she said.”
“Why, for blessed Pete’s sake?”
“Beats me. Of course, all I have to do is get the word out, and nobody’ll show up on Monday. But then she’d come back on Tuesday. Better get it over with, I guess.”
“Can she do that? Talk to the kids without their parents’ permission?”
“She must think so. ‘Course, they’re not going to tell her anything, but I’m going to call the DA’s office and find out for sure just how far she can go.” He shook his head again and went back to his office.
****
At four o’clock, Sam came back for Penelope. “Where’ve you been all day?” she asked.
“Around.”
“You were at the exhumation, weren’t you? Was it Yvonne Hadden?”
“Her sister identified her from a string of beads around her neck.”
“Did it look like she’d been…”
“It wasn’t pretty,” Sam said. “And that’s all I’m going to say.”
Penelope told him about Alana Mueller’s visit. “George Harris called the DA who called Little Rock to see what was going on. So far he hasn’t called back.”
“That woman is going to get herself killed if she’s not careful,” Sam said. “She has no idea what a hornet’s nest she’ll stir up out here.”
“George tried to tell her that.”
“Monday, huh?”
“That’s what she said—that she and three more like her would be back on Monday.”
“Is Monday one of your days?”
“I’m there Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Shana arranged to have a volunteer at the library on Tuesday mornings so she could come out. Mary Lynn is here Wednesday and Thursday. And Miss Maude comes every day.”
“She drives herself?”
“No, she rides out with Pam and Paul Hollis. They teach fifth and sixth grades, and it’s on their way to stop for her.”
Sam drove in silence until he reached the city limit sign. “I don’t guess you’d consider skipping Monday?”
“Not without good reason.”
“I can’t give you one, Nell. Just a hunch.”
“You ought to share your hunch with George Harris then. He’s responsible for all those kids.”
“I’ll think about it.” He reached for her hand. “I’ll bet Jake would be up for a beer and a Reuben tonight, what do you think?”
“Boys night out?”
“Thought we might make it a threesome.”
“I’m good with that.”
He kissed her before she got out of the car at the B&B. “I’ll be back around seven.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“It’s pretty empty for a Friday night,” Penelope remarked as Sam pulled into the parking lot at the Sit-n-Swill.
“Early yet,” Jake said.
“It’s after seven, Daddy.”
“Well, Friday nights are long. They don’t have to get started at dark.” He glanced at Sam who came around to open the car door for Penelope. “By the way, who are you tonight, and why are you here?”
“Friend of the family from Mississippi,” Sam said easily. “Visiting for the weekend.”
Penelope wrinkled her nose. “Can’t you do better than that?”
He landed a quick kiss on her mouth. “Okay, I’m Attila the Hun, and I’ve come to pillage and take booty…” He patted her backside as she stepped out.
She slapped his hand away. “Not that kind of booty!”
Jake cackled. “You two are a case, a real case.”
Mike welcomed them at the door and pointed out their usual table. “Don’t think I’ve met you,” he said to Sam.
“Sam Billings from Mississippi,” Sam drawled, putting out his hand. “Friend of the family. Just stopped by for the weekend on my way north.”
“Your first visit to the Sit-n-Swill?”
Unless you want to count those times he showed up with his biker buddies. Penelope snickered. Jake frowned at her.
Loretta Lynn’s “Coalminer ’s Daughter” started up from the jukebox. “We need some new tunes, I guess,” Mike said.
“Nah, I like the old ones,” Jake said. “You know
“You’re kidding!”
“That’s what she said.”
“Why, for blessed Pete’s sake?”
“Beats me. Of course, all I have to do is get the word out, and nobody’ll show up on Monday. But then she’d come back on Tuesday. Better get it over with, I guess.”
“Can she do that? Talk to the kids without their parents’ permission?”
“She must think so. ‘Course, they’re not going to tell her anything, but I’m going to call the DA’s office and find out for sure just how far she can go.” He shook his head again and went back to his office.
****
At four o’clock, Sam came back for Penelope. “Where’ve you been all day?” she asked.
“Around.”
“You were at the exhumation, weren’t you? Was it Yvonne Hadden?”
“Her sister identified her from a string of beads around her neck.”
“Did it look like she’d been…”
“It wasn’t pretty,” Sam said. “And that’s all I’m going to say.”
Penelope told him about Alana Mueller’s visit. “George Harris called the DA who called Little Rock to see what was going on. So far he hasn’t called back.”
“That woman is going to get herself killed if she’s not careful,” Sam said. “She has no idea what a hornet’s nest she’ll stir up out here.”
“George tried to tell her that.”
“Monday, huh?”
“That’s what she said—that she and three more like her would be back on Monday.”
“Is Monday one of your days?”
“I’m there Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Shana arranged to have a volunteer at the library on Tuesday mornings so she could come out. Mary Lynn is here Wednesday and Thursday. And Miss Maude comes every day.”
“She drives herself?”
“No, she rides out with Pam and Paul Hollis. They teach fifth and sixth grades, and it’s on their way to stop for her.”
Sam drove in silence until he reached the city limit sign. “I don’t guess you’d consider skipping Monday?”
“Not without good reason.”
“I can’t give you one, Nell. Just a hunch.”
“You ought to share your hunch with George Harris then. He’s responsible for all those kids.”
“I’ll think about it.” He reached for her hand. “I’ll bet Jake would be up for a beer and a Reuben tonight, what do you think?”
“Boys night out?”
“Thought we might make it a threesome.”
“I’m good with that.”
He kissed her before she got out of the car at the B&B. “I’ll be back around seven.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“It’s pretty empty for a Friday night,” Penelope remarked as Sam pulled into the parking lot at the Sit-n-Swill.
“Early yet,” Jake said.
“It’s after seven, Daddy.”
“Well, Friday nights are long. They don’t have to get started at dark.” He glanced at Sam who came around to open the car door for Penelope. “By the way, who are you tonight, and why are you here?”
“Friend of the family from Mississippi,” Sam said easily. “Visiting for the weekend.”
Penelope wrinkled her nose. “Can’t you do better than that?”
He landed a quick kiss on her mouth. “Okay, I’m Attila the Hun, and I’ve come to pillage and take booty…” He patted her backside as she stepped out.
She slapped his hand away. “Not that kind of booty!”
Jake cackled. “You two are a case, a real case.”
Mike welcomed them at the door and pointed out their usual table. “Don’t think I’ve met you,” he said to Sam.
“Sam Billings from Mississippi,” Sam drawled, putting out his hand. “Friend of the family. Just stopped by for the weekend on my way north.”
“Your first visit to the Sit-n-Swill?”
Unless you want to count those times he showed up with his biker buddies. Penelope snickered. Jake frowned at her.
Loretta Lynn’s “Coalminer ’s Daughter” started up from the jukebox. “We need some new tunes, I guess,” Mike said.
“Nah, I like the old ones,” Jake said. “You know
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