Read Online White Colander Crime by Victoria Hamilton - Free Book Online Page A

“Just leave her alone, Cody. She said she doesn’t want to see you!”
    He whirled and shook off Jaymie’s hand. “Get off me!”
    Shelby was skittering away from him on her butt, sliding along the hardwood floor of the store. “Just leave me alone, Cody!” she said.
    He stomped from the store as Jaymie helped a distressed Shelby get up. She refused to talk about it and refused further offers of help, just buying what she needed—some shortening, baking powder and bandages—and leaving. Valetta, who had been busy with a customer and so didn’t see what happened, came up to the front.
    Jaymie quickly told her everything. “I’m worried about her. He doesn’t seem willing to accept that she doesn’t want anything to do with him. I’d better make sure Cody has really gone.”
    Valetta followed her out to the porch. Cody was nowhere in sight, and Shelby was stomping off down the street past Jewel’s store. A fellow coming toward her accosted her and she stood talking to him. It seemed an impassioned chat; she waved her arms and he took her shoulder at one point, but she shook him loose, calming down and nodding as he talked.
    â€œWho is that?” Jaymie asked, rubbing her arms to try to warm herself up. A breeze was blowing around the corner of the Emporium, riffling her hair and freezing her butt. “I feel like I’ve seen that guy before, but I can’t tell at this distance.”
    â€œHe’s been in the store before when you’ve been working. That’s Delaney Meadows,” Valetta said, burying her hands in the sleeves of her sweater, a particularly cheery Christmas confection with bells all over it. The breeze made her jingle like a wind chime. “He owns a white-collar employment agency. Runs it out of the old Belcker Building on Munroe.”
    â€œOf course! I know who you’re talking about. She works in his office.”
    â€œHe found an administrative assistant for Brock’s real estate office last month,” Valetta went on, naming her brother, who was a local real estate agent. “He said Delaney was great about sending them referrals.”
    Jaymie still watched. Shelby appeared just as abrupt with him as she was with Cody and Jaymie herself. Maybe that was in the Fretter DNA, given how Lori Wozny seemed the same: quick to take offense and get angry. “She still seems pretty upset.”
    Meadows was putting up both hands, and shaking his head. He reached for her arm, but she jerked it away and stomped off. He turned to watch her walk away and called something after her, but she just turned in one smooth move, flipped him the bird and kept walking.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Jaymsie?”
    She turned at Heidi’s lilting, questioning voice. Her friend was bundled up a little warmer than she was wont to do, now that winter was threatening Queensville with icy fog some mornings and flakes of snow that danced downward some nights. But nothing could hide her beauty: long silky blond hair, small features, tiny waist, petite all over. Jaymie had felt gawky and enormous in her presence at first, but even though the girl had “stolen” Joel from her and was now engaged to him, Heidi’s sunny personality and sweet nature soon had her at ease. They had become fast friends.
    â€œWe were talking about Shelby Fretter,” Jaymie said, indicating the tableau down the road of Shelby walking away from Delaney Meadows, who was now walking after her, trotting to catch up. “She seems pretty mad at the world. It must be this stuff with her boyfriend that has her upset,” Jaymie said, and explained.
    â€œI don’t know about that,” Heidi said. “I think Shelby Fretter hates everyone. She sure does hate me!”

Six
    â€œH ATE
YOU?
YOU know her?” Jaymie asked in amazement.
    â€œShe’s going out with this guy who is in the same business as Joel, so we all went out to