Read Online Worked to Death (Working Stiff Mysteries Book 2) by Kerri Nelson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kerri Nelson
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presence—or so they'd said. While they didn't exactly solve crimes, it was uncanny how their wild conspiracy theories weren't always totally off the mark. The Hoots were made up of Ms. Lanier, Ms. Maimie, and sometimes—reluctantly—me, and we had become a sort of crime-fighting, mystery-solving, gossip-sharing crew of misfits.
"Well sure we do. Just about everyone in the county is a suspect. I mean, my Lord, that radio show was terrible. I'm surprised that the Mick and Matty show hadn't brought about a murder before now."
I stared at her. My eyebrows inched up a notch.
"How do you already know that the body was Mick Thibault?" Again, I was scared to hear the answer but couldn't stop myself from speaking.
"It is all over town. Matty was at Mane Street Styles when Ty picked her up for questioning. Everyone north of the Alabama River knows by now that Mick left her for another woman, and she may have knocked him off. Only, we need to know who the other woman was—you don't know—do you?"
"No. Noooo," I responded. "I don't know who the other woman was, and you need to stop gossiping. What if Matty's not involved with his death? We don't know anything yet. All we do know is she's lost her husband. She's in mourning."
"Oh, is that what we're calling it?" Ms. Lanier's voice was suspicious and unsympathetic.
"Why are you wearing that coat in the house? Did you forget to get your propane tank refilled?" I studied my neighbor's attire and tried to change the subject.
"No, my heating is fine. This is what we're wearing when we do our meeting tonight. Since Maimie and I are private dicks, we need the proper wardrobe." She stuck out her skinny chest proudly.
"Private di—?" I let out a little cough.
"Yes, we will solve this thing with or without you. But I hope you'll help, seeing as how you discovered the body and how we're hoping that you can infiltrate the police station with your feminine whiles."
"My feminine—?" I couldn't seem to complete a sentence suddenly.
"Look, you've already got Ty under your thumb. The man loves you and will do anything for you."
I opened my mouth to argue, but she waved me off.
"And then Maimie is trying to steer that handsome grandson of hers your way. That will be two cops under your belt. Way under your belt, I hope."
I gagged a little at her innuendo.
"Look. Once again, I'm trying to stay out of this. I've already given my statement to Ty. That's all I know."
I spoke the words but knew that it wasn't the complete truth. After all, I knew that Randall Jamison's wife had been involved with Mick at some point in time. What if they'd rekindled their affair and Mrs. Jamison had been the woman that Mick was leaving Matty for? What if Randall had killed Mick?
"Okay… Okay… Enjoy your night out. I'll see you in the morning for breakfast, and we'll have a report for you then. Be safe out there." She walked over to me and gave me a tender caress on the cheek.
I gave her a hug and took her up on an offer of a fresh-baked loaf of bread as I headed out the door. I might need a little snack before dinner after all.
* * *
Penny and Sundae sat across from me in the corner booth at O'Hannigan's. I hadn't been there that often since the fateful night last summer when I was roofied and left for dead in the bathroom. That type of thing tends to leave a sour taste in your mouth.
But I'd fallen prey to the promise of all-you-can-eat Wednesdays that they advertised every week on the giant flashing sign out front. This week it was steak, and I couldn't wait to fill my plate with meat, potatoes, and the requisite healthy serving of green salad. On second thought, maybe not the salad.
Currently, we were waiting on the waiter to bring our drinks and our first round of plates.
"Why don't they just put the plates on one end of the bar so we can serve ourselves?" I kept looking around the bar wondering what was taking our waiter so dang long.
"I heard it was because Allyson Harlow
"Well sure we do. Just about everyone in the county is a suspect. I mean, my Lord, that radio show was terrible. I'm surprised that the Mick and Matty show hadn't brought about a murder before now."
I stared at her. My eyebrows inched up a notch.
"How do you already know that the body was Mick Thibault?" Again, I was scared to hear the answer but couldn't stop myself from speaking.
"It is all over town. Matty was at Mane Street Styles when Ty picked her up for questioning. Everyone north of the Alabama River knows by now that Mick left her for another woman, and she may have knocked him off. Only, we need to know who the other woman was—you don't know—do you?"
"No. Noooo," I responded. "I don't know who the other woman was, and you need to stop gossiping. What if Matty's not involved with his death? We don't know anything yet. All we do know is she's lost her husband. She's in mourning."
"Oh, is that what we're calling it?" Ms. Lanier's voice was suspicious and unsympathetic.
"Why are you wearing that coat in the house? Did you forget to get your propane tank refilled?" I studied my neighbor's attire and tried to change the subject.
"No, my heating is fine. This is what we're wearing when we do our meeting tonight. Since Maimie and I are private dicks, we need the proper wardrobe." She stuck out her skinny chest proudly.
"Private di—?" I let out a little cough.
"Yes, we will solve this thing with or without you. But I hope you'll help, seeing as how you discovered the body and how we're hoping that you can infiltrate the police station with your feminine whiles."
"My feminine—?" I couldn't seem to complete a sentence suddenly.
"Look, you've already got Ty under your thumb. The man loves you and will do anything for you."
I opened my mouth to argue, but she waved me off.
"And then Maimie is trying to steer that handsome grandson of hers your way. That will be two cops under your belt. Way under your belt, I hope."
I gagged a little at her innuendo.
"Look. Once again, I'm trying to stay out of this. I've already given my statement to Ty. That's all I know."
I spoke the words but knew that it wasn't the complete truth. After all, I knew that Randall Jamison's wife had been involved with Mick at some point in time. What if they'd rekindled their affair and Mrs. Jamison had been the woman that Mick was leaving Matty for? What if Randall had killed Mick?
"Okay… Okay… Enjoy your night out. I'll see you in the morning for breakfast, and we'll have a report for you then. Be safe out there." She walked over to me and gave me a tender caress on the cheek.
I gave her a hug and took her up on an offer of a fresh-baked loaf of bread as I headed out the door. I might need a little snack before dinner after all.
* * *
Penny and Sundae sat across from me in the corner booth at O'Hannigan's. I hadn't been there that often since the fateful night last summer when I was roofied and left for dead in the bathroom. That type of thing tends to leave a sour taste in your mouth.
But I'd fallen prey to the promise of all-you-can-eat Wednesdays that they advertised every week on the giant flashing sign out front. This week it was steak, and I couldn't wait to fill my plate with meat, potatoes, and the requisite healthy serving of green salad. On second thought, maybe not the salad.
Currently, we were waiting on the waiter to bring our drinks and our first round of plates.
"Why don't they just put the plates on one end of the bar so we can serve ourselves?" I kept looking around the bar wondering what was taking our waiter so dang long.
"I heard it was because Allyson Harlow
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