Barbara Levenson - Mary Magruder Katz 03 - Outrageous October by Barbara Levenson Read Free Book Online Page B

next thing I knew sunlight streaked through the open window.

.
    CHAPTER
    SIXTEEN
    I threw on jeans and a sweatshirt. I took Sam’s food and my coffee, made in a stove percolator and definitely not Starbucks, out to one of the rocking chairs. The air was cold and fresh. The mountains looming ahead of me looked purple in the morning sun. Why were they called the Green Mountains, I wondered? The woods on the side of the house were deep and covered in leaves of all colors from green to scarlet. The only thing I could compare it to, were the colors on the wild macaws that circle my backyard in Coral Gables.
    Sam and I walked out to the barn at the end of the driveway. The heavy door was not locked. It slid back to reveal a huge space. It was cool and moist inside and smelled of newly mowed grass.
    There was a black Subaru SUV parked in the front section of the barn along with an array of garden tools. Against one wall was a large worktable and woodworking tools. A stairway led to a loft.
    What a great time Lucy and her family must have up here. She never mentioned that they kept a car up here, but it would make sense for them to have ready transportation.
    Back in the house, I stacked the dinner and breakfast dishes in the sink and grabbed the Valley News with all the good tourist info. Sam and I were off for a day of sightseeing.
    Once we reached the village, I stopped at the local filling station to gas up. They also had delicious pumpkin flavored coffee and blueberry muffins in the mini-mart. I never met coffee and muffins that I could pass up. The girl behind the counter was as attractive as a South Beach model. She was tall and wore her long hair in a thick braid.
    “Haven’t seen you before. Are you one of the leaf peepers?” She smiled as she handed me my change.
    “A leaf what?” I asked
    “A leaf peeper. That’s what we call the tourists that come to view the leaves in October. By Columbus Day, it’ll be wall to wall tour buses and RV’s out there on Route four. It’s not a mean expression. We love the tourists; for our economy you know.”
    “I guess you might say I’m a peeper. I’m visiting from Miami, staying at Lucy Stern’s house. I’m Mary Katz.”
    “Well, hi, I’m Riley Simmons. I’ve known Lucy’s family for years. How are they?”
    “They’re great. She has three kids now.”
    “Excuse me a minute,” Riley said as she looked over my head.
    I realized there were people waiting to pay for coffee and papers. I moved to one side.
    “Don’t leave, Mary,” Riley said. “Hi, Norman,” she held out her hand to the man standing behind me. “If you want to see Dad, he’s over at the gift shop.”
    “No, I just want a word with you,” Norman said lowering his voice. “As the newest member of the Select Board, I want to know whether you think we should keep Sheriff Parsons on or what. The unsolved Brousseau murder makes a lot of us uncomfortable.”
    “I haven’t been on the board too long. Not long enough to start firing people. Besides I’ve known Jimmy forever. He’s the one rescued me out of the river when I almost drowned.”
    “Geez, Riley. You were eight years old then. Aren’t you worried that no one was ever arrested in the murder?”
    “This isn’t the best time to discuss town business. It’s real busy right now. Call me later.” Riley turned to the next people in line.
    I decided to try my cell phone from here while Riley was busy. I wanted to wait ‘til Riley was free. Maybe I could find out more about the murder she was discussing. It must be the same one I read about in the paper. My lawyer curiosity was aroused.
    The cell phone worked from here where the land was flat.
    “Hi, Catherine, it’s me. How’s everything? I’ll bet it’s restful with me out of your hair,” I said.
    “Are you kidding?” Just a minute. I need to take this call in Ms. Katz’s office.”
    “What?” I shouted while the connection faded and returned. There was a pause. Then I heard