Jolly Dead St. Nicholas by Carol A. Guy Read Free Book Online

dropping it in the designated box.
    When she turned around she nearly ran into the church secretary, Brenda Collier, who was holding a small black device that resembled a camera.
    “This is my favorite room. So much hard work went into making these items. Smile, Adelaide, I’m recording every room for posterity before they let in the shoppers.”
    Adelaide took a better look at the small camera. “I’ve seen these video recorders advertised on TV.”
    Brenda turned the machine off. “Isn’t modern technology wonderful? I just love all the new things they’ve come out with lately.”
    Adelaide held out her hand. Brenda placed the recorder in her palm. “I have an old Minolta larger than this. I can remember when camcorders were so big it took two hands to hold them up.” She handed the recorder back to Brenda.
    Brenda smiled. “I came down earlier to take snapshots on my iPhone for the church newsletter. But with this I can get a panoramic shot of each room. It was actually Reverend Underwood’s idea. I’d better get back upstairs. The phone’s been ringing off the hook this morning.” She left the room.
    Following the secretary out into the hallway, Adelaide turned the opposite way, going into the final room, the nursery and children’s classroom, which would be used for babysitting purposes during the bazaar. Teenage members of the Youth Fellowship were volunteering their services. She glanced in the door, noting that four teens were waiting to accept their charges. She waved at them then crossed the hall, entering the kitchen.
    Zelda Jackson, her face flushed, stood at the long counter along one wall assembling the box lunches. Beside her were several other church members. They had an assembly line going, which Adelaide assumed was Zelda’s idea, since she always liked to be in charge.
    Adelaide advanced through the kitchen, waving at the workers as she went. At last she entered the social hall, which was a beehive of activity.
    Along one wall was the bake sale. The aroma of chocolate combined with brown sugar floated her way. Those had to be from Ethel’s chocolate chip cookies. She also spied three pecan pies, which she knew Ann Hinderman had donated. As she watched, one of the women she’d greeted in the kitchen entered the social hall carrying two lemon meringue pies. Adelaide had made three last night, two for the sale and one for Vernon. She doubted if he would have time to attend the bazaar today, but knew he’d be here tomorrow.
    She glanced around. The men had set up twelve tables, six to a row. That should accommodate the shoppers eating lunch just fine. Tomorrow evening the room would be rearranged for the chicken dinner.
    Voices outside in the hallway heralded the arrival of the first wave of shoppers. Heading up the stairs, Adelaide smiled a greeting at Gayle Nelson, owner of Gayle’s Gifts & Flowers. With her was Brie Hunter, proprietor of Brie’s Boutique.
    “I can’t wait to see the quilt that is up for bids this year,” Brie said immediately. She was an athletically built strawberry blonde with lively eyes. Her husband of three years, Tim, owned the local auto repair shop on Dogwood Avenue.
    “You won’t be disappointed,” Adelaide told her. “By the way, how is Reverend Lipscomb?” Brie and Tim were members of the local Presbyterian Church.
    “He’s healing nicely. An appendectomy is no fun ever, but with his diabetes and heart problem, we were really concerned. I’ll tell him you asked.”
    Gayle Nelson laid a hand on Adelaide’s arm. She was petite but well built. Her long red-brown hair was tied back at the nape of her neck with a wildly patterned scarf. “I just wanted to thank you for sending my dad that get well card, Adelaide. It meant a lot to him.”
    “He and Albert loved to play golf together. I know he misses my husband very much also. I just didn’t want him to think I forgot about him, that’s all.”
    Gayle was originally from the nearby town of Rosewood.