Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz Read Free Book Online

house.”
    “ The house on Walnut . . . You mean she bought your old family place, Lou?”
    “ Yessiree.”
    “ That old York fella that you bought it from, Miss Tess, he was two bricks shy of a full load . . . “ He looked around to see if anyone else was listening and then he added, “…and his woman was purty as a punkin, but half as smart.”
    “ Oh, Buck, now hush. They ain’t around here ta defend themselves. You mind yer p’s and q’s.”
    “ I know it, I know it.” He mimed zipping his lips.
    “ What brings you in this mornin’, Buck?” Lou asked. “I mean, May'r.”
    “ I’m on my way over to John Ed’s for a meetin’, but I thought I’d shoot in here real quick and get a birthday present for Aunt Olivia. She likes that purty stationery you carry, and Lord knows she goes through it faster ‘n all get out. That woman writes thank you notes for her thank you notes.” He shook his head in disbelief as he headed toward the stationery section. “Nice meetin’ ya, Ms. Tess,” he called over his shoulder, giving her a wink.
    Lou turned to Tess. “I thought he’d never quit bumpin’ his gums. Now what was it you were sayin'?”
    “ Oh. Yes. Well, last night I was peeling the wallpaper off of the master bedroom walls, and I found a key that had fallen into the floor register. It had a label attached that said, 'trunk,' and I wondered if it might belong to your family. It's a thin, copper key, and looks pretty old.”
    Lou’s face went white underneath her bright rouge. “Ya don’t say,” she mumbled, pulling Tess behind the counter. Tess noticed she suddenly wouldn’t look her in the eye and began to shuffle papers around on the desk.
    “ Seeing that it was your family's house, I thought maybe you'd have an idea of what it belonged to . . . “ Tess let her sentence taper off when she saw the strained look on Lou's face.
    “ Lou, is everything all right?”
    “ Huh? Oh, yeah, honey, everythin’s just fine and dandy. There was actually an old trunk in our attic that we could never find the key to. But we were able to get another one. I 'preshade you tellin' me 'bout it, but why don't you keep it? Make it yer good luck charm or sumpthin'. I’d just as soon not think about that trunk.”
     
    * * *
     
    Lou finished Tess’s orientation of the bookstore, and Tess worked for the rest of the day. She was so tired at five-thirty when she left the store she didn’t see Jack standing across the street.
    “ Howdy, Tess Tremaine. Lou didn’t work ya too hard today, did she?” Jack broke into stride with Tess.
    “ Not at all, Jack. I told you I’m not afraid of a little work. I’m just a little tired.”
    “ And did you have a good first day at the bookstore?”
    “ I did. Besides getting my bearings, I got quite a lesson in Southern speak. People in this town sure do use a lot of words and a lot of syllables to describe an otherwise simple notion.”
    “ I think you’ll find Lou as colorful as she is kind-hearted. She’s a fixture around here. I don’t know what we’d do without her. Who else did you meet?”
    “ Well, I met the mayor. He seemed nice.” Tess gave Jack a sideways glance.
    “ Ah. The mayor.” Jack sounded annoyed.
    “ What does that mean?”
    “ Well, just ‘tween you and me… he's got the personality of a dishrag. And he’s highfalutin, on account of comin’ from a long line of Goose Pimple residents. Thinks he owns the town.”
    “ Ah,” Tess mimicked.
    Her exhaustion caused them to walk at a slow pace. When they were a block away from her house she wondered why Jack was still walking with her.
    “ Um . . . Jack . . . do you mind if I ask where you’re going?”
    “ You mean you forgot you invited me to dinner?” he said with a straight face.
    Tess looked up at him, surprised, but Jack couldn’t hold his smile. His face gave him away. “I’m just kiddin'.” He shrugged his shoulder. “I need some exercise. You don’t mind if I walk with you, do