Pretty is as Pretty Dies (A Myrtle Clover Mystery) by Elizabeth Spann Craig Read Free Book Online Page B

answered, "Yes, it's been quite a
change going to work for the Bradley Bugle. But he's still making
his parents proud of him, you know. He got that journalism award
for the story he wrote on the old mill closing." Finally, she slipped
away, much to Myrtle's disappointment. There was a moment at
the church, after Myrtle had discovered the body, that Althea had
acted like she knew something. The way she had been behaving
was almost ... suspicious.

    Erma, discovering she was without a victim, lumbered up to
Myrtle. As Myrtle looked frantically around for Elaine (who had
slipped into the powder room to let Myrtle take her punishment),
Erma bellowed, "Seen that new neighbor of ours?"
    Myrtle tried to pretend she didn't hear her. She continued her
desperate head-craning search for Elaine.
    "Miles Standish. That's his name."
    Myrtle jerked back to attention. "Ridiculous. It couldn't be"
    "It is. Miles Standish."
    "No one names their baby after a Pilgrim. No one does."
    "His did."
    Myrtle angrily shook her head and Erma heaved a fetid sigh
that wafted out in a toxic cloud. "He moved into the house just to
the other side of me. Just a couple of weeks ago. Did you know?"
    Myrtle had not spent much time outdoors while avoiding Erma
Sherman's evil clutches, but she'd seen movers unloading a large
moving van. And a steady stream of elderly ladies bearing goody
baskets.
    "Widower, you know," said Erma.

    Figured. Available men of a certain age were few and far between in Bradley. Whenever one appeared on the landscape, he
was courted-or preyed on-with great ferocity.
    "Are you planning on going by to welcome him?" Erma gave
her a rodent-like stare. "I thought he might be a little young for
you, though."
    Myrtle leveled a gaze of pure venom at her and roared, "Elaine!"
While Elaine tried to extricate herself from a conversation, several
ladies came over to talk to Erma.
    "Are you talking about the newcomer? I hear that he was a fantastic businessman. A real entrepreneur before he retired!"
    "Really?" asked the other, breathlessly. "I thought he'd been an
engineer?"
    "Engineer like `choo-choo,' or engineer like `electric'?" asked
Erma.
    Ninnies! Myrtle reveled in the knowledge that she was above
this type of behavior. These women should know that there was an
excellent chance that the old gentleman could be half-blind and
deaf as a post, and want his prospective ladylove to shuttle him all
over town. Myrtle already knew the man didn't sleep-every occasion she'd been awake lately (and they had been numerous) she'd
noticed the lights on at his house. That's all the neighborhood
needed-another insomniac.
    "Book club is at my house next time," sang out Erma. "I live
right next door to the gnome village."
    Everyone looked at Erma sympathetically.
    Fortunately, Elaine presented herself and whisked Myrtle away
from the book club meeting in her Cheerio-strewn minivan. Elaine choked down a chuckle as Myrtle fumed. Erma had really wound
her up this time. Distraction was in order.

    "So what was going on with Kitty Kirk?"
    "Other than the fact she looked like she'd just been dragged
out from under a rock? She..." Myrtle hesitated. Kitty's information on Benton Chambers gave her a real lead she could follow up
on. If the police ended up working the same angle, she'd get
bumped out of the investigation. Not that she really thought Elaine
would confide in Red, but still ...
    "I-ah-think she's still feeling guilty about Parke Stockard's
death. You know, she hated Parke and now she's dead. So she's
racked with grief. Or something."
    Elaine snorted. "She should be skipping with joy. I'm sure her
life is a lot easier without Parke picking apart everything she does.
I've always liked Kitty. She's very sweet."
    "Sweet enough to give you a toothache. But I did feel sorry for
her," said Myrtle grudgingly.
    "Especially since she's married to Tiny." Elaine gave a shudder.
"What were his parents thinking, naming him Tiny?