The Cluttered Corpse by Mary Jane Maffini Read Free Book Online Page A

That’s it. The old gang of misfits.”
    Pepper looked me straight in the eye. “I was part of the old gang of misfits.”
    Who could forget that?
    â€œSo, maybe I’ll come along to Sally’s. It would be great to see her.”
    An odd expression flickered across Margaret’s face, but quickly vanished.
    I said, “Sure. That would be…fine. About seven.”
    I whirled as a granite-faced man approached the Taurus. He could only be a police officer. No one else in Woodbridge would be wearing a trench coat. He was carrying two cups of Stewart’s coffee. He held one of the coffees out to Pepper.
    â€œLater,” she said to me.
    â€œTrouble?” he said.
    I answered, “Oh no, we’re old—”
    â€œNo trouble,” Pepper said. “Catching up on the news.”
    Pepper got back into the driver’s side of the Taurus. Tall, dark, and granite took the passenger seat. I settled into the Miata and tried deep breathing. One of these days I will learn not to let Pepper ruin my evening.
    Margaret remained standing at the door of Tang’s Convenience. She watched the Taurus spin off. She hustled back toward me. “Oh my God. That guy was so hot.”
    â€œHe was?”
    â€œYou didn’t think so?”
    â€œDefinitely not my type. He’s quite a bit older, no?”
    â€œDon’t be ageist. And I thought you didn’t have a type.”
    â€œThanks for reminding me.” I was taking a break from men, particularly handsome ones, for various reasons.
    Margaret said, “Maybe he’s Pepper’s type.”
    â€œCome on, Margaret. She’s married to Nick Monahan. She’s been crazy about him since forever, not that anyone can understand it. She didn’t give this guy the time of day. He’s good for fetching coffee. Nick. Nick. Nick. Nick’s so this. Nick’s so that. Nick’s such a good driver. Nick’s such a marksman. Nick’s blah, blah, blah. Who could forget that?”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter whether I remember Nick the Stick. It’s if Pepper does.”
    I climbed into the car and turned the key. “I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t. Of course, Nick is dumb as a rope, vain, and a total womanizer. Aside from that he’s the perfect husband. Except I’m pretty sure he doesn’t pull his weight around the house.”
    â€œExactly. And did you see how that guy looked at her?”
    â€œLike she was a double-fudge glazed doughnut and he hadn’t eaten in a week?”
    â€œI was thinking more like if she was a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and he was you.”
    â€œDoesn’t matter. The less I have to do with Pepper the better, and that includes speculating about her personal life.”
    â€œWe’re jealous because she has one. But we’re going to have to think about her.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œShe wants to come to Sally’s shower. That will change our dynamic.”
    I found myself chewing my lower lip yet again. Pepper had arrested me last fall and done her best to make sure the charges stuck. On the other hand, for all of my teens she’d been my best friend. And she had offered to check out the Emmy Lou problem. Part of me wanted to get that friendship back. That was my heart talking. My brain knew that Pepper was too volatile.
    I said, “I don’t believe she’ll show up. She was bluffing to see our reactions.”
    â€œHope you’re right, because if she does show up tomorrow night, who are we going to trash-talk?”

When a new issue of a magazine arrives,
get rid of the oldest one.
    If you haven’t read it by now, you’re not going to.
    But someone will be glad to get it.
4
    In the last few years, artists and young entrepreneurs have flowed into Woodbridge, picking up bargain real estate and bringing life to the town. For the first time since the collapse of SundNor Technologies in the