The Pumpkin Muffin Murder by Livia J. Washburn Read Free Book Online Page A

Carolyn with a smile.
    Carolyn had loaded her car the same way. She stepped back, studied the grinning scarecrows for a moment, and then said, “That’s just creepy. I suppose they’ll look good sitting on bales of hay around the park, though. The hay was supposed to be delivered this morning, and the booths and decorations will go up this afternoon and this evening.”
    “I can take Dana’s keys back to the office, if you’d like,” Phyllis offered. “You can go on to the park, and I’ll catch up to you.”
    “All right.” Carolyn tossed the keys to her. “I’ll see you there.”
    Phyllis walked back into the school while Carolyn got in her car and started the engine. A couple of teachers were standing at the counter in the office, talking to Katherine Felton, the school secretary, when Phyllis walked in. They looked over at her and smiled, and the one who was short, a little plump, and pretty, with curly dark hair, said, “It’s Mrs. Newsom, isn’t it?”
    “That’s right,” Phyllis said.
    “You may not remember me. I’m Barbara Loomis.”
    “Of course I remember you,” Phyllis said truthfully. The woman’s name had come back to her almost right away, possibly because Carolyn had mentioned her just the day before. She nodded to the other teacher, a tall blonde, and added, “And you’re Ms. Grantham.”
    “That’s right,” the woman said. “Jenna Grantham. It’s good to see you again, Mrs. Newsom. Carolyn talks about you all the time.”
    Jenna was around thirty, Barbara about ten years older than that. Phyllis didn’t know either of them well but had seen them on numerous occasions, usually when Carolyn asked her to come along to some school function.
    Barbara said, “Carolyn certainly has stayed involved with the school, even though she’s retired.”
    “Well, she likes it here,” Phyllis said. Carolyn had taught at this particular elementary for the final few years of her career, after having spent most of her time at one of the older schools. “She’s always enjoyed being around the children and doing things to help.”
    “And we’re glad to have her volunteering,” Jenna said. “She’s worked with some of the resource kids on their reading and made a big difference.”
    “You taught junior high, didn’t you?” Barbara asked.
    “That’s right. Eighth grade. American history.”
    Barbara shook her head. “You couldn’t pay me enough to teach junior high. All those hormones in the air.”
    “Yeah, and the kids can be a pain, too,” Jenna said with a smile.
    Phyllis handed Dana’s keys to the secretary. “Mrs. Powell said we could leave these here and she’d pick them up later.”
    “I’ll make sure she gets them,” Katherine promised.
    “What were you doing with Dana’s keys?” Jenna asked. There wasn’t any suspicion in her voice, just curiosity.
    “Carolyn and I picked up the scarecrows,” Phyllis explained. “We’re going to take them over to the park and set them up on the hay bales.”
    “That’s going to be cute,” Barbara said. “I’m glad Dana thought of it.”
    “I didn’t know it was her idea.”
    Barbara nodded. “Oh, yes. She’s very creative.”
    “And she has her husband to help her.”
    “Logan?” Barbara asked with a puzzled frown. “I wouldn’t say he helps all that much with things like this. He’s like my husband. Too busy with his business all the time. They’re in the same line of work, you know. Real estate.”
    “I know,” Phyllis said. “I ran into him at the park yesterday morning, and as a matter of fact, he was talking to your husband on the phone.”
    “You were at the park?” Jenna asked.
    “That’s right. I took my grandson there to play. He really loves the place.”
    “It’s a nice little park,” Jenna agreed. She glanced at her watch. “Well, I’d better get busy. I still have a lot to do, and my conference period will be over before you know it. Talk to you later, Barbara. Nice seeing you again,