The Turtle Mound Murder by Mary Clay Read Free Book Online Page B

suggestions.”
    Ruthie smiled. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s go
to Cassadaga and get a reading—ask the spirits for guidance.”
    “What’s Cassadaga?” I asked.
    “A small village of mediums and psychics.
It’s not far. Momma used to come here every year to get a reading.
Let’s go, it’ll be fun.”
    I wasn’t particularly anxious to go, since I
doubted the spirits did job placement. But, Ruthie looked like an
exuberant kid. Mommy, Mommy let’s go to the park, or the fair, or
whatever. How could I say no? “Okay, we’ll go tomorrow.”
    * * *
    We were dressing for dinner when the shit
hit the fan.
    There was a loud knock at the front door. It
was Woody Woodhead, the local prosecutor, and a detective. Could
they have a word with us about the body on the beach? Stone-faced
and silent, the men sat in the living room while we assembled. As
usual, Penny Sue was the last to arrive, her appearance heralded by
a wave of Joy perfume which preceded her by a full minute.
    “Good evening,” Penny Sue said
breathlessly.
    “Evening, ladies.” The detective slipped
several eight-by-ten glossy photographs from a manila envelop and
handed them to Penny Sue.
    Her mouth dropped open as her hand flew to
her chest. “Magod, it’s Rick.” She handed the pictures to me and
covered her eyes.
    Woody leaned back in the chair and steepled
his fingers in front of his chest. “That answers our first
question.”
    “What happened?” I asked.
    “He was shot with a small caliber weapon, a
.38. We figure he’d been dead for about six hours when you found
him.”
    Ruthie glanced at the photos, then looked
away. “Why? Who would do such a thing?”
    Woody took the pictures. “Good question.
Where’s your gun, Penny Sue?”
    She drew back with indignation. “Surely, you
don’t think I had anything to do with that.”
    “I’m not making an accusation. I merely want
to know where your gun is. Would you get it, please?”
    Penny Sue went to the bedroom and returned
with her purse. Glaring defiantly, she retrieved her revolver.
    “May I see it?”
    She handed Woody the gun and snapped her
purse shut. He gave the weapon a cursory examination, then handed
it to the detective who placed it in a plastic evidence bag. “You
don’t mind if we take this in for a few tests, do you?”
    “Well, no—”
    I broke in. “You won’t find anything. Penny
Sue was with us all night. We went to dinner, then came back here
and went to bed. All of us. We can vouch for her.”
    “In which case we’ll find nothing,” Woody
replied. He nodded to the detective and stood. “Your neighbor saw a
woman on your deck at about one o’clock this morning. The woman was
wearing a bright red robe.”
    Red robe? Ruthie and I gaped at Penny
Sue.
    “I stepped out to smoke a cigarette. I
couldn’t sleep.”
    “I thought you’d quit smoking,” Ruthie said,
surprised. “I gave you that worry stone to rub when you got the
urge.”
    Penny Sue shrugged. “I did quit, sorta. I
sneak one now and then. Everybody makes such a big deal about
smoking, I feel like a criminal. I was outside for all of five
minutes.”
    Woody snorted, definitely unimpressed. “We
appreciate your cooperation, ladies. We’ll be in touch. Please
don’t leave town.”
    Don’t leave town. The third time in two
days.

    * * *

Chapter 5

    When I got up the next morning, Penny
Sue was out on the deck smoking a cigarette in her red silk robe
with an Oriental dragon embroidered on the back. I checked the
time. Eight o’clock. Penny Sue was the world’s latest sleeper. The
fact that she was up at such an ungodly hour told me Penny Sue was
a lot more worried than she’d let on. I poured a cup of coffee and
went out to join her.
    “Out of the closet?” I said, nodding at the
cigarette.
    Penny Sue blew a smoke ring. “This is my
third. I want to make sure those nosy neighbors see me out here
smoking. I hope they’re watching. The nerve of them, pointing the
finger at me.” She panned