Who Left that Body in the Rain? by Patricia Sprinkle Read Free Book Online

and paused to search the room with his eyes. Whoever he was looking for, it wasn’t his family, because his gaze passed them and roamed on. Then he waved Mr. Garcia aside and crossed the room.
    As he stood beside his father talking and waving his arms about, all he needed was a thunderbolt or two in his fists to be the spitting image of a small Greek god. Whatever Skye said didn’t make him any happier, and he waved his arms some more. Laura watched the two of them, her eyes grave. Nicole puckered her forehead, but kept a saucy smile ready to bring out each time Skell looked her way. Gwen Ellen looked like she might throw up.
    Skye motioned for Skell to get an empty chair and add it to the table. He did, but perched on the edge and kept talking. He reached for a nacho and nibbled it, but dismissed his mother’s offer of food from her plate. Something Skye said made Skell look our way, jump up, and hurry toward our table.
    “Do you all know where Maynard is? I’ve been looking for him all afternoon.”
    Joe Riddley was about to shake his head, so I answered. “They went to Milledgeville this afternoon, to visit Selena’s great-grandmother; then tonight they had the rehearsal at St. Philip Episcopal, and Clarinda is catering a dinner at their new place afterwards.”
    “That’s Miss Marybelle Taylor’s old home?”
    When I nodded, Skell looked at his watch and wiggled like he was standing on hot coals in his bare feet. “You think they’ll have gotten back to the house yet?”
    I checked my own watch. It was approaching eight. “Possibly.”
    He headed toward the door without saying good-bye.
    Because Skell was in such a hurry, he didn’t see Miss Garcia coming his way, carrying a tray of drinks to the musicians. He hit her broadside. She gasped and staggered. Her tray clattered to the red floor tiles. The glasses fell, soaking her skirt, and shattered.
    “I’m sorry.” Skell grabbed her shoulder to steady her. She twisted away and stepped back, red to her hairline. “I didn’t mean . . . I wasn’t looking . . .” Equally red, Skell couldn’t seem to finish a sentence.
    “It is all right.” Mr. Garcia hurried over and caught his elbow. “She is not hurt. Rosa, fetch more drinks.” She hurried back to the kitchen.
    “I’ll pay for the glasses,” Skell said, his eyes on the door that still swung behind her.
    “It is nothing. Don’t worry.” Mr. Garcia snapped his fingers and a waiter glided in to clean up the mess.
    “Thanks,” Skell told him. “Please tell Rosita again I’m real sorry.”
    As he hurried outside, we heard the distant rumble of thunder.

5
    Rosa didn’t come out of the kitchen again, so in between talking with Cindy and Jessica, I amused myself watching Marilee glower at Skye. He had no clue, of course—he’d had the good sense to sit with his back to her—but he did go over and speak to her before he paid his bill. He looked pleasant enough, but she pouted as she watched him leave. Since Joe Riddley was still eating slowly in those days, we were just starting our dessert when the MacDonalds headed home.
    We were almost home ourselves when the cell phone rang in my pocketbook. I carry it so deputies can get me at all times, but in a town the size of Hopemore, the thing is more nuisance than needed, just one more weight in a pocketbook that is already too heavy.
    Clarinda’s voice filled the car. “. . . over here about to cause trouble. You all need to get over here before somebody gets hurt.”
    “Where are you?” I demanded. “Maynard’s?”
    “Yeah. The rehearsal went long, and they just got here a few minutes ago. Now Skell’s come in sayin’ Maynard has to give back that car and buy another one. Maynard says no way; it’s the one he wants. They started out polite, but now they’re yelling. They gonna fight if somebody don’t step in. You gotta come.”
    “Call the police.”
    “And spoil this nice party? You know Chief Muggins. Now that he knows Maynard’s