statements about having to weave carefully around garden gnomes to look for evidence. It all seemed to take a very long time, too—the statement gathering, the wine drinking, the forensics. Things finally improved only when Myrtle’s favorite police officer, Lieutenant Perkins appeared on the scene.
Despite the fact that it was getting fairly late in the evening, Lieutenant Perkins wore a crisp white button down shirt, a pair of dark slacks that appeared to be recently ironed, and a red and gold tie. His super-short military-style haircut was official looking and professional. In comparison, Red was looking rough in his rumpled uniform, his five o’clock shadow, and circles under his eyes.
Lieutenant Perkins, usually a stoic man, smiled fondly at Myrtle and she couldn’t resist giving him an impish hug. Red rolled his eyes. He felt that Myrtle was constantly pumping the detective for information whenever he was helping with a case.
Just to prove him wrong, Myrtle asked, “How are things going for you, Lieutenant? How’s the family?” The detective had finally married over a year ago. For a long while it had seemed as though he were married to his job, instead. She’d been glad when Red had told her he’d finally settled down with a nice girl.
He surreptitiously glanced around him before pulling out his phone. “I’ve got a couple of pictures,” he said. He handed the phone to Myrtle.
Her eyes opened wide. “Of a baby! What a lovely little girl. How old is she?”
“She was born two weeks ago,” he said with a smile.
“And you look less sleep-deprived than Red does! That’s amazing.”
She glanced at Red, but he appeared to be studiously ignoring her as he spoke to one of the forensic team.
The detective became serious again. “But let’s talk about how you’re doing. Another body on your property. That’s got to be upsetting, Mrs. Clover.”
“Oh, it is. Believe me. But I absolve myself of any responsibility. I discouraged her from smoking, you know. Maybe not with my words, but certainly with my facial expression.”
Lieutenant Perkins’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Smoking? But your son was saying this was no natural death.”
“The smoking was a direct cause of her demise, Lieutenant. If Luella White hadn’t stepped out for a smoking break, she’d be alive this very moment,” said Myrtle.
The detective nodded, thinking this through. What Myrtle liked best about Lieutenant Perkins is that he was never dismissive of her ideas. In fact, in previous cases, he’d even encouraged her to share her ideas with him.
“Very true. And you know I always appreciate your keeping your eyes and ears open for me during a case. But what I most want is for you to stay safe. This murder hit very close to home this time,” he said.
“It doesn’t get any closer than this,” agreed Myrtle. She watched as a technician called him away. She decided it was time to go ahead and keep her eyes and ears open. Much as she liked Lieutenant Perkins, however, she wasn’t completely sure she would share any information with him. It was very pleasant to solve cases all by herself.
Myrtle noticed that Mimsy Kessler was very quiet throughout the process and her pale face was pinched with stress. Myrtle sat down across from her. “Mimsy, this must be a terrible shock for you. Luella was just telling me that you were her only living relative. Did she move to Bradley to be closer to you?”
Mimsy nodded, swallowing hard before speaking. “She did. I think she was tired of living away from family. But Luella had a really fabulous life—at some point I will get to the point of being able to celebrate her life and avoid dwelling on her violent death. She traveled everywhere, you know. She had some sort of big bank job before she moved here that meant she was over in Asia or Europe a lot. She used to send me postcards.” Mimsy choked up again. “I didn’t even really get to see her tonight at all. I wanted to
Despite the fact that it was getting fairly late in the evening, Lieutenant Perkins wore a crisp white button down shirt, a pair of dark slacks that appeared to be recently ironed, and a red and gold tie. His super-short military-style haircut was official looking and professional. In comparison, Red was looking rough in his rumpled uniform, his five o’clock shadow, and circles under his eyes.
Lieutenant Perkins, usually a stoic man, smiled fondly at Myrtle and she couldn’t resist giving him an impish hug. Red rolled his eyes. He felt that Myrtle was constantly pumping the detective for information whenever he was helping with a case.
Just to prove him wrong, Myrtle asked, “How are things going for you, Lieutenant? How’s the family?” The detective had finally married over a year ago. For a long while it had seemed as though he were married to his job, instead. She’d been glad when Red had told her he’d finally settled down with a nice girl.
He surreptitiously glanced around him before pulling out his phone. “I’ve got a couple of pictures,” he said. He handed the phone to Myrtle.
Her eyes opened wide. “Of a baby! What a lovely little girl. How old is she?”
“She was born two weeks ago,” he said with a smile.
“And you look less sleep-deprived than Red does! That’s amazing.”
She glanced at Red, but he appeared to be studiously ignoring her as he spoke to one of the forensic team.
The detective became serious again. “But let’s talk about how you’re doing. Another body on your property. That’s got to be upsetting, Mrs. Clover.”
“Oh, it is. Believe me. But I absolve myself of any responsibility. I discouraged her from smoking, you know. Maybe not with my words, but certainly with my facial expression.”
Lieutenant Perkins’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Smoking? But your son was saying this was no natural death.”
“The smoking was a direct cause of her demise, Lieutenant. If Luella White hadn’t stepped out for a smoking break, she’d be alive this very moment,” said Myrtle.
The detective nodded, thinking this through. What Myrtle liked best about Lieutenant Perkins is that he was never dismissive of her ideas. In fact, in previous cases, he’d even encouraged her to share her ideas with him.
“Very true. And you know I always appreciate your keeping your eyes and ears open for me during a case. But what I most want is for you to stay safe. This murder hit very close to home this time,” he said.
“It doesn’t get any closer than this,” agreed Myrtle. She watched as a technician called him away. She decided it was time to go ahead and keep her eyes and ears open. Much as she liked Lieutenant Perkins, however, she wasn’t completely sure she would share any information with him. It was very pleasant to solve cases all by herself.
Myrtle noticed that Mimsy Kessler was very quiet throughout the process and her pale face was pinched with stress. Myrtle sat down across from her. “Mimsy, this must be a terrible shock for you. Luella was just telling me that you were her only living relative. Did she move to Bradley to be closer to you?”
Mimsy nodded, swallowing hard before speaking. “She did. I think she was tired of living away from family. But Luella had a really fabulous life—at some point I will get to the point of being able to celebrate her life and avoid dwelling on her violent death. She traveled everywhere, you know. She had some sort of big bank job before she moved here that meant she was over in Asia or Europe a lot. She used to send me postcards.” Mimsy choked up again. “I didn’t even really get to see her tonight at all. I wanted to
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