It's a Wonderful Knife by Christine Wenger

done that. Had the cast to prove it.
    I heard screaming, then more screaming. High-pitched. Annoying. Loud.
    Why wouldn’t that woman shut up?
    That’s when I realized that woman was me. And I just couldn’t stop.

Chapter 4
    P astor Fritz was the first through the door, followed by Darlene, Ty, and then Bob.
    Ty immediately went over to Liz, knelt on one knee, and checked for a pulse. Standing, he shook his head and then radioed for an ambulance. He also radioed for Hal Manning, the owner of the Happy Repose Funeral Home and our resident coroner, and the last member of the Sandy Harbor Sheriff’s Department, Lou Rutledge, since Vern McCoy was already on the scene, keeping the crowd out of the kitchen.
    â€œBob, would you go to the other door and keep people out, please?”
    â€œAbsolutely, Ty.”
    Pulling over a chair, Ty guided me to its seat. He took my crutches as I collapsed with a sigh. I glanced at poor Liz and quickly looked away.
    â€œWho would want to kill Liz?” I asked. “She didn’t have a mean bone in her body.”
    No one answered.
    Ty instructed the pastor and Darlene to move away “from the body,” and they moved behind the stainlesssteel island, right by the ham—the ham that I’d been slicing.
    There was a commotion outside the kitchen, and Deputy McCoy’s raised voice echoed throughout the room. “Go back to the auditions, everyone. Please.”
    Ty turned to Pastor Fritz and Darlene. “On second thought, would you two mind going back to the church and telling everyone to sit and wait for further instructions from me? Don’t say anything more just yet.”
    â€œCertainly, Deputy Brisco. Whatever we can do to help,” said Darlene, wide-eyed. She turned and just about ran to get out of the kitchen. I could relate to that.
    Pastor Fritz lagged behind. “I’d like to say a short prayer for Liz first, if that’s okay.”
    â€œSure. Go right ahead, pastor,” Ty said, shifting on his feet.
    We all bowed our heads and Pastor Fritz made a big sweep of his arms and clasped his hands together. “God bless our sister, Elizabeth Fellows, and welcome her into heaven, for she was a kind and loving person. Amen.”
    â€œAmen,” Ty and I said in unison.
    â€œSomeone didn’t think she was a kind and loving person, Pastor Fritz,” I pointed out.
    â€œThen they didn’t know Liz like I did. She was a savior to the church office. So organized. So helpful. She was putting our bookkeeping records into the computer on a spreadsheet. Amazing. She could do anything. And what attention to detail! She kept ahead on the ordering, and she jumped at the chance to direct the Christmas pageant.” He thought for a moment.“Now who’s going to direct the pageant? Maybe we should cancel it. . . .”
    â€œDon’t cancel the pageant. I’ll direct it,” I heard myself saying.
    What? Like I didn’t have enough to do these days?
    My heart beat wildly in my chest at the thought of taking on more things, but I couldn’t let the kids down.
    I took a deep breath. “The kids will be crushed if the pageant is canceled. Besides, it’s a Sandy Harbor tradition. I’ll do it. I’ll fit it in my schedule somehow . . . some way.”
    Pastor Fritz nodded solemnly. “Thanks for volunteering, Trixie. The Sandy Harbor residents appreciate it, and the Sandy Harbor Community Church appreciates it.” He looked at the body of Liz on the floor and shook his head. “Maybe now is not the right time to discuss it, but I’m glad we got it settled. Let me join Darlene in talking to everyone.”
    I just sat stupefied for a while. “What just happened?” I finally asked Ty.
    â€œLooks like you’re the new pageant director.” He grinned. “I distinctly heard you volunteer.”
    Just then, Hal Manning walked in. “That’s