Read A Caffeinated Crunch: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 2) for Free Online Page A

She better tell him where to go. I mean his wife is here!”
     
    I nodded then turned my attention back to Eli. We were having a nice time talking about old friends we grew up with. It was fun and sentimental to discuss some of our shared past together. Although we weren’t exactly friends growing up and didn’t socialize in the same circles, we had known each other since we were kids. The emcee continued reading off names and companies and their corresponding donations to the police department. Most people were sitting at their tables visiting, while a few others stood or mingled at the side walls of the room. I’d lost track of Mildred, Carl and Jules for that matter.
     
    Suddenly there was a scream. The room sort of hushed, as if no one knew for sure if what we heard was exactly a scream. Then came another scream. Eli jumped from his chair and ran for the exit. Toe was right behind him. I jumped up from the table as did my aunts and most of the people in the room. I started for the exit and Essie grabbed my arm.
     
    “Where are you going?”
     
    “I want to see if I can help. Someone could be hurt.”
     
    Essie looked at Hildie. “Alright, let’s go!”
     
    A few others were filing out the door while many stayed standing around in circles. Jules caught up with us as we were heading out the door.
     
    “Where did you go?” I asked. “I lost track of you at your table.”
     
    “I had to take a phone call and it was too loud in the rec center,” she answered.
     
    After we made it out of the building we saw the men standing in the middle of the parking lot. As we approached we saw the top of Harvey’s golf cart. I could tell by the shark fin he attached to the roof. Toe looked around and saw us.
     
    “Don’t come any further ladies, we have a crime scene.”
     
    We stopped short, then Essie said, “With a golf cart? Somebody try to steal it?”
     
    I heard crying and looked to my left. Mrs. Jefferies sat in one of the parked golf carts softly weeping. What the heck was going on? At that moment Eli, Toe and the other men parted away from the golf cart and we all gasped. Lying stiff as a rail under the golf cart was Carl Jefferies. His cream colored shirt and slacks had several tire tracks etched across them like someone had mowed him down and then backed up and drove over him again and again.
     
    The four of us stood in shock as we heard other people walking up behind us gasping and murmuring.
     
    Toe and a few other men began moving us back as we heard the sirens in the distance. I watched as Eli stooped down to take a closer look at Jefferies. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and with it he pulled something from the front of Carl’s shirt. I then turned around before I fell flat on my face as Toe pushed us back farther away from the golf cart. By this time Harvey found us.
     
    “What happened ladies? Is anyone hurt?”
     
    Essie pointed towards Harvey’s golf cart. “More than hurt…Carl Jeffries is dead and it appears someone used your golf cart to flatten him.”
     
    Harvey looked shocked.
     
    I put my hand on Harvey’s arm. “We don’t know he’s dead. Although it didn’t look like he was breathing.” I’m sure that made Harvey feel better.
     
    “Ayup, he’s dead alright,” Toe said as he walked to over to our little group. “Looks like they plowed him down several times over. Just kept driving back and forth.
     
    My aunts, Jules and I all blanched. Toe had a way with words.
     
    “How in the world did someone use your golf cart Harvey?” Essie demanded to know. “Don’t you have your keys?”
     
    Harvey looked at Essie. “I always leave them in the ignition.”
     
    Hildie did a double take. “You what? You left them in the ignition?”
     
    “Did you notice that?” I asked. “You rode here with him.”
     
    Hildie shook her head. “I didn’t pay any attention.”
     
    I looked at Harvey. “Do you always leave your keys in the ignition?”
     
    Harvey