Read Eggs in a Casket (A Cackleberry Club Mystery) for Free Online Page B

wasn’t a day went by that she didn’t get some stupid scam letter in her email.
    “But the Caribbean’s closer,” said Doogie. He snorted and grabbed another handful of chips. “And they got good rum and conch chowder.”
    * * *
    TEN minutes later, Suzanne pulled in behind the Cackleberry Club and came flying through the kitchen door. Petra was busy chopping vegetables and Toni was munching a chicken salad sandwich and occasionally gazing through the pass-through, keeping a watchful eye on a handful of lingerers.
    Suzanne dropped her suede hobo bag on the floor and said, “Which do you want first? The good news or the bad news?”
    Petra looked up from her chopping. “Good.”
    “Bad,” said Toni, ever the contrarian.
    Suzanne drew a deep breath. “Okay, here’s the scoop in a nutshell. The rededication ceremony at the cemetery is definitely still on for tomorrow, somebody attacked Lester Drummond with a stun gun, and Missy Langston has become Doogie’s prime suspect in Drummond’s murder.”
    “That’s totally whack,” said Toni. “The part about Missy, I mean.”
    “There’s no way Missy would attack or even kill Drummond,” said Petra. “She doesn’t have a violent bone in her body. She’s a caring, gentle soul.”
    “You think everybody’s a gentle soul,” put in Toni.
    “That’s because most people are,” said Petra. “Given half a chance.”
    “Doogie’s pretty adamant about this,” said Suzanne. She put a hand to the back of her neck and ruffled her hair.
    Petra frowned. “You’re still going to stand by Missy, aren’t you? I mean, we all have to.”
    “Darn tootin’,” said Toni.
    “Of course I am,” said Suzanne. “It’s just that Doogie . . .” She frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know.”
    Petra crossed the kitchen in two gigantic strides and planted her hands on her ample hips. “Listen to me, Suzanne Dietz, I don’t want to hear ‘I don’t know’ from you. You’re the one who reads all the mysteries we got stashed in the Book Nook and figures them out by the time you hit chapter three. So put on your Sherlock Holmes cap and start figuring this thing out! You hear me?”
    “You mean help Doogie?” said Suzanne, a little stunned at Petra’s outburst.
    “No, help Missy!” said Petra. “She hasn’t had an easy life since her divorce from that no-good insurance huckster.” She gave a satisfied nod. “There, I got that off my chest. I said my piece.”
    “You sure did,” said Toni. “Jeez Louise.” She stared at Petra. “I had no idea you were so tense.”
    Petra looked suddenly sheepish. “I’m not tense. I’m just terribly alert. And I didn’t mean to attack you, Suzanne. It’s just that you’re so gol darn smart at figuring things out. So to see you kind of befuddled like this scares me a little. Rocks my world.”
    “Ditto that,” said Toni.
    “I had no idea you guys had that much faith in me,” said Suzanne.
    “You’re our fearless leader,” said Toni. “When Junior dumped me for the sixty-fourth time and poor Donny got Alzheimer’s and stopped recognizing Petra’s sweet face, you were the one who pulled this all together.” She spread her arms to indicate that she meant the Cackleberry Club. “You made it possible for us to pick up the pieces and regain our confidence and self-worth.”
    “And live again,” said Petra.
    “And laugh again,” added Toni.
    “Plus, you did it all just weeks after burying your own husband,” said Petra, remaining serious. “So, honey, that tells me that you’ve got beaucoup fortitude.”
    “And guts,” said Toni. “Although I guess fortitude is a fancier word.” She shrugged. “I better get me one of those ‘learn a new word a day’ calendars.”
    “You’re doing just fine,” said Petra.
    “Oh my gosh,” said Suzanne, totally blown away by all their words. “A girl couldn’t ask for two better BFFs.”
    “Group hug?” said Toni, jumping up.
    They clustered together,