Read Jason Deas - Benny James 03 - Brushed Away for Free Online

watched in amazement as he devoured the treats like a professional eater. When he was almost finished he popped his head up and walked toward the back of the house. Benny followed.
    Clarice, the ostrich was waiting by the fence. Walking over to her, Uncle Karl said, “I didn’t forget you.” He held out the nearly finished cones and Clarice gobbled both of them.
    “Nap time!” Uncle Karl announced.
    “What? You haven’t finished the story about the art here in Tilley. You actually haven’t even started talking about the art in Tilley.”
    “That’s why they make tomorrows.” Uncle Karl saluted Benny and said, “Toodles,” and disappeared into the house.
     

Chapter 6
     
    Walking down the dock toward his houseboat, Benny noticed the blinds were now back up in Donny’s office. Thoughts of Rachael slipped across his mind and he tried to push them away. Looking toward his boat, he noticed slight movement and knew Vernon was already inside and waiting. Benny had given him a key after a time in which he’d found Vernon camped out on the upper deck of the houseboat one late evening in emotional shambles. It had been a bad day at home and Vernon needed a place to escape to calm his mind. Benny made him a key the next day and told him anytime he needed a place to breath, he was welcome to let himself in and relax.
    Benny walked in the door and found Vernon pacing the room. Vernon looked up and smiled.
    “That’s the smile of a confident man,” Benny said, smiling too.
    “I think I’m getting good at this.”
    “You’re not getting good; you were already good, and you’re just now realizing it.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Hungry?” Benny asked.
    “Not really, but I know I should eat.”
    “You should. You talk and I’ll cook. You need a drink?”
    “No. I’m good.”
    Benny walked to the fridge and pulled out a spaghetti squash. He turned the oven to 400 degrees. Seemingly at the same time, he pulled out a cutting board and a black frying pan. From the fridge he retrieved a package of lean ground beef and began browning it in the black cast iron pan. With a sizzle in the background he sliced the spaghetti squash in half and scooped out the seeds. He continued to work, drizzling olive oil on the squash as Vernon talked.
    “I found some major clues today at the campground.”
    “Do tell.” Benny flipped the squash over on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet and popped it in the oven. He grabbed two tomatoes and an onion from the fridge.
    “I got to really thinking about how the killer got into the campground and decided it had to be by boat.”
    “Of course. Why didn’t we think of that sooner?”
    “Don’t know. But I found something very interesting down by the water’s edge.”
    “What?” Benny diced the onions and tomatoes and added them to the browned ground beef. He opened a can of tomato paste as he continued listening to Vernon.
    “An artist’s brush was stuck in the sand with a notch in it!”
    “Shut up.”
    “Not kidding. And that’s not it.”
    “What else?”
    “You can tell where the boat landed. They came in hot and heavy. Made a huge gash in the sand.”
    “I still can’t believe I didn’t think of the water entrance. I guess I’m a little off today because of Rachael’s call last night.”
    “You doing OK?”
    “Yeah. I don’t want to talk about it yet.”
    “All right. Let me know when you do.”
    “We need to check the boats at all the marinas to see if any of them have muddy spots on their bows.”
    “Yes. And we need to do that today before they get washed away. I’ll get some deputies on it.”
    Benny opened the oven door slightly to check on the spaghetti squash.
    “I don’t mean to be rude, but what the hell are you making?”
    “Spaghetti.”
    “Where are the noodles?”
    “We are substituting spaghetti squash for noodles.”
    “Is that what that big yellow thing is?”
    “Yes.”
    “Looks nasty to me. Is this a white thing?”
    “No,” Benny said