Read Murder the Tey Way: A Golden Age of Mystery Book Club Mystery (The Golden Age of Mystery Book Club Mysteries 2) for Free Online

looked this morning. “He would have been clutching his wound.” I bit my lip as I wondered. “So why did the murderer rearrange him?”
    “To hide his face, or hide the bloody wound from sight.”
    “From me?” I asked without thinking.
    Those icy blue eyes bore into me. “From you or from someone else. You’re sure you didn’t hear anything during the night?”
    I shook my head. “My windows were shut and I slept soundly.” I had a sudden thought. “Did you see signs of drag marks? Maybe he was killed then brought here.”
    “No indication of that,” Brian said. “Do any of the members of your mystery book club live close by?”
    “Corinne and Felicity Roberts live next door, and Joy Lincoln lives two houses away in the other direction. Marge and Evan Billings are a few blocks from here.” I pursed my lips. “But you know all that.”
    He flashed a smile. “Asking questions gets me different answers.”
    I blushed, remembering how I’d insisted I’d never set eyes on the murder victim.
    “Who referred you to Len Lyons?”
    I thought back. “I think it was Joy. I’d mentioned the house required a few repairs, and she gave me his name. She said she hadn’t needed his services, but a few of her friends had used him and were happy with his work. The Billingses recommended Len as well.” I pressed my hand to my mouth. “Oh my God! They were burgled!”
    “Did Lionni act weird while he was working in your house? Did he seem to be casing the place?”
    I thought back and shook my head. “No. He was polite. Didn’t speak much. And he knew what he was doing. He fixed a leaking pipe in the bathroom and saved me a visit from the plumber.”
    “Uh-huh,” Brian said, jotting down what I’d said in his notebook. When he finished, he cocked his head and grinned at me.
    “Interesting, your landlord hadn’t seen to those repairs. I thought you two were on pretty close terms.”
    My face grew warm. “I didn’t want to bother Al. He was kind enough to let me have the house for a very low rent.”
    “And when were you planning to tell me your sister paid you a visit last night?”
    “I was going to tell you, of course, but it slipped my mind. Gayle left early this morning.”
    “Did she see Lyons’ body out back?”
    “No! That is, I’m sure she didn’t since she didn’t mention it.” Now my face was blazing as if I were standing close to a five alarm fire.
    “How did you happen to notice it?”
    “I just did.”
    “When you woke up? While you were eating breakfast?”
    I blinked as Brian shot questions at me faster than I could answer. “While I was eating breakfast, I suppose.”
    “You suppose?”
    My pulse speeded up with every question. I had the weird feeling my head was about to explode.
    “I mean, of course I noticed it while I was eating breakfast. I glanced out the window and there it was. So I went outside and checked it out.”
    “Alone?”
    “Of course alone! I told you, Gayle left early.”
    “Without eating anything?”
    “She wanted an early start to visit her friends.”
    “Where do they live?”
    “She didn’t say.”
    Brian’s eyes bore into me. “Hard to believe. She’s your sister, right?”
    I drew a deep breath. “Gayle and I lead very different lives. The truth is, we don’t keep in touch as often as we should. I hadn’t spoken to her in months when she called, and it’s about six years since last we got together. I don’t know her friends so I can’t help you there.”
    “Is she running from something or someone?”
    “Of course not! What makes you ask?”
    “Your answers. They’re the weirdest.” Brian let out a grunt of exasperation. “You tell me the two of you are practically estranged, yet she drives all the way to Long Island from Utah. She arrives at night, then takes off early the following morning to places unknown. And you’re as hyper as a jumping bean.” He pointed an accusing finger. “You tell me how it sounds.”
    I pressed my