Read Nobody's Sorry You're Dead: A Hadley Pell Cozy Mystery for Free Online

the bit to tackle it head on.
    There was only one fly that had landed on the oyster of her big plans, and his name was Harry Pell. A country boy, the lure of city life appealed to Harry about as much as an offer to dig out the Suez Canal with a teaspoon. Harry worked part-time in the office of the city manager for the college town where they both presently lived. He’d told Hadley to meet him in the park for lunch.
    “I’ve got a job offer, Hadley,” Harry said.
    “You’ll never guess where?” Harry said.
    “New York City,” Hadley said.
    “No, Hadley. Hope Rock!” Harry said.
    The timing of Harry’s new job offer coincided suspiciously with Hadley’s college graduation and her imminent belly-whop into the big-city sea of life. Hadley could not help but suspect her father, one of the two lawyers in Hope Rock County and a prominent member of the mountain community, had called in some favors and pulled several strings. That would explain the sudden dire and immediate need for an accountant to oversee the county's municipal purse strings.
    “What are you talking about, Harry?” Hadley asked. “Our little hole on the side of the mountain has never needed an accountant. As far as I know, Alice Beasley, the town’s secretary, has always handled whatever came up.”
    “I don’t know, Hadley. Maybe Alice Beasley is retiring or something. Maybe it’s gotten to be too big of a job for one person. I don’t know. All I do know is that I’ve been offered a job. I can’t look a gift horse in the mouth. It’s a good job. The pay is good, and if I stay with the county, I have been promised a pension. Hadley! We can get married. This is a full-time position. What do you say? Will you do me the honor of being my wife?
    What do I say? How about good-bye Richmond. Hello, same-ole same-ole.
    There was something in Harry’s eyes that told Hadley he was going to take the job – with or without her.
    “I love you, Harry,” Hadley said.
    “But . . .” Harry added.
    “No buts. I love you. Yes. Yes. Yes. The answer is yes!”
    Harry picked Hadley up by the waist and spun her around like a top.
    “Jump in with both feet,” Hadley said. “No turning back.”
    “No turning back,” said Harry. “Let’s find a justice of the peace. We can get hitched and be in Hope Rock right after you snatch your diploma.”
    “Hope Rock County, Harry,” Hadley said.
    “What?”
    “If you’re going to take up residence there, you might as well sound like you know the place. Everyone who lives there calls it Hope Rock County.”
    “Harry and Hadley of Hope Rock County. It’s got a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
    Hadley kissed Harry. True to her word, she married him, moved back to Hope Rock County, and never looked back. She never regretted her decision, unlike so many others that she had made on the spur of the moment, because Harry was definitely a keeper. Hadley was just glad she had been the one to catch him.

    * * *
    M aury and Hadley had been sitting long enough in the glider swing to have the little designs of its metal seat imprinted on their behinds. So far, the comings and goings of the townsfolk in Hope Rock County had proven to be anything but exciting. Watching the two traffic lights at either end of Main Street cycle red, yellow, green endlessly was really quite boring.
    In response to Maury’s inquiry concerning her decision to come back home to roost, Hadley responded, “Sorry? Not on your life, come on. Let’s go back inside. We’ve spied on these poor people long enough.”
    The two rose from their seat.
    “Besides,” said Hadley, “I think I’ve given Onus about enough time to have turned the whole house upside down, don’t you? That cat pouts like all get out when left to his own devices for too long.”
    “You ought to get him a playmate,” Maury said. “Somebody to keep him company.”
    “You think? And where would I live? Onus owns the house. Harry made the money. Onus lets me hang