Read Two Scoops of Murder (Felicity Bell Book 2) for Free Online Page B

bled for Mary Long at the same time she was excited to be writing her first big article. Rick would be so proud. She couldn’t wait to give him the news. She hoped he could give her some pointers, some do’s and don’ts, before she made a complete fool of herself.
    Then she remembered Rick had told her a good reporter is bold. Dares to ask stuff. Stuff like… She cleared her throat. “Virgil?”
    “Eh?”
    “Could you perhaps take me to see the crime scene?”
    He stared at her for a moment. Then he blinked, nodded, and blinked again. “Well, heck, sure, I guess. I mean, yeah, why the heck not? Right?”
    “It’s for my article. I think it will greatly help me if I can get a feel for the place. To see where the murder actually took place.” Just thinking about it gave her the shivers, but she was resolved to go through with this and write the best article possible.
    “You wanna add some local color, huh?”
    “Something like that.” She’d never heard anyone describe a crime scene in those terms, but then she was new at this reporting thing, same as Virgil was new at detecting.
    “Meet me outside in a sec, all right? I’ll get the car.”
    “Sure thing, Virgil.” Barely containing her glee that she would be getting full police cooperation she tripped over to the counter. “Mom.” Trying to attract her mother’s attention was a little difficult, for she was busy prattling with customers about the terrible events of the day. Finally, she managed to tear her away. She drew her into the kitchen for a moment. “Mom, if it’s all right with you I’m going with Virgil. He’s going to show me the crime scene.”
    Mom’s eyes widened. “Crime scene? You mean Barrow’s Grove? But honey, isn’t that dangerous?”
    “I’m sure the murderer is long gone by now, Mom. And besides, Virgil will be there to protect me.”
    Mom shook her head, a worried look in her eye. She didn’t seem overly confident in Virgil’s protecting skills. “I don’t know…”
    “I’ll be fine,” Felicity assured her. “I just want to have a peek. For the article.”
    Mom continued distraught. “If you’re sure… I guess I could ask your cousin to step in.”
    “Thanks, Mom. And please don’t worry.”
    “If you say so, dear,” Mom said with a deep sigh. She patted her fluffy hair. First her hairdresser’s experiment, then a murder, and now this. What was the world coming to?
    Felicity grinned and gave her mother an affectionate peck on the cheek. “I’ll be back in no time. And just so you know? Your hair looks great.”
    Mom’s face lit up with a smile. “Oh, go on, then. Write your article.”
    Felicity practically ran out the door, and when she stepped into Virgil’s patrol car she felt her heart beat just a little faster. Her reporting career had finally begun.

Chapter 13
    F elicity eyed the back of Virgil’s neck closely. They’d been traipsing along a narrow path through a thick patch of forest for the past ten minutes with no end in sight. “Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?”
    “Pretty sure.”
    She wasn’t convinced. After all, this was Virgil, notorious for his ridiculously poor sense of direction. Once he’d been assigned the arduous task of taking the third grade on a haunted house trip. But instead of going to the deserted Hartford Mansion, he’d led them to Mrs. Baumgartner’s house. The old lady wasn’t amused when twenty third-graders had shown up on her doorstep, insisting she show them the ghosts.
    “I don’t think this is the right way, Virgil.”
    Virgil merely flicked at a mosquito that seemed to have grown fond of him. Darkness hung like a pall over the forest, which, if anything, seemed to grow even denser and creepier. The day was overcast and Felicity had the distinct impression that very soon now they’d be treated to the downpour from hell. The air was redolent with the musty smell of rotting plants, and her shoes were wet from the soggy soil.
    Virgil