Perplexity on P1/2 (Parson's Cove Mysteries) by Sharon Rose Page A

and watch the sunsets or the stars. That would be a good idea, wouldn’t it?”
         “What do you want me to tell you, Mabel?”
         “Well, you could tell me it’s a good idea, I suppose. Would you want to come over and sit with me? I could make coffee and we could eat fresh muffins. How does that sound?”
         His mouth moved slightly. That meant he was thinking about smiling. That’s usually as far as it goes. It was encouraging though.
         “That would be nice but I know you didn’t come to tell me that. You want me to tell you something else.”
         Charlie is sometimes more perceptive than other folks.
         “You know me, Charlie. I’ll come straight out and ask you. Do you know what Esther was doing out in the woods when she found that body?”
         He nodded.
         My heart beat faster. “You know what she was doing out there?”
         He nodded again.
         “Can you tell me? I’d really like to know. Did you know that I knew the woman who was murdered? She was in Las Vegas with me. Maybe you could help me solve this crime. Remember the bank robbery? How we worked together? We could do that again. What do you think?”
         Charlie sat for a long time and said nothing. I don’t know if he blinked. This is where endurance comes in. I’m sure that at least ten minutes passed. I was actually thinking of getting up and walking back home when he spoke up.
         “Esther didn’t have anything to do with the murder, Mabel.”
         “Oh, Charlie, I know that. I just have to know what she was doing out there. I’ll tell you a secret: she left a very nasty message on my answering machine and I’d like to find out why. That’s why I thought you could help.” 
         He turned his head and looked at me for the first time. “She left a nasty message?”
         “Yes, she did, Charlie. She doesn’t like me very much.”
         “Well, I like you, Mabel, so I’ll tell you what she was doing out there. Esther meets someone out by the lake, late at night.”
         “She meets someone? Who?”
         Charlie turned back to the sunset and started to hum. This was the end of our conversation. Perhaps, he would tell me more tomorrow. Even this much probably wore him right out.
         I patted him on the arm and thanked him. I found myself humming all the way home too.

 
    Chapter Eleven 
     
         I couldn’t stop worrying about the murder case. Every time Reg or his deputies saw me, they almost crossed over to the other side of the street to avoid me. The least they could do was fill me in on some of the evidence they’d collected.
         I clicked my bedside lamp on and checked the clock. It wasn’t quite ten yet. My room was dark because I’d pulled the blind down. The sun was setting much later now but there was no way I could sleep in a light room. I needed a drink of water, however, so I got up and went downstairs. While I was there, I thought I might as well kill two birds with one stone, as the saying goes.
         Reg picked up on the third ring.
         “What do you want, Mabel?” he said, without as much as a ‘hello.’ (I always forget that he has ‘call display.’ As does Flori.)
         “Well, and how are you, too, Mr. Smee?”
         “Never mind the niceties; I know you’re after something.”
         “Maybe I want to talk to Beth.”
         “Do you?”
         He had me there. “No, you know I want to talk to you, Reg. I have to know how the murder case is going. You know Grace was someone I knew. I think you owe it to me to keep me informed.”
         He paused for the briefest moment and then he sighed.
         “I guess I owe you something, Mabel. Actually, there’s not much to tell. You know very well that when Maxymowich comes, I’m not exactly kept up to speed. All I know for sure is that they’re having a hard time trying to find any of her family.