Tuesday Tales 2023-1-3 Pillow

I wish you New Year’s blessings for good health, family fun, and prosperity in 2023! Snuggle up for Tuesday Tales, where authors write excerpts incorporating word and picture prompts. Today I am working on a cozy mystery. The word prompt is pillow. When you finish reading my snippet, make sure to visit all the talented authors of Tuesday Tales.

“The Real Glisten!” I muttered. “That rag might as well be called Gossip Central.”

Robin’s face took on a sheepish expression. “People love The Real. They rave about it.” 

My eyes narrowed. I turned, so that we were slanted away from the Sheriff and Vivian.

Twisting her lips, Robin followed suit.

“No one has fessed up to being the culprit of The Real Glisten. Tell me it’s not you, Robin!”

I spared a glance for the Sheriff and Vivian. They didn’t appear focused on us. Their conversation had lowered in volume but ratcheted up in intensity. Were they discussing the murder?

Robin clutched my arm. “It’s not me.” 

Just as I was about to respond with a sigh of relief, she continued speaking, her voice now a mere whisper. “I only format it and—advertise it a little.” 

I groaned. “Format it and advertise it for whom?” 

She shrugged. “I don’t know. The tidbits come to my email anonymously, but with a certain signature and logo to identify they’re for The Real. It’s all very hush hush. The point is that it’s supposed to be like friends chatting.” 

“When I’m talking to a friend, I know the friend.” Or did I? I couldn’t believe Robin was a key player in an anonymous gossip rag. “Why don’t you just tweet?” 

“I have to say, you have a completely wrong idea about The Real. It’s not malicious or scandalous. It’s not even pillow talk. I know there are some—Peri, please, I saw that!”

I had tried to squelch an automatic eyeroll. “Sorry, Robin, but malice and scandal is a perfect tagline for The Real Glisten.”

Her expression had turned to stone. “How many episodes have you read?”

I was taken aback. I’m afraid it was my turn to look sheepish. “There have been more than one?”

“There have been five!” She glared at me.

“The one I saw suggested a suspicious death, and then the murder happened.”

Her eyes rounded. “That was the first one, but y–you mean you think there’s a connection with the murder?”

“I don’t know, but don’t you think it’s suspicious?”

Just then Vivian fluttered a hand, and Sheriff Ford turned as if just now noticing us. I knew that wasn’t the case. He had eyes like an eagle and never missed anything. He waved us over with his cowboy hat.

I smiled and nodded and whispered to Robin through clenched teeth. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”

I hope you enjoyed the snippet incorporating the word pillow. Thanks for stopping by. If you haven’t done so already, check out the other excerpts at Tuesday Tales.

Cheers & Happy Reading!

Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Spirited Stories

All rights reserved, copyright @ 2023 Flossie Benton Rogers