Welcome to Tuesday Tales, powered by a small group of authors, where word prompts inspire passages in the books we’re writing. Today’s word is green. This snippet is from a cozy mystery set in fictional Glisten, Georgia. When you finish reading, make sure to visit all the talented authors of Tuesday Tales.
Later that afternoon my phone burst out with the Cruel Sea ditty, “Better Get a Lawyer.” It was the ringtone I had assigned to Clancy Shoemaker. With a sense of foreboding, I pushed the button to take her call.
Her raspy drawl held an apologetic tinge. “Peri? I regret to inform you that Luella has been arrested and is being transported to county lockup. The charge is withholding information. Of course they’ll eventually go for murder. Despite due process, they want her out of commission while they gather more evidence. Officials have a warrant to search the inn, with a focus on her room.”
I crumbled against the back of my chair. Here in the empty tearoom I had privacy to scribble on my notepad, configuring possibilities for motive, means, and opportunity, while keeping an eye on the work being done by Brady’s crew outside. “Crap!” I petulantly pushed aside the saucer of fruit I had sliced for a snack. The banana was too green anyway.
“My thoughts exactly. The surprise witness, whose identity is being kept under wraps, has apparently panned out nicely for the other side.” She heaved a sigh. “On our side, Luella finally came clean with me regarding the bombshell she tossed to you about grabbing the victim’s arm. Apparently, Vee sent her a text asking if they could meet to clear the air. Luella agreed to do so. She came and fed Luella an improbable tale about Jack, and they parted with heated words but no physical confrontation. Luella went to bed and was awakened by a noise outside. She went to investigate and caught her behind the greenery by the back door. Luella thought she was trying to break in.”
My brain was going ninety miles a minute. “But she had already been in and gone out again? So Vee is the one that broke into Jack’s study and rifled it?”
“Apparently so.”
“Then what—why–” My brain was on overload, trying to see the sequence of events. “You mean Luella didn’t realize she had already been inside?”
“Correct. It simply didn’t dawn on her. She said the study door was closed as it always was. Until you showed her the ransacked room the following day, she had no reason to think anything was amiss. She thought she caught the intruder on her way into the inn. When she wouldn’t say what she was doing there, they argued. When she tried to run, Luella grabbed her arm. That’s the part the witness apparently saw.”
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Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Spirited Stories
All rights reserved, copyright @ 2024 Flossie Benton Rogers
Arm-grabbing is NOT murder! If the witness didn’t see the act, then he/she should shut up! I’m with Peri. Hard to imagine Luella as a murder. I love how this is heating up! Great story. I hope you get it published when it’s done.
Poor Luella. I question whether or not the witness is in fact the killer. Seems strangely coincidental that he or she was there to witness the altercation. Well done.
How convenient that this witness showed up…. hmmmmm. Love that you snuck in two greens! Jillian
No! Don’t stop! I have a feeling Peri is onto something. I really hope something comes up to prove Luella’s innocence. Great job!
I hope she can.