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 gut. 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.
When the two women came out of conference, Clancy stayed in the sitting room to return phone calls, and Luella joined me in the kitchen for coffee. Her heightened nerves were evident. She had amped up about a thousand percent. She gathered a few cookies on a plate and set them unsteadily on the table between us. “That brain you hired, Clancy Shoemaker, I’m glad you got her,” she told me. A nerve on her neck pulsed.
Luella had no idea how much her words relieved my mind. I’d had visions of her clamming up and not providing the attorney with the ammunition needed to help her.
She went on between bites. “She said she’d stay here until time to go and then she’ll drive me to Blairsville. I’m not to answer any questions without her being there and only when she says to.”
“That’s great, Luella,” I said, blinking at the unusual spew of information. She had been a mummy the entire past week. “I think she’ll be able to help us out of the fix we’re in.”
Her next words made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “Do you think I killed that Wormwood?”
After a beat I replied, “No, I don’t.”
Her eyes bored into mine. “Because I didn’t. I never hurt her. The most I ever did was grab her arm.”
Grab her arm? When did she do that? I had opened my lips to ask, when Luella plowed on. “That mean detective thinks I killed her. And your sergeant friend Roy thinks so, too. But I never.”
I swallowed and asked, “When did you grab Vonna’s arm?”
Her limpid gray eyes met mine. She pressed her lips together and remained mute.
My gut was hosting a nerve-wracking game of ping pong. “Did you tell Clancy Shoemaker about it?”
She stared at me.
“Luella, you have to tell your attorney everything that has any relation to what happened.”
She stiffened, closing her eyes and holding her breath for several moments. When she finally opened her eyes and sucked in a breath, I patted her hand.
“Tell Clancy Shoemaker the whole story. That’s the only way she can help you. Promise me you will.”
She merely bit into another cookie and sat glumly, chewing and staring at nothing.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the piece inspired by the word gut. 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 @ 2024 Flossie Benton Rogers
Ooh! Can’t wait to see what Luella is hiding. Great post.
She seems to be getting herself in more trouble lately.
Okay. Now I need to know what Luella is hiding. Great post, the way you build to Peri figuring out that something is going on she knows nothing about. And neither do we. And I can’t wait to find out!!
I’d be exasperated if I were Peri!
Great snippet!!
Thank you!
Love the sentence with the word prompt in it. I can totally “see” that description! And yes, always tell your lawyer the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. LOL! Jillian
LOL good advice, but apparently she’s not listening!
hehee. Yep! Stubborn! LOL
Ut-oh! And her clammed up response makes me even more curious now.
Great snippet, Flossie!
Thank you, Trisha! Glad your curiosity is tweaked.
Oh no! What is she hiding? I can’t wait to read more of this and, better yet, find out who is behind all this. Great job!
Glad it’s keeping you wondering. Thanks, Tricia!