Welcome to Tuesday Tales, powered by a small group of authors, where word prompts inspire passages in the books we’re writing. I’m working on a cozy mystery, Pumpkin Patch Murder. Our word of the day is powerful. When you finish the passage, make sure to visit all the talented authors of Tuesday Tales.
Grumpy snorted. “Aside from strangling people, you mean! I was behind her that day with all her buggies, they were short staffed, and she couldn’t figure out how to use the self-check out station. I thought I’d never get out of that store.” She leaned forward. “It was your birthday, too, Patsy. Remember I was making that Tennessee hummingbird cake for you?”
The younger woman nodded in a spirit of appreciation. “Yes, my favorite!”
“I draw a blank on using the self-checkout, too,” admitted Frail.
“Just about everybody dislikes it,” Voice of Reason reassured her. “Why they can’t hire enough people, I’ll never know. The store gets enough of our money.”
“Doesn’t it though?” Sad and Weary agreed.
“Well, do you know what Luella did?” Grumpy blurted, sticking to her subject. “She up and left the buggies and stomped right out of the store. Didn’t say a word. She was mad as a hornet.”
“That doesn’t make her a murderer,” Voice of Reason protested.
Frail commented in a musing tone. “I can’t believe Jack Douglas would allow anyone dangerous around his wife and goddaughter.” She stopped for a shaky cough and then went on, “And Peridot would never hurt anyone.”
“Money is a powerful motive,” Grumpy insisted.
“It was tragic when her brother was killed overseas. He took music lessons from me.”
Voice of Reason asked, “Did he really? I heard that when the mother died, the father and his new wife took in the girl.”
“Didn’t they move to Florida?” inquired Sad and Weary.
Grumpy grunted. “Out of sight and out of mind. The girl never returned to Glisten, until now that is. And just in time for murder.”
“Yes, she did, Momma Pearl. Once or twice anyway. Mabel at the paper told me Robin Gilmore is good friends with her.”
Frail said, “Old Ron Gilmore’s girl. She’s nice enough but a bit on the flighty side. Can’t seem to settle down.”
“Voice of Reason said, “The officer who brought her in for questioning was a school friend of the brother that died. Roy Deason turned out to be a fine young man.”
Momma Pearl, AKA Grumpy, wrapped it up. “Well, the girl certainly didn’t. Grew up to be one of them ghost chasers. Can you believe it? Leads people around old cemeteries and graveyards.” Five heads shivered.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the piece inspired by the word powerful. 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 @ 2025 Flossie Benton Rogers
Another excellent post that adds backstory. Well done
Thanks, Susanne!
Clever way to fill us in on who Peri is. And I like that they don’t think Luella did it. Sooo, I’m dying to know who the murderer is!!
I’m glad it came over as clever. Thanks!
I love the backstory that is happening here. We are getting a look at other people’s opinions on the situation and how others look at the primary characters. Great job!
They are quite a quintet.
Patsy can come to my house and bake me a hummingbird cake–yum! And, the part about self-checkout could well have been me. LOL! Great excerpt.
Right?! It sounds so delectable. The self-checkout is a bugaboo sometimes.