A Killer Deal (A Seagrove Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Leona Fox
about one big slogan: All those people you dislike and distrust, and all those animals you kill for profit, deserve to live in peace and prosperity.”
“You are very kind,” Sadie said. “But it wouldn’t do. Some numbskull would be whining about not thinking it applied to black people, or whales, or whiners because they don’t really count. No, I’m afraid we are going to have to plaster our cars with bumper stickers until society catches up.”
“Meanwhile, do you think they have any leads on Roger’s murderer?” he asked.
“I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t really know if they did. I’m not on the list of people to call when a lead comes in. I find out from the five o’clock news like everyone else.”
“Really? Somehow I thought you were in thick with Chief Woodstone.” He shook his head. “I just hope it doesn’t turn out to be one of my associate professors. That would be unfortunate. Finding replacements for professors in the middle of a term is a nightmare.”
“That would be a scandal and a half. Imagine the headlines: Local Professor Gives Lessons in Murder. You’d have people lined up down the block for that class,” Sadie said.
“That is an unfortunate truth I’d rather not dwell on,” he said. “Human nature is not what it should be.”
“Oh, I think human nature is exactly as it should be, but not what we’d like it to be. We still carry outdated survival instincts. I would hope that eventually they’ll be bred out of us.” She thought a moment about her childhood. “Do you remember when people used to say that someday we’d be nothing but heads in jars? Our heads would be huge from thinking and our bodies would wither away? Hilarious.”
“Yes, I do remember that, but I don’t think they included blacks in that equation at the time,” he said. “We were at the beginning of the second wave.”
“And you’ve proved them wrong headed. You have earned your place in the head in a jar society, haven’t you?” She smiled at him.
“I’m glad you think so, Sadie,” he said. “Not everyone does.”
She patted his arm. “You can put your jar next to mine. We’d be good company for each other. Just an average middle-aged white woman with a passion for chocolate next to an intelligent, distinguished black man with good taste in beer. Does chocolate go with beer? I’ve never tried that combination.”
“It wouldn’t matter, we’d both be heads in jars. Both beer and chocolate would be things of the past.”
“That’s a depressing thought,” Sadie said. “I take it back. I’m not going to be a head in a jar after all. But I promise to come visit you.”
“Very generous of you,” Johnathan said. “But I too will pass on jar-hood. However, I appreciate the sentiment.” He slid off his stool. “This has been a strange and enjoyable conversation, Sadie Barnett, I hope we can do it again sometime.”
Sadie paid for her meal and hurried back to take Mr. Bradshaw for a walk in the park. The paths weren’t crowded by any means, but the green was definitely the place to be. One of Chief Woodstone’s off-duty deputies was walking with two young co-eds gesturing with his hands and turning from one to the other to emphasize a point. She nodded at the deputy as they passed, but he didn’t seem to see her. Too engrossed in his conversation to notice a middle-aged woman was her guess.
On her way back to the shop she saw George Jackson hassling a group of young people who were listening to music and tossing a Frisbee around. He seemed to be trying to get them to move away from the bookstore to the other side of the park.
“Listen Grandpa, one of the young men said. “The park is a public place. If you didn’t want to be near people who were enjoying life you should have put your bookstore somewhere else. Across the street from the park doesn’t seem like it’s working for you.” George
“You are very kind,” Sadie said. “But it wouldn’t do. Some numbskull would be whining about not thinking it applied to black people, or whales, or whiners because they don’t really count. No, I’m afraid we are going to have to plaster our cars with bumper stickers until society catches up.”
“Meanwhile, do you think they have any leads on Roger’s murderer?” he asked.
“I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t really know if they did. I’m not on the list of people to call when a lead comes in. I find out from the five o’clock news like everyone else.”
“Really? Somehow I thought you were in thick with Chief Woodstone.” He shook his head. “I just hope it doesn’t turn out to be one of my associate professors. That would be unfortunate. Finding replacements for professors in the middle of a term is a nightmare.”
“That would be a scandal and a half. Imagine the headlines: Local Professor Gives Lessons in Murder. You’d have people lined up down the block for that class,” Sadie said.
“That is an unfortunate truth I’d rather not dwell on,” he said. “Human nature is not what it should be.”
“Oh, I think human nature is exactly as it should be, but not what we’d like it to be. We still carry outdated survival instincts. I would hope that eventually they’ll be bred out of us.” She thought a moment about her childhood. “Do you remember when people used to say that someday we’d be nothing but heads in jars? Our heads would be huge from thinking and our bodies would wither away? Hilarious.”
“Yes, I do remember that, but I don’t think they included blacks in that equation at the time,” he said. “We were at the beginning of the second wave.”
“And you’ve proved them wrong headed. You have earned your place in the head in a jar society, haven’t you?” She smiled at him.
“I’m glad you think so, Sadie,” he said. “Not everyone does.”
She patted his arm. “You can put your jar next to mine. We’d be good company for each other. Just an average middle-aged white woman with a passion for chocolate next to an intelligent, distinguished black man with good taste in beer. Does chocolate go with beer? I’ve never tried that combination.”
“It wouldn’t matter, we’d both be heads in jars. Both beer and chocolate would be things of the past.”
“That’s a depressing thought,” Sadie said. “I take it back. I’m not going to be a head in a jar after all. But I promise to come visit you.”
“Very generous of you,” Johnathan said. “But I too will pass on jar-hood. However, I appreciate the sentiment.” He slid off his stool. “This has been a strange and enjoyable conversation, Sadie Barnett, I hope we can do it again sometime.”
Sadie paid for her meal and hurried back to take Mr. Bradshaw for a walk in the park. The paths weren’t crowded by any means, but the green was definitely the place to be. One of Chief Woodstone’s off-duty deputies was walking with two young co-eds gesturing with his hands and turning from one to the other to emphasize a point. She nodded at the deputy as they passed, but he didn’t seem to see her. Too engrossed in his conversation to notice a middle-aged woman was her guess.
On her way back to the shop she saw George Jackson hassling a group of young people who were listening to music and tossing a Frisbee around. He seemed to be trying to get them to move away from the bookstore to the other side of the park.
“Listen Grandpa, one of the young men said. “The park is a public place. If you didn’t want to be near people who were enjoying life you should have put your bookstore somewhere else. Across the street from the park doesn’t seem like it’s working for you.” George
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