Ed Lynskey - Isabel and Alma Trumbo 03 - The Ladybug Song Read Online Free Page A

at the door
behind them. He thought of something else and added, “My thanks for your help
on this case, too.”
    “You’re
quite welcome, Roscoe,” said Isabel.
    The cynical
Alma gave Sheriff Fox her humph look.
    The last woman
to file out of his office, Phyllis slammed the door closed behind them. It was
obvious she also didn’t like Sheriff Fox and trusted him even less than Alma did.
    A nefarious
idea popped into his thoughts. He sat visualizing the face of the suspect he
could charge with murder. The office door banging shut had directed his attention
to Phyllis Garner. The more he thought about it, the more he could see the town
bag lady making the perfect fall gal to take the murder rap. He smiled with a
nod.
    Oh yeah,
he was good. All he had to do was to lay the necessary groundwork to make his
arrest of Phyllis stick like flour paste glue. Isabel and Alma would never
catch on to his sneaky trick. He’d diverted their attention to go play his
silent helper elves. Oh yeah, he was very good.

Chapter 5
     
    Ossie
Conger, Willie Moccasin, and Blue Trent served as the community’s main radar center
where little of social note slipped by them. No detail was too trivial to
escape their vigilance. Their wooden bench fronted the Lagos Azul Florist Shop freshly
painted sky blue and dusty apricot back on May Day. The old codgers spent a large
portion of their day catnapping. One of them always remained awake and watchful
so as not to miss anything and to keep the others apprised.
    Alma liked to tease Isabel about how Ossie was growing sweet on
her. Alma had overheard him refer to Isabel as “a good ole gal.” She wasn’t nearly
as amused when Alma passed on Ossie’s quote. This time Isabel had a comeback
ready after Alma poked fun at her again.
    “Can you picture
the future if I get hitched to Ossie?” asked Isabel.
    “You will
be setting a third place at the table,” said Alma, displaying her good-humored
grin.
    “You better
run another head count,” said Isabel.
    “What are
you driving at, Isabel?”
    “You’ll
have to vacate the brick rambler. Two sisters living with one gentleman under
the same roof would not look good and proper.”
    Alma ’s levity evaporated on the spot. “Ouch,” she said.
    “Be ready
because the pain only gets worse,” said Isabel. “Naturally Petey Samson would stay
with Ossie and me.”
    Her eyes
enlarging, Alma groaned. “That’s not fair because he is half my dog, too.”
    “Plus which,
don’t overlook our trove of mysteries,” said Isabel, referencing the large room
with the filled bookshelves they called their personal library. “They’d be too numerous
for you to pack in boxes, haul away, and shelve in your new scaled-down place.”
    Alma groaned louder. “Having none of my vintage mysteries to read
would be too much to bear.”
    “Then if
I were you, I’d change my tune and make sure Ossie and I don’t get cozy with
each other.”
    Alma nodded, fearful of facing the ghastly scenario Isabel had
laid out. “On second thought, Ossie would never measure up to your beloved Max.
Besides, we have no idea if Ossie would disapprove of our snooping activities
and try to squelch them.”
    “Of
course not since we aren’t mind readers,” said Isabel. “So cool it with playing
Cupid with Ossie and me.”
    “I’m
hanging up my bow and arrows,” said Alma. “I know what let’s do. Make up a
pretense to remove your shoe and show your crusty, yellow bunions to Ossie. That
ugly sight would nip any romance in the bud.”
    “Maybe I better
save that as a last resort,” said Isabel. “Otherwise the Three Musketeers will feel
led to show off their scars and warts.”
    Alma made a face. “That is a sight I do not ever need to see.”
    “Frankly,
a comet falling from the heavens will strike us dead before Ossie and I tie the
knot,” said Isabel.
    “You also
don’t have an appropriate dress or shoes for getting married,” said Alma. “Your shopping for the right