Murder in Marietta (A Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Book 2) Read Online Free

finished, Ms. Montgomery?” Bowerman stared at me.
    I wanted to say, well duh. The truth – the fight in me had been extinguished, so I politely answered, “Yes, sir.” I felt the perspiration dripping down my forehead. I guess the detective noticed, too. He offered me some Kleenex and I gently wiped the droplets away.
    Thinking he was done, I relaxed a little. Then he said, “Now, tell me about these spirits you say you claimed to behold.”
    I ignored the barb. “I understand a sighting is hard to grasp, Detective. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen them. At first, only one soldier appeared. Then Dee Dee spotted a lady ghost. That makes two.”
    With mouth agape he stared at me like I was crazy. “Okay. Go ahead. Tell me the rest.” He wrote as I talked.
    “Well, I don’t have much else to say. One minute they were there, and the next they weren’t. I do remember, though, I experienced a strange awareness when we went to the facilities right before we lay down. The ladies’ room is close to the Andrews’ Raiders display where Doc discovered the body. Oh yes, something else I thought seemed odd.”
    “And what would that be, Ms. Montgomery?” He twirled his cigar between his thumb and forefinger. Did he use the unlit cigar as a prop?
    “The soldier was dressed in a Yankee uniform. Don’t you find that outlandish, Detective? Why would a Yankee ghost want to hang around in the South?”
    “You’ve got me.” His caterpillar brows wiggled up and down, giving the illusion of crawling. “I appreciate your patience. I’m going to interview Ms. Lamont next, and I’d like for you to stick around until we’re finished. Then I want to talk with both of you, as well as Mr. Pennington. Please try to stay out of the way while the officers work on the crime scene. I’ll speak with you again in a little while.”
    With that, he stood up and left me alone to contemplate the past twenty-four hours. I felt like I’d stepped right into an episode of The Twilight Zone .
    Dazed, I walked back to the quilt room to retrieve my cell phone and check for messages. I had one from Nana, my mother’s aunt. She’d accompanied us to Marietta and was staying with a friend for a few days. I’d also received a call from Beau, my next-door neighbor. Beau and I have dated a little over these past six months. Last but not least, Harv, the editor of “Georgia by the Way,” had left several messages. I bit the bullet, and called him first.

CHAPTER FIVE

    H arv! Stop yelling. I couldn’t call you back sooner. I’ve been kind of busy.”
    My editor is a wonderful guy at heart, and he’d do anything to help me out. He’s just a big ole’ teddy bear underneath that rough exterior of his, but he sticks to me like a cocklebur.
    When it comes to his baby, as he calls “Georgia by the Way,” he can get a little uptight and doesn’t let up until my first draft of any assignment is on his desk for inspection. Having said as much, his boisterous ways played havoc on my last nerve sometimes.
    “Have you accomplished your goals?” I heard him crunch an everpresent Tootsie Pop. The sweet treat became his vice after doctor’s orders required him to give up smoking.
    “Yes and no, Harv.” Tirade expected, I held the phone away from my ear.
    “What in the world do you mean?” That booming voice sounded like Harv stood next to me in the room.
    “Calm down so I can tell you what happened.” A ‘hmph’ shot through the phone.
    “Yes, I’ve picked up a good story. No, I’m not sure when the article will be ready. We’ve experienced a bit of excitement, and the trip might take a little longer than we expected.”
    Over the next several minutes I explained what had transpired. I detected muttering as I hung up – something about being glad he didn’t have to travel on assignment with me.
    I flipped my cell phone closed. The world as I knew it yesterday, now felt surreal. I willed myself to call Nana. I wanted