Punked by the Pumpkin: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 4) Read Online Free Page A

ladies.” I tried to be firm but businesslike and not show my anger.
    I took each of their arms and escorted them to our table. “Sit…please. We have to talk about the Harvest Festival today. It starts on Thursday and runs through the weekend.”
    They sat down and I gave them a serious big-eyed stare. “Stay.”
    I was going to get coffee, which they hadn’t been drinking for a week, but then I had a different idea. I brought them each a cup of apple-mint tea with a spoon in it and squeezed a couple circles of honey into the steaming tea. Then I plopped a small ice cube into each cup to cool it down a bit. To my astonished bewilderment, they each took a big sip.
    “Ladies, the Harvest Festival starts very soon , and it’s our busiest time of the year. The golf cart parade with all of the seniors in their carts starts right out here on the corner, and the whole town will be lined up along Sunshine Avenue for the a couple hours for the parade. We will be very busy. We will need both of you outside taking orders, one person inside waiting tables, and at least two behind the counter filling the orders. We need to go with a smaller, more streamlined menu that day, so we have to decide what we will serve and what we won’t. We will need a lot of muffins and cookies and other snacks too. Now, first of all, can I count on you for your help?”
    They both drank their tea down to the bottom of the cup and then stood up. Essie went behind the counter and grabbed a handful of teabags. Hildie wrapped the squeezable honey dispenser in a napkin and put it in her purse. Then they both headed for the front door, unlocked it, turned the sign to Open , and left.
    I collapsed into one of the chairs and just sat there until a steady trail of tears started rolling down my cheeks. My usual strength turned to helplessness and my anger to sadness. I just couldn’t do it anymore. With the unstoppable freight train of time on a collision course I felt helpless and alone in a situation I couldn’t handle. First fear and then panic set it.
    It was as if my silent cry for help was heard by my dearest friend in the world, and the back door opened.
    “Jules, you must be psychic, or else we’re twins who were separated at birth.” I was a mess.
    She took my hand and pulled me up to give me a big hug. “Yeah…or else I just saw your aunts drive off in their golf cart from my shop next door.”
    That brought me a much-needed giggle.
    “I was pretty sure your do-or-die meeting hadn’t gone the way you’d hoped since they were only here for a few minutes.”
    “You’re always here when I need you, Jules.”
    “And you’re always there for me. That’s what friends are for. Now, sit. I’ll get you some coffee.”
    “Tea.” Jules usually drank tea in the morning, so I figured I should see how the other half lives. “And honey.”
    “Look, Lily…” Jules sat down with two cups of tea, a jar of honey, and some spoons. “…I’m going to be closed next door during the parade. Nobody is going to be buying party supplies then, and I’m delaying the newspaper until Friday so I can include pictures from the parade. So, I’m going to help you here at the Coffee Cabana. Moira says she’ll help too if her parents don’t need her at the rental shop, and I think you should ask Eli to get Trevor to help here too. Maybe he can tell him it’s some kind of training thing for studying crowd behavior and human interactions.”
    Don’t question it, Lily; don’t ask her if she’s sure – she is! Just accept it. It’s a great plan, and it makes a lot of sense.
    “Yeah, sure. Thank you, Jules. You saved my life. You just untied me from the railroad tracks.”
    Now I was starting to get excited about it. “I’ll call Eli at lunchtime about Trevor. I’m sure he’ll help. And you know what? I’m going to call Gladys and Mildred and see if they’ll come in and work the dining room. I’ll put the stools out in front for their families to