Strung Out to Die Read Online Free

“That’s when Sean confronted him about Agnes and how he was sick and tired of Doug taking advantage of all the elderly folks in town. Between me and you, he even said that someone needed to stop Doug Sloan.”
    I didn’t say anything. I had to talk to Sean and get a firsthand account. But one question hadn’t been answered. Why was Doug dead in my shop?
    “Marlene, weren’t you supposed meet him here last night?” I had to throw it out there. Let’s face it. Marlene blew into Swanee without telling us much about her past. Somehow, she had talked Agnes, our octogenarian Diva friend, into hiring her as her caregiver without showing any credentials. Agnes might be a couple cups of crazy, but she always knew where her money was. I couldn’t imagine someone putting one over on Agnes.
    Marlene’s eyes narrowed and her mouth pursed. “Holly Harper, are you accusing me of killing Doug Sloan?”
    “Just asking.” I put my hands up in front of me in case her nails felt the need to claw something. “He was found dead in my business, and it wasn’t a secret you’ve been trying to land him since the day you laid your cosmetically implanted lashes on him.”
    I’m not sure how old Marlene was, and couldn’t guess. Everything she had was enhanced, and not by God himself.
    I took a closer look at those eyelashes. I’d never heard of anything like it until she told the Divas about her eyelash implant surgery and the money she spent on it.
    “I’ll admit he was a challenge, but I’d never kill for a man to love me. What sense does that make? I need him alive! I’m going home. I have a headache. Let me know when the next Diva meeting is.” She tossed her pink bag over her shoulder and slammed the door behind her.
    It was probably all the gum chomping that was rattling her brain making it hurt, but she was good at leaving when a situation became sticky. Like the first time she met Ginger Sloan Rush, my best friend and Doug’s older sister. Ginger could spot a phony in a second, and it was clear she had her doubts about Marlene and had practically given her a grand inquisition.
    If it weren’t for Ginger, the Divas would’ve never known Marlene was a wealthy widow, even though she never told us how her previous husband died. When we asked, her lips pinched tighter than bark on a tree.
    I looked out the window and watched Marlene strut down Main Street toward Agnes Pearl’s house, which happened to be right next to Ginger’s house. Agnes Pearl was going to get a visit from me very soon.
    But first, there were a couple of phone calls I needed to make. I dialed.
    “Bernadine, it’s me.” I glanced around to make sure no one was listening, even though I knew there wasn’t anyone in the shop. Obviously I couldn’t be too careful now-a-days. I cupped my hand over the handset and spoke softly, “Be at my house in fifteen minutes. Emergency meeting. Call the Divas.”
    Without a word, Bernadine knew exactly what I meant. I hung up the phone.
    “Come on, girl.” I yelled for Willow. When she came waddling in the shop from the back, I bent down and clipped her leash to her collar. I glanced around at what was once a sparkly, shiny bead shop, and frowned.
    One thing I was sure of, Doug Sloan was found dead in my shop and no one was coming forward to admit to killing him. I had a sneaky suspicion that I was being set up, but by whom?
    It was going to be up to the Divas and me to find out.

Chapter Four
     
    Jim Rush’s truck was backed up to the barn behind my house when I got home. It wasn’t unusual for him to be there about that time, but it seemed a little odd today, considering Doug’s murder. Then again, Ginger and Jim owned the property and the cottage that I was living in. They used the barn to store extra equipment for Sloan’s Hardware, another company Ginger’s family owned in Swanee, and Jim was the manager.
    I craned my neck to see inside the open barn door. I’d never been inside since it was off