The Tail of the Tip-Off Read Online Free Page B

and you believe in karma?”
Tucker feigned shock as Harry closed the door, started the engine and the heater.
    â€œYou all are so talkative. Must have missed me.” Harry smiled.
    â€œWe're having a religious discussion,”
Pewter answered.
“Can you believe in ideas from different religions?”
    â€œNo, that's what Tucker's talking about. Probably suffering a spasm of guilt after eating so many communion wafers. Dogs are such pigs.”
Mrs. Murphy paused.
“I said
‘karma'
because Fred Forrest will sow what he has reaped.”
    â€œShe must be a very Holy Dog.”
Pewter leaned against the corgi.

3
    T he snow fell steadily but roads were passable the next day thanks to the new yellow snowplows the state had purchased. The major arteries had multiple plows continually pushing the snow off into ever-growing banks. Even the smaller roads like Routes 250 and 240, the main roads into Crozet, had at least one major machine keeping them clear.
    Then, too, just about everyone out in the country owned a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It was folly not to have one. Those huge gas-guzzling boats so out of place in the city were a godsend in the country.
    Rob Collier, delivering the mail sacks from the main post office on Route 29 in Charlottesville, stamped his feet. “Not bad.”
    Harry glanced up at the big clock, which read seven-thirty.
    â€œHello!” Miranda breezed in through the back door. “Rob, you're out bright and early.”
    â€œI always am. Hey, I hear you all may be getting a new building.”
    Miranda waved him off. “I've heard that since 1952.”
    â€œMight do it this time. You girls are getting cramped in here.” He tipped his baseball hat and left.
    â€œThat would be nice, a bigger place to play in,”
Mrs. Murphy thought.
    â€œLeave well enough alone. Why spend the money?”
Tucker replied.
    â€œBecause the way human government works is they have to spend the money, otherwise they'll squander it somewhere else. Talk about stupid. Every department has its budget and the money has to be spent. Humans are crazy,”
said Pewter.
    As if picking up on Pewter's sentiment about humans being crazy, Harry pulled the mailbags back behind the mailboxes. “Did Josef tell Tracy about what happened in the parking lot?”
    â€œIndeed he did. What's the matter with Fred? There's no call for acting like that.”
    â€œYou should have seen H.H. and Matthew when he threatened to take it out on them. And every other word out of his mouth was ‘asshole.' I couldn't believe it.” Harry's voice rose.
    â€œWasn't it a good game, though?”
    â€œBetter if we'd won.” Harry flipped up the divider in the counter between the public area and the work area. “Look at it come down. I think it's going to be a bigger storm than the weatherman says.”
    â€œHave you ever noticed once we get on the other side of New Year's the weather does change? Winter.”
    â€œYeah. Well, the chores have to get done no matter what the weather. God bless the person who invented thermal underwear.”
    â€œIt's my feet and hands that get cold. I just hate that.” Miranda rubbed her hands together.
    The main topics of conversation for the morning were the weather and the basketball game.
    Big Mim opened the door at eleven. “I'm late. Did I miss anything?”
    She usually appeared when the doors opened in the morning.
    â€œNo. Weather and b-ball. That's the buzz.” Harry leaned over the counter.
    Behind her the cats slept on the chair at the small kitchen table. Tucker was curled up on her big beanbag.
    â€œIt's just us girls.” Mim sounded conspiratorial. “Tell me, what do you think about my daughter dating Blair?”
    â€œUh,” Harry stalled.
    â€œIt's wonderful.” Miranda came up next to Harry. “Mim, dear, how about a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate?”
    â€œNo, thanks. I want to run