Vintage Whispers (A Cozy Retirement Mystery Book 1) (15 page)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Fifteen

 

Hours later, Pearl, Opal, and Mary Louise returned to the retirement community. Dr. Smalls looked like he was ready to throw the proverbial book at them.

“Good evening, Dr. Smalls.”

“Ladies,” he said, turning to watch someone in the distance. “How was your day?”

“Interesting,” Pearl said. “How about yours?”

“No one died,” he said, indicating Miss Layla.

“She seems different.” Mary Louise noticed Layla’s slow movements and her childlike behavior. She tiptoed through the flower garden, danced around the cherubs, and then sat on a nearby concrete bench with her feet tucked underneath her long yellow gown.

“She’s found some level of contentment in her discontentment, but her spirit guide is troubled,” Dr. Smalls explained. “We go through this every six to eight weeks.”

“Well I’m sorry for any additional problems we may have caused you,” Mary Louise said.

“You sound as if you’ve made up your mind. Are you leaving us at the end of thirty days?”

“We haven’t decided yet,” Pearl said. “With employees like
Nurse
Waterbury, you seldom have vacancies from what I understand. She’s an asset to the community.”

Dr. Smalls laughed. “Don’t tell her. We’ll never get her to stay in the pods if she thinks fellow residents are supporting those shenanigans.” He closed the distance between them. “I hope you decide to stay. Things will be pretty quiet here without you.”

“We caused that much commotion?” Opal asked, seemingly pleased. “We’ve only been here a few days.”

“You created a stir,” he said, pointing at the entrance.

About that time, two local officers escorted Clarence through the front doors. With his hands behind his back, he looked broken and ashamed.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Mary Louise said.

“You think my freedom is lost?” He balked at that. “Samantha was my freedom, my joy. My life ended the day Samantha stopped breathing. Now I don’t care what happens to me.”

Dr. Smalls said, “Maybe one day you’ll return here and finish your work in the garden.”

A sinister expression washed over him. “I doubt that. In these parts, a man doesn’t take another person’s life and go back to living the same as he was before.”

“It isn’t this town, Clarence. No matter where you live, when you kill, you become a killer. When you’re caught, you become a criminal. When you become a criminal, you’re then an outcast. Once you’re an outcast, you’re hated, ridiculed. Death, in whatever form, is then considered too good for you. I’m sorry for you but you know what I hate more than anything?” Pearl looked sad but determined. “I hate that you tainted your wife’s memory. That’s too bad for her and too bad for you.”

Dr. Smalls said, “You should consider joining one of our groups, Pearl. We can always use inspirational speakers. You clearly have a gift for saying the right thing at the right time.”

“Gifts can be deceiving,” Pearl said, tilting her head at Mary Louise. “But I know who would be perfect for your group.”

“Clarence killed the coroner,” Mary Louise whispered, processing rather than asking.

“He admitted it,” Dr. Smalls said. “He’ll receive regular psychiatric evaluations and could be out in ten with good behavior.”

“How sad,” Pearl said. “The coroner won’t return in another decade. Why should Clarence?”

“I think Clarence slipped away a couple of months ago,” Opal said, a faraway look on her face. They all watched as Clarence was stuffed in the back of the police cruiser. 

About that time, the wailing began. Miss Layla jerked one way or another then collapsed to the ground.

“Oh my heavens!” Pearl cried out, rushing toward her. Opal and Mary Louise trailed behind her.

Dr. Smalls stopped them before they made it to the gardens. “She’s fine. You’ll see her at breakfast in the morning.”

Mary Louise waited, watching for any sign of movement. “Are you sure she’s okay?”

“Trust me. We’ve done this a few times.”

Right about then, Miss Layla’s head popped up and she grinned at Mary Louise before planting her nose to the ground again.

“See there? What’d I tell you?”

“So she thrives on the attention,” Mary Louise said.

“Maybe she does,” he said. “But I wish she’d find another way to get it.”

“Perhaps she will.”

It was then when Mary Louise made up her mind. She would convince Opal and Pearl to stay. This wonderful place, even with its cast of crazy characters and the occasional unlikely criminal, could eventually feel like home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

For over a decade, Riley Blake has been a professional ghostwriter, freelancer, and author. A forty-something year old grandmother, Riley loves cooking plant-based meals and searching for new smoothie recipes. She enjoys taking long strolls with her granddaughter and cherishes their time together.

Riley is married to one of the best keyboard players of our time (she is a little biased) and appreciates the fact that her husband is a busy musician. Their time apart makes her cherish their time together, but more importantly it allows for the best of all worlds—independence, family, and a marriage that somehow reached the 26-year mark.

An avid reader and
terrible
painter, Riley enjoys sharing excerpts, news, and freebies with her readers. If you’d like to be added to her mailing list, please send your name, email, and snail mail address to
[email protected]
and please follow her on Twitter @rileyblakebooks

 

Thank you for reading Riley Blake Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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