Ed Lynskey - Isabel and Alma Trumbo 03 - The Ladybug Song Read Free Page A

knows? Maybe Sheriff
Fox has seen the light.”
    “Maybe
the moon is made of green cheese,” said Alma.
    “Come
on, Alma,” said Isabel. “Let’s put our best foot forward.”
    “Okay, I
suppose it doesn’t hurt anything to hear what he has to say,” said Alma. “We don’t have to believe him if we suspect he’s up to one of his schemes.”
    “He probably
wonders if Ladybug was murdered instead of drowned,” said Isabel. “That is how
we want him to be thinking about her death.”
    “As
Ladybug’s best friend, Phyllis is also invited,” said Alma.
    “Oh
sure, count me in,” said Phyllis. “I wouldn’t miss this meeting for anything in
the world.”

Chapter 4
     
      At various
times, Sheriff Fox could be in Isabel’s words a “pill.” Alma once remarked to
Isabel he was all right in his place, but it hadn’t been dug. He’d clashed with
the sisters both times they’d taken on solving a murder investigation. In his peace
officer’s heart, Roscoe Fox admitted with begrudging respect he had benefited
from their meddlesome habits.
    They had
not been wrong in figuring out the solution to the two murders and fingering
the guilty perpetrator. How they came to possess this knack and made it look so
effortless stumped him, particularly since the chief law enforcer like him should
have been its recipient. They’d even had newspaper articles published about their
coups, the ink that should have gone to praising his exploits. To the retirees,
it was a hobby, but he could use any publicity he could get to enhance his professional
image.
    Isabel
and Alma were fearless. His huffy threats to slap the handcuffs on them and toss
them into prison failed to slow them down. If he did act on his warning and jail
the sisters, he knew how the townies would react. They’d whip themselves all up
and come after him with their torches and pitchforks. He bemoaned how the
sheriff’s job was an elected instead of an appointed position.
    He was nervous
about losing his comfortable job plus having to give up his cool sheriff cruiser
with its noisy siren. He liked to flip it on in boyish glee while he was tooling
around town. Since the sisters had recently cracked Ray Burl Garner’s homicide
mystery, Sheriff Fox wanted to ask for their aid to ascertain the facts in the
death of Ladybug Miles.
    He knew
Phyllis was going around telling everybody and his uncle that her friend Ladybug
was murdered, and the townies might start believing Phyllis. Furthermore, he
knew she’d gotten Isabel and Alma involved. If they proved Ladybug was murdered,
it made him look incompetent for having called it an accidental drowning. He’d
rather drink ink, but he went ahead and invited Isabel and Alma to his office
where they sat. Phyllis Garner also being there ruffled his feathers.
    “Why did
you bring Phyllis?” he asked. “I did not okay it. This is a private discussion held
between us, and she is not welcome to participate in it.”
    “Roscoe, let
me remind you of something in case you suffer from selective amnesia,” said Alma. “You came to us looking for help.”
    “What
does that have to do with Phyllis being here?” asked Sheriff Fox.
    “We are a
package deal,” replied Alma.
    “I didn’t
sign up for the package deal.” Sheriff Fox sputtered like a flooded carburetor.
“Our meeting is not a coffee klatch to swap our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes.”
    “I’m more
of a bear claws lady than a chocolate chips cookies lady,” said Alma. “By the way, have you got any iced tea?”
    “Do I
look like a waiter?” replied Sheriff Fox. “Now about Phyllis being here—”
    “I’ll
just sit and be quiet as a church mouse,” said Phyllis. “How does that sound,
Sheriff?”
    Isabel
intervened before Sheriff Fox blew off his wing nut. “Being as Phyllis was Ladybug’s
closest friend, I believe Phyllis has lots of useful insights to offer us.”
    “Phyllis
is in to stay, so you better get used to the idea, or the