Ornamental Danger: a holiday short story (Working Stiff Mysteries) Read Free Page A

the side in cautious disbelief.
    "I was simply going to tell you that I was sorry to hear about the Glitter Queen thing."
    Now I was the one not smiling. "Ugh. I was not prepared for that news at all."
    "Yeah, I had to do it two years ago. Frankly, we are running out of people to saddle with it."
    I sighed and then turned to investigate the fridge for possible mood-lifting snacks.
    "Well, thanks for nothing. To have Allyson Harlow come out to the What's-Worth and deliver the news was a nice touch."
    Sundae sat at the table and propped her elbows on it, pressing her chin into her hands. "That wasn't my idea. She insisted. She's such a you know what. "
    I giggled internally. Sundae was big on the "not using bad words" thing after her mother had named her after the holiest day of the week. Well, that's what she told people anyway. I'd always thought she'd been named after a certain delicious sugary ice cream snack but didn't want to argue the semantics.
    I extracted a tomato, the mayonnaise, some lettuce, and a package of bacon and set to work making a mid-afternoon snack.
    "You want one?" I gestured to my ingredients.
    "No thanks. I'm on a diet." Sundae sat up straighter, as if the mention of a diet required that she suck in her stomach and practice good posture.
    "I don't know why. You look awesome as you are." I said it, and I meant it. Sundae was adorable.
    "Ha. Thanks but no thanks. I have to fit into my formal dress for the Festival. All the past Queens have to come up on stage when you award the trophy, and I plan to wear the one that I wore three years ago. There is no way this belly pooch is going to keep me from getting into it."
    I nodded and set to work heating up a frying pan for my bacon. Changing the subject, I asked, "So, how is that you are watching Paget this afternoon?"
    "Oh, Ms. Lanier said she had an appointment down at the police station. Something about finding poor Ms. Strength. That is terribly sad news. She was a pillow of the community."
    I bit my lower lip. "I think you mean, pillar of the community."
    Sundae seemed to consider my words. "Well, I never understood the saying anyway. It is just something I've heard at funerals and all. Anyway, it is always a blast to hang out with Paget. She goes on and on about that Adam Owens kid. You know—his mother is in the running for that Mistletoe trophy this year. I'm sure she'll be bringing by some bribery sweets for you any minute."
    As if on cue, the doorbell rang.
    We both turned to look in the direction of the front door. No one ever used the front door. Anyone in town who knew my Aunt Patty knew that we always use the side door through the kitchen.
    I rubbed my hands on the worn yellow towel by the sink and turned down the sizzling bacon before I made my way to the door.
    Opening it, I was greeted by an enormous flower arrangement. And by enormous, I mean…
    "Good Lord, I've never seen anything that big outside of a graveside service!" Sundae's comment from behind me said it all.
    The large, but rather hideous display of white and pink carnations buried the slender teen who was struggling to keep it upright.
    "These are for Mandy Murrin…" his muffled voice reached me a moment later.
    "Well, why don't you just set those down on the porch?" I reached forward and helped him to lower the arrangement to the ground.
    He looked relieved as he fished into his back pocket for a small pad of paper. "Thank you ma'am. Can I just get you to sign for these?"
    "Who are these from?" I asked as I reached for the pad of paper and studied the sender's column.
    He seemed out of breath and extracted an inhaler from his front pocket.
    "Are you okay?" I reached for his arm to steady him as he began to wheeze.
    He took two puffs from the inhaler, and then the color seemed to return to his face. "Sorry, allergies act up from time to time."
    "If you have allergies and asthma, you probably shouldn't be delivering flowers." The doctor inside of me couldn't help but come out from