Miz Scarlet and the Vanishing Visitor (A Scarlet Wilson Mystery) (17 page)

“Well, Miz Scarlet, that depends,” replied the
homicide expert.

“On what?”

“On whether Captain Peacock popped the question
yet.”

“Did he?” That was my mother.

“Hold on, ma’am. I’m trying to interrogate your girl
here. She knows something she’s not telling.”

“I do?”

“Save that phrase for when you march down the aisle,”
Bur advised me.

“You might want to get out your rubber hose and knock
her around a bit, just to get her to cooperate,” Laurel suggested
to the state trooper, her delivery deadpan.

“You’re right. She’s not going down easy.” Larry was
studying me closely, inching closer to my face, even as I shooed
her away.

“Don’t you have a body to check out?” I retorted,
feeling myself in the hot seat. Tony and Maria were laughing.

“The dead guy’s not walking away from the crime scene
any time soon. Now, ‘fess up. Are you two getting hitched or
not?”

“Hitched?” Playing dumb, I went boneless in my chair,
slumping down, hoping they would all just shut up. “Don’t be
silly!”

“Hitched, married, joined together in holy matrimony,
tying the knot, jumping the broom....”

“You’re all jumping the gun,” I fired back, trying to
deflect their interest.

“Are we?” My brother was smirking, enjoying every
twitch I made.

“For the record, not that all you Nosy Parkers are
entitled to an answer, Kenny and I have not discussed the subject
of marriage yet. As a matter of fact, we are not even close to that
point in our relationship.”

“Well, I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say
that, Miz Scarlet. It’s certainly not on the table at the moment,
but we also can’t rule it out as a future option,” said the man at
my side, laughing.

“We can’t?” My heart went pitter-pat.

“
After all, if I’m going to be in
Connecticut full-time, we’ll certainly have a chance to determine
whether our relationship is hot, hot, hot!”

“Does that mean our relationship is hot at the
moment?”

“More like hot, hot,” he corrected me. “And I’m
looking forward to kicking it up a notch.”

“You heard him, folks. Captain Peacock is going to
take my sister off my hands. Amen!”

“Oh, be quiet!” I wagged a warning finger at him
across the table. “That’s not what Kenny just said!”

“Finally a bride, instead of the
eternal bridesmaid. Who would have ever believed little old Scarlet
Wilson, the spinster, would ever be walking down the aisle?”
Why don’t you just jinx it, you bum!

“This from a man who’s been married how many times
now? Is it two or three? I keep forgetting!”

“I’d better get going while the going is good,” said
Larry, standing up, “before there’s a double homicide at the Four
Acorns Inn.”

“If they haven’t killed each other yet, we’re
probably safe,” my mother replied drolly. “These two have a long
history of sibling rivalry.”

“You never know when things might turn deadly,” said
Kenny. “Miz Scarlet still doesn’t know about the time Colonel Grey
Poupon borrowed her tennis racquet just before the tournament
and....”

“Nice going, Captain Peacock!” Bur was easing himself
out of his chair, backing away from the table.

“That was you? You’re the rat who broke my racquet?”
I stood up, incensed. “I can’t believe you sabotaged my tennis
tournament! What a....”

“Talk about looks that can kill,” said Willow.
“You’re a marked man, Bur.”

“Come on, Larry. Our cue to run. Bye, everybody!”

“Colonel Grey Poupon, you beast!” I was on my feet as
he made his escape out the porch door.

“Cover me, copper!” he hollered as he hurried Larry
down the garden path towards the car in the driveway. “My sister’s
armed and dangerous!”

“Don’t you go expecting me to save your butt, Bur
Wilson. Did you really steal your sister’s tennis racquet before
the big tournament and break it?”

“Can’t you run any faster, Larry?”

“In these heels? Get real. And I’m still waiting for
an answer about that tennis racquet, mister!”

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Other books by Sara M. Barton:

Henry Hartman’s Holiday Crisis: An
Off-the-Books Mystery #1

Henry Hartman's Boondoggle Crisis: An
Off-the-Books Mystery #2

Miz Scarlet and the Imposing Imposter: A
Scarlet Wilson Mystery #1

Snow White and the Hunter: A Gabby Grimm
Fairy Tale Mystery #1

Where’s Hansel and Gretel’s Gingerbread
House?: A Gabby Grimm Fairy Tale Mystery #2

Little Red Riding Hood and the Secret Cookie
Recipe: A Gabby Grimm Fairy Tale Mystery #3

Let Slip the Dogs of War: A Bard’s Bed &
Breakfast Mystery #1

A Plague O’ Both Your Houses: A Bard’s Bed
& Breakfast Mystery #2

Run for Your Life, Riley Horton! A Tell No
One Mystery #1

What Evil Lurks in Monet’s Pond? A Paint an
Impression of Murder Mystery #1