Secret Sisters - an LDS cozy mystery

Chapter Six

Chapter Six 

Thank you for coming, sisters," Ida Mae said, bringing the meeting to order. "I don't think we have any old business, do we?" 

Hannah shook her head. 

"All right, then, let's see what's on the agenda for this week." 

Tansy bounced nervously in her chair.  

"Yes, Tansy?" 

"Well, I wasn't supposed to say anything. Ren made me promise, but I just can't hold it in." 

"What does Ren have to do with the workings of the Relief Society?" Ida Mae was exasperated. That foolish boy wasn't still going on about the Dunns, was he? She'd been to the house as promised and found Mary in good spirits. The children seemed happy. The house was warm. What more was there to say or do? 

"Well, more than he'd like," Tansy said. "Is he here? He promised he'd help me explain." 

Ida Mae pulled in a long, deep breath. Tansy felt she needed backup? What on earth . . .  

"Ren?" she called out. "Your accomplice needs you." 

Ren appeared immediately, giving credence to Ida Mae's suspicion that he'd been lurking in the hallway. 

"Just what have you and Tansy been up to?" 

"It's like this," Tansy said, even though she'd clearly indicated she wanted Ren to do the talking. "I called here the other day, and you were out. My car wouldn't start, and I needed a ride to the store. Ren came and got me, and we had a great time. I found a sale on Lofthouse sugar cookies, and I remembered Mary saying one time that her children really liked that brand. I thought we'd take a box out to them." 

"You wanted to spy," Ida Mae interjected, and Arlette clicked her tongue. 

"Okay, so I wanted to spy. That family's situation hasn't been sitting right with me for days now. And Ren came too, so I figured there really wasn't any harm in it." 

"Ren is not your passport to freedom, Tansy," Ida Mae remonstrated. "I'd say he's your ticket to trouble." 

"Aunt Ida Mae, I'm not as bad as all that," Ren piped up. "Let her finish." 

Ida Mae crossed her arms and fixed Tansy with what she thought was a piercing glare. Tansy was unfazed as she proceeded with her tale. 

"We took the cookies in, and the children were so happy to get them. Mary invited us to sit and have a cookie ourselves, along with some milk. And that's . . . when Ren did it." 

"Did what?" A tremor of premonition raced through Ida Mae's veins. Oh, say he didn't. Please do not say he did what I'm afraid he did. 

"He placed a bug in the living room." 

Ida Mae exhaled, her worst fears coming true. "Ren, I cannot believe you did that. Another law broken, another thing I'm going to have to confess-what are you trying to do?" 

"Why did you take a bug to the Dunns'?" Arlette looked confused. "And what kind was it?" 

"A bug is a listening device," Ren explained. 

"I just don't believe it." Arlette's knitting needles flew furiously, orange yarn slithering through her fingers like worms on steroids. "Ida Mae, of all the things . . ." 

"Believe me, I know. Ren, Tansy, how could you do such a thing?" 

"It's like this, Auntie." Ren leaned forward, putting his gangly elbows on his equally gangly knees. "I watched that clip over and over, and I couldn't tell for sure if Nick was happy or mad. I could tell he was excited, but that was all, and I thought, you can be excited because you're happy or because you're mad. I just wanted an answer."