Progressive Dinner Deadly: Myrtle #2

Chapter Thirteen

"What I don't understand," said Red, "is why she murdered her sister at all. Sure, they had the odd argument, but nothing to commit murder over." 

"All of the arguments had a common theme," pointed out Myrtle. "Cullen. Willow thought Jill needed to leave him. She was sure that Cullen was abusing her sister, not to mention making her work two jobs while he did nothing." 

Perkins nodded. "So you think she planned on killing Cullen that night." 

"I don't think she planned to do anything. I think she went over to Jill's house to leave a vegetarian dish there that she could eat." 

"So," said Myrtle, "she entered the house. Jill and Cullen were there. They were probably arguing. Jill wasn't happy that Cullen didn't pick up the phone when she only wanted him to stir the barbeque and check on the food. Maybe Jill discovered that Cullen was having an affair with Sherry...Sherry left Miles's house early and Jill could have seen Cullen leaving Sherry's house when she was on her way home. They argued. We know Cullen was drunk and in a bad temper. It could have gotten violent." 

"But," said Red, "everyone said that Cullen was passed out in the back of the house when they came over." 

"True. He probably passed out at some point during the argument with Jill. Or maybe Jill clobbered him for a change. Either way, Willow heard a fight. And she decided, on the spur of the moment, to defend her sister. She picked up the cast iron skillet with my cute rooster oven mitts," noted Myrtle with some lingering irritation, "and swung as soon as the kitchen door opened." 

"But it wasn't Cullen," said Red. 

"No. And Willow must have been horrified at her mistake. But she had to act fast. She made sure that Cullen hadn't seen or heard anything. Then she realized she couldn't be gone too long from the party, so she hurried back to Miles's house." 

Miles said thoughtfully, "In sort of a wildly colored outfit." 

"But maybe it wasn't wildly colored," said Myrtle. "Maybe it had blood splattered on it. With those print dresses she wears, it can be hard to tell." 

"And she left pretty abruptly," noted Miles. 

"She used the drink tray spilling as an excuse to go change. She was going to be the hostess at the next house. She needed to change her clothes and make sure no one suspected anything," said Myrtle. She paused. "I actually noticed my rooster oven mitts when I was in her kitchen looking for iced tea. They looked out of place to me in her new age kitchen, but I never dreamed they actually were mine. But it clicked into place when I saw the mitts she wore when she brought me the casserole today. They were these 60s-inspired tie dye looking things. Not kitschy roosters."  

"And she's been trying to cover it all up since then," said Perkins. "It's a wonder she didn't try to pin it all on Cullen." 

"She did!" said Myrtle. "But of course no one took her really seriously. We all knew she couldn't stand him. But Cullen was passed out, after all. He didn't seem to be faking it. Which was actually a fairly good alibi." 

Red stood up. "I'd better run-I need to go get Willow processed through the system." He stooped and gave Myrtle an unexpected kiss on the cheek. "Good job, Mama." 

Myrtle beamed. "And good job to you for wrestling that homicidal maniac." 

"You were actually doing all right on your own. That was quick thinking with slinging the poisoned casserole." Red turned to Miles. "Thanks again for providing us with a place to unwind. And the coffee." 

Lieutenant Perkins followed Red out the door, talking with him about the case as they went. Miles, who had been looking uncomfortably underdressed in his sweat suit, cleared his throat and said, "You know, Myrtle, I think I'm ready to hit the sack. Actually, I was already in bed-mode when Red called." 

"Sorry," said Myrtle. She looked around for a clock and saw that it was eleven o'clock. "I guess time flies during life and death struggles." She sighed. "I guess half the town will be out milling in the street to see all the action."  

They peeked out the door with caution and saw a deserted street. "Where are all the spectators?" demanded Myrtle. "Doesn't anyone realize what was going on here?" 

"Apparently not," said Miles. "But think about it....there were no sirens or blue lights. Red just ran across the street and then walked back across with Willow to put her in the car. And Lieutenant Perkins probably drove in quietly. There's no murder so there's not a huge forensics team taking pictures or roping the place off. There are probably just a couple of people over there collecting evidence to use against Willow." 

"I guess I'll need to keep out of their way," said Myrtle. "Which won't be hard since I'm going directly to bed. Today is finally catching up with me." 

Miles walked her home and inside her house. The two officers inside just motioned which area to keep away from and Myrtle headed off to bed. "Just lock the door behind you," said Myrtle. "Although I guess it's not so dangerous anymore."

"Progressive Dinner Deadly" and other Myrtle Clover mysteries are available in ebook, audio, and print formats from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and other retailers. I'll post a chapter each Friday, but if you can't wait, please visit one of the listed retailers for the completed book. Follow me on Twitter (elizabethscraig), sign up for my newsletter, or visit my website at Elizabethspanncraig.com for more information. I'll update Wattpad on Fridays. Hope you'll enjoy the book.