A Body in the Trunk : Myrtle Clover Book 12

Chapter Five

Myrtle found it very surprising that Wanda would have things to give away. She seemed much more likely to be on the recipient end of things than the donor side. Was she giving away some of the hubcaps off the house? Parts of one of the vehicles up on cinder blocks in their yard? "That's very thoughtful and generous of you, Wanda. I'll let Miles know that we need to swing by and pick up your things."

"Tryin' to declutter," rasped Wanda. "Pretty tough since Dan is somethin' of a hoarder."

Dan was something, all right. Myrtle just hadn't yet put her finger on what that something was. "I'm sure it is. But you know you'll feel so much better when you have a little bit more room to stretch out over there. My place isn't very big either, and I really have to stay on top of what's here. If I bring something in, then something else needs to go out."

Wanda appeared to be pondering this statement with a lot more thought than Myrtle had intended. "Something in, something out," she muttered.

"That's right. Okay, well, I'll get Miles going and we'll be over there soon." Myrtle hung up the phone. She hoped that Dusty would be done with the mowing soon since she wasn't of a mind to let Puddin hang out at her house alone any longer. Who knows what she might find to eat next?

Twenty-five minutes later, Miles was driving Myrtle down the old rural highway to Crazy Dan and Wanda's house.

Miles said in a gloomy tone, "I thought the car was packed with just your stuff for the Goodwill. Next thing I know, Dusty is loading Clara Albert's things into the trunk. Now we're picking up Wanda's castoffs?"

"Oh, don't whine. There's plenty of room," said Myrtle.

"Plenty of room if you don't mind holding junk on your lap. And I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out what Wanda might have to give away," said Miles with a slight shudder.

"They have plenty of things over at that house! Crazy Dan has junk stacked all over the floor in heaps!"

"Yes, but is it the kind of stuff the Goodwill will welcome with open arms? I seem to recall lots of laundry that needed mending and broken crystal balls. Hardly things you'll find at even the most wretched of Goodwill stores," said Miles.

Myrtle said, "The point is, Miles, that Wanda is making improvements in her life. Think of all the progress she's made. She has a regular job, for one."

"If writing horoscopes can be considered gainful employment."

"It certainly is! She's a newspaper employee and her work is very popular with the town. What's more, she's finally stopped smoking," said Myrtle.

"Although everything in the house still smells strongly of smoke," added Miles.

"You're quite the pessimist today, Miles. Focus on the positives: the job, quitting smoking, and cleaning up. These are good changes," said Myrtle. She turned slightly in her seat. "What's this in the backseat?"

Miles colored a little. "It's really nothing. I had this houseplant that I didn't really have a good spot for. I thought maybe, if Wanda was cleaning up, that she might want something purely decorative in her house for once."

Myrtle smiled. "I knew you have a soft spot for your cousin, no matter what you say."

Miles flinched, as usual, when Myrtle reminded him that, by a strange fluke, he and Wanda and Crazy Dan were related.

Miles pulled into Wanda and Crazy Dan's driveway.

"Even the yard looks better," said Myrtle, critically surveying the expanse of red dirt. "There are still five or six cars up on cinder blocks, but the car parts aren't scattered everywhere. And they've gotten rid of the used tires in the yard." She frowned. "Wait. Is there someone sitting in that car?"