1 A Small Case of Murder Read Online Free PDF

register before further enraging their customer by stating, “That will be forty-six, ninety-eight.”
    Bridgette shouted, “What?”
    Jan repeated the amount of the prescription in a calm tone.
    “I have insurance.”
    “I’m afraid your insurance doesn’t cover this prescription, m’am. I confirmed it myself, Mrs. Poole.” Jan offered her the phone. “If you would like to call the insurance company, you’re welcome to use our phone.”
    Grumbling, Bridgette dug her checkbook out of her purse and wrote a check. “Never mind. I’ll pay you. It’s obvious that you need the money more than I do.”
    Jan retaliated, “It isn’t because we need the money, Mrs. Poole. It’s because your insurance doesn’t cover elective drugs. But I must say that this ointment has done a wonderful job in erasing your frown lines.”
    Bridgette slapped the check onto the counter, grabbed the bag containing her prescription, turned to leave, and collided with Joshua.
    Like the changing of a dead light bulb, Bridgette’s arrogance was replaced with congeniality. “Josh?”
    Embarrassed to acknowledge knowing the unpleasant customer, Joshua murmured a greeting.
    A smile came to her lips. “Visiting the old homestead, huh?”
    “Moving back into the old homestead.”
    While Bridgette stood her ground to keep his attention, Donny asked Beth if they had time to fill the order for his inhaler. Joshua saw the druggist’s hand tremble when she took the insurance card he held out to her. 
    “I heard Jan call you Poole.” Joshua divided his attention between Bridgette and Beth, who was inputting his insurance information into her database. “I guess you married Hal.”
    “Yeah, I married him,” Bridgette replied. “He handles the church’s public relations. I manage our finances.”
    “I’m not surprised you two kids got married. I remember in school how Hal followed you around like a lost puppy.”
    “He’s still devoted.” Her grin was like that of a predator as she admired Joshua’s firm body. “I heard you got married. Are you divorced?”
    “She passed away. It’s me and the kids now.” Joshua gestured towards Donny, who had returned to his father’s side after having completed their business.
    Bridgette’s smile contorted at the sight of the boy. “How sweet.” Seeming to recall why she was in such a hurry. “I have to go. I have a breakfast meeting at the club.” With a wave of her hand, Bridgette flew up the aisle and out the door.
    “Some people never change,” Joshua muttered before turning his attention to his son. “Ready to go?”
    “To McDonald’s,” Donny answered. “I’m hungry.”
    Joshua squeezed his shoulder while ushering him towards the door. “I could go for a sandwich myself.”
    Donny asked along the way. “Who was that witch, Dad?”
    “Believe it or not, that was Reverend Rawlings’ daughter.”
    “She didn’t look like any pastor’s kids I’ve ever known.”

Joshua had hoped to return home to find empty moving boxes piled up on the front porch. Instead, the boxes were slightly less filled and repositioned from one room to another.
    The twins and their sisters were concealed behind stacks of law books that had yet to be shelved in the built-in bookcases in the study. Murphy manned his laptop.
    “What are you doing?” Joshua demanded to know. “I gave you jobs to do and you’re playing computer games?”
    “We’re taking a break,” Sarah explained. “We’ve been working ever since Donny woke us up with his crisis this morning.”
    “We found Rick Pendleton,” J.J. said.
    Joshua’s heart dropped into his stomach.
    After Tad’s reminder of his status as a single parent, Joshua had dropped the issue of the letter. Lulu Jefferson had died of a drug overdose; the body in the letter wasn’t a matter of official record; and Reverend Rawlings wasn’t someone anyone wanted for an enemy.
    “Why are you looking for Rick Pendleton?” Joshua asked.
    Murphy replied,