Designed to Death (A Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

denied the opportunity to witness the hostility.
    “The cops are on their way.” Sierra pulled and pushed Belinda away from Darlene and me.
    “Good.” Darlene muttered from under me. “That thief needs to go to jail.”
    “Thief! How dare you…you…twit!” Hazel charged forward, high heels clacking on the linoleum floor.
    I braced myself for impact. After a frustrated scream, the sound of heels stopped. I turned my head to peek at Hazel. She paced a few feet away, trying to get past my grandmothers who turned themselves into a human barrier.
    The front door yanked open and the bell jerked back and forth, adding a hectic musical track that went well with the current situation of the class morphed into a public brawl. About time. I glanced over to let the police know what happened. It wasn’t the police.
    Standing before me was Gussie Buford and her two brawny sons, Wayne and Wyatt. Gussie stood with feet planted and a take-charge expression engraved on her face. Wayne and Wyatt looked perplexed and hesitant, their usual expression when facing any circumstance.
    “Boys, you get in there and settle those women down.” Gussie pointed to Hazel, Darlene, and then me.
    “I’m not doing anything wrong.” I sat up, still keeping Darlene pressed to the cold floor. “I’m maintaining law and order. Or trying to anyway.”
    Wyatt snorted.
    I launched a glare at him.
    Gussie swatted the back of her son’s head. “If Faith says she’s not part of any wrongdoing, then she’s not. Gentlemen do not…ever …call a lady a liar.”
    “Sorry, ma’am.” Wyatt looked at the ground then peeked at me. The grin on his face said he knew I wasn’t an innocent damsel.
    Normally, I did have some part in creating my own problems but this time, well this instance, was all Darlene.
    “Momma, you said it ain’t right for us to go around manhandling women.” Wayne shifted from foot-to-foot. “And considering one of them is elderly.”
    I winced. Wayne wasn’t the brighter of the two brothers. Hope and Cheryl reddened and stepped back, giving Hazel a clear shot of Wayne.
    Normally, Wyatt and Wayne stuck together like glitter to glue. For better or worse, they were victors together or went down for the count together. Except in this occasion.
    Wyatt—the smarter brother—rushed toward the back of the store, putting plenty of distance between himself, the insulted woman, and his brother.
    I didn’t blame Wyatt one bit.
    Darlene wiggled underneath me, pushing and bucking, trying to throw me off.
    “Stay still.”
    “I can’t breathe right.” She hissed out.
    I didn’t want to smother her. “Okay, I’ll let you sit up, but if you try to stand or crawl, I’ll let Sierra’s boys come over and play cowboys and bank robbers.” A game Harold, Henry, and Howard—the Hooligans—would relish. Darlene would make a mighty fine bronco to tame.
    Sierra flipped open her cell phone. “One button is all I have to push. Hank wouldn’t mind bringing the boys down.”
    “I won’t move,” Darlene said, propping herself off the floor with her elbows, “if you ensure that Belinda doesn’t leave.”
    Seemed like a fair and stupid request. Darlene assaulted Belinda. Why would she want to leave before the police arrived?
    “Fine.” I stood up and dusted off my hands, wishing I got rid of this situation as easily as the small particles of glitter on my palms.
    Belinda shuffled toward the door in her bare feet, pressing a shaking hand to her throat. A neck no longer decorated with the Diva necklace. “I don’t want to stay here. I just want my necklace back.”
    “It’s mine.” Darlene clutched the jewelry in her fist, pressing her hand into her dove gray shirted-cleavage. A sliver of the beaded silver chain trailed from between her index and middle fingers.
    “Let me have the necklace.” I held out my hand.
    Darlene shook her head and glared at Belinda. “It’s mine. I earned it. Not her.”
    Had Darlene lost her