Mahjonged (An Alex Harris Mystery) Read Online Free PDF Page A

impatient and hugging herself as the temperature in the old house dipped despite the blazing fire.
    “Can you please just send someone out? Yes, I’ll make sure no one touches anything. Yes, I’ll keep everyone out. What? Yes, there are fourteen other people in the house. Well, we were all playing mahjong. What? It’s a game. Of Chinese origin. You play with little tiles. Kind of like rummy but more fun.” Sam gave me a look over her candle. “Okay, sorry. You will be quick, won’t you? Yes, thank you.” I hung up.
    “So are they coming?” Mary-Beth asked.
    “As soon as they can. Which may not be for several more hours,” I said wearily.
    “Hours?” Connie Cabrizzi said from her position by the fire.
    “Everyone, please, let’s just stay calm and let’s all stay together. There’s cake and pie and hot coffee. And I think I’ll go heat up more soup and cut some bread.”
    I looked around the room. Connie stood by the fire. My mom, sister and Millie sat on one side of my sectional sofa. Meme, Mrs. Haddock, Theresa, and Mia sat on the other. Judith was sitting on the hearth, and Liz and Jean each sat on a cozy chair. Dorothy and Mary-Beth sat at the dining room table.
    My sister got up and came to stand by me.
    “I just can’t believe this is happening and in my own home.” I moaned.
    “Well, I think you have an even bigger problem than a dead body in your library.”
    “Oh, yeah?” I said to my sister, thinking I really needed a dose of M&Ms. “Would you mind telling me what that problem is?”
    “You’ve got a dead body in your library. And,” Sam said, pausing for effect, “a murderer in your living room.”

 
     
     

CHAPTER NINE
     
     
    My sister was right of course. In all the panic at finding Penelope dead, I completely overlooked the fact that one of us must have killed her. This thought was going to dawn on everyone soon and then what? Mass panic? Another murder? Why did I have to invite everyone over to my house? I was tempted to tell them all to go home. Get them all out before whoever it was who had killed Penelope struck again, but I knew I couldn’t let anyone leave and so far no one had asked to go. True, Mildred’s Creek was washed out, but there was always the other, longer way out of the community unless that route as well had been closed. I decided on the spot no one should be left alone. We would all stick together in groups.
    “Okay, everyone, listen up. I’m sure the police will want to talk with all of us and who knows when they’ll get here, so I think it best if we all stay in the living room and dining room area. If anyone needs to go into the kitchen or use the restroom, then you should take a couple of people along with you,” I said assuming a camp counselor tone.
    “What a good idea, honey,” Meme said. “Theresa and Frances and I will stick together at all times.” I looked at the three women sitting on my sofa and was pretty sure I could scratch each of them off the list of possible suspects. But then you never knew. My grandmother played with Penelope earlier in the evening and Penelope had won twice. Meme sure liked to win but I couldn’t see her sticking a cake knife in the woman’s back over a dollar. What was I thinking? I quickly shook the thought out of my head.
    “Connie, Millie, can you help me get some blankets and pillows from upstairs?” Connie and Millie stood up and the three of us went upstairs and brought down every blanket and pillow I could find. I also grabbed a bunch of warm socks in case anyone wanted to kick off their shoes. Millie and Sam helped me bring in two more chairs I kept in a little TV room off the kitchen.
    “Well, we might as well make ourselves comfortable. It’s going to be a long night,” Jean said, as she took a blanket from the pile and positioned herself at one end of the sofa.
    “Millie, could you give me a ride home?” Mia asked.
    “I’m sorry, Mia. The police said to keep everyone here. They’ll want