Mahjonged (An Alex Harris Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

to talk with all of us and besides, it’s too dangerous out there to drive,” I said.
    “I think it’s too dangerous in here,” Mia said with panic in her voice. “Doesn’t anyone realize if there’s a dead body in there,” she pointed toward the direction of the library, “then there must be a murderer in here?”
    All eyes turned to Mia. There it was. Out in the open. I could almost feel a stampede starting.
    “Calm down, everyone. That’s not necessarily so,” I said, knowing how stupid it sounded.
    “Oh, really?” Liz asked. “Someone just happened to walk by when the lights went out and came in and killed Penelope?”
    I put my hands on my hips and hung my head, slowly shaking it back and forth. “Okay,” I began, looking up at all the expectant faces around the room. “It certainly seems farfetched, but right now we really don’t know what happened. We’re just going to have to wait for the police to arrive.”
    “Please, everyone. Let’s just stay calm,” Mom said, coming to my side and giving me a reassuring smile. “Alex, I think we need that hot soup and some bread.”
    Sam and I followed my mom into the kitchen.
    “Thanks, Mom. All hell was about to break loose.”
    “Do you think Liz is right?” Sam asked.
    “That someone just happened by?” I looked at my sister like she was an idiot knowing full well she was anything but. I guess we were all just grasping at straws trying not to admit the obvious—someone in my house was a cold-blooded killer.

 
     
     

CHAPTER TEN
     
     
    The kitchen door swung open and my grandmother walked in. “How’s that soup coming, honey? The natives are getting restless out there. Liz is looking at Mia funny.”
    “That’s understandable. Mia did accuse her of killing her father,” I said, as I cut up some bread and placed it in a basket.”
    “No. I think Liz is thinking Mia killed Penelope,” Meme said.
    I started to cut chunks of butter when I stopped. “Why would Mia kill Penelope? That doesn’t make any sense.”
    “They both had red on,” Meme looked pointedly at me.
    “I have red on,” Mom piped up from where she stood stirring the soup.
    “Then I guess you’re lucky, Mable, she didn’t accidentally kill you,” Meme said.
    “That’s not funny, Mother,” Mom said to Meme.
    “It wasn’t supposed to be. You’ve always looked lovely in red, Mable, but today wasn’t the day to wear it.” Meme turned and walked out of the kitchen.
    I pulled the lid off of the candy jar and grabbed a handful of M&Ms, slowly popping them into my mouth, one by one.
    “What’s that look?” Sam said, coming to stand by me. “I can see the wheels turning. What are you thinking?”
    “Okay. So the lights go out and Mia just can’t take it any longer knowing the person responsible for her father’s death is in the same room. She grabs the knife and slowly creeps to the table, all her anguish boiling up inside her. She pulls the knife back and then WHAM! Plunges it into the back of Penny thinking it was Liz.” I gave my sister a knowing look and popped another candy into my mouth.
    “Give me those.” Samantha pried open my hand and grabbed the candy. “And it’s Penelope. Why can’t you get her name right?” She looked down at the confiscated chocolate and absently popped one into her mouth. “I can’t believe Mia would kill Penelope. She’s just a kid.”
    “She’s Millie’s age, and have you read the paper lately? Kids kill all the time.” I shook my head at this sad state of the world.
    Mom grabbed a potholder and took the pot off of the stove. “It could have happened like Meme said. It was dark, she got mixed up. And what other reason would there be to kill Penelope except she was mistaken for Liz? Come on, let’s take this food out.”
    Sam and I followed my mother out to the dining room. Mom placed the pan of hot soup on the potholder and began to ladle out portions in the bowls my sister took out of the hutch. I placed the