May Cooler Heads Prevail Read Online Free PDF

throw my hands up in the air in defeat. Although wildly curious as to where Uncle Rudd hid Aaron Scott’s body, I concentrated on what and how to say the right thing that would make my uncle listen to reason. But whatever embryonic thoughts I had forming in my head at the time were loudly interrupted by a knock at the front door.
    Aunt Nissa had the foresight to lean back in her chair and pull a corner of her red gingham curtains up so she could see who was at the front door. “Uh-oh, it’s Sheriff Otis, and he’s in uniform.”
    As soon as Aunt Connie heard who was at the front door, she threw her arms on the kitchen table with her wrists together as if she had on handcuffs and moaned, “He’s come to take me away, Rudd. He’s found my poor Aaron. There’s nothin’ you can do for me now. This here was my last meal, my last morsel of home-cooked food.”
    No one ran to the door to let Otis in right away. Instead, Aunt Nissa jumped out of her chair and put a protective arm around Aunt Connie. Uncle Rudd was busy stuffing his file folder and legal pad into Aunt Nissa’s silverware drawer. And me? I was enjoying the feeling of relief that Sheriff Otis Beecher had come to the rescue.
    “Oh, Rudd,” Aunt Nissa whispered, “you said no one would ever find Aaron’s body. How could Sheriff Otis stumble onto it so soon?”
    “I don’t know what he’s here for, but I seriously doubt hefound that body,” Uncle Rudd answered. “Let’s not panic yet. Nissa, you take Connie and go on upstairs. And stay real quiet, ya hear?”
    Both aunts, arm in arm, obediently headed upstairs.
    Uncle Rudd yelled, “Just a minute” toward the front door then turned to me and said, “Dixie-gal, if you say anything to Otis about this murder, I’ll make sure that none of us ever speak to you again. Not only that, I’ll call your folks and tell them what happened. They won’t be one bit pleased that you brought Otis in on this. Remember, Tanners stick together.”
    That threat might not work in some families, but it does in the Tanner clan. As much as my family exasperated me, I didn’t want to be ostracized. I wanted it to be my idea to move to a deserted island. I’d keep my mouth shut.
    Uncle Rudd and Otis came into the kitchen laughing about something or other. I had personally never seen Otis at work in an official capacity, but I figured if he really knew what my uncle was up to, he wouldn’t find it at all amusing.
    Still smiling, Uncle Rudd gave Otis a little slap on the back. “Have a seat. I’ll get you a cup of coffee. Dixie, you want some more coffee?”
    I nodded, keeping my mouth shut as ordered.
    Otis put his hat on the table and took the chair opposite me. “Hey, Dixie, nice to see you back in town. Still like living in the big city?”
    “Oh yes,” I said. Short answers are almost as good as keeping one’s mouth shut.
    “When did you get into town?”
    “This morning.” I wasn’t too bad at this short answer stuff.
    Otis moved around in his chair until he was sitting sideways and could stretch out. One of the most notable things about our sheriff is that he is six foot, five inches tall, and most of that is legs.
    “Thanks.” Otis nodded as he took the cup from Uncle Rudd. He took a sip then reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small notepad and a pen. “Actually, I’m here on sort of an official visit. I need to ask Connie a few questions, and she wasn’t at her apartment, so I was wondering if she was out here?”
    At that moment we all heard a disturbing thudding noise coming from upstairs. It abruptly stopped, but out of instinct, all three of us looked up.
    Uncle Rudd didn’t acknowledge the interruption. “Well now, Otis, you came to the right place. Connie’s here with us. Has been since last night. But she’s not feeling a bit good. No sir, not a bit good. We thought she could use a little catering to and rest. How official is this visit?”
    Otis shrugged. “I don’t guess