Minnie Crockwell - Will Travel for Trouble 01 - Trouble at Happy Trails Read Online Free PDF Page B

than that, all is well.  
    Stay safe. I’ll talk to you soon.
    Your favorite ex
    As usual, I reread the email over and over. I fell in love with John all over again every time he emailed me, and I couldn’t for the life of me remember why I had left the marriage after less than a year. I inhaled deeply and sighed.
    You are sad, my dear.
    “You didn’t read over my shoulder, did you, Ben?”
    Certainly not! I would not presume to invade your privacy in such a reprehensible manner.
    He sounded offended.
    “I’m sorry, Ben. It’s just the lines between you and me are pretty blurry sometimes. I still don’t know what you can and can’t do, what you can see or hear, and how much of my mind you can read. Heck, I just found out you can taste and smell, albeit through me.”
    I understand, Minerva. My presence must be very unnerving for you. I do try to give you the privacy you need.
    “I know you do, pal.” I closed the computer. “Okay, what’s on the agenda for today? Somehow, a day of touring Spokane seems sedate in comparison to the events of last night. I wonder if a new campground host is showing up today. I think I’ll step outside and reconnoiter.”
    Reconnoiter like spies! Yes, let us!
    I opened the door and stepped down, waiting to close the door as I always did. I approached the road to the rear and looked toward Sally’s trailer. Yellow tape surrounded her rig.  
    “So, big doings last night.”
    My neighbor appeared, coffee cup in hand. He came to stand beside me while we contemplated the police tape.
    “Did you know about this?” he asked.
    “I’m surprised you didn’t hear anything,” I said. “I certainly heard quite the commotion when Sally found her husband. You know he was shot in the head.”
    “I heard he shot himself. You make it sound like someone shot him.”
    “No, I meant shot himself.”  
    I heard a caterwauling from his RV, not unlike that of Sally last night. What on earth? Another cat?
    “Do you have a cat?” I asked.
    He narrowed his eyes and turned to look at the RV. “Nah! That’s the wife. I guess she’s distraught about the affair.”
    “The affair? Do you mean the shooting…or suicide?”
    “Yes, that’s it.”
    “Oh!” Had his wife known Carl? I didn’t dare ask. My neighbor seemed a tad unsympathetic about the whole thing…like Bob, but in a different way.
      “By the way, I’m Minnie Crockwell.” I stuck out my hand. Sometimes, I felt like saying, “and this is…” to introduce Ben, but I always managed to hold back.
    A shining example of good breeding and innate good manners.
    I ignored Ben.
    “Jim Brothers. Pleased to meet you.” He shook my hand. His thin, slender hand was cold to the touch, though the day was warm.
    “So, you didn’t hear anything, huh?”
    “Slept through the whole thing,” he said. “I heard the police were at your place though? Did you see anything?”
    I shook my head. “No, not me. I heard screaming and crying and then Sally wandered by, covered in her husband’s blood. I took her inside and called the police. At first, I think they thought it might be murder, but I think they’ve decided it was suicide. At least, Sally thought so. They let her go.”
    “Where is she now?” He pursed his lips.
    “Oh, her brother was in town, so he came to get her. I’m not sure. They might be at a motel or something. She couldn’t possibly stay in the trailer.” I shuddered.
    “I expect not,” he said flatly.
    I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. Good gravy! He was taking this in stride as if I’d just said “Oh, look, the sprinklers just came on.”  
    Just then, a small nondescript metallic beige sedan pulled up to Sally’s trailer. It was Bob and Sally. Sally stepped out of the car and turned to survey the trailer, clinging to the passenger door as if she were weak. Bob stepped out of the car. Sally turned toward us, and her face crumpled.
    To my surprise, Jim spun around and disappeared around toward the