Murder of a Cranky Catnapper Read Online Free PDF

could swear like a drunken sailor, but she couldn’t. “The boys in my fourth grade group haven’t been making much progress with their issues, so when I read about Dr. Quillen’s animal assistance therapy in the
Scumble River Star
, I wanted to give it a try.”
    â€œYou got all your ducks in a row, right?” Charlie puckered his brow. “Caroline and the school lawyer signed off and so did the parents?”
    â€œYes. And the insurance agent said we were covered, as well.”
    â€œGood. You make sure you document everything.” Charlie tapped the side of his nose with his finger. “And from now on, copy me on your reports.”
    â€œGot it. More paperwork, just what the job of school psych needs.” Groaning, Skye leaned her forearmsagainst the counter. “Does anyone believe Lynch about the wolves? You know it was just a dog, right?”
    â€œI told the idiots Lynch was exaggerating, but some of them are too stupid to think for themselves.” Charlie rolled his eyes and folded his hands over his enormous stomach. “Which is why I gotta think for them. Otherwise this town would go to hell in a handbasket.”
    â€œAnd that brings me to why I’m here.” Skye lowered her voice. “Is there any chance that Mr. Lynch will beat you out for board president?”
    â€œHell, no!” Charlie boomed. “What would make you ask a question like that? He’s got a few members stirred up, that’s all.”
    â€œStirred up how?” Skye’s gaze followed Charlie’s hand as he nonchalantly slid a stack of papers into his desk drawer and locked it.
    â€œThe thing is, Lynch is a tricky bastard.” Charlie picked up the cigar from the ashtray and ran it longingly between his fingers. “He’s real good at innuendo and poking at folks’ weak spots.”
    â€œAnd he’s doing that with you. Making insinuations?” Skye said. When Charlie nodded, she asked, “Did he bring up your gambling problem?”
    Seven or eight years ago, Charlie had gotten in a little over his head with the riverboat casinos in the area. Luckily, he’d been able to pay off his debts with an unexpected inheritance and now he was supposed to be going to Gamblers Anonymous, but Skye knew that he still played poker with friends. Had his participation in his weekly game caused him to spin out of control again?
    â€œSkye, honey, if you think there isn’t a person in Scumble River who doesn’t know every last detail of my past problem with the casinos, then your pregnancy hormones are taking over. There are no secrets here.”
    â€œTrue.” Skye frowned. Charlie wasn’t telling her something. “So what
is
Mr. Lynch doing?”
    â€œNothing that you need to worry about.” Charlie’s expression was stubborn. “Your only job right now is having a healthy baby.”
    â€œHogwash.” Skye tapped her fingernails on the counter. “Spill.”
    Charlie remained silent.
    â€œI’ll just ask someone else.” Skye leaned across the counter and prodded Charlie’s shoulder. “As you just reminded me, there are no secrets in this town.”
    â€œSometimes when you open your mouth, your mother comes out.” Charlie glowered.
    â€œYou sure know how to hurt a girl,” Skye teased, putting her hand on her chest. “That was an arrow right through my heart.”
    â€œMay’s a good woman,” Charlie protested. “She tries to take care of everyone.”
    â€œAnd drives us all nuts doing it,” Skye shot back. Was she getting too much like her mom? Was the baby already changing her?
    â€œYour point?” Charlie raised an eyebrow. “Sounds a lot like you, right?”
    â€œDon’t try to distract me.” Skye ignored her godfather’s disturbing suggestion and said, “For the love of God, just tell me what Mr. Lynch is doing.”
    â€œI’m