Murder Under the Italian Moon Read Online Free PDF Page B

longer. No answer.
    Discouraged, and a little angry, I walked down the front path. The neighbor across the street, armed with a straw hat, gloves and gardening tools, appeared absorbed in her work. Or was she?
    Mrs. Snoopy, Ruby called her.
    "Hell, I know there's one in every neighborhood," Ruby used to say, "but must she live across the street from me?"
    I walked over. "Hi there. I'm Lella York, Ruby's friend."
    "How are you? We met at the Russells' housewarming party, remember? Poor Tom. What a terrible way to go." She stopped to take a breath.
    I nodded.
     "Of course, I had the feeling something wasn't right, especially after the incident with the Jeep."
    "What incident?"
    "You don't know? Come to think of it, I haven't seen you around lately. Not before yesterday." She stopped.
    So she had been keeping an eye on the house.
    "I was out of the country on vacation."
    She shrugged. "Never could understand why a little person like her would drive that big car in the first place. Anyhow, they'd just gotten one of those gadgets. You push a button on your garage opener and all your lights come on or go out. In the house, I mean."
    I hoped I looked fascinated by her story.
    "Sears installed it a week ago. The night before she killed—I mean, before the accidental shooting, she got home very late. I happened to be walking Gigi, my French poodle. Right when she came around the curb, Ruby, I mean, must have pushed the wrong button because the house went completely dark." Mrs. Snoopy removed her wide-brimmed hat and paused. I was impatient for her to get back to the story. She seemed to enjoy herself too much.
    I nodded and sighed. It must have been what she wanted to see, because she resumed her storytelling.
    "Ruby finally managed to get the garage door open. I bet she pressed every button on the remote. I could see her shaking it. And then, as the garage door closed, a crash reverberated and the house went dark again. Tom came out the front door in his slippers and robe, looking puzzled. He asked me what had happened. Can you imagine?" She laughed a short, forced laugh. "It turned out Ruby pushed more than one wrong button. She closed the garage door and at the same time, the back gate of the Jeep swung open. I'm not sure how she did it, but the car door got jammed into the garage door and they couldn't move one without damaging the other. Tom finally managed to get the garage closed, but I bet the Jeep is still that way, stuck to the garage door."
    "Are you saying Ruby's Jeep is in the garage and can't be moved?"
    "I'm sure Tom would have taken care of it if he hadn't been killed. And you know how Ruby is."
    Sure, Ruby still got confused sometimes, but she wasn't scatterbrained like this woman implied.
    "By the way, do you know where Ruby is? I've been trying to reach her."
    "No. I can't say I do. Then again, I'm not spending my time checking on the neighbors."
    Right!
    "This morning a realtor came to put up the FOR SALE sign."
    I nodded. "I imagine the police questioned you."
    "Oh, yes, they did. I don't know what for. They ruled Tom's death an accident. Though, by all accounts, Ruby's running around like nothing happened." She avoided my eyes.
    "Did you speak to Lieutenant Devin?"
    "Who?"
    "Never mind. I'd better get going. If you see Ruby, can you tell her I've been trying to get in touch?"
    "Sure. Have you tried calling her?"
    "Her phone seems to be out of order."
    "It is?"
    "I'll let you get back to your garden. Goodbye."
    When I got to my car, I jotted down the real estate company's phone number. I watched Mrs. Snoopy hurrying inside. Dying to share the latest gossip with the rest of her garden club? I didn't even remember her name.
    Where could Ruby be? Sure, she didn't try to control her impulsive nature. However, this was way past that. This was—I didn't want to fill in the blanks, didn't want to face the impending truth. Was she really losing it? Time to stop that kind of nonsense and pay attention to my driving.