Perplexity on P1/2 (Parson's Cove Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF Page A

as I knew she would be out of sight, I went out the same door, locked it and walked in the opposite direction. I knew where the body would be.
         I edged along the wall of our small brick county courthouse and peeked around the corner. The parking lot for the Parson’s Cove hospital was directly across the street. If I wanted to get into the county morgue, I’d have to somehow get across that wide parking lot and enter the back door of the hospital. I certainly didn’t want Reg Smee or either of his deputies to see me. He’d not only send me home, he’d make sure I never found out anything about the murder. The patrol car with its cherry red light turning, sat at the front entrance. That meant he’d either forgotten to shut it off or he wanted to let everyone know that he was working the case. Hermann Lawson had already returned the ambulance to its normal parking spot.
         I had to get past, not only Reg and his boys but I also had to avoid Nurse Grappley. She ran the hospital with an iron hand or perhaps a better word is fist. Even Doc Fritz makes a wide swath around her when he sees her coming down the aisle. Fritzy took over when Lorna’s husband died. Lorna Grappley, however, feels the hospital is still in the family and she’s now the proud owner. Nothing goes on in that building without her knowledge or permission. Would she give Mabel Wickles permission to go and check out a dead body in the morgue? Not in her lifetime.
         I looked up and down the street. There was definitely no hustle and bustle here. In fact, it was so quiet the only sound I could hear was a large bumblebee zinging around my head. The only person who might notice me was Charlie Thompson. He was sitting on a town bench in front of the library. It was quite a distance away but you never knew with Charlie. He’s the type of person who is blind one time and has x-ray vision the next. I guess it’s what you call selective sight. I didn’t worry about him anyway. Charlie has very few friends in town but I happen to be one of them.
         I sprinted across the street and hid behind a lilac bush. The bee followed. Now all I had to do was get across the parking lot without anyone seeing me. This wasn’t going to be easy. There were four cars altogether and they were spaced as far apart as you could get. It meant I’d have to make a mad dash for that back door and hope no one was watching. I took off running. The bee followed.
         I would have made it safely inside except the moment I reached the door, it flew open. I let out a shriek. At least, the bee knew enough to escape. Bob Crackers stood there, staring at me with wild eyes and his hand over his heart. Bob is the town’s electrician, plumber, and gravedigger.
         “Hey, Mabel” he gasped. “Boy, you gave me a start for a second.” He shook his head and laughed. “By the way, good to see you got home from your trip okay. Myrtle says you had a real good time.” He switched his toothpick to the other side of his mouth. “Guess you heard the excitin’ news here in old Parson’s Cove? Been a murder in town. Probably nothin’ to you, seein’ you just come from the big city. Don’t think Reg’s found out who the woman is yet. Probably bringin’ in some of those city cops. That’s what I figure.” He shook his head again. “What’s that now? Two murders here in the past two years? Gettin’ almost as bad as Vegas, ain’t it?” He stepped to the side. “Sorry. Here I am chattin’ away and takin’ up your time. Were you wantin’ to come in the back door?”
         “Actually, I was. Faster than walking all the way around to the front.”
         “Well, old Grappely always insists I come in the backdoor when I’m workin’ on the plumbing. Toilets plugged up agin.” He sighed a frustrating sigh and moved out of my way. “Here you go then.” He paused. “You visitin’ somebody this mornin’?”
         “You might say