Skating Around The Law Read Online Free PDF Page B

awful.”
    I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “Pop said the two of you had an argument. What was it about?”
    She sighed. “Two months back I hired him to install some new lights and mirrors and gave him a deposit for the job. He took the money and then proceeded to avoid my calls. When I saw Mack in the bakery last week, I asked him for my money back.”
    â€œThat’s it?”
    Annette picked up a blow-dryer and a brush. “Sorry it wasn’t more exciting. Are you asking because you’re curious or is there something more to it?”
    I could feel ears straining across the room, so I chose my words carefully. “I was just wondering. He died in Mom’s rink, and I didn’t really know him well.”
    She turned the blow-dryer on and attacked the little girl’s hair. “Sure. Well, if you need to talk some more, come by the house.” Glancing at me, she winked. “I’ll open a bottle of wine, and you can tell me everything.”
    I winked back. Leave it to Annette to understand the unspoken. Moments later, I was in my car and driving to our former librarian’s house. I knew I was at the right house when I spotted four cats sunning themselves on the front porch.
    Careful not to step on any tails, I made it to the front door and rang the bell. A minute later, I heard a timid voice ask, “Who is it?”
    Using my most cheerful tone, I said, “Hi, Mrs. Piraino. I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Rebecca, Kay Robbins’s daughter.”
    The door opened as far as the security chain would allow, and a set of fearful eyes peered out at me. “Rebecca Robbins? Is that really you?”
    Before I could nod, the door closed. I could hear the distinctive sound of the security chain being undone, and then the door flew open again. The diminutive Agnes Piraino appeared behind the screen door. With her white hair and sweet smile, she looked like everyone’s idea of the perfect grandmother. “How are you, dear? Your grandfather told me you were coming into town.”
    I gave a tiny prayer that Agnes’s teeth hadn’t been soaking in my bathroom before getting to the crux of my visit. “I’m guessing you might have heard that Mack died yesterday at the rink.”
    â€œI did, dear. It’s a shame when a person dies so young. At my age you expect to go any day, but Mack was a real shock. To think that someone in our town might have killed him…” Her eyes misted over, and she clutched her hands together.
    I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a tiny squeeze. “I know. I feel bad since I don’t know a lot about Mack and he died at the rink. So I thought I would talk to people who knew him. I heard he did some work for you?”
    â€œOh, not me. He did odd jobs for my neighbor.” Agnes swung open the screen door and stepped onto the porch. Immediately, two cats rose and began rubbing against her legs. “I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but Mack wasn’t very nice. He hated my babies for no reason. He was working next door on the fence, and my babies love people, so naturally they went to say hello. Well, Mack threw a fit like you’ve never seen. He started hollering and throwing things. He even painted poor little Hemingway’s tail. I made a report to the sheriff’s office, but they just told me to keep my babies inside.”
    Agnes settled into an old rocking chair, and one of her babies jumped into her lap and began to purr. She pointed to the chair next to her, and I settled in.
    â€œDid you follow their advice?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.
    Agnes shook her head. “I couldn’t. My babies weren’t meant to be cooped up inside. But I wished I had. Then Mack wouldn’t have kicked Precious.”
    She pointed to a fluffy yellow cat that was coming up the steps. The minute the cat spotted me, its ears flattened and