The Possum Hollow Hullabaloo (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

sure yet, but I thought I’d put out some feelers. Sorry—wrong word.”
    Penelope tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “Just behave yourself.”
    “Don’t I always?”
    “No, you don’t.”
    “What’s the name of the group this fellow is with, the one who wants Brad to close down the Christmas program?”
    “Brad didn’t mention a name but said he’d never heard of the group the man supposedly represented.”
    “I’ll give him a call tomorrow.”
    “Why?”
    “I can do some nosing around. It’s my thing, you know.”
    “I know.”
    “ Gotta go, Nell. Be good. Be careful anyway. And I mean that.”
    “I don’t go beyond the school grounds in the Hollow.”
    “Good. I’ll try to let you know if I’m coming for Thanksgiving.”
    “I’ll leave the garage door unlocked.”
    “You never lock it anyway. ‘Night, Nell.”
    “Goo dnight, Sam. I…” But he’d hung up.

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    Two days later, on the drive to Possum Hollow, Penelope filled Mary Lynn in on the man who wanted to shut down the Christmas program. She didn’t mention Sam had said he’d see what he could find out.
    “Darn,” Mary Lynn said, “there’s always one fly in the ointment.”
    “Maybe this will turn out to be a mosquito that’ll buzz off.”
    “We can always hope. So what about Paul Hollis? Did he make a report on Ellie?”
    “I guess so. Uh-oh—look at that car.”
    Mary Lynn sucked in her breath. “They didn’t waste any time, did they—the child welfare?”
    “Well, Mary Lynn, if a child’s being abused…” Penelope parked the SUV, and they got out. Inside the building, it was quiet until they passed the principal’s office. “I’m telling you I want to see that child.” The demand echoed in the silent hall.
    Penelope and Mary Lynn entered the outer office, hoping their presence wouldn’t be noticed.
    “And I’m telling you she’s not here today, and if you’re planning on going out to look for her, you’d better take a police officer with you.”
    “Why?”
    “Because the folks out here generally don’t shoot at a uniform—just around it.”
    “What?”
    Penelope rolled her eyes at Mary Lynn, who snickered.
    “Go back to town and ask for an officer to go with you.”
    “Why can’t you go with me?”
    “I’ve been out there twice in the last two weeks. Ellie says her mother’s visiting a sick sister, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her father—and you don’t want to.”
    “Then I’ll just get a court order to remove her.”
    “It’s not that easy, is it? Don’t you have to have proof of imminent danger or something?”
    “Bruises on a child’s neck constitutes imminent danger as far as I’m concerned.”
    George Harris’s sigh could be heard through his closed door. “Then do what you have to, but if you’re smart, you won’t do it on your own.”
    The woman who stalked out of the principal’s office was young—very young, Penelope thought. Probably new at her job. Going to save the world—if she lives that long. She better do what George told her to do.
    George Harris leaned against the door jamb. “I’m going out to see if I can find Ellie.”
    “Is that a good idea?” Penelope asked. “You told her…”
    “Alana Mueller. Miss. Newly-minted social worker. Been on the job six weeks.”
    Mary Lynn threw up her hands. “Good for her.”
    “Ellie didn’t come to school yesterday either. It was Shana Bayliss’s day, and she told me she thought she could talk to Ellie about her little sister, but she didn’t show up.”
    “It was worth a try. George, are you sure you ought to go back out there? Bradley said…”
    “I called him as soon as Paul told me Ellie wasn’t in school again. He’s sending Parnell Garrett to go with me. Besides, this time I’m really worried. Bruises on the neck say something.”
    “What about the Mueller woman?” Mary Lynn asked. “Or girl.”
    George chuckled. Hopefully, she won’t pass Parnell on the road