Wicked Witch Murder Read Online Free PDF

Ted. “There goes my scoop.”
    Lucy nodded in agreement. At best, they had enough for only a short brief that would be included in a regional news roundup. But tomorrow, once the official statement came out, the town would most likely be overrun with newspaper and TV reporters hunting a sensational story. She was shutting down her computer and tidying her desk, getting ready to leave, when Ted snorted and tossed a letter in the trash basket.
    â€œI can’t believe the stuff people expect me to print,” he snorted.
    Lucy was checking her bag, making sure she had pens and a notebook and an extra battery for her camera. “What is it now? Another please-scoop-your-dog-poop letter?”
    â€œNo. It’s all about this so-called witch. Has that little purple shop.”
    Lucy put down her bag. “I was there today, and so was Pam. We went after our usual breakfast and had our fortunes told.”
    â€œWell, according to this guy, Ike something or other, you were consorting with a Devil worshipper.”
    â€œLet me see that.” Ted retrieved the letter and passed it to Lucy, who found her suspicion about the author confirmed. It was the letter Ike Stoughton had delivered earlier that afternoon. “He dropped by earlier,” she said, smoothing out the crumpled sheet of paper. “He’s just moved into town, out by me. He bought the old Whipple place.”
    â€œSounds like a nut,” said Ted.
    Reading the letter, Lucy had to agree. Ike not only accused Diana of worshipping the Devil but also claimed she was corrupting the town’s youth and was responsible for the recent drought. He stopped short of suggesting that decent people ought to drive her out of town, but he did call for all God-fearing folk to boycott her shop. Finishing the letter, Lucy screwed up her mouth. “You’re right. He’s some sort of bigot. I wish I’d known.”
    â€œSo he’s your neighbor; you don’t have to be buddies.”
    â€œMy girls are friends with his daughter.”
    â€œSo what? You say hi and good-bye and that’s it.”
    â€œMore than that, I’m afraid,” said Lucy. “I invited him to the neighborhood potluck on Saturday night.”
    Ted was grinning. “Well, if I were you, I wouldn’t mention your recent séance.”
    â€œYou’re right,” said Lucy, crossing the office. “And it wasn’t a séance. It was a psychic reading, and”—she stopped at the door—“Diana had some very interesting things to say about you!”
    Then she was gone, leaving Ted to wonder what Diana had said about him. Lucy, however, was thinking about her new neighbor when she got in the car and started the engine. She was tired; it had been a long, emotionally exhausting day beginning with Diana’s disturbing predictions, followed by the gruesome discovery in the woods, and ending with Ike Stoughton’s letter. She couldn’t understand why he found Diana Ravenscroft’s presence so disturbing.
    A honk reminded her that she needed to pay attention to the road. She was well below the speed limit, which sometimes happened when she was tired and distracted, as if it was too much effort to press her foot against the gas pedal. She gave her head a shake and stepped on the gas, looking forward to getting home.
    Considering the events of the afternoon, pot roast was out of the question. Luckily, school vacation had started earlier that week, and she’d left a note explaining she’d had to go back to the office and instructing the girls to cook supper, maybe a simple menu of spaghetti and salad. While they prepared dinner, she planned on sipping a glass of wine out on the porch.
    But the minute she pulled into the drive, she heard the piercing shriek of the smoke alarms and the frantic barking of the dog. Braking hard and pulling the key out of the ignition, she jumped out of the car and ran toward the