The Detective Part

I go out to my car which is parked in the alley. I feel adventurous yet nervous. Maybe I should bring the Bronx, he does a good guard dog bluff. I check my purse for my cell phone , buckle up and pull onto the street in the direction of Lydia's house. I feel confident until I pull onto her road. Maybe this is crazy, I mean, we could be totally wrong.Turning into the neighborhood, I try and remember which house is hers, most of the homes are small ranchers built during the seventies so they all kind of look the same. I do remember though that Lydia's house had a peculiar olive green trim on brick.'There it is" I say to myself. I see that there is no car in her driveway. But Before I go in I decide to call her one more time. Slowly I dial her number. Still no answer. I gather up my courage and park the car. Keeping my cellphone in my hand I head to the door and ring the bell. One of those awful little ringing dinging noises starts up. I take a deep breath and try again. Still no answer. I look around and since its the middle of the day it seems most people are at work. No one is around so I begin too peek in the windows. Its hard to see through the curtains but I notice there is a light on toward the back of the house. I head around the corner peeking in every window I can reach. I look over my shoulder to see if anyone is watching. I still can't see anyone inside, I notice a cat on the sofa and a purse on the floor. This seems to be a sign that Lydia is home.Then I notice there's one more little window that is too high for me to see in, however there's a cinder block laying nearby and I decide to use it as a step. I push through the bushes and try not to make to much noise as I carefully climb atop my wobbly perch. Its actually a bathroom window, I nearly squeal when I spot Lydia, crumpled on the floor with her hands on her head. I proceed to tap the window and feel the awful sensation that I am loosing my balance. My left foot scrapes down the concrete and I splash into a boxwood.I wrestle my way out of the infernal shrubbery and go around to the back door and find it to be unlocked. My adrenalin is pumping and I hope I'm not mistaken and that she doesn't just have the flu or something.However everything seem to point to trouble. "Lydia, Lydia, its Jenna, are you o.k,can I come in? Hello?"I call out as I walk through the door. Then I hear a voice. I try to make my way to the bathroom. The house is a mess,there's a lamp knocked over and I'm stepping in glass on the kitchen floor, I notice too that a cell phone lies smashed on the table. Then I hear Lydia, "Jenna , I'm in here, I'm alright,its o.k." I turn the corner and my eyes widen to see Lydia sitting up in the bathroom floor with a black eye and a bloody lip. I gasp " Oh my gosh, Lydia you are not o.k, what happened!?"

Intrigue...SUSPENSE! MURDER just kidding :)

The head officer calls Mark back over to the church. I follow along to hear what he has to say. The tall man has a military cut and looks very much like you would expect him to. He introduces himself as Captain Milford. "Your Minister is on his way right?" He asks " Yes Sir, he should be here any minute." Mark says nodding. "O.k, I'm just going to need to ask him some more questions for my report. However I want to ask you too, someone across the street said they saw a small blue pick up truck parked at the back of the church earlier this morning, Do either of you know who might drive that vehicle, if they attend church here or a reason they would have been here?" Mark and I look at each other. I wonder if I should say what i'm thinking, this is like something from a movie.Mark beats me to it, " Our cleaning lady drives a little blue pick -up, but she comes on Saturday." He writes that down and asks for her name. Gee, I hope we didn't just incriminate Lydia...this is weird especially since she wont answer her phone."Uh, her name is Lydia Bradshaw." Mark says looking worried.My mind is whirling. Just then we see Pastor Daily pulling into the parking lot. He walks briskly over. Seeming to be in shock he shakes the captains hand. He reintroduces himself as Captain Milford, and then the questioning. Mark and I decide that we should go. He and I begin to walk to the book shop. As we pass by The Daily Grind we see Mrs. Daily through the window putting on her coat. She rushes out the door hardly noticing us, making her way to the church. Mark and I make a pot of coffee when we get back to the store. We just sit there for a minute and then I break the silence. "Why do you suppose lydia's car was at the church today? I have been trying to call her all morning and she wouldn't answer. You know she missed our meeting this morning, that's never happened." I'm getting ahead of myself so I slow down. Mark shakes his head solemnly."How well do you know her?" he asks after refilling his mug. "I think back to the first time I met her, I was working on some of the flower beds at church and she was coming in to clean. She seemed real friendly and we talked a bit after introducing ourselves. After she got the cleaning job she came to church every Sunday alone, I wouldn't have even known she was married if it weren't for her ring. " Well," I begin after summing up my thoughts," It's been three years or so , and I think I know her pretty well, she's been coming to the book club meetings and she always comes to church... I mean what are we even suggesting here?" I say finally getting frustrated at myself for even considering that Lydia was a possible culprit in the crime."We are not saying she did it. I just think we should look at this thing from all angles." Mark says calmly in response to my tenseness. I apologize. "Sorry for getting worked up." Mark reaches down and scrubs Bronxe's ears. " Have you ever met Lydia's husband?" he asks still looking down at his canine friend. "I think a couple of months back I saw him but he just dropped Lydia off at the store. I've never spoken to him." " Do you think he's a descent guy or...and what's this about someone calling and telling Pastor Daily that the church was going to be broken into? how weird is that?" Mark reminded me, until this moment I had forgotten that. "This is starting to make some sense actually..." I say to Mark. His eyebrows raised " How so?" " You asked me if Lydia's husband was a descent guy, I have always gotten the idea that they were not or rather are not happy. Now she never came out and said that but that was the impression I got.So is he a descent guy? I am beginning to think not." "And you said Lydia didn't answer any of your calls?" "Nope" I think we had better go tell Captain Milford about this." I say"Good idea, but I have an idea too. You go tell the Captain and I am going to go see Lydia." Mark looks worried" Are you sure that's a good idea I mean what if he did do it, what if he's dangerous?" Here's what I'll do. I'll drive by , if the truck is there I'll leave, if its not I'll see if Lydia will talk to me." a bit concerned Mark says "I don't know about this." "Trust me."

The Next Lot

Several cars slow as they pass the church but speed up almost immediately.One of the cars flies past me and soaks my ankles. I see Mr. Clives is talking with Mark and an officer. I clutch the handle of my umbrella as Mark excuses himself and heads towards me. My heart is beating faster now. "Hey Jenna." "Hey, what's going on?" I ask trying to seem calm and collected. " Somebody broke into the church." "Oh my gosh, you're kidding!" "Nope, seems like whoever did it only "broke" into the Pastor's office. They apparently had a key for the main door." "But why? I mean what did they take?" " Well, I cant exactly be sure of everything until Pastor Daily gets here." ' So he's on his way?" "Yeah, he knows what's going on." " I think his new guitar is gone, the rear sound board is definitely gone and a pair of speakers too." "Oh man." I'm in disbelief of the facts just laid before me. Who on earth would do this in Canter Falls? "The weird thing to me though is that they had a key for the front door." "Well, I mean that's as long as no one left the door unlocked." " That's true." " So how did you find out about this?" " Pastor Daily called me and asked me to come over. Seems he got a text from a number he didn't recognize saying that the church was going to be broken into to." I just keep feeling more and more stumped and shocked. " So by the time Pastor daily called the police it was too late?" "Yep." "I just can't believe this." I repeat to myself.

I'm getting really concerned because we never see this kind of action in town. What could have happened?? Susan B., deciding that we need some positive thinking exclaims with deep concern, " Perhaps Pastor Daily has been...murdered! I read about these things all the time. It happens. Pastor preaches a sermon, some nut doesn't like it and bang..." "Good heavens." says Mr. Clives obviously perturbed.I hear Martin beside me say under his breath, " We can only be glad she reads and doesn't write...can you imagine."he chuckles to himself. Mrs. Batinkoff has a terrible look on her face. " I happen to know," began Mr. Clives."That Pastor Daily is away for the afternoon at a meeting in Charlottesville." Mrs. Batkinkoff smiles at him looking relieved. Is that a glimmer in his eye? Oh brother, a moment of romantic reprieve in the midst of a police raid! Our meeting is definitely unable to resume so I dismiss us. Everyone heads back out into the rain. However, I see Mr. Clives is going down the street towards the church. He looks like a type of Lt. Columbo from the back. I decide to follow him but first call Lydia. She cleans the Church so maybe she knows what's going on. Plus I'm a little surprised she didn't make it to our meeting. She's told me before its the highlight of her week. I dial her number, but get no answer. I send her a text but get no reply. One more time... still no answer. Now I'm worried about her. I've gotten the vibe that she isn't very happy at home. I hope she's o.k. Looking out the window my curiosity gets the better of me and I decide to set out for the church. Clad in my raincoat and holding a red umbrella I trek through the pouring rain and puddles to the old brick building.

I wait a while for my last book club member , Lydia. She's really late by now so I proceed figuring the weather may have deterred her.The book club is going smoothly as the rain continues to pour down and the wind begins to pick up even more. I notice that Martin is distracted looking out the window every now and again. "Is something wrong?" I finally ask. Still looking out the window he answers me,"There's a bunch of police cars heading towards the church." Now we're all curious and head to the windows to look out. Sure enough there in front of the church are three police cars. In my mind I begin to think of a million possible reasons for this scene. In this crazy October monsoon we can barely see, but can make out officers in rain coats scampering into the church. Now our whole group is discussing not the last chapter of our book , but rather, what on earth is going on in sleepy Canter Falls?

I decide to put on some music ,the heartbeat of my day. The first to show up for book club is Mr. Clives. This bugs me a little because he's traveled the world and I'm sure nothing I know would interest him.He makes quite the spectacle on the front stoop drenched wearing a Lt. Columbo coat and a fedora befitting Frank Sinatra. I can imagine Mr. Clives at one of those old celebrity roasts with Dean Martin. Trying not laugh I feel as though he might say, "Clives, Inspector Clives, where's the body?" If he were a man of humor, which he is not, I would open the door and say "Mrs White , in the Library with the candlestick..." But instead I find myself saying,"Good morning Mr. Clives, how are you?" He looks at me smugly "Oh fine Miss Richards, this weather is much like that of the weather in Europe where I spent many years." Yes, how could I have forgotten, a pox upon me for being the commoner I am. Never having been out of the country, my company is far less suitable for Mr. Clives than that of Mrs. Batinkoff. The lovely Russian woman immigrated many years ago and is in the words of "Inspector Clives" "most agreeable and charming". I'm convinced he only comes to these primitive little gatherings because of her. He comes in and hands me his coat, "May I take your ...hat ( trying really hard not to giggle). "Thank you." he says heading into the sitting area. As I hang up his detective gear I notice Jackie making a run for it across the street where she parked her brand new minivan. Baby number one and her and her husband already got a minivan...soo cute. The baby carrier is covered with a blanket so little one month old Liam doesn't get wet. The wind must be getting stronger because the Elvis umbrella Jackie has in her free hand seems to keep going up. What a sweet mom. "Hi Jackie let me help you there", I say taking the umbrella and her raincoat. "Thanks, gee what crazy weather huh,maybe I should have put a life jacket on him..." She gestures to the baby and we both laugh.I hang up the wet baby blanket and begin to oooh and ahhh. Let me have a look at the wee Lad" I say with a scottish accent picking up the baby. Jackie's husband Mac is from Scotland and we joke about the way he says certain things. I spent lots of time with Jackie before Liam was born.She is like the sister I never had and since Mac travels a lot for business I kept her company while he was away. We watched Anne of Green Gables three times and Little Women more than that. I also taught her how to knit and make biscuits... Good times. As Jackie and Liam join Mr. Clives I hear laughter outside. Mrs. Batinkoff and Martin are making there way sharing an umbrella. Once again I open the door and welcome my guests,"Come on in out of that rain." "With Pleasure." says the prim old lady as she takes my hand in a squeeze/handshake. Sweet yet formal. She turns to Martin," Tankyou for sharingk your umbrella."

,"Your welcome Evi." Hmph...Evi, I never have known her first name. Apparently Martin is quite the charmer, she squeezes his hand too.

The Part You're Reading

After two years of hosting the book club the same folks still come. There is quite a variety among our group. Mrs.Batinkoff to start, is a seventy year old oil painter who immigrated from Russia in the seventies. Jackie is a modern day nineteen fifties house wife. She always has her nails painted red and brings her new born baby boy, Leo,to our meetings. There's Lydia the cleaning lady from church... Mr. Clives, who I think only comes because of the recently widowed Mrs. Batinkoff.No matter what she says he agrees. Martin , a newcomer joined us in the spring. He graduated from art school and came here, like me, to open a shop. He runs a pottery gallery where he sells and displays his creations. And last but not least there is Susan-b. Her name is actually Susan-b., I still haven't figured that one out. She's a crazy lady, She reads all the time, her husband too. They run an alpaca farm several miles outside of town. Once I went to their house to pickup some alpaca wool yarn I ordered from them. Susan's husband with an equally odd name, "D.T" opened the door and told me to "Come right in." My initial thought was "how?" There were books stacked everywhere,baskets of wool and a giant spinning wheel and loom right in the middle of the living room. Six tiny dogs of various breeds and obnoxious barks nipped at my ankles and tore about the house following us at break neck speed. They ran about with their toenails clickedy clacking the wood floor. As a result of this pandemonium all the throw rugs were flung to the right or left. But was D.T deterred, oh no. He led me down a hallway that smelled like incense to a room painted pumpkin orange with beads hanging over the door. "Sue, the book girl is here." he looked at me and winked oddly. There was Susan b. in a hammock suspended from the rooms corners. She was of course reading and wearing some sort of kimono. On the way out I noticed that one of the alpacas was wearing a string of beads around his neck. My next thought was "far out". Before I know it my work out video is over. I realize that the Bronx has yet to be walked. I look out the window and see that it's still pouring. There's only one thing to do. I find my self standing by the back door with a treat in my hand acting like one of those people who possess a bumper sticker that reads "I love my grand dog." My human-like dog is staring at me. I'm waving the treat, "Come on big boy go potty , go..outside...come on handsome." I wave the treat closer for effect.He's drooling and following the treat with his eyes. I think Iv'e got him and gleefully toss the treat into the tiny back lot. He looks out,looks up and goes back to his doggy bed. I roll my eyes. Closing the door I hear thunder rumble in the distance.