Free Scrapped by Mollie Cox Bryan Page A

Bea?”
    “We figured that it was meant for you. They got the address confused,” Bryant said. He explained the similarity of the addresses.
    Annie felt the breath leave her and tried to get some air.
    “So, between the phone call and now this, I’m afraid that we are going to have to place you under watch . . . whether you want us to or not.”
    Annie shot a look at Beatrice. Exactly what she didn’t need while she was working on this story—the Cumberland Creek police force under her feet.
    “You know, other symbols, like the swastika, are painted in barns in Jenkins Hollow. You told me that it was just some kids being stupid, that it was nothing to worry about,” she said.
    “Between you and me and Bea, I can tell you that there is something to worry about. I can’t tell you why. But you need to know this could be very dangerous for you and your family,” he said.
    “These people are anti-Semitic?” Annie said weakly.
    “Oh yes,” he said loudly. “But that’s only part of what they are.”
    “Lord,” Beatrice said. “What’s wrong with people?”
    “That is not your problem,” Bryant said. “We have everything under control.”
    “Like hell you do,” Beatrice said. “There’s been two murders in this town recently. You have nothing under control. Nothing.”
    “Did it ever occur to you that there might be even more murders if we didn’t have some control here?” he retorted.
    Annie felt a chill travel up her spine, even as she held the hot coffee in her hands.
    “Last time you two got your heads together, you almost got killed,” he said to Beatrice. “Now, personally, I don’t like either one of you. But I don’t want to see you dead.” He crossed his arms over his stomach.
    “Mighty kind of you,” Beatrice said, while Annie was trying to keep breakfast down.

Chapter 18
    Vera was on her way to pick up Elizabeth from Bill’s place when she saw the strange symbol painted in black on her mother’s pink Victorian house. Double take. She slammed on the brakes and pulled alongside the house, leaving the car running as she ran up to the patio, where Cookie was knocking on the door.
    “I can’t get any answer,” Cookie said, her green eyes filled with worry. “The door is locked.”
    Vera reached under the doormat and found the extra key—even though she had told her mother that this was an unwise place for it. She opened the door, and the two of them searched the house.
    “She’s not here,” Vera said. “Where would she be?”
    “We had plans to go to the craft show in Charlottesville today,” Cookie said. “She must have forgotten.”
    “Maybe she’s at Annie’s,” Vera suggested, picking up the phone.
    Sometimes it hurt Vera that her mother and Annie had gotten so close. She knew she’d never be as smart as either one of them, but damn, Beatrice was her mother. That ought to count for something.
    “Hello, Annie?”
    “Yes.”
    “Is my mother there?”
    “Yes.”
    “What’s she doing there?”
    “She’s fine,” Annie said. “We’re just having coffee and discussing the day’s events.”
    “The day’s events? It’s only eight in the morning,” Vera said.
    “Yes. Why don’t you come on over?”
    “Will do,” Vera said and hung up.
    The next thing Vera knew, Cookie was getting in the passenger side of the car. It wasn’t as if either one of them needed to ride the two blocks to Annie’s place. It was just that the car was convenient.
    “Oh, bother,” Vera said, remembering that she needed to pick up Elizabeth.
    “Give me your phone. I’ll call and tell him to meet us at Annie’s,” Cookie said when Vera explained her predicament.
    “How weird to see a rune symbol on your mother’s house,” Cookie said after talking to Bill.
    “Is that what that is? I don’t even want to know. All kinds of weirdness going on here these days. I just hope Mama’s okay.”
    “I’m sure she’s fine if she’s with Annie.”
    When they opened the door to