Free Laid Out and Candle Lit by Ann Everett

reaching into her purse, fumbling to find her cell phone.
    She flipped it open, punched in the number, and started a hysterical rant. “Hello, Dwayne? Tizzy and I have been attacked by a skunk. We can’t get her keys because a dog is chewing on her wallet! I need you to come get us! We’re out at the Philpot place. Bring your gun and at least two bullets.”
     
     
    CHAPTER TEN
     
    R idge couldn’t help but notice the Mustang sitting in Tizzy’s drive when he angled behind the wheel of his car. He sat for a minute wondering who such an early morning visitor could be. Then again, maybe it wasn’t a visitor. Maybe the car belonged to someone who’d stayed over.
    His chest tightened and he realized he had a serious grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles white and his biceps hard from the pressure. A gasp escaped his lips. Hell, was he jealous? He shook his head. What’s wrong with me ? He knew the answer to the question, and even though he had no claim on her, the thought of another man in her life bothered him.
    He turned the engine and backed out of the drive, heading toward the station. Both cruisers plus the sheriff’s car were parked in the lot. Inside, he found Dan, Earl Dean, Bubba and Rita all laughing. “What’s so funny?” Ridge asked.
    “You haven’t heard?” Chief Ramsay asked. “Our local Lucy and Ethel had a run-in with a skunk last night.”
    Ridge narrowed his eyes and cocked his head sideways.“Lucy and Ethel, as in ‘ I Love Lucy?’”
    Bubba wagged his head. “Yeah. I got the call last night around eight. Tizzy and Rayann were out at the Philpot place. They’d gone out there to deliver some muffins and got sprayed by a skunk.”
    “I guess that explains the strange car I saw parked at Tizzy’s this morning.” Ridge said.
    Dan nodded. “Yeah. I’m afraid she won’t be driving her car for a while. We took it to be fumigated. As a matter of fact, she may never be able to drive that car again.” They all broke into laughter.
    Rita laid down her powdered donut and wiped her mouth. “Those poor girls. They get into more messes than anybody. Y’all remember the time they went to deliver pies out to Mrs. Buckalew and got attacked by the rooster? He ran ’em up a tree and they didn’t get down until she came home and got the rooster penned up.”
    “Well, I think the skunk trumps the rooster,” Bubba said. “To add insult to injury, during the ordeal, Tizzy dropped her purse and lost her keys. A scary-looking dog showed up and started to chew on her purse, so they were stranded. But here’s the best part. We bought every can of tomato juice and tomato sauce in the county, because it’s supposed to remove the odor. They took baths in it, and now they’re kinda pink!
    Ridge smiled. “Are they working today?”
    “Oh yeah, they’re working.” Bubba said.
    Ridge‘s smiled widened. “I’ve got some interviews this morning, but I’ll be sure to stop off at Sweet Thangs later.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    All eight ladies met Ridge in the fellowship hall at the Methodist church, and their stories matched. Marlene arrived at the meeting promptly at seven p.m. and with only one order of business, the meeting adjourned by seven forty-five. They stated there was nothing unusual about Marlene’s behavior. She was in a hurry for the meeting to end, but she was always in a hurry. Each one also agreed that Marlene Weston had few friends, but no one came to mind who would have wanted to kill her.
    Fayrene Samuels, a blue-haired lady wearing a dress the same hue as her hair, and Bernice Watson, thin and frail, were last to leave. “You asked us about Tizzy and Marlene’s relationship,” Fayrene said. “I think Bernice will agree with me. Marlene treated Tizzy unfairly, especially the day of Boone’s funeral. Marlene lashed out at Tizzy, causing quite a scene. Poor little Tizzy was in such shock that she couldn’t even speak. We felt sorry for her. But in all fairness, Marlene was