Free Murder on the Bucket List by Elizabeth Perona Page A

hearing. “This was a dead body, Darla, not some unfortunate woodland creature trampled on the street. Alice didn’t even know it was there.”
    â€œTechnically,” Charlotte added, “we don’t know yet how long Friederich had been dead. She might not be in violation.”
    â€œLook, I’m on Alice’s side here. But as the president of the Summer Ridge Homeowners’ Association, I’m required to report back that I’ve talked to you about it and that you’ve received your first warning.”
    â€œWarning?” Alice was incredulous.
    â€œI guess this means you’ll get no leeway for the next dead body,” Charlotte said. “Better check the shed more often.”
    Darla flipped over a sheet of paper in her clipboard. “That leaves us with two other issues: the public indecency clause and the guest vehicle clause.”
    â€œPublic indecency? I defy you to prove that one!” Alice said.
    Darla pushed a few buttons on her iPad, then turned it around so they could see it. “You admitted it. We don’t need pictures.”
    Charlotte moved closer to the little screen. “Is that the Indianapolis Star ?”
    Darla turned it back around. “In tablet format, yes. ‘Skinny-dipping Grandmas Find Body.’ But it’s not just the Star . It’s all over the Internet.”
    â€œJoy will be so happy!” Charlotte told Francine.
    â€œThe vast majority of my callers were not. And then you gave guided tours of the crime scene, which brought traffic to a halt in the subdivision. While it wasn’t strictly a party, it did have a party-like atmosphere and there were too many guest cars on the street, which is the heart of the problem. You’re not allowed to stage that kind of an event without written permission from your neighbors.”
    â€œHer neighbors were here all morning,” said Charlotte. “Including you. I think that’s implied consent.”
    â€œI’m not saying it wasn’t kind of exciting to be here. I’m saying the traffic flow was an issue when your neighbors needed to get out.”
    â€œWhat neighbor needed to get out?”
    â€œMy daughter, for one. She had to get to the gym for a session with her personal trainer. In the end, I let her walk over to a friend’s house where she could catch a ride. Sara has to get ready for SpeedFest, you know.”
    This was news to Francine. Sara Baggesen was sixteen and a handful. Though Francine knew Sara raced midget cars, she also knew that Sara’s father, Darla’s ex-husband Vince, didn’t allow her to her to race in nationally televised events. Francine wondered if he was still Sara’s mechanic. She was fairly sure the SpeedFest race would be on TV.
    Alice waved her hands dismissively. “I’m sorry, but it’s really not my fault. I didn’t invite all those people to come.”
    â€œYou let them in. I don’t see a difference. I came over to talk to you when Sara tried to drive out, but you weren’t here. Charlotte said you were with the police at Friederich’s garage. What were you doing there?”
    â€œMy lawyer advises that I not talk about it.”
    â€œThat sounds ominous.”
    â€œIt’s not what you might think. But I’m not going to talk about it.”
    Darla sat there for a moment deciding how to proceed. “The important thing is—and I always say this to first-time offenders—warnings are just a way to make sure everyone knows what’s expected so it doesn’t happen again.”
    â€œI was one of the first people to move into this subdivision thirty years ago. We’ve been neighbors for what, fifteen years, Darla? I’ve seen Sara grow up, for heaven’s sake. This is the first murder in the subdivision. I think it’s safe to say the likelihood is small that there will be another one in the next thirty years.”
    â€œI certainly