Free Strung Out to Die by Tonya Kappes Page A

don’t have a cell phone and you’re not home to see if she’s called,” Flora chirped from the other side of the table.
    “No thank you. I don’t need a cell phone.” I reached over Marlene’s shoulder to help her with the wire twist. “Besides, I have the shop phone.”
    Ginger had never hesitated to call the shop before.
    “Do they know who killed him yet?” Marlene asked.
    “No, but I think Noah suspects me,” I said, thinking this was a great time to begin my nonchalant line of questioning about Marlene and her night at The Livin’ End.
    After all, she was the last one seen talking to him that night.
    Marlene dropped the wire and the fake gem on the bead board. Several 6mm sterling silver beads flew up in the air.
    I watched the beads fall to the ground as if in slow motion.
    “No!” I fell to my knees and reached out on the floor to stop them. “Damn that Spinel!”
    It was too late. The beads had bounced right into The Under .
    “Spin what?” Agnes asked as she tucked her hair behind her ear, exposing her lime green hearing aids. She nudged Marlene. “Can you turn this dang thing up? I can hardly hear the gossip.”
    Marlene glared down at me. I’d completely let it slip, and leave it to Agnes Pearl to actually hear it.
    Marlene hadn’t told the other Divas about her rare yellow Spinel diamond yet. She was determined to cover the gem with a wrap. There was no way I was going to risk her scratching it, so that’s why I had her working with the fake one.
    “Sorry, Holly.” Marlene bent down and looked into The Under. “I’m sure you can get them later.”
    She leaned in close to my ear. Her leopard print pencil skirt seams were taut and looked like they were about to rip.
    “Keep your mouth shut,” she whispered through her gritted teeth.
    Marlene got up and straightened her skirt before she eased back into her chair.
    “What did she say about a sep something?” Agnes asked again.
    Damn, she wasn’t going to let it go.
    “What?” I played dumb. “Oh, let me fix that.”
    I took her shoestring and knotted the end around one large bead so the rest wouldn’t fall off as she added more beads. Agnes’ hands shook as she tried to steady a green wooden bead.
    “Why do they make these darn things so small?” She held it right up to her glasses.
    I hadn’t realized how bad Agnes’ eyesight had become. She was always so fun to be around. She still looked exactly the same as she had twenty years ago, except for the blue hair.
    “Where did you get your hair done?” I held one of the big beads up for her to put the shoestring through the hole. “It looks nice.”
    “Marlene, dear.” Agnes smiled as the bead glided down the string.
    “What did you do?” I mouthed Marlene’s way.
    “She made me buy that hair color at the drug store.” Marlene shook her head. “I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen.”
    “I pay you to take care of me. That means my hair and what I want.” Agnes attempted another bead, this time on her own.
    I moseyed over to check on the chandelier earring project, but Flora had been too busy catching up on the latest gossip from her sister.
    Everyone was working away and silent. Doug was weighing heavily on all our minds.
    “Do you think we should take some food over to Ginger’s?” I asked, breaking the silence.
    It wasn’t unusual in Swanee for friends and neighbors to help out by providing food for the family when there is a death. Everyone made sure the family was fully stocked up on food. It was one less thing the family would have to worry about.
    “I thought we could all meet up and pay our respects.” I touched the beautiful crystal selection on Bernadine’s bead board.
    I had to see Ginger, and the Divas might be a good excuse for me not to go alone.
    “You want to go?” Cheri cocked her head to the side and looked at me like I had two heads. “I mean, he was found dead here in your shop.”
    “I didn’t kill him. And yes, I want to go