Free Death Pays a Visit (A Myrtle Clover Mystery Book 7) by Elizabeth Spann Craig

ran over to hand Myrtle a dump truck for her playing enjoyment.
    Elaine smiled at Myrtle. “And you know I appreciate that. But it’s been going pretty well. I do feel sort of bad for Red, though.” She said in a low voice, “You know how men are. When they’re sick, they revert to being little boys. I think Red needs more coddling than I’m able to dole out.”
    Myrtle had never been able to completely understand why her absolutely wonderful daughter-in-law was so smitten with her frequently irascible son. She was smart, upbeat, pretty, and a good deal younger. She’d learned that love operates in very mysterious ways indeed and perhaps the wags who said that opposites attract really had something. At any rate, she’d decided long ago to simply accept it.
    But she couldn’t resist making a face at the coddling. “Elaine, that’s very sweet of you. But there’s a limit, right? Only so many hours in the day and only so much coddling that can possibly take place in those hours. Jack, being a toddler, requires most of them.” Myrtle hesitated, and then gave a sigh. “How about if I come by this afternoon and sit with Red for a while? And then you can choose what you want to do. You can go run errands, go put your feet up, take Jack out to the playground, or put Jack down for a nap.”
    Elaine beamed at her. “Really?”
    “Really. If Red needs coddling, he’s still got his mama around, after all. I may as well be the one to do it.” Myrtle squared her shoulders, feeling as if she were enlisting in the armed forces. “Maybe he can watch Tomorrow’s Promise with me. That always seems to entertain him.”
    Now Elaine frowned. “Your soap opera? It entertains him?”
    “Absolutely. It tickles him pink to point out all the unrealistic things going on, the silly names of the characters, the stilted dialogue, and the way everyone is so made-up and dressed to the nines even when they’re doing yard work,” said Myrtle. “I can make us some popcorn and we’ll have a fine time. You just figure out how you want to spend your free time.”
    “My mind is racing! Wow. I’ll have to give it some thought.” Elaine took a huge sip of her coffee as if to power her brain to accept the challenge.
    Myrtle watched Jack drive his truck up the side of the cartoon character’s face on the television. “Elaine, I was wondering how Red was doing with the fact that he’s not working right now. I mean, he’s been police chief for so many years and is so used to always being on the job. How is that going?”
    Elaine waved her hand in a so-so gesture. “It’s been okay. I think he’s been a little frustrated because he wants to go out and do all the things that he usually does—make his rounds, call on the older ladies to make sure they’re doing all right, keep the peace in Bradley. But he can’t. And, although everybody in town knows that Red is laid up, sometimes they still call here, even though they know they’re supposed to be calling Darrell. I mean—what’s Red going to do about the stray dog that’s harassing Janie Mitchell? You know? He’s not going to be able to chase down a dog after knee surgery. But they still call him.”
    “Just a habit, I guess. How’s that deputy of his doing? Darrell?”
    Elaine considered this. “He’s okay. I don’t think he’s really the brightest bulb in the box, but if he were then he wouldn’t be satisfied with this job. But as a fill-in sent from the county, he’s doing pretty well. He’s been handling a bunch of minor incidents.”
    “Minor incidents?” asked Myrtle. “What’s more minor than the Case of the Missing Yard Statue or the Case of the Stray Dog?”
    “Oh, you know. Like when Miriam Morehead imagines that there’s someone in her house … every day. So somebody has to go calm her down and do a thorough enough search so that she settles down and can continue functioning. That sort of thing. Hand-holding,” said Elaine.
    Myrtle knew that Red did a