Free Jeanne Glidewell - Lexie Starr 03 - Haunted by Jeanne Glidewell Page A

myself. I’d try again on a weekday, or maybe even run out to her home in Weston. Maybe by then her mother wouldn’t answer the phone, or would have forgotten I’d hung up on her.

 
     
     
    Chapter 8

     
    I hummed along with the Westminster Chimes tune as it echoed inside the walls of Sheila’s house. Her house hadn’t been difficult to find. The stained, antique toilet still sat beneath the tree in her front yard. Wyatt had been right; the house was due for a makeover. It was in dire need of repair. The steps up to the front porch didn’t even look safe. I’d held tightly to the railing as I’d ascended them. The house looked more grayish than yellow, because the paint was peeling so badly.
    After a full minute had passed, I pushed the doorbell one more time and hummed along with the tune once again. There was still no answer. Even though it was Sunday, it was possible Sheila was at work. I climbed back into my Jeep and headed for the nearest “stop and rob,” which happened to be a gas station and convenience store at the corner of Third and Sycamore. There I borrowed the phone book and discovered the only pet store in town was right on Main Street, next to a popular antique store.
    A minute or two later, I was parking in front of The Purrfect Pet Shop. It was indeed open on Sundays, and I felt optimistic I’d find Sheila working inside, despite the fact she’d just recently lost her brother. From what Wyatt had said, I knew she needed all the money she could get and wouldn’t waste the chance to earn a few dollars. She probably earned overtime on Sundays, maybe even double-time. For her sake, I hoped so.
    There were two young ladies and an older man working in the store. They all wore matching green polo shirts with a Siamese cat embroidered on the back. “Purrfect Pet Shop” was stitched beneath the cat. Other than the help, I only saw one customer in the store, a middle-aged man who was currently watching a young woman net a colorful Oscar and place it in a plastic bag full of water.
    The other young lady had opened the door on a large cage, and was filling a bowl with dog food as three young beagles jumped up and down around her, begging for attention. She petted them each in turn, and then reached for their water bowl. I approached her as she filled the bowl with fresh water.
    “Excuse me, miss,” I said. “Could you tell me if there’s a Sheila Talley here today? I was told she worked here.”
    “Good morning, ma’am,” the young gal replied. “Yeah, Sheila works here. She’s over helping a customer in the aquarium section. Is there something I could help you with?”
    “No, but thank you, anyway. I need to speak with Sheila when she gets through with her customer. It’s more of a personal matter. I will check out the saltwater fish in the large aquarium while I wait.”
    “Fine,” she said, turning back to close the cage housing the beagles.
    I waited quite a while as the customer picked out fish after fish. Finally he walked toward the counter with numerous water-filled bags with colorful fish in each bag. I walked over to Sheila and stuck out my hand.
    “Sheila?” I asked. As she nodded, and shook my hand, I continued, “I’m Lexie Starr. My partner owns the Alexandria Inn, where your brother was killed. I wanted to extend our condolences for your loss, and let you know we’re willing and able to do anything we can to help you in this time of grieving.”
    I noticed Sheila glance at the older gentleman who was at the cash register in the front of the store, tending to the customer with all the fish. When she saw he was busy with the customer, she responded to me.
    “Thank you, Ms. Starr.”
    “Stone and I will be at the funeral services on Wednesday. Running the inn keeps us tied up in the evenings but we’ll try to attend the wake as well,” I said. “We are very deeply saddened by the loss of your brother. It was such a shock to all of us.”
    “Me, too. Thank you