Free Death Under Glass by Jennifer McAndrews Page B

straight face.
    Carrie fought valiantly, pressing her lips tight and avoiding eye contact. But she couldn’t hide the humor lighting her eyes.
    It was only moments before Diana huffed and shook her head. “Fine, fine. Let’s just go to this town mudfest then. Maybe there’ll be something worth investigating there.”

7
    W enwood Town Hall was a stately building comprised of Wenwood brick and hometown pride. It sat like a sentry atop a gentle hill, keeping the town safe since the time of its founding, strong enough to do so for many years to come.
    By the time we arrived, the sun had set in my rearview mirror and was sinking below the horizon ahead. Lamps blinked to life at strategic points across the front lawn, their spotlights on the half-dozen marble steps and double set of tall white columns.
    I cruised past the flagpole where both the U.S. and the New York State flag, brightly lit from below, hung limp in the still air and turned into the parking lot that ran alongside town hall. The lot was crowded with cars, leaving me to take a spot toward the back, where the streetlamps werebuzzing their way to illumination. Diana and Carrie piled out of the SUV before I’d even pulled the keys from the ignition.
    â€œWhy are we in such a rush?” I asked, hurrying to catch up with them. “I was only kidding about the whole getting-a-good-seat thing.”
    â€œMaybe you were kidding, but it’s not really a joke.” Diana lifted her hair up off the back of her neck. Tugging a coated elastic band free from her wrist, she wrapped her hair in a casual ponytail. “Tonight’s the announcement.”
    â€œWhat announcement?” Something tickled the back of my mind, something trying to tell me I knew all about the announcement. The knowledge, though, was too deeply buried for a little tickling to bring it to the surface.
    Carrie looked over her shoulder at me. “Of which new merchant application the town council has approved?”
    Two more steps and I was walking level with them and resisting the urge to smack my forehead. “That’s right. The merchants.”
    After the untimely death of Andy Edgers, his son had slowly but thoroughly removed all stock from the hardware store Andy had owned and left the space vacant. For a while Carrie—among other residents, I had no doubt—had tried to convince young Edgers to take over the business and keep the hardware store in Wenwood. But he was among those who had grown up and left town for better opportunity and wasn’t eager to move back.
    Now, the town council, with recommendations from the merchants’ association, would cast their votes to determinewhich business would be allowed to take over the space once filled with spackle, screwdrivers, and sandpaper.
    Though we walked quickly, we were overtaken by two laughing, rushing women. “Stella. Regina,” Carrie called.
    The women stopped and turned. Dressed in soft blouses and denim skirts, with fashionable ropes of jewelry adding sparkle, both ladies smiled. “Carrie,” the short-haired brunette said. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here.”
    â€œYou’re here to celebrate with us, right?” The other, a thin woman whose red hair I would have bet was mixed in a salon, grinned and offered a hand to me. “I’m Regina Henry.”
    â€œGeorgia Kelly.” I shook her hand, nodded to my right. “This is Diana Davis.”
    They said their hellos then the handshakes repeated as Stella Mason introduced herself.
    â€œWhat is it we’re supposed to be celebrating?” Diana asked.
    Regina held up crossed fingers. “The announcement that the town council approved Sweets—”
    â€œHush,” Stella said on a laugh. “You’ll jinx it.”
    Together we resumed the walk, heading to the end of the cement sidewalk and shuffling up the steps. Moving quicker than the rest of us, Diana