Free Who'll Kill Agnes? by Lea Chan

the world. But Penny’s bad luck was just beginning. The school district dismissed Penny before she ever got to teach because of the poisoning.”
    “Oh, the poor thing.”
    “Her story gets worse.”
    “Geez.”
    “Now about this time my wealthy Aunt Hilda died leaving everything to Agnes but I’ll get into that later. Agnes moved here into this house, married Lester, and left unemployed Penny in the apartment. But Penny bounced back from her adversity. She started attending a little Community Church and fell in love with the young, handsome minister. He believed her when she told him that she couldn’t possibly have poisoned the pie. He asked her to marry him.”
    “How wonderful for her. But, something must have happened?”
    “Of course. Someone, we can guess who, began spreading rumors about Penny.”
    “Like what?”
    “That the pie poisoning had been deliberate. The little congregation of the Community Church did not think the minister should marry someone with a cloud of suspicion over her head. He then broke off their engagement. Penny was devastated and had a nervous breakdown.”
    “Some holy guy he was!”
    “Well, I think he was devastated, too. He thought Penny had betrayed him. Years later I talked to him and told him what I thought had happened. I didn’t mention my sister’s name because I was afraid he wouldn’t believe me. By then Agnes had such a charitable reputation all over the county, even in Connor’s Corner, that no one would believe anything bad about her. So, I just told him that somebody had been out to get Penny. He was terribly saddened and grieved deeply for her.”
    “So why didn’t he marry her then?”
    “He had already married someone else.”
    “Geez, poor Penny.”
    “Exactly. So back to the story. Agnes, who was obviously keeping tabs on Penny, invited her to live here. Penny declined at first and kept trying to get teaching positions throughout the state, but somehow her tainted reputation followed her.”
    “The ‘somehow’ was Agnes?”
    “Well, we’ll never know for sure but it must have been. Penny had another nervous breakdown and finally accepted Agnes’ offer to live here at Briar-er-Henley House. Now remember, she had no idea back then that Agnes could possibly have been behind her misfortunes.”
    “My word, it’s no wonder Penny hasn’t killed her already!”
    “Oh, but there’s more.”
    “What?”
    “Oh yes. To spite Penny, Agnes went to college and got the same degree as Penny had.”
    “How did Penny feel about that?”
    “She may have been irritated but at that time she truly thought Agnes was her friend. Besides, she couldn’t have stopped Agnes from going to college even if she had wanted to.”
    “Wasn’t Agnes kind of old for that?”
    “Oh, Bernie,” laughed Audrey, “lots of people wait till they’re older to get a degree. Anyway, upon graduation, Agnes was hired as assistant director of nutrition for the school district here. Shortly thereafter, Kevin arrived. Penny found herself taking care of him while Agnes held a position she should have had.”
    “Are you serious? You mean Agnes has held that same job for twenty-five years? She makes it sound as if any minute she’s going to be promoted to director. So Penny has just stayed here year after year?”
    “No, when Kevin was about three, Penny thought she had recovered from her nervous breakdowns. She went to California to live with an old college roommate and there she finally got a teaching job. She stayed for about ten years or so but made the mistake of corresponding with Agnes and telling her what a great life she had.”
    “Oh, geez, here we go again, I bet!”
    “Exactly. Someone, anonymously, wrote to the school board of the California town where Penny was teaching and mentioned that they had hired an accused poisoner. Penny got a hearing but she didn’t have proper representation and was asked to resign. Another nervous breakdown resulted. Agnes welcomed her