Free The Possum Hollow Hullabaloo (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) by Judy Nickles Page A

looked up at the library clock. “But we need to go feed the ones who do show up. Just try to keep things on an even keel—and be careful.”
    ****
    At mid-morning, Alana Mueller, looking smug, pounded on the locked door. A man in a suit jacket with no tie stood behind her. “Why are the doors locked?” she demanded of Penelope who got there first.
    “You’ll have to take that up with the police department in town,” Penelope said, standing aside to let them in.
    “This is my supervisor, Mr. Caldwell.”
    Penelope acknowledged the introduction with a brief nod. “You know where the office is.” She lingered in the hall for a moment, but when George Harris signaled her with his eyes, she went back to the library.
    For the rest of the morning, a steady stream of children entered the office—and left fairly quickly. They won’t talk, Penelope thought, feeling more and more satisfied.  And those officious twits can’t beat it out of them.
    Pam Hollis ducked into the library at noon. “It’s like the kids are pre-programmed for silence. They’re not even talking in class, which is fine with me—at least for today. I’m reading aloud and giving seatwork and leaving them alone.”
    “This too shall pass,” Penelope said, laughing at how philosophical she sounded. “I hope.”
    “Paul managed a word with George, and he said those two outlanders are furious.”
    “Outlanders!”
    “Well, that’s what they are. We are, too, of course, but at least we understand the thinking out here in the Hollow and don’t try to butt in.”
    “Wonder what they’ll do?”
    “No telling.”
    ****
    At two o’clock, Miss Maude poked her head into the library and informed Penelope that, as a special treat, the children were going to be allowed to watch a video in the gym. “Mr. Harris suggests The Wind in the Willows. ”
    “I’ll set it up then. Miss Maude, what do you think is going on?”
    The woman put her lips together in a tight line, then relaxed them. “The children are silent as the grave, and Miss Mueller and Mr. Caldwell can’t get a word out of any one of them. I would think they’d have given up by now. Currently they’re in the outer office—with their heads together as you younger people say.”
    “Plotting?”
    “I wouldn’t be surprised.”
    Penelope put her paperwork aside and went to the video cabinet. “The school day’s almost over, and so far nothing’s happened.”
    “Let us pray it doesn’t.”
    “I’ve been praying all day, Miss Maude.”
    The older woman nodded. “As have I—in a Methodist sort of way.” Penelope thought the older woman winked as she withdrew and disappeared down the hall.
    Penelope was pushing the television cart toward the door when she heard gunshots followed by the sound of shattering glass. The bell rang—one long, two shorts. She left the card and opened the library door, which she hadn’t locked despite George’s edict, and stepped out into the hall.
    A large man, definitely a Hadden, brandishing a sawed-off shotgun, lunged for George Harris who stood in the door of his office, then leveled the gun and fired. George went down. Penelope retreated, locking the door behind her, and ran for the phone in her small office.
    Assured that help was on the way, she crawled across the library and hunkered down by the door to listen. The hall seemed eerily silent. I’ve got to get to George. It’ll be at least fifteen minutes before the ambulance gets here. He could die if he’s gut-shot, and that’s what it looked like.  He might already be dead. She reached for the doorknob, flipped the lock, and opened the door slightly.  Silence. Still on her knees, she inched out into the hall where she could see the principal lying in a pool of blood.
    Oh, dear God, I’m too late. He’s dead. But I had to call for help, and that Hadden would’ve shot me, too, if I’d gone to help George right off the bat. Then she heard a moan and saw George’s foot twitch.