Murder on the Ballot, Myrtle Clover #17

Chapter Four

The room was bright and sunny, scattered with tables and chairs. There was everything from craft supplies to bingo games stacked neatly along the walls. Myrtle glanced around and said, "Wanda, we're going to need to make sure they give you some space."

Wanda nodded solemnly and Miles helped make a sort of barrier of chairs between Wanda and the door. Then Wanda settled at a small table, hands folded on the top.

The room filled up quickly and the excited chatter became deafening.

Myrtle clapped her hands and yelled out in her best retired-teacher voice, "Quiet, everyone!"

The room obediently hushed and looked expectantly to Myrtle.

"That's better. Now, listen. Wanda is making this appearance out of the goodness of her heart. This will be an exhausting process for her so we've got to have some ground rules. When Wanda is all tapped out, then that's all we're doing today. Since so many folks came in here with canes and walkers, we're going to use a lottery system instead of a line. Miles will give you each a scrap of paper with a number and we'll draw numbers out of a hat."

Miles gave her a baleful look.

"You're my campaign manager," hissed Myrtle. "It's all about sacrifice."

Miles found some printer paper and a pen and started scribbling down numbers.

"While you're all waiting for the Amazing Wanda, you'll be entertained by me regaling the group with a special announcement."

Some of the attendees looked a little leery at this.

"This ain't no pyramid scheme or something, is it?" asked an old lady wearing fake eyelashes and a suspicious look on her face.

"It isn't, no. Now Miles will distribute the numbers."

Miles slowly started around the room and found that the pieces of paper were quickly snatched from his hands, so eager were the participants to have their time with Wanda. As soon as he was done, he quickly pulled out his hand sanitizer and gave his hands a generous squirt.

Myrtle took the other halves of the pieces and put them in a plastic bowl and pulled one out. "Number fifteen."

There was a whoop from the back of the room and a little old man with a cane hobbled over to Wanda, plopped down in front of her, and proceeded to thrust his meaty palm at her as Wanda peered gravely at it.

"Now, while you wait your turn, let me tell you some good news. I'm running for town council." Myrtle beamed at the gathering. "I'll be representing our long-ignored age group and making changes that are sure to impact us in a good way. I'm going to make sure that town council recognizes our needs and takes action to listen to our voices for once."

"Tell them no more canned vegetables here," yelled out one woman from the back.

Myrtle took a notebook out of her huge purse and jotted down a note. She sniffed. "As I've said for many years, Greener Pastures is not taking appropriate care of its inmates."

A staff member standing at the door gave her a dour look, which Myrtle ignored.

"Are there other indignities you have to endure here?" prompted Myrtle, pen poised over her paper. "I'll pass them along to the council."

"They're slow to answer the call button," grouched an older man.

A trembly-voiced woman said, "They've thrown my hearing aids into the wash when they changed my sheets!"

The room suddenly became so loud that the staff member started looking nervous and Wanda had to lean over much closer to tell the man his fortune. Miles continued trying to take pictures, but most of the photos seemed to be of people yelling. Or of his own finger in the way of the lens.