Hushed Up--Myrtle Clover Mystery #15

Chapter Twenty

Red and Perkins were there in minutes. They must have felt like they were on stage since the entire neighborhood was out on their lawns staring at Myrtle's house.

"I'll take that, Mama," said Red eyeing the gun Myrtle still clutched in her hand.

He and Perkins arrested Bianca. The deputy ushered her into the back of the police car as the neighborhood gaped at the scene.

Red walked back in briefly to tell everyone to leave the living room and go into the kitchen for a few minutes. He had to yell over the sound of the siren, which was still going off.

"Was this the toy you were trying to saddle me with?" he barked at Myrtle.

Myrtle said with a shrug, "The siren was broken until I hit Bianca with the ambulance."

"This toy stays at your house," said Red. Then he loudly said to everyone, "I'll be back in with Perkins in fifteen or twenty minutes."

Once he walked out, Miles picked up the ambulance and removed the batteries and the house was suddenly quiet although Myrtle's ears were still ringing . . . whether from Puddin or the siren, she wasn't sure.

When Red and Perkins finally joined them, Puddin was finishing Myrtle's bottle of sherry and her pale cheeks were now a blotchy red. Dusty had found an ancient beer can Red had left at Myrtle's house ages ago. He'd poured the beer over ice, which just showed how desperately in need of it he was. Myrtle and Miles had made coffee.

Red and Perkins pulled some chairs from the living room into the kitchen and got their notebooks out.

"Now would somebody like to tell me what happened?" asked Red in a tight voice.

Puddin burst out indignantly, "Came in to get my watch I done left here. An' when I came in, that woman was holdin' a gun on your mama and Mr. Miles."

Myrtle said coldly. "I've never even seen you wear a watch."

"New revolution," said Puddin, glaring at her.

"Resolution," said Myrtle.

Red broke in, "Stop it! Tell me about Bianca."

Puddin gave him a resentful look. "Done told you. Her was pointin' a gun at your mama. Dusty came in to save us." She fluttered her eyelashes at Dusty and Dusty beamed shyly at her.

"That's not what happened at all!" said Myrtle. "Dusty charged in with a hedge trimmer that wasn't even turned on and created a distraction. I smashed Jack's ambulance on Bianca's head, thereby disabling her."

Perkins said politely, "Perhaps, Mr. Bradford, you could give us your version of what happened."

Miles looked pleased. "Yes. Well, Myrtle and I were working on crosswords from a book Red and Elaine had given her."

Now Red looked pleased his gift was being used.

Miles continued, "When the doorbell rang, Myrtle went to the door and Bianca forced her way in with a gun." He paused. "Myrtle had already figured out Bianca was the murderer."

Red's brow wrinkled. "How? How did she do that?"

Myrtle said smugly, "It all started when Wanda said anger is powerful."

Red's gaze lifted to the heavens.

Perkins prompted, "Mr. Bradford?"

Miles cleared his throat. "Like I said, Myrtle had already figured everything out. She knew about Carolyn Segers, for example."

Red frowned. "Carolyn, the librarian? How on earth does she figure into this?"

"Oh, she doesn't! Not really. But she gave Myrtle information about Bianca going to Lillian's house. And then Bianca spoke about the feeding station to Myrtle at the auction."