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“Oh
dear, I seem to have found another dead body.” I grimaced, looking
at the deceased.
“Not
again! You shouldn't be allowed out on your own." Sheriff Buck growled. "Where are you?
I'm coming over.”
“I'm
at that new shop, Monkey Business. As mayor I thought I should
welcome the owners to Karnak.” The shrill animal voice in the back
kept shrieking. “Maybe you should bring someone from animal
control, too.”
New material
“Lord
love a duck. All I got is Deputy Kipp. He'll have to handle any
animal problem. Hang on, don't touch anything. I'll be right
there.” He cut the connection.
I
squeezed my eyes shut hoping things would look different when I
opened them. But nothing changed. It was still Monday morning, my
stomach was still overfull from the Chamber of Commerce breakfast I
just gobbled down unaware I would soon be staring at a dead body. I
sighed, punched in #2 on my phone and heard, “Clip and Curl, we're
here for you.”
“Wanda,
thank God you answered the phone. I'm in deep do-do again. Get over
here fast.”
“What?
You think I can just run around like a jack rabbit. I've got
clients to take care of.”
“I'm
sorry, I'm sorry, but..” my voice dropped to a whisper, “I've
found another dead body.”
Wanda
shrieked, “Did I hear you right? Did you say...”
I
cut her off. “Stop. Don't say it. Everyone in town will be
running over here.”
“Where's
here?”
“The
Monkey Business. It's the new store in town, about a block from
you.”
“Oh
yeah, I know it. I'll be right there. Sylvia can run the shop.”
I
clicked my phone shut. I didn't know if I should call anyone else or
not. It was hard to think with all the noise coming from out back.
I ran my fingers through my short, curly red hair, worried about what
I should do as mayor. Scanning the shop, I noticed the animal cages
were empty. Perhaps the owner didn't have time to stock them with
small dogs, cats, and rabbits.
Oh,
oh, I remembered reading angry letters to the paper about the new
business. A 'concerned animal lover' wrote the shop should be
boycotted because it encouraged 'unspeakable puppy mills'.
I
didn't know about pet store ethics, but I knew the town needed new
businesses. Karnak had been slammed by the current economic
recession. No matter what the politicians called it, when you
couldn't find a job it was a recession, maybe even a depression. I
cringed as I realized now I was one of those dreadful politicians
feeding at the public trough. Well, at least I hadn't sought the
office. No one even told me there was a write in campaign for me as
mayor to get rid of good ole boys' politics. Since my salary was
only a token $1,000 a year I didn't think I was a burden to the
taxpayers either.
A
police car pulled up to the curb, Buck and Deputy Kipp slammed out of
it and ran into the store.
“OK,
Eula May, where's the body?” Buck snarled, his meaty hand on his
holster.
The
noise from the back grew louder. Kipp shoved back his cap and
asked, “What's that?”
