Continuing Preview of EULA MAY AND THE MONKEY BUSINESS

Scroll down to previous blog to read the beginning of chapter 1.  This material continues it.

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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.”

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“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?”