“Nothing!” Livingston shouted. “I didn’t!”
“You know I went with White when he swam in the river. I didn’t go that morning because I was on the toilet. Where were you?”
“I wasn’t…I didn’t…”
“Funny,” Guy said, sounding as unamused as Weil. The gaze of every schoolboy had narrowed on Livingston. “Funny how the one morning Weil is sick and White swims alone, he dies. Funny.”
“Funny,” John Weil repeated. “Funny how your mother who never sent you anything sent you something that time. I wonder if she knows she sent those sweets?”
“I wonder,” Grantley added, “exactly what you gave White that made it so he couldn’t reach the shore.”
“Guys…” Livingston was desperate. His gaze moved to their new leader. “Guy, please. You know…you know I didn’t.”
Guy stepped away, but he kicked out and the supplicating hand was jerked back. “I know two of us are gone, and you stole White’s future. You know why you were always behind White? It wasn’t because he cheated. It was because he was just better than you.”
Livingston’s gaze narrowed and he wasn’t able to hold back his flash of fury.
“You’re just a dumb, little—” Guy glanced at Georgette and Janey and then from them to Charles, Robert, and Constable Rogers. Slowly, Guy’s mouth closed and he cut off the insult. “The sweets are the key. I’d bet my last dollar his mother didn’t send him a damn thing.”
“Sweets?” Constable Rogers asked. “Sent from his mother. I’ll look into it.”
Livingston gasped. But it was a gasp of horror as he realized he was caught. His eyes were searching for escape and his friends rose, moving as one to block exits.
“Verifiable enough,” Rogers said. “Just like Georgette said. All we needed was you boys to work with us, and you’d know who killed your mates.”
Georgette sighed and then glanced at Charles, Robert, Eddy, and finally Janey. She wished that finding a killer was a little more satisfying. She couldn’t help but think of White’s mother, Alanson’s mother, and finally, Livingston’s mother.
“It’s not fair,” Livingston said. “It’s never been fair.”
The words were a whine to the universe, but Georgette didn’t disagree. Nothing about murder was fair.
17
In the weeks since the squalling rat had entered the universe, he’d plumped into quite a handsome little creature, the goddess Atë thought. She really did find that most young things were unacceptably irritating. Even as handsome as the creature was, he messed himself in his nappy, drank directly from the breast, and needed someone to compel belches from him. All disgusting. He could barely roll over and yet every time he did, he was celebrated as a champion of creatures.
What disappointing creations children were, Atë thought. Her gaze narrowed on the baby. Georgette had barely been entertaining as justice fell down on the squeaking Livingston. Staying home to feed the creature while others did the all the good parts of delivering justice to the rat Atë had thrown to Harper’s Hollow.
Atë truly did prefer when Georgette was the one who stole the truth from her unwitting neighbors. It was a good thing she’d surrounded herself with those like Janey. Now there was a child who promised years of entertainment. Atë looked down the lifeline of the girl and snorted time and again. She didn’t want to look too far, Atë thought. Or else the surprises would be ruined.
Atë’s gaze moved from the domestic Georgette to the braided girl. Atë found herself snorting in amusement as Janey let air from the tires of Constable Rogers. He’d jump up and down in frustration and never think of his little bright-eyed friend whose sense of justice demanded payment for suspecting her brother.
From Janey, Atë glanced to Jospeh Aaron and Marion. Joseph finished his case and was smart enough to come home with chocolates, roses, and protestations of love. Vomit, Atë thought, finding their uninspired love insipid. True love or not, it was the story of a pretty girl meeting a pretty boy and falling in love. Nothing special there.
From that boring couple, Atë glanced at the barely more interesting duo of Robert and Evelyn. There he was, following Georgette’s advice and scrawling out his heart to the tepid Evelyn. Atë didn’t bother to look down that lifeline to see the end. No doubt it would result in more squalling brats and another Mrs. Aaron.
Atë decided to finish out the boredom by checking on Lucy, now Mrs. West, on the train home as her fingers tangled with the too-young doctor. At least, Atë thought in this garden of prosaic happily-ever-afters and death-filled beginnings, there was the comeuppance of a bloated rat who would face judge and jury with his lies in shreds arounds his feet.
THE END
The next book in this series is available for preorder now.
Georgette Dorothy Aaron is a busy woman. She's gone from being a lonely old maid to the matriarch of an growing family. Her writing career has expanded and for some reason the women in her life turn to her for advice. She's not sure she's qualified to help, but she does what she can.
Only a series of letters reveal that she's become important to someone else. Someone she doesn't know. And they're asking for help--before it's too late.
Now, she's racing to piece together clues and find her pen pal before it's too late.
Order your copy here.
I’m so pleased to announce the coming of my newest series.
October 1925
Severine DuNoir was twelve when she discovered the bodies of her parents, and the day after the funeral, she was sent to a convent in another country. By the time she resolves to go home, her sole focus is to reveal what happened to her parents.
Coming home, however, unveils a far more sinister plot than she could have expected. It’s clear from her first night that something is afoot. The motives are many and the target is clear: Severine herself.
Order your copy here.
Also by Beth Byers
The Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mysteries
Murder & the Heir
Murder at Kennington House
Murder at the Folly
A Merry Little Murder
New Year’s Madness: A Short Story Anthology
Valentine’s Madness: A Short Story Anthology
Murder Among the Roses
Murder in the Shallows
Gin & Murder
Obsidian Murder
Murder at the Ladies Club
Weddings Vows & Murder
Murder by Chocolate
A Friendly Little Murder
Murder by the Sea
Murder On All Hallows
Murder in the Shadows
A Jolly Little Murder
Christmas Madness: A Short Story Anthology
Hijinks & Murder
Love & Murder
A Zestful Little Murder
A Murder Most Odd
Nearly A Murder
The Poison Ink Mysteries
Death By the Book
Death Witnessed
Death by Blackmail
Death Misconstrued
Deathly Ever After
Death in the Mirror
A Merry Little Death
Death Between the Pages
Death in the Beginning
A Lonely Little Death
The 2nd Chance Diner Mysteries
Spaghetti, Meatballs, & Murder
Cookies & Catastrophe
Poison & Pie
Double Mocha Murder
Cinnamon Rolls & Cyanide
Tea & Temptation
Donuts & Danger
Scones & Scandal
Lemonade & Loathing
Wedding Cake & Woe
Honeymoons & Honeydew
The Pumpkin Problem
The Hettie &
Ro Adventures
cowritten with Bettie Jane
(This series is complete.)
Philanderer Gone
Adventurer Gone
Holiday Gone
Aeronaut Gone