Murder on Opening Night: Myrtle Clover #9

Chapter Five

Myrtle was first through Miles's door. "Wanda! How are you? Everything going well?"

Wanda was sitting primly on Miles's sofa as if she were a guest for the queen. A large paper bag sat at her feet. "Everything is good. Better than it is for you, anyway. Because yer in danger."

Myrtle nodded absently. "Oh, don't I know it! I'm always in danger, though. You should really start predicting when I'm not in danger, Wanda. It might make it more of a challenge for you."

Miles finally made it through the door. "Wanda, what on earth are you doing here? And how did you get in?"

Wanda shrugged an emaciated shoulder. "With yer hide-a-key."

Miles stared at her. "But that's in a secret location!"

Myrtle grinned at him. "Do you keep it under your mat?"

"Certainly not!"

Wanda said, "He keeps it taped to the bottom of his sprinkler in the bushes."

Miles opened his mouth and closed it.

Myrtle said, "She is a psychic, Miles. For heaven's sake."

"It's hot out there," said Wanda with another shrug. "Wanted a bit of air."

Miles just kept staring.

Myrtle ignored him and said eagerly to Wanda, "What can we do for you today? You didn't just come here to warn me, did you?"

"No. But you do need to watch your step. Some of them actors have evil in their hearts," intoned Wanda, her dark eyes serious.

Myrtle and Miles stared wordlessly at her.

Then Wanda gave a rattling, nicotine infested laugh. "And I brought y'all squash. Been growing it. Keeps coming in. I want to give it to Miles. He's been nice to me. Both of y'all have—the job and everything."

Miles quickly covered up his horrified response. "Thanks, Wanda."

Myrtle thought she remembered that Miles had a massive aversion to squash. This should be interesting. Her bag seemed to be loaded down with them.

"You drove here? Dan got one of the cars working?" asked Myrtle.

A look of pride crossed Wanda's features. "Sure did. Yanked it right off them cement blocks with some help from the boys down the street. Slapped some tires on it, stuck some kind of wire under the hood and off it went. Wished he had thunk to do it yesterday when I walked here."

"That's really wonderful. Wonderful. And I hope Crazy Dan knew what he was doing and you get home safely. Although first, I do want us to go into town and talk to my editor, Sloan. I suppose he's your editor now, too. And, while you're here, Wanda, do you have any insights at all into the theater murder?"

"What, that young girl?" grated Wanda.

"That's right."

Miles was still staring at the huge bag of squash.

Wanda said laconically, "Not really."

Myrtle persisted. "But you said that some actors have evil in their hearts! Were you being gender specific and meaning male actors? Or were you being politically correct and meaning male or female actors."

Finally there was a reaction from Miles. He gave a sputtering chuckle at Myrtle using "politically correct" in relation to Wanda.

"I'm saying it's a right mess," said Wanda darkly. "And to watch yer step."