Sarah Benadine is Dead

Chapter III, Part I

Shannon Malone was going to attend Briargate. It had been decided mere weeks before the school year was to begin. All reservations Shannon had had to be pushed to the side. The matter was settled.

The summer dwindled with furtive glances cast from neighbor to neighbor and veiled accusations hidden in everyday conversation. Investigation into Sarah Benadine's murder had not gone far, only making it more prevalent in the townspeople's minds. Answers were wanted that nobody had. Nearly everyone had their own opinion, their own two cents to give, but there was no evidence to any of it. Merely finger-pointing and paranoia at large.

Faye's birthday was the last hurrah every summer for the Malone sisters. Falling near the end of August, it was never a big party affair, but rather an excuse for Faye and her friends to go to Winkie's, the ice cream parlor on Main, and indulge in the free three scoop hot fudge sundae anyone could get on their birthday. Shannon tagged along nearly every year, as did Toni in recent years, never wanting to be the one to miss out on ice cream. That year she'd dragged Robbie Edwards with her, for no real reason other than to be able to spend the entire time getting on his nerves. Faye didn't mind; she liked Toni—most of the time—and she liked Robbie even more.

Faye and her friends snatched one of the booths in the corner, but Toni had insisted on the stools at the counter. The tops swiveled, and Shannon would assert that nothing entertained Toni more than seeing how fast she could get the things spinning before Mr. Walker, the shop owner, told her to stop before she broke something. That never interested Shannon much; she always started to feel sick long before she could be chastised.

"I wonder if you'll have to wear a snooty uniform," Toni said as the three of them ate. "My cousin goes to a private Catholic school, and he has to wear a tie."

"Mickey Wilson wears a tie," Robbie pointed out. Toni shook her head.

"Yeah, but he doesn't have to. And I don't think my cousin's school would let him wear a tie with goldfish on it."

"Someone would probably show him how to tie it properly, too," Shannon said.

"Exactly," Toni said, adding regretfully, "All those knots the Boy Scouts taught him and the Windsor wasn't one of them."

"It doesn't matter anyway," Shannon said. "Briargate doesn't have uniforms."

Toni's shoulders sagged. "But you'd look so good in a goldfish tie."

"I thought we agreed that she wouldn't be wearing a goldfish tie," Robbie said with a snicker. Toni gave a half-shrug, taking a large, messy bite of her banana split.

"I just hope," Toni said around bits of whipped cream, "that when you're at your fancy new school, you won't forget who got you this far, Shannon, my dear."

"You mean you?" Shannon asked.

"Of course," Toni replied. "Who else?"

Shannon and Robbie laughed. Shannon reached over and put her hand on Toni's shoulder, saying, "I'm sure it will take a lot more than just a different school to forget about you, Toni."

When Shannon retracted her arm, she scooped up a bit of Toni's whipped cream with her finger.

"Ack!" Toni cried. "Were you raised in a barn?"

"In the stall right next to yours," Shannon said with a toothy grin. Toni rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitched. Robbie laughed unabashedly.