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    Who Killed The Schoolmarm: Amazing Gracie Mystery
    Who Killed The Schoolmarm: Amazing Gracie Mystery
    Who Killed The Schoolmarm: Amazing Gracie Mystery
    Ebook227 pages3 hours

    Who Killed The Schoolmarm: Amazing Gracie Mystery

    By Fay Risner

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    About this ebook

    Gracie Evans and the other elderly residents living at Moser Mansion Rest Home for Women in Locked Rock, Iowa aren't happy with the school board's pick for the new schoolmarm. The young woman has been seen dating Locked Rock's eligible young bachelors. Lois Harwood said Cecee Morgan claimed she caught the new teacher flirting with her husband. They live next door to the teacher. Lois Harwood drove past a buggy rocking back and forth late one evening in the country and recognized Hubert Hadden and the schoolmarm acting unseemly so she said. Lois spread the news, and from what she heard from others, she says the schoolmarm had been ridden more often than all the horses in the town's livery. The town's respectable ladies are up in arms enough to go to the school board members and complain before school starts. The board needs to fire Connie Greene and hire another teacher. Too late! The Moser Mansion women go for an evening walk and find the schoolmarm's body in a marsh outside of town. Now if that young woman was getting along so well with the men in Locked Rock, Who Killed The Schoolmarm?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherFay Risner
    Release dateDec 18, 2017
    ISBN9781370899760
    Who Killed The Schoolmarm: Amazing Gracie Mystery
    Author

    Fay Risner

    Fay Risner lives with her husband on a central Iowa acreage along with their chickens, rabbits, goats and cats. A retired Certified Nurse Aide, she now divides her time between writing books, livestock chores, working in her flower beds, the garden and going fishing with her husband. In the winter, she makes quilts. Fay writes books in various genre and languages. Historical mystery series like Stringbean westerns and Amazing Gracie Mysteries, Nurse Hal's Amish series set in southern Iowa and books for Caregivers about Alzheimer's. She uses 12 font print in her books and 14 font print in her novellas to make them reader friendly. Now her books are in Large Print. Her books have a mid western Iowa and small town flavor. She pulls the readers into her stories, making it hard for them to put a book down until the reader sees how the story ends. Readers say the characters are fun to get to know and often humorous enough to cause the readers to laugh out loud. The books leave readers wanting a sequel or a series so they can read about the characters again. Enjoy Fay Risner's books and please leave a review to make others familiar with her work.

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      Book preview

      Who Killed The Schoolmarm - Fay Risner

      Who Killed The Schoolmarm

      Amazing Gracie Mystery

      Book Ten

      Fay Risner

      Cover Art

      All Rights Reserved 2018

      Author Fay Risner

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright 2017 Fay Risner

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to the actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals are entirely coincidental. Excerpts from this book cannot be used without written permission from the author.

      Booksbyfay Publisher

      Author, Editor and Editor Fay Risner

      fayrisner@netins.net

      The Staff of NaNoWriMo

      We're so proud of you. This November, you set a goal to write 50,000 words in a month... and now, here you are, in December, goal achieved.

      The great Ursula K. Le Guin said recently, One of the troubles with our culture is we do not respect and train the imagination. It needs exercise. It needs practice. You can’t tell a story unless you’ve listened to a lot of stories and then learned how to do it.

      We don't know anyone who respects the imagination quite as much as y'all do. You've dedicated the last thirty days to training your imagination, strengthening your diligence, and honing your creative perseverance. And now, with your imagination freshly exercised, the great, boundless, natural question: if you can do this, what else could you do?

      The sky's the limit.

      Thank you for writing with us. We hope to do it again soon (the Now What? Months are coming up, wink wink, nudge nudge)—after your well-deserved rest.

      Proud to be your writing sidekick,

      Tim, and the NaNoWriMo staff

      Prologue

      July of 1906 seemed hotter than particular to the citizens of Locked Rock, Iowa. Gracie Evans said some people were never happy about the weather no matter what it was like. The old saying in Iowa has always been wait around, and the weather will change. The problem was the change never did suit anyone, either.

      The other two older women, Melinda Applegate and Madeline Patterford who lived at Moser Mansion Rest Home for Women, grumbled about the sweltering heat as they suffered on the front porch. Melinda excused her problem as older folks just couldn't stand hot weather as easily as the younger generations. She felt she had the right as an elderly citizen to complain.

      Late one evening in mid-July the start of ominous events in town worked to take everyone's mind off the summer heat. Instead, fear spread through the houses. Dreaded anxiety the like which hadn't been known since the mysterious, night invading intruder had broken into homes a year ago. The interloper had the nerve to steal the unmentionables of pretty young girls and hide the garments in his bed. The unknown pervert kept all the citizens on edge until he was caught. That incident was nothing compared to what Locked Rock had in store for itself this time.

      One person, namely the new schoolmarm, was going to set off ominous events in just a few short weeks that would make Locked Rock citizens think this matter was much worse than any incident they had heard about before. It would cause people to talk about that summer for years to come.

      Chapter One

      Oblivious to the ominous event to come that would shake up the town, we begin with one July Sunday afternoon on the front porch of Moser Mansion Rest Home For Women owned by Orie and Molly Lang. Somehow, the residents of the mansion were always the catalyst for excitement in Locked Rock, Iowa, and you will find this story no different than the others. The three residents, Gracie Evans, Melinda Applegate and Madeline Patterford were napping in their rockers. It was their usual afternoon activity.

      The only shade as the women faced the afternoon sun were the three large trellises covered with vines of morning glories, honeysuckle, and clematis.

      Gracie's chin rested on her chest, causing a light whistling sound to come from her nose. Sweat beads dripped from her dark gray braids wrapped around the thinning hair on her head. She had lifted up her dark brown cotton skirt enough to let air in around her high topped black shoes. When Gracie acted unladylike enough to hike up her skirt, she didn't care what others traveling by the mansion thought if they happened to notice. This was one of those times she was too hot to care.

      A paper advertisement fan attached to a wooden stick rested in her lap as did a similar one in the other ladies' laps. This particular fan had been in a chair at the recent funeral for old Mr. Thomas Holderman. The fan advertised Karl Hartmann's furniture store and funeral parlor. He provided the fans to comfort the mourners packed into his small funeral home like sardines in a can. The ladies had taken their fans home and on summer days considered them treasures.

      Seated next to Gracie was Melinda dozing in her rocker. Her soft white, short curls drooped slightly from the heat. Her usually crisp, white, ruffled blouse had damp splotches of sweat under the arms. That would never do if she were awake to notice. Sure enough, before supper, she'd be changing her clothes.

      Madeline, the newest one of the residents, sat on the other side of the screen door in her rocker. The tall, stately woman always wore the latest fashions from back east, because as she was happy to tell everyone, she was from New York. Her black hair was in the updo hairstyle popular at the moment. Around her hovered the springy scent of Lilly Of The Valley perfume.

      Gracie called her highfalutin behind her back, but she didn't figure on the woman ever changing into a mid-westerner any more than a tiger could change its stripes. She was an easterner and would always be one. The only reason Madeline moved to what she called a nearly uncivilized place like Locked Rock was to be near her daughter. However, the woman had lived in Moser Mansion long enough for everyone to get used to her ways, and the residents got along most of the time.

      When Gracie did grumble about the woman not fitting into the Midwest culture, Melinda reminded her Madeline was polite enough to keep her thoughts to herself about Gracie. Gracie should learn to do the same. She added Gracie might not like what Madeline really thought of her if she was to start criticizing. That usually brought Gracie's grumbles to a halt. She didn't want to know straight out what was on that easterner's mind about her faults.

      As the ladies slumbered, the sun headed in its downward slant. The golden orb was about to drop out of sight behind Marshal Earl and Sara Bullock's house across the street.

      A rider on horseback trotted down the street. The horse nickered loudly when a stray, gray tiger striped cat ran across the road in front of the horse. The cat yowled when the horse stepped on its tail, causing the horse to dance and step sideways.

      The noise jolted Gracie awake. She yawned as she watched the rider try to control his jumpy mount.

      At the edge of the street, a panting robin shut its beak and flew high into the tree by the porch where it was safe from the cat and the horse.

      Melinda rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and gave a weak yawn, which she patted down with her hand.

      Madeline sat up straighter in her rocker, stretched her arms up high, then out in front of her to get the stiffness out of them.

      What woke me up? Madeline asked, rubbing her eyes.

      Gracie pointed at the back of the rider almost out of sight. A traveler going by on a high-strung horse. He about got dumped in the middle of the street. That's what woke me up.

      Wonder what time it is? Melinda's voice was gravelly from sleep.

      Gracie reached into the pocket on her brown skirt and pulled out a man's red handkerchief. Look how far the sun is down in the sky. When it gets behind the Bullock house, reckon Miss Molly will be calling us in for supper. She stopped talking and wiped the dripping sweat away from the sides of her face.

      Oh brother! We slept another day away, Madeline grumbled.

      That's about right. Got a problem with it, you come up with a better plan, Gracie retorted.

      Madeline leaned forward so she could look around Melinda directly at Gracie. Yes, I have a legitimate worry. We aren't a very productive bunch if all we do is sleep our life away. Besides, that isn't healthy for us.

      Melinda rolled her head against the rocker back to study Madeline.

      You get an idea about how to make us healthy let us know, Gracie snapped.

      Melinda rolled her head to the other side to look at Gracie. Gracie, Madeline is right. What happened to those walks we used to take?

      Gracie puzzled over that a moment. She shrugged. Reckon we stopped going on walks because of the heat.

      We certainly need to become more active and do something besides sit in these rockers and sleep. To tell you the truth, my bottom is getting sore from sitting in this hard rocker so long, Madeline insisted. If it's too hot during the day, we should go for walks later in the afternoon or after dinner-- I mean supper. Near dusk, it might be cooler. What do you think?

      Sounds like a good idea to me, Melinda agreed. I get stiff sitting in my rocker so long, too. I could use a little limbering up while I can still yet move enough to get limber.

      Well, Gracie, add your two cents, Madeline challenged.

      I agree with everything you two said. Gracie stared off toward Main Street, hating to give in to the others.

      You do? Madeline sounded surprised.

      Shall we start after supper tonight? Melinda asked, jumping in while Gracie seemed favorable to Madeline and her idea.

      Melinda, that would be a great idea if we're going to do this. We might as well start walking right away after supper, Madeline agreed.

      Wait up just one minute! Gracie barked. We don't have to walk this very night. We walked to church and back this morning. We got our exercise for the day. We might as well wait until tomorrow for the next walk.

      Melinda rolled her eyes at Madeline.

      Under her breath, Madeline gusted a long, Oh, brother! And added, I guess she has us there, Melinda.

      Melinda gave a long sigh. I'm wondering what will be Gracie's excuse to keep from walking when tomorrow night gets here.

      I can't wait to find out, Madeline said dryly, winking at Melinda.

      Might as well quit talking about me. I'm right here listening to you, and you know it, Gracie grumped. If you're so worried about exercising, reckon we can start walking tomorrow night. That is if it doesn't rain. I don't want to walk in rain.

      Melinda chuckled. Oh, Gracie, give up looking for an excuse. Not much danger of a rainstorm happening, and not much danger of Madeline and I wanting to walk in a rainstorm. So now it's settled. We'll plan on a walk tomorrow evening.

      Chapter Two

      As usual, the Moser ladies were again on the front porch on Monday afternoon. This time, Madeline had the idea no one could nap before time for their exercise walk, because she thought they did too much napping. She said they would sleep better at night if they stayed awake all day. Melinda agreed with her, and Gracie had no choice but to go along with them.

      The deal was if one of them saw one of the others going to sleep, they should wake that one up. So, though much head nodding occurred, one of them noticed and complained which kept the offender awake.

      Later that afternoon, two men walked beside the street toward the mansion from downtown. Gracie squinted to identify them. She turned to Melinda to mention who was coming toward the mansion. The woman had dozed off while Gracie watched the traffic on Main Street. She patted Melinda's arm to wake her. Here now! Get your eyes open.

      What is it? Melinda mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

      You best wake up, and don't get mad at me. We had a deal remember. Right, Madeline?

      Madeline, eye lids half shut, nodded weakly. Right.

      Besides, the mansion is about to have company, and it wouldn't be ladylike for them men to catch us napping, hissed Gracie as she pointed down the street.

      Melinda leaned out to look around Gracie. What do you suppose those two men are coming here for?

      I have an idea what's up, Gracie said knowingly. She was about to enlighten the other women when she heard a snore in the rocker on the other side of Melinda.

      She leaned out to see around Melinda. Would you look at her. The woman, with the great idea to stay awake and exercise more, slipped off to sleep when I quit watching her. Madeline, wake up!

      Madeline flinched, startled by the harsh sound of Gracie's voice. She jolted up straight in her rocker. Oh brother! What are you yelling at me for? She demanded of Gracie as she rubbed the wrinkles out of her skirt and patted her hair do.

      I had to wake you up, because you said we couldn't nap. I understood that to include you. Besides, a couple of men are coming toward the mansion, Gracie said in a hushed voice.

      So? What makes you think they're coming in here? Madeline questioned.

      Yes, Gracie. I'd like to know the answer to that one. Did you go psychic on us like Hynenaeus Devereaux? Melinda teased.

      Nope, but you two can't take a nap if I can't. Now for your information, I heard Mr. Orie say he was having a school board meeting later this afternoon after those two men got off work. Coming right at us happens to be the other two members of the school board, Lois Harwood's husband, Max, and Linda Crabapple's husband, Jake. Guess any time now a woman is coming for an interview for the schoolmarm job, Gracie explained.

      Melinda groaned. I hate it that Preacher Mayfield's wife decided to accept the teaching position at Elberon this next term. That's quite a drive for Georgia and will be cold during the winter in an open buggy. Besides, she's a good teacher and will be missed around here by the pupils.

      Madeline retorted, The Elberon school board knew all that. They must have offered her more money to get her to leave here.

      Gracie harrumphed. Georgia Mayfield is probably still nursing a grudge toward the town for the way the citizens treated her husband.

      Could be, Melinda assented. We should be thankful Preacher Mayfield has forgiven the town. Otherwise, we'd be looking for a new preacher.

      Best be on the alert, Gracie warned. The minute he thinks he has all us sinners saved in Locked Rock he will probably think his job is done, pack up and leave town with his wife. Move to Elberon would be my guess.

      You really think there are enough sinners living in Elberon to make it worth the preacher's while to move? Melinda asked.

      Just then, the squeak of the rusty hinges on the front yard gate quieted the women. Max Harwood, a tall, middle-aged man with a bald spot in the middle of his black hair, entered first. Right behind him was Jake Crabapple, a short and wiry, muscular man with brown wavy hair sticking out from under his bowler hat.

      Afternoon, Ladies, Max greeted, touching the brim of his bowler hat.

      Hello, Jake added, nodding at the women.

      Good afternoon, Madeline returned.

      I imagine Mr. Orie is waiting for you in the library, Gracie informed them, getting right to the point.

      Yes, ma'am, I expect he is, Jake said as Max opened the screen door.

      The men were inside for about fifteen minutes when Melinda asked, Wonder who they will pick for the next schoolmarm?

      Gracie pointed with a crooked finger at the street. Don't reckon you will have to wait long to get that answer. Here she comes, I'm guessing.

      They watched a tall, slender young woman, around twenty years old, open the gate and come up the walk to the porch. She had on a white form-fitting dress, popular for summer social wear especially for the younger women in town. Her flaming red hair was in an updo just like Madeline's. She had a round face with a peaches and cream complexion, bright blue eyes, and a cute turned up nose. The wooden porch steps made a hollow tapping sound under the woman's shoes. She stopped at the edge of the porch, gripping her hands together nervously. Hello, ladies.

      Good afternoon, Melinda greeted as she smiled warmly.

      Are you the one interviewing for the teacher job? Gracie barked.

      The woman flinched. Yes, ma'am. My name is Connie Greene. Is this the house where the school board is meeting?

      Yes, dear! Melinda offered before Gracie had a chance to speak.

      Connie sighed and patted her chest. Oh, good. I'm new in town so I'm glad to hear I have the right place. I'd hate to be late, because I hunted around town for the house I needed to be at and missed the meeting.

      Go right on in, dear. The school board members are all in the library right inside this screen door. I expect they're waiting for you. After the woman disappeared inside, Melinda scolded, Gracie, for goodness sakes, did you have to bark like a dog at that young woman? She's nervous enough the way it is.

      Gracie picked up the fan in her lap and swished it back and forth in front of her face. Didn't realize I spoke any different than I always do.

      Madeline said softly, "That's the

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