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"Uaped ata baseball fan who Mickey Mantle was," I said finally "I didn&039;t know that a person could not knoho Lizzie Borden was Just ask John He&039;ll talk your ear off But if you read the book first, he&039;ll appreciate it"

Mother actually wrote the title in her little notebook She really etting married I couldn&039;t decide how I felt; I only kne I ought to feel At least acting that out made my mother happy

"Really, Aurora, I want you to tell h I do want to discuss John&039;s particular interest intelligently, of course Now that you and he are both tied in with this horrible ot sent that candy, I want to knohat the background on these crimes is" "Mother, I can&039;t reuess There was a book signing at Thy Sting, the mystery book store in the city And all of us now in Real Murders turned up for the signing, which was being held for a book about a real murder It was such a funny coincidence, all us Lawrenceton people showing up, interested in the sareed to call each other and start soan s just evolved - a lecture and discussion on a real ed I was getting tired of explaining Real Murders I expected Mother to change the subject now, as she always had before when I&039;d tried to talk about my interest in the club

"You told ht&039;s murder was patterned on the Wallace le believes that the candy being sent to us is also patterned like another cri to look it up?"

I nodded

"You&039;re in danger," my mother said flatly "I want you to leave Lawrenceton until this is all over There&039;s no way you can be implicated, like poor Melanie ith that purse hidden in her car, if you&039;re out of town" "Well, that would be great, Mo she hated to be called &039;Mom&039;, "but I happen to have a job I&039;o to ht happen to et out of town for an indefinite period of time? Just hold my job, Mr Clerrick?" "Aren&039;t you scared?" she asked furiously

"Yes, yes! If you had seen what this killer can do, if you had seen Maht&039;s head, or as left of it, you&039;d be scared too! But I can&039;t leave! I have a life!"

My uarded response, which showed clearly in those a eyebroas "Since when?"

I went home with a plateful of leftovers for supper, as usual, and decided to have a Sunday afternoon and evening of self-pity Sunday afternoons are good for that I took off my pretty dress (noclothes) and put onoffup my hair, but I felt that way What I hated to do most indows, so I decided today was the day The clouds had lightened a little and I no longer expected rain, so I collected all the ashing paraphernalia and did the downstairs, gri the process I carried aroundthe top panes When they were shining clearly, I trudged upstairs with uest bedrooreat view of the elderly couple next door, the Crandalls, co home in their Sunday best Perhaps they&039;d been to a married child&039;s for lunchthey had several children here in town, and I recalled Teentsy Crandall randchildren Teentsy and her husband Jed were laughing together, and he patted her on the shoulder as he held open the gate No sooner were they inside than Bankston&039;s blue car entered the lot and he and Melanie e at each other Even to me, and I am not really experienced, it was apparent that they could hardly wait until they got inside

As a crowning touch to a feel-sorry-for-yourself afternoon, it could hardly be beat What did I have to look forward to? I asked myself rhetorically "60 Minutes" and heated-up pot roast

I decided I&039;d take Amina&039;s advice after all I&039;d be there when herWith luck and e card, I could be ready for my trip to the city to have lunch with Robin Crusoe Then I decided that there was, after all, so

I picked up