Twisted Twenty-Six (Stephanie Plum 26)

“I’ve been getting phone calls all day, between my cookie making, about Julius Roman,” Grandma said. “There’s a lot of finger-pointing going on. I guess things are pretty tense at the Mole Hole.”

“I saw Jeanine in the supermarket, and she thinks it was an outside hit. Someone not related to the keys business.”

“I guess Julius could have been involved in something we don’t know about,” Grandma said.

I parked in the firehouse lot, and Barbara pulled in next to us.

“Oh jeez,” Grandma said. “What are the chances? Maybe we should skip bingo and go to dinner.”

Barbara got out of her car and walked over to us.

“Edna! So good to see you again,” she said.

Grandma unbuckled and got out. “It was only just yesterday.”

“Did you like my cookies?” Barbara asked.

“Yeah,” Grandma said. “They were delicious.”

“I used real butter,” Barbara said.

Grandma nodded. “Yup. I could tell.”

“And they weren’t too spicy?”

“I like a little spice,” Grandma said.

“Well, I guess they agreed with you. You’re looking good. Healthy and all.”

“Did you expect something else?” Grandma asked.

“No, no,” Barbara said. “It’s just that you’re always so hearty for your age.”

“I’m not so old,” Grandma said. “I think you’ve got a couple years on me, but you look like you’re doing okay, too. Mostly. I hope I look as good as you when I get to be that old.”

“Time will tell,” Barbara said. “Here today and gone tomorrow.”

“I gotta get in and get my seat,” Grandma said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

We went into the firehouse and looked around. The sisters were across the room in their usual places.

Grandma waved and they stared back.

“They look okay,” Grandma said. “I bet they didn’t eat the cookies.”

Miriam Flock was at the head table with the bingo balls. “I’ll be calling today,” she said. “Marvina is under the weather. She came down with something at lunch today. We all hope it isn’t anything serious.”

“Marvina lives next door to Tootie,” Grandma said. “They haven’t gotten along in years. Dollars to donuts they gave the cookies to Marvina.”

Tootie smiled at Grandma.

“Pure evil.” Grandma said.

“We’re sort of involved,” I told her.

“I guess that’s true,” Grandma said. “I’ll go to Mass with your mother tomorrow.”

Two hours later, we were leaving, and Barbara followed us to our car.