New Beginning 1022

December 31st.

Lilia Loverly and Cassie Chalaine laughed as they headed through the service pantry toward the kitchen of the Maple Hill Inn, until they ran across Baby New Year holding a bloodied knife over the body of Father Time.

Cassie’s spine-chilling scream punctuated the tray of champagne glasses as it slipped from Lilia’s hands and crashed to the floor. Jay Roddey looked up at the two women. His wide saucer-like eyes glazed with fear, his chest heaved with ragged breaths, and his hand trembled as he held the knife.

“S-somebody killed him!” Jay’s suddenly high-pitched voice cracked.

Cassie screamed again. Lilia tried to stay calm—somebody had to. “Jay, what have you done?” Lilia demanded.

“I didn’t do it. I, I…” He swallowed hard and tried to contain his emotions, as tears cut a path down his blood-spattered face.

“Jay, if you didn’t do this, then who did?” asked Lilia.

“I don’t know. I came out of the kitchen with another cheese and cracker platter and tripped right over him.”

Lilia took in the broken crackers, chunks of cheese, and crystal shards scattered everywhere as a pool of blood slid slowly across the polished hardwood floor.

Lilia grasped Cassie about the midsection and bade her keep still.

"Now dearie, run off and grab Mother Nature for us. She'll get this cleaned up in a jif. There's a good girl."

Once the quivering Cassie had departed, Lilia fixed Jay with a gimlet gaze. Then she removed the leather strap she kept tucked into her apron for times such as these. "Clumsy sod, however will Miss Marple solve this crime with tea biscuits and cheese ground into the evidence?"

Jay knelt, then, and turned his watery eyes to the wall. "Please forgive me, Mistress Lilia."

Oh I will, Lilia thought, just as soon as I warm that juicy bum. 


Opening: Sherry Clitheroe.....Continuation: Veronica Rundell