Annie Hansen Mysteries

Chapter 4

Outside on the dun-colored lawn, dry leaves twisted and soared. The yeller dog bayed from out back. Coffee was on and bacon crackled in the pan. Mrs. Powolski stirred the greasy strips and cracked some eggs. Her heavyweight husband sat with thumbs hooked in his suspenders.

“Mornin", kids.”

I smiled. “Give me my meds, please, Mrs. P.” She was supposed to keep an eye on us, and that included giving me my pills. Group home rules. I hated that.

Samir lurched into the room and sat on one of the truly vintage chairs that amazingly would hold Mr. Powolski"s weight.

“Have to go out early this morning,” I said. “I feel so good and I got work.”

“Dress warm,” Mrs. Powolski said. “You"ll catch your death of cold.”

“That"s good.” Samir threw back his head and laughed. “Can I go, too? I"d like to catch my death.”

“He wants to kill himself,” I explained.

To finish my morning rituals, I counted to twenty on my fingers, twice, under the table before tackling breakfast.

“Somebody"s done in,” Mr. Powolski boomed. “Somebody kicked the bucket. Else you wouldn"t be so happy, missy. I heard your cell phone ring early this morning. Can only mean bad news for somebody.”

“It means our private eye here has work.” Samir licked his fingers.

“More bacon, please.”

“Yeah, I got a phone call early this morning from the cops" office,” I said. “You"re right, angel pie Samir, I got work.” “I knew about it early like,” he said.

I can"t help it, my analytic mind like goes into high gear and I just put things together that nobody else might think of, and I can"t help it if maybe friends get all mixed up with foes.

He can"t be trusted. He just sleeps in the same room with you because he wants the rent from Social Services, not your lousy body, babes, nobody would want that. He must have been talking to the coroner last night, they"re in cahoots, just like the Justice Department"s office, they know everything you do.

He can"t be trusted. He just sleeps in the same room with you because he wants the rent from Social Services, not your lousy body, babes, nobody would want that. He must have been talking to the coroner last night, they"re in cahoots, just like the Justice Department"s office, they know everything you do.I started counting on my fingers again. Sure, I could trust Samir. He was the only person I could trust in this little hell-hole of a town. Why do you say that, you little witch? You know you love it here. It"s just like you, small-minded and dirty.

Why do you say that, you little witch? You know you love it here. It"s just like you, small-minded and dirty.“I ain"t small,” I said to the voices. “I"m big boned and I"m tall.” “What?” Mrs. Powolski beamed.

“I"m what they call an sss,” I said. I checked my cell phone to see if there were any more calls, and went upstairs to shower. Samir was there before me and out the door before I had my shoes on. He was always quick in his movements. Fluid-like, here and then gone.

Lordy, Samir was one good-looking Sudanese man. If we had babies they"d be cuter than me.