Read Kee Patterbee - Hannah Starvling 03 - The Priest Who Ate a Poison Petit Fore for Free Online

nodded as Hannah continued.
    “When you all were growing up, did you ever notice anything unusual with him? Maybe someone coming around now and again? Was he ever nervous?”
    “He was a minister, Sherlock,” Hym answered. “Someone was always coming around. He was no more nervous than anyone else was, I suppose, but you are talking a long expanse of time to remember something that general. Forty years I’ve known him, and until tonight, I never knew he was an ex-con, which means that he’s a private man. More so than expected. So, if something was happening, or did happen, I doubt his parishioners would know. You’’d have to ask the man himself.”
    Hannah agreed with a nod and another bite. “Will do when we get there.”
    Cate landed her eyes on Magdalen. With a grin, she said, “A word of warning. If you spend any amount of time around her…” She pointed to Hannah. “You’’re going to find yourself in a lot of trouble.”
    Magdalen grinned but looked rather sudden to Buster. “Trouble. That’s my middle name.”
    Buster gulped. Hym frowned. Everyone else laughed.

Chapter Four
     
    Magdalen sat across from Vera Bessinger. She understood what the woman said, but did not grasp it in full. “I’m sorry, but you landed a helicopter where?”” Magdalen asked.
    “Twilight stadium. My stepfather, Asa, owns the Zephyrs. He and my dad are baseball fans. Minor leagues in particular,” Vera Bessinger answered while studying the bridesmaid gown she wore. “But I did not land it. The pilot did.” She smiled at Hym’s sister as if what she said was part of a normal conversation. “It’’s just one of the company transports,” Vera added.
    Magdalen looked over to Buster with a questioning expression. He sat in the corner, arms crossed in protest at having to attend a ‘woman’s dress up party’ as he referred to it. ““Worth a bundle,” Buster mouthed. “I’ll tell you about it later.” Magdalen acknowledged in wide-eyed wonder.
    Cate studied Vera, whose dress was like her own. “I must say, I had my doubts, but you are rocking it.” She motioned for Vera to spin around. The floor length, spaghetti strapped bridesmaid gown was nothing like either of them expected. Over a black body, a shear, black lace woven in a floral pattern over an underlying light silk pink form unified the dress. A leg split revealed the light pink, silk lining. Black and pink heels rounded out the piece.
    “You both are stunning,” Hannah said, as she stepped from behind an antique, four fold dressing screen. Doing so, Cate’s eyes widened. Vera’’s mouth opened.
    Buster rose to his feet. “Wow,” he uttered in a stunned voice.
    The bride-to-be stood beaming at the dress that adorned her thin, fit body. The open shouldered, full-sleeved gown encompassed a nearly perfect circle at the floor. It was composed of shear, black lace, woven in a floral pattern over an underlying light silk pink form. A short top, black Victorian hat with a pink band adorned her head.
    Standing before her friends, she tried to speak, but found no words, just a smile. Seeing her do so, Cate and Vera moved to embrace and the three stood in joy for a moment. They stopped when Buster sniffed a few times, wiping back tears of his own. Magdalen moved over and put a comforting arm around him. This brought laughter to the room.
    “This isn’t what I ordered,” Hannah confessed. “Vera?””
    Vera smiled as Hannah drew her into a hug. “How did I do?” she asked.
    “Amazing,” she said. “It must have cost you a fortune though.”
    Vera laughed. “Like that matters now, thanks to the three of you, and Hym, of course.” She thumbed to Cate and Buster. “Cate got me the measurements. It seems she’’s been waiting on this day almost as long as you.”
    “Don’t you know it? Now, if I can get Cue Ball to ask me, you are going to have to fork over the name of that designer. Honey, you are smoking hot. Putting the sexy in getting