Brownie and the Dame (16 page)

Bubba, Miz Demetrice, and Willodean looked at Brownie with interest.

Brownie vigorously rubbed his cheek while grimacing. “I think I need some boiling water to get the cooties off,” he griped. “And Auntie D., can you please stop with the jokes? I’ll promise never to play one on you again. I’ll never sit on a potty again without feeling greasy, I swear.”

Miz Demetrice grinned. “How did you know it was me?”

“Well, Miz Adelia cain’t keep a joke to herself, and Bubba was, well, doing things that I reckon we don’t need to know about. Willodean wasn’t here for some of ‘em. Janie don’t seem to be the joke-playing type. It was a process of elimination. See swee— ”

Bubba brushed his still clumped hair away from his forehead and shrugged. “Look, there’s another one. Good God, I hope she isn’t going to produce a record.”

“Look at the ears on that one,” Brownie marveled. “I know what I’m bringing home as a souvenir.”

“Maybe in six weeks or so. And I reckon you’ve got a name picked out already,” Miz Demetrice said.

“You bet.” Brownie grinned broadly. “I’ve got it narrowed down to Perp, Sam Spade, or Bogie.” He shrugged. “But I could change my mind.”

* * *

A few hours later, Brownie got off the phone with his mother. All was well, and Janie had promised to email him regularly during the rest of the school. It turned out that she got to overhear a lot of juicy gossip about police work from her parents and other folks she knew. Miz Demetrice had given the fedora to Brownie permanently, and Miz Adelia was making fried catfish for dinner.
How can life be any better?

“Hey ya’ll!” Brownie yelled down the hallway. “Ma said I could come back for the whole SUMMER!”

– THE END –

The Part Where I Get to Say Stuff

I Think People Should Know

As always, I’d like to thank my husband for driving me absolutely insane by taking a job and making us move just before I wrote this novella. I’d like to thank my daughter for asking me, “How’s Brownie doing today, Mama?” at least three times a day. I’d like to thank the government for providing me with a media circus in an election year that never ceases to inspire my writing. I’d like to thank all of the fans and readers who support my writing because goodness knows, I’d be doing something completely menial if I couldn’t write. (I’d have to use that counseling degree, and that would be yuck-city. No offense intended to all of the counselors out there.)

A great big thank you to my proofreader and editor, Mary Bates, who does a tremendous job of catching boo-boos. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Sometimes I think she must think I’m completely insane. (She has to fix all my commas and figure out if I went completely astray, so I’m sure you can understand the level of work she has to put out.) If you need such a person, and all writers do, you can get in touch with her at:
[email protected]
.

A last thank you goes to a little boy I’ve seen almost every day during the school year. His name is Noah. Once upon a time, he walked up to me and kicked me in the shin. (I believe this was his way of saying, “howdy.” He was three years old at the time, by the way.) His mother was appalled despite the fact that I nearly herniated myself by trying to keep from laughing. Noah, when I wrote about Brownie, I often thought about you. I appreciate the inspiration. A writer never knows where that’s going to come from.

I sincerely hope I didn’t leave anyone out, but if I did, another thanks to that person, who will undoubtedly kick me in the shin.

Sincerely,

C.L. Bevill

About the Author:
C.L. Bevill has lived in Virginia, Texas, Arizona, and Oregon. She once was in the U.S. Army and a graphic illustrator. She holds degrees in social psychology and counseling. She is the author of
Bubba and the Dead Woman
,
Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas
,
Bubba and the Missing Woman
,
Veiled Eyes, Disembodied Bones
, and
Shadow People
, among others. Presently she lives with her husband and her daughter in Alabama and continues to constantly write. She can be reached at
www.clbevill.com
or you can read her blog at
http://www.carwoo.blogspot.com
.

Other Novels by C.L. Bevill

~

Mysteries
:

Bubba and the Dead Woman

Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas

Bubba and the Missing Woman

Brownie and the Dame (A Novella)

Bayou Moon

Paranormal Suspense/Romance:

Veiled Eyes (Lake People 1)

Disembodied Bones (Lake People 2)

Arcanorum: A Lake People Novel (Lake People 3)

The Moon Trilogy:

Black Moon (The Moon Trilogy 1)

Amber Moon (The Moon Trilogy 2)

Silver Moon (The Moon Trilogy 3)

Cat Clan Novellas:

Harvest Moon

Blood Moon

Shadow People

Sea of Dreams

Suspense:

The Flight of the Scarlet Tanager

Black Comedy:

The Life and Death of Bayou Billy

Missile Rats

Chicklet:

Dial ‘M’ For Mascara