by Joan Hess
“Such as?” Elsie said as she spooned a bite of jam on a corner of the cake slice.
“Let me start us another pot of tea and then I’ll tell you.” Lottie smiled contentedly as she headed for the teakettle on the stove. It was so nice of Elsie to drop by, and even nicer to take such a deeply charitable interest in Lottie’s students. And she knew she could rely on Elsie not to repeat a single word.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to acknowledge the gracious assistance of the following: John Leonard, who shared his knowledge of banking practices, both licit and illicit; Ray Reynolds, who answered my legal questions without too much laughter; and Captain Larry Poage and Lieutenant Terry Lawson of the Fayetteville Fire Department, who spent a great deal of their valuable time explaining the intricacies of arson investigation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joan Hess (b. 1949) is the award-winning author of several long-running mystery series. Born in Arkansas, she was teaching preschool when she began writing fiction. Known for her lighthearted, witty novels, she is the creator of the Claire Malloy Mysteries and the Arly Hanks Mysteries, both set in Arkansas.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
These are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Malice in Maggody © 2013 by Joan Hess
Mischief in Maggody copyright © 2013 by Joan Hess
Much Ado in Maggody copyright © 1989 by Joan Hess
Cover design by Amanda Shaffer
ISBN: 978-1-5040-4832-3
This edition published in 2017 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
180 Maiden Lane
New York, NY 10038
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THE ARLY HANKS MYSTERIES
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