Secret Attic
  • Home
  • Short Story Comp
    • Short Story Results
  • WEEKLY WRITE
    • WW Results
  • Picture This!
  • The Long Short Story
  • Drabble Contest
  • The Booklets
  • Online Booklets
  • League Table
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Short Story Comp
    • Short Story Results
  • WEEKLY WRITE
    • WW Results
  • Picture This!
  • The Long Short Story
  • Drabble Contest
  • The Booklets
  • Online Booklets
  • League Table
  • Blog
  • Contact

Playing by Ear by Susmita Ramani

8/4/2021

0 Comments

 
Chief Sedgwick asked someone to bring old Mrs. Dalrymple a glass of water. She’d had the worst time getting up the station’s stairs, leaning on an officer all the way into the interrogation room, where she now sat in a sinfully ugly brown dress, slumped over like a sack of potatoes. The idea of getting that old frightened him.

He spoke loudly, as she seemed hard of hearing. “Let’s start from when you were teaching Nora.”

“Yes, dear.” Her voice was creaky. “I heard what sounded like a firecracker. We left the piano and crawled under pews. To keep little Nora quiet, I told her we were playing a game.”

He nodded. “That was quick thinking. You didn’t see the thief?”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry to be a useless old lady.”

He patted her arm. “Not at all.”

“What happened?” Her eyes widened.

He sighed. “The thief ran in, took the cash box with proceeds from last weekend’s bazaar, shot Reverend Charles through the kneecap, and fled.”

“No! Goodness!” She burst into tears.

He handed her a Kleenex. “You can visit him when he’s out of surgery.”

Her face crumpled. “I made seventeen cherry pies for that bazaar. I pitted every cherry myself.”

He knew how much work went into a pie. “Seventeen? You’re putting me on!”

Her lips trembled. “Would I lie to you?”

He breathed out slowly. “No, Ma’am. Sorry. I was trying for some levity, but I realize this isn’t the time. I’ll bet every last pie was delicious. Do you...need help out to your car?”


She rose slowly to her feet. “Bless you. I think I can manage.”

…

Two hours later, a Sergeant entered the station. “Chief, we just found the real Mrs. Dalrymple in her underwear, locked in the church basement.”
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.


    Issue 12

    April 2021


    Buy a Copy
    Booklet #12
    Booklet #12

    The Stories

    All
    A Family Visit By Sven Camrath
    A Rock And A Hard Place By Rachel Smith
    Evie By Graham Crisp
    Fifty Shades By Liz Berg
    Hell In Your Hand By Graham Crisp
    Highs And Lows By Mike Rymarz
    Just A Small Portion For Me By Deb Hollywood
    Ladies’ Day By R.T. Hardwick
    Losing Streak By Mike Rymarz
    Mavis & Mary By Darren Arthurs
    Peace
    Perfect Peace By R.T. Hardwick
    Playing By Ear By Susmita Ramani
    Rare By Cindy Pereira
    Relax By John Quinn
    Seedcake Or Eccles Cake By Graham Crisp
    Shaking A Leg By Susmita Ramani
    Survival Of The Fattest By Annie Wills
    The Driving Lesson By Steve Goodlad
    The House On The Hill By Susan Wicks
    The Improbable Win For Walsh’s Women By Steve Goodlad
    The Message On The Banner By Susmita Ramani
    The Winner Takes It All By Liz Breen
    Unheard By Elaine Peters
    Wedding Planner By Liz Berg
    Winners By Elaine Peters


    Opt-Out
    To request your story to be removed from online publication: EMAIL US
Secret Attic - Founded March 2020