The Perils of Marlene

Marlene looked at the dead man. He didn't really strike her as a reader, but one never knew. She bent down to examine the black lump in his hand. It very much looked like Marlene's favorite licorice. The candy store in Multnomah carries 17 types of black licorice and Marlene had tried most of them. This was her top pick (you can obtain a piece of your own from Sweets Etc in Multnomah Village - just ask for Marlene's favorite). This might account for the grey tooth, she thought. Oh, what to do, what to do. Since the body had fallen out of closet at the home that was soon to be, but wasn't yet Marlene's, she decided this was a problem for Man the builder. She glanced at her watch. 9:55 am it read. Marlene's cat Mydia had a 10:00 appointment at Urban Fauna downtown to have her hair and nails done. Mydia didn't like to be late. Marlene took another look at the dead person. He clearly wasn't going anywhere. "Mydia," Marlene called. "Time to go . . . ."