The Mysteries of Brambly Hollow

Yes. Success. This must be Cass’s Dean; good looking lad, and about the right age. Their glances met, and he gave her a smile as they passed.
    Damn, she cursed, quickly averting her gaze, she hadn’t wanted him to notice her, just in case, when they were introduced officially, he recalled that she’d been in the shop. Ten minutes later the boys still hadn’t made up their minds. There was a limit to her patience, and the boys were clutching at the edge. “Come on, we haven’t got all day, ” she egged them on.
    By the time they had final selected their game, Dean was at the counter. Still wanting to be inconspicuous, Meli gave them the money and sent them to pay while she flicked through the C.D.s in the display unit in front of her. Meli was beginning to sweat that she might get caught out. Her fears weren’t helped any when the twins made straight for Dean; not for the teenage girl who wore enough make up to keep No. 7 going for a year, or the twenty-something year old man with the funny, sticky-up hair, both of whom were also behind the counter just waiting for a customer. The boys were drawn like steel to a magnet. They were there for ages. In the end she had to walk over in case there was something wrong.
    “I thought I recognised you all from Cass’ description. The twins chose a good game here, I’m sure they’ll like it,” he flashed her a smile of even white teeth from a healthy, bronzed completion as soon as she was within hearing range. “Were you looking for anything particular in the Opera section?” he enquired. Meli’s lungs deflated with a long wheeze of air.
    Cassie, knowing her mother as she did, had guessed what her mother might do and had rung Dean to warn him, giving him a description of her mother and brothers. She knew all about their visit before they arrived home.
    “I just knew you couldn’t be trusted,” Cassie berated her, wearing an unbecoming, warring frown on her forehead. “Why couldn’t you just leave alone? You would have met Dean eventually.”
    “I won’t make any excuses. You’re my daughter, and it’s only natural I would want to check out your boyfriend.” Meli watched Cassie’s forehead melt like she’d spread warm honey over the deep troughs, on hearing Dean referred to as her boyfriend.
    “Well?”
    “Well, what?” queried Meli, her guard still up.
    “Well, now you have seen him, what do you think?”
    Meli’s own expression eased. “He seems really nice, bit like Audey Murphy.” He wasn’t Meli’s cup of tea, but she could remember Amy being smitten by the actor, who she classed as being pretty, rather than handsome. Not to say he looked effeminate or anything, just cherubic with his soft baby face and gentle eyes.
    Cass nodded dreamily, her hazel eyes liquefying into golden caramels. “Yeah, he is film star good looking,” she sighed.
    Meli had to refrain from laughing.

    Early in the afternoon, Meli took her usual daily stroll down the village to the Post Office, keen to stretch her legs, and gamely in pursuit of some further discreet investigating. She was totally thrown to discover Mrs. Barber was not in her usual place, she was actually on the shop floor, her bulk squeezed between rows of cereal boxes and jars of coffee and other caffeine rich beverages.
    “Another nice day,” Mrs. Barber commented as she manoeuvred her flamingo pink frame down the aisle. Meli observed the unusual spectacle whilst maintaining a safe distance. Looking down at the ghastly, lumpy legs with their blue veined ankles, it was a bit like watching an elephant marching through the China Department of Harrods and expecting nothing to be damaged. But amazingly she made it to the far side of the counter without dislodging one tin of peas.
    Following several paces behind, Meli stopped by the papers. Scouring the rack for several seconds, she was disappointed that she couldn’t find a copy of the Daily Mail.
    “Sorry, sold out,” Mrs. Barber told her.
    “Oh, thanks.” Meli looked down at the remaining papers, and selected an Express. There was something different about Mrs. Barber today, and it wasn’t just her behaviour. There was a more than unusual reticence, an uncomfortable look in her granite eyes as she squinted at her. She didn’t think that Mrs. Barber was going to be very forthcoming today. Handing over the correct change, she felt like some horrible bug being studied under the microscope.
    “What is it?” she asked. Did she have something