Are the wives in Merry Acres so very merry?
When Husbands start dying, seemingly by accident, and the secrets behind these deaths have so marred the gloss of
happily-ever-after, can murder be only a gold wedding band away? Or is there something else causing Merry Acres to
be anything but merry.
When Husbands start dying, seemingly by accident, and the secrets behind these deaths have so marred the gloss of
happily-ever-after, can murder be only a gold wedding band away? Or is there something else causing Merry Acres to
be anything but merry.
disappeared, but not before glancing my way with what looked to me like a cruel smile. The music changed to “Orchids
in the Moonlight.” Daniel held out his gloved hand for me.
I strode to him, seeing nothing but Daniel. Old wounds re-opened. My pulse raced as I recalled his affair with Rhonda. I
took my position in his arms and muttered, “So, how often were you…uh…waltzing with Augusta behind my back?”
He looked aghast, then quickly readjusted his expression for the onlookers with a fake smile. He said, “Exactly the
mood for a tango.”
“You think?”
“This wasn’t exactly planned, Georgiana. Dixie couldn’t come to half the practice sessions. I’m happy, however, despite
your mood, if it goaded you into dancing in public.”
Hyper-aware, I felt the beat of his heart as we performed what was essentially a rough sex act to music, in public. “You
didn’t answer me about how much time you spent with Augusta.”
He twirled me out, then reeled me in. I sneered at him, digging my index fingernail along his cheek but not deep enough
to draw blood. I heard every musical note over the voice in my head screaming, bastard, bastard, bastard.
He entreated, “Augusta was kind enough to fill in for Dixie Metcalf. It was the only way I knew to make you show these
gals what you could do on the dance floor. We practiced waltz steps a couple of times. Nothing else.”
The music ended. “Liar.” My eyes raked his face more sharply than my nail had.
His eyes pleaded, but I gave no mercy. The ovation brought me to the present. I tried to remove my hand enclosed in
Daniel’s, but he would not relinquish it. Stuck together, we bowed as I bestowed upon the BILL members a stare ten
times colder than Augusta’s had been.
Ripping my hand from Daniel’s, I stalked to my chair, grabbed my purse, and started to leave the room. I was too hurt
and angry to cry. Humiliated in public, again.
Alarmed at the turn of events, Lourdes looked over at Janet and signed a slicing move against her neck. She mouthed,
“End it.”
Janet dashed behind the screen and turned off the music.
I tracked toward the double-door entryway like a train, but Lourdes ran after me. “Don’t be angry. Please, Georgiana,
listen. Dixie couldn’t come today. There’s nothing between Daniel and Augusta.” She blurted, “It’s not like her and
Mendez.” Lourdes’ hands flew to her mouth. “God, forget I said that.”
I stopped and took a much-needed breath. “Interesting. Homicide just crossed my own mind. Maybe Mrs. Mendez once
felt the same way.”
Lourdes went pale.
Another BILL member meowed. “Watch out. Rumor has it Augusta’s affairs start in the men’s card room then move to
the bedroom. Maybe this time, she stopped off on the dance floor.”
“Shut up,” Lourdes snapped. “Drink your wine and keep those comments to yourself. Besides, the men’s card room is
off limits to women, just as ours is to men.”
I searched Lourdes’ face. “Yes, that’s true, isn’t it?” I grabbed the lifeline of a shaky truth.
“Sure it is. Now, you go over there and make up with your husband who only did us a favor.”
Before I acted on Lourdes’ suggestion, the social director rushed in, practically knocking us aside. A uniformed police
officer followed.
Sharon scanned the room and zoomed toward Becca Bernstein, indicating Mrs. Bernstein should follow her behind the
screen. Standing just outside the screen, the officer said something.
Becca came out from the screened area, went white, and swayed.
Daniel, the only other man present, rushed over in their direction. “What’s wrong?” He brought over a chair and the
officer helped Becca into it.
Sharon wrung her hands.
“No, you’re wrong. It’s a mistake.” Becca wailed in decibels that would put a commercial airliner’s jet engine to shame.
“Benny would have called me if anything was wrong. He always carries his cell phone when he jogs. My Benny’s not
dead, I tell you. He can’t be. Certainly not from any god-damned heart attack.”
in the Moonlight.” Daniel held out his gloved hand for me.
I strode to him, seeing nothing but Daniel. Old wounds re-opened. My pulse raced as I recalled his affair with Rhonda. I
took my position in his arms and muttered, “So, how often were you…uh…waltzing with Augusta behind my back?”
He looked aghast, then quickly readjusted his expression for the onlookers with a fake smile. He said, “Exactly the
mood for a tango.”
“You think?”
“This wasn’t exactly planned, Georgiana. Dixie couldn’t come to half the practice sessions. I’m happy, however, despite
your mood, if it goaded you into dancing in public.”
Hyper-aware, I felt the beat of his heart as we performed what was essentially a rough sex act to music, in public. “You
didn’t answer me about how much time you spent with Augusta.”
He twirled me out, then reeled me in. I sneered at him, digging my index fingernail along his cheek but not deep enough
to draw blood. I heard every musical note over the voice in my head screaming, bastard, bastard, bastard.
He entreated, “Augusta was kind enough to fill in for Dixie Metcalf. It was the only way I knew to make you show these
gals what you could do on the dance floor. We practiced waltz steps a couple of times. Nothing else.”
The music ended. “Liar.” My eyes raked his face more sharply than my nail had.
His eyes pleaded, but I gave no mercy. The ovation brought me to the present. I tried to remove my hand enclosed in
Daniel’s, but he would not relinquish it. Stuck together, we bowed as I bestowed upon the BILL members a stare ten
times colder than Augusta’s had been.
Ripping my hand from Daniel’s, I stalked to my chair, grabbed my purse, and started to leave the room. I was too hurt
and angry to cry. Humiliated in public, again.
Alarmed at the turn of events, Lourdes looked over at Janet and signed a slicing move against her neck. She mouthed,
“End it.”
Janet dashed behind the screen and turned off the music.
I tracked toward the double-door entryway like a train, but Lourdes ran after me. “Don’t be angry. Please, Georgiana,
listen. Dixie couldn’t come today. There’s nothing between Daniel and Augusta.” She blurted, “It’s not like her and
Mendez.” Lourdes’ hands flew to her mouth. “God, forget I said that.”
I stopped and took a much-needed breath. “Interesting. Homicide just crossed my own mind. Maybe Mrs. Mendez once
felt the same way.”
Lourdes went pale.
Another BILL member meowed. “Watch out. Rumor has it Augusta’s affairs start in the men’s card room then move to
the bedroom. Maybe this time, she stopped off on the dance floor.”
“Shut up,” Lourdes snapped. “Drink your wine and keep those comments to yourself. Besides, the men’s card room is
off limits to women, just as ours is to men.”
I searched Lourdes’ face. “Yes, that’s true, isn’t it?” I grabbed the lifeline of a shaky truth.
“Sure it is. Now, you go over there and make up with your husband who only did us a favor.”
Before I acted on Lourdes’ suggestion, the social director rushed in, practically knocking us aside. A uniformed police
officer followed.
Sharon scanned the room and zoomed toward Becca Bernstein, indicating Mrs. Bernstein should follow her behind the
screen. Standing just outside the screen, the officer said something.
Becca came out from the screened area, went white, and swayed.
Daniel, the only other man present, rushed over in their direction. “What’s wrong?” He brought over a chair and the
officer helped Becca into it.
Sharon wrung her hands.
“No, you’re wrong. It’s a mistake.” Becca wailed in decibels that would put a commercial airliner’s jet engine to shame.
“Benny would have called me if anything was wrong. He always carries his cell phone when he jogs. My Benny’s not
dead, I tell you. He can’t be. Certainly not from any god-damned heart attack.”
| Reviews for Merry Acres Widows Waltz |
| Excerpt for Merry Acres Widows Waltz |
| Merry Acres Widows Waltz Nan D. Arnold |
| Dedication: To Jeanie and Jan |
Fiction-Mystery
Whimsical Publications,
LLC/paperback, 230 pages
March 2011
$12.95
ISBN-13: 978-1-936167-41-8
Whimsical Publications,
LLC/paperback, 230 pages
March 2011
$12.95
ISBN-13: 978-1-936167-41-8
| Orders over $25 qualify for free shipping. |
| Click here to purchase the e-book |
| E-Book |
Comment/review = Merry Acres Widows Waltz is a delightful read with many twists and turns. Nan D. Arnold continually
gives her readers everything they want . . . a story you wish would never end with lots of tension and keeps the
'whodunit' ever present on your mind until the very end. Nan is one of my favorite authors whose witticism always
makes me laugh. A guaranteed good read!
Amazon review by: Carolyn E. Hughey
Rating: 5 stars
Comment/review = Yeah, someone's killling off straying and/or obnoxious husbands in Merry Acres. The Florida
retirement community ought to be perfect for couples looking to get out of the rat race and into a
But for some husbands, their dreams don't come true.
Hmmm. Could some unhappy wives have something to do with it?
Kept my attention till the end. Never did figure out who did it till then!
Amazon review by: Cheryl D
Rating: 4 stars
gives her readers everything they want . . . a story you wish would never end with lots of tension and keeps the
'whodunit' ever present on your mind until the very end. Nan is one of my favorite authors whose witticism always
makes me laugh. A guaranteed good read!
Amazon review by: Carolyn E. Hughey
Rating: 5 stars
Comment/review = Yeah, someone's killling off straying and/or obnoxious husbands in Merry Acres. The Florida
retirement community ought to be perfect for couples looking to get out of the rat race and into a
But for some husbands, their dreams don't come true.
Hmmm. Could some unhappy wives have something to do with it?
Kept my attention till the end. Never did figure out who did it till then!
Amazon review by: Cheryl D
Rating: 4 stars
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