Miss Georgia Lee was fidgety. Maybe it was the way the wind was howling around the corner of her house. Maybe it was because Elmira had not settled down since supper. Usually, the little cat ate, curled up in a ball on her cushion and snoozed. Not tonight. Her nervousness was making Miss Georgia jumpy too.
If she had been still teaching, she would be decorating her classroom for Christmas at this time of year. The children’s excitement would rub off on her, and she would be feeling downright festive. Well, she wasn’t. Truth be told, she felt rather hollow and alone.
Her small house that had belonged to her parents had always seemed perfect, but now, for some reason, it felt empty. She missed being around people. For the first time ever, she considered moving to town. There, she’d have an indoor bathroom, running water, and neighbors she could visit.
She sighed and poured a cup of hot water into her tea strainer. She was being ridiculous. It was just a feeling and by morning, she’d feel right as rain. Taking her tea with her, Miss Georgia settled down in the easy chair by the table lamp. For a wonder, the electricity had been on for a whole week now. One of these days, she had no doubt, the electric power company for rural areas would work as it should. However, that time had not yet come.
She opened her book to the last chapter. It was an exciting mystery by one of her favorite authors. She had looked forward all day to this time after supper when she could read. Elmira was still pacing, but, maybe she’d settle down.
The wind rattled the windows, she read, and a cold dread filled her heart. Would the killer be after her next?
Someone knocked on her front door and the table lamp blinked out. Miss Georgia yelped and dropped her book. Her heart hammering against her ribs, she took a deep breath. Who could this be so late at night?
Groping for the new-fangled flashlight beside her chair, Miss Georgia stood up. Had she imagined she had heard a knock? Had her book given her a case of the jitters?
But there was no mistake when the loud knocking came again. This time, a voice called, “Georgia! Georgia, open the door. Let me in.”
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