Words for Wednesday ~ March 19

In March, River is supplying the prompts for Words for Wednesday.

Word for Wednesday is a challenge that was started a long time ago. Now it has turned into a movable event with Elephant's Child as our coordinator; and the Words provided by a number of people.

The general idea of this challenge is to make us write. Poems, stories, subtitles, tales, jokes, haiku, crosswords, puns, ... you're the boss.
Use all Words, some Words, one Word, or even none of them if that makes your creative juices flow. Anything goes, only please nothing rude or vulgar.

 It is also a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true.

So Please, remember to follow the links, go back and read other peoples' stories. And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement. And we ALL need encouragement.

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This Wednesday's prompts:
Herring
Detectives
Beer
Mask
Peaches

I will be continuing my surrealistic story of Sue and Bill As I wrote last Wednesday I still need to get back to normal after these last stressing months. I am slowly starting to knit, sow, weed and so on, but the slightest adversity saps any and all strength. Still, luckily Spring is on its way and I'm SO  thankful that the light is returning!

They stripped the man of his wet gear and carried him to the couch near the blazing fireplace. He moaned and came around. "The spanner," he croaked. "Give me the spanner!"
Sue picked up the rusty spanner from the floor, hefting it and noticing how light it was. The man grasped the spanner with both hands and bit into it. Sue looked at her hands, they were covered in what she thought was rust, but on a closer inspection it turned out to be cocoa powder. It was made from chocolate.
"I still need your help," the man said. "The ghosts are out there tonight. They came after me from the old ship and walked right through me several times all the way here."
"Bugger," Bill said loudly. "We handed back the ghost-hounds only a week ago. We'll need them."

They listened to the man's explanation.
"It's all red herrings," Bill said,
"Are we detectives, or are we not," Sue replied.
"I need a beer," the man said, "Chocolate is fine, and warms your soul, but beer is better."
Bill went into the kitchen while Sue kept the man company, or kept an eye on him, or both. She saw him ogling the Inuit mask on the wall and later look sharply at the small netsuke in the book case, these were strangely made, and resembled tupilak to the unwary.
Bill returned from the kitchen, carrying a deep tray with three glasses of draught beer, some sandwiches, and a tasty dessert made from dried peaches and whipped cream.
They all ate, and then Bill looked sternly at the man: "Now you tell us the truth!"

Hopefully more words to come, thanks River.