Arsenic and Old Books Page 6

  I was a lucky man, and I knew it. Helen Louise was not only smart, beautiful, and talented, she also shared my goofy sense of humor. We laughed a lot together, and I relished every moment spent with her.

  Helen Louise’s teasing about my ogling other women notwithstanding, I couldn’t help glancing over at Kelly Grimes again. I was curious to see whether she would approach Jasper Singletary.

  While I watched, she gazed back and forth between him and her plate. Then she paused as she seemed finally to catch his glance. She started to push her chair back, and I looked at Singletary.

  He frowned and shook his head so slightly that I thought for a moment I imagined it.

  Kelly Grimes, half standing by now, sat down again. She looked annoyed.

  That little interchange was decidedly odd. What was going on here?

  NINE

  I wouldn’t admit it to many people, but I was a bit on the nosy side. People fascinated me, particularly when I observed what I considered odd behavior. I detected an undercurrent between Jasper Singletary and Kelly Grimes, mainly due to the latter’s focus on the former. She might think she was being discreet—and perhaps most people wouldn’t have noticed—but I was sure all her attention was squarely centered on the young politician.

  “I thought you might like something different today.” Helen Louise once again startled me, and I hastily turned my attention to her.

  “Smells wonderful,” I said as I took a second deep breath of the rich aroma. “What is it?”

  “Chicken chasseur,” she said. “Chicken cooked in a sauce of butter, mushrooms, cognac, white wine, and shallots. Plus a few other things. Served with rice and fresh bread.” She set a small plate of plain cooked chicken on the table as well—treats for the cat.

  Diesel put both front paws on my thighs and raised his head to stare at the food on the table. He meowed and looked back and forth from me to Helen Louise.

  “Poor starving kitty,” Helen Louise said. “Things are a bit busy at the moment, so you’ll have to get Charlie to feed you, boy. See you soon.” She hurried back to the register.

  I knew better than to taste my own food before giving the cat a bit of his own. While he was occupied with a chunky morsel, I tried the chicken chasseur. I would have to ask Helen Louise later what chasseur meant. In the meantime, I decided after one savory mouthful, I would tuck in and enjoy myself.

  For the first few minutes I was busy stuffing my face and keeping Diesel happy with his lunch, and I didn’t pay any attention to Kelly Grimes and Jasper Singletary. When I did look over in their direction, I saw that the politician seemed engrossed in food and conversation with his companions. The writer, her plate empty now, was scribbling furiously on a notepad.

  The bell jangled again to signal fresh arrivals, and I of course had to see who it was. To my surprise, I saw Lucinda Long headed for the register.

  Helen Louise had finished with the previous customer, and she greeted our mayor with a smile. “Good afternoon, Lucinda. Nice to see you. What can I get for you today?”

  The mayor smiled briefly. “I’m sorry, Helen Louise, no time for food today. I was hoping to find my son here. I checked with one of his aides, and she told me he would be stopping in here right about now.”

  “You just missed him,” Helen Louise said. “He and his group left about five minutes ago. I don’t believe I heard anyone say where they were heading next.”

  The mayor sighed. “How aggravating. I barely get to talk to him these days, he’s so busy with his campaign. I was hoping to snatch a few minutes of his time.”

  “Campaigning is hard work, and it must take a toll on family life.” Helen Louise offered Mrs. Long a sympathetic smile.

  “That it does,” the mayor said. She stood at the register, her shoulders slumped.

  “Are you sure I can’t get you something to take back to the office with you?” Helen Louise waved a hand toward the dessert case. “Maybe a piece of your favorite chocolate cake?”

  Mrs. Long said, “I really shouldn’t. I had a big lunch.” She paused. “But it’s going to be a long afternoon. Why not? Yes, that would be lovely.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Helen Louise said.

  As I chewed another bite of my delicious meal, I saw Kelly Grimes leave her table and approach the mayor. Mrs. Long had her back to the writer, and she started slightly when Kelly Grimes touched her shoulder.

  “Pardon me, Your Honor,” Ms. Grimes said. She identified herself. “I’d like to ask you a couple questions about your son’s campaign if you have a few minutes.”

  Mrs. Long shook her head. “Now is not the time. You need to call my office and arrange an appointment with my secretary. I’m swamped this afternoon, and I have to get back to the courthouse.”

  The writer shrugged. “Very well. I’ll do that, but I really want to talk to you as soon as possible.”

  “Just call my office and make an appointment.” Mrs. Long sounded impatient. “Now, please, let me get on with what I’m doing.”

  Ms. Grimes stared at her for a moment before she nodded and headed back to her table.

  Helen Louise came back to the register with a small to-go container. “Here you are, Lucinda. I think this will help perk up your afternoon.”

  The mayor frowned. “Oh, dear, Helen Louise, I came away from the office without my purse or even any money in my pocket. I’d better pass on the cake for now.”

  “Nonsense.” Helen Louise laughed. “I know you’re good for it. Or we could simply call it a frequent-customer perk. Take this with you and enjoy it.”

  “I can’t resist an offer like that.” Mrs. Long gave a grateful smile as she accepted her cake. “The afternoon looks better already.” She thanked Helen Louise and then bade her good-bye.

  As she turned away she spotted me. Naturally I had a mouthful of chicken chasseur when she came over to me, and I swallowed hastily. “Good afternoon, Your Honor.”

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Harris.” She smiled when she spotted Diesel’s head suddenly poking up above the table. “And your beautiful boy as well. How are things going with the diaries?” Her expression turned grave. “I hope you haven’t had too much trouble over them.”

  I figured that was an oblique way of referring to Marie Steverton. I didn’t intend to burden her with the details of the morning’s nasty scene. I decided, however, to take this opportunity to broach my idea about a digital copy of the diary.

  “No, everything’s fine,” I said. “I know you’re in a hurry, but I would like to suggest something to you that I think will make access to the diaries easier for everyone interested in them.”

  The mayor glanced at her watch. “Certainly, do tell me.” She remained standing, and I knew this was my cue to be succinct.

  “The diaries are in good condition, but I think scanning them and making a digital copy is the best way to proceed. That cuts down on the actual number of people handling them and will preserve them better in the long run. I have the necessary equipment in the archive office, and I can do it myself, or I can get help from other library staff. What do you think?”

  Diesel chirped a couple of times, as if he liked my idea. Mrs. Long laughed. “Your assistant seems to think it’s a good idea. I do, too. That would probably make all our lives easier. How long would it take, do you think?”

  I considered that for a moment. The scanning process wasn’t fast—not if you wanted the best-quality results—and it was tedious. Even so, I could get a significant amount of it done this week, if I had help.

  I told the mayor that, and she nodded. “Sounds good. Go ahead, and if you need funds for additional help, let me know. I’m sure my husband will be happy to discuss arrangements with the library director.” She glanced at her watch again. “Now I really have to get going. Good-bye for now.”

  “Thanks, and have a good afternoon,” I called after h
er as she headed for the door.

  Helen Louise came over to the table. “What’s all this about diaries?”

  “Do you have a few minutes to sit with me? I can tell you all about it.”

  She surveyed the room. Her two staff members were behind the counter and were not busy at the moment. “Looks like things have slowed a bit, and I’m more than ready to sit for a while.” She pulled out a chair.

  “First, fabulous lunch. Thank you.”

  Diesel, who had finished his chicken, chimed in with chirps and a meow or two. Helen Louise grinned. “Have to keep my men well fed and happy. I’m glad you both enjoyed it. Now, about these diaries.”

  “They belonged to a relative of Andrew Long—Rachel Afton Long. Great-great-grandmother, I think. Can’t remember exactly how many greats at the moment.” I went on to tell her about the interest in the diaries from Marie Steverton—at whose name she grimaced—and Kelly Grimes. “And there’s the latter over in the corner, next to Jasper Singletary’s table.”

  Helen Louise turned her head to see where I indicated. She turned back to me with a frown. “That’s interesting,” she said. “I’ve seen her in here several times recently, but I had no idea who she was. She’s never introduced herself. The truly odd thing is, though, every time she’s been in here, so has Jasper.”

  TEN

  “Too many times to be mere coincidence, would you say?” I asked.

  Helen Louise nodded. “Yes, but I wouldn’t have remarked on it, probably, until you explained who she is.”

  “Maybe she’s following him around, trying to catch him out on something.” That seemed possible, given she was secretly engaged to Singletary’s opponent. I couldn’t tell Helen Louise that, however.

  “She’s being rather obvious about it, wouldn’t you say?” Helen Louise glanced back in the direction of Kelly Grimes. “Surely he, or one of his aides, would have picked up on it by now.”

  “True,” I said. “They can’t all be oblivious.” I watched the writer for a moment.

  At the table next to her, the men pushed back their chairs and stood. Jasper Singletary motioned with his hand, and the other men began to file toward the door. He turned in the direction of the restroom. He didn’t appear to notice Kelly Grimes when he passed her.

  She stared after him until he disappeared into the hallway where the restrooms were located. Then she gathered her things and made her way out of the bakery. Was she going to follow Singletary to his next stop? I wondered.

  Helen Louise turned to me and shrugged. “Guess that’s over for now.” She stood and picked up the two empty plates. “How about dessert?”

  I shook my head. “No, after that wonderful meal and the big breakfast Azalea cooked, I’d better not. Otherwise I’ll have to run to Memphis and back to work it all off.”

  We shared a laugh, and Helen Louise said, “I’ll be back in a minute,” before she walked away with the plates.

  “We’re going to have to get back to work,” I told Diesel, who stared longingly after Helen Louise. He wanted more chicken, but he’d had more than enough already. He turned to me and meowed. “I want to stop by the bookstore first, though. We haven’t been in there lately, and I want to see what’s new.”

  The cat meowed again. I thought he recognized the word bookstore. He liked going to the Athenaeum, the town’s only independent bookstore. The owner, Jordan Thompson, always made a fuss over him. Today, however, I would have to tell her not to give him any cat treats. Otherwise, he might have to join me on that jog to Memphis and back.

  While I waited for Helen Louise to return, I decided I might as well make a restroom stop before we left. “Come on, boy,” I told Diesel and picked up his leash.

  I had taken only a couple of steps when I saw Jasper Singletary return to the dining room. As I moved closer, I saw him pause right by Kelly Grimes’s vacated table and pull out a cell phone. He stared down at it, and if I hadn’t been watching closely, I would have missed what happened next.

  With his free hand he picked up something from the table and thrust it into his pocket. He stared at the cell phone a moment longer, and then he tucked it back into its holster on his belt. He strode toward the door and nodded at me as we passed each other.

  More strange behavior. There was definitely something afoot. What had he scooped up from the table? I pondered that as I completed my business in the restroom. Diesel waited patiently near me.

  I couldn’t really see what Jasper had picked up, but it had to be something small. The writer had been scribbling in a notebook earlier, so perhaps it was a piece of paper. A note of some kind?

  That sounded probable. But why the secret communication, if it was indeed a note?

  Back at the table, where Helen Louise waited, I told her what I’d seen. She grimaced. “Incroyable! Sounds almost like CIA stuff, and that’s just plain silly.”

  I shrugged. “It’s politics, so who knows? If I run into Maxwell Smart or Ninety-nine, I’ll ask them to look into it.”

  Helen Louise laughed at my reference to the old sixties television show. “It had better be Maxwell. Ninety-nine is far too attractive.”

  I gave her a quick kiss, and we said good-bye. “Come on, Diesel. Time for the bookstore.”

  The bookstore was only a short walk from the bakery. The early afternoon sun was hot, but most of the storefronts had awnings. Diesel and I kept in the shade on the way, but I was feeling sweaty by the time we opened the door at the Athenaeum and stepped inside.

  As I let the door swing shut behind Diesel and me, I paused to drink in the smells and the atmosphere of the bookstore. There was no place I liked better, except a library. To be surrounded by so many books made me happy. The large space—around four thousand square feet—contained many freestanding shelves, and all the walls were lined with them as well. Comfortable chairs were scattered about, creating small nooks where a customer could relax and check out a few pages of possible purchases.

  Soft classical music wafted through the space, and I recognized a Telemann oboe sonata. Perfect mood music for browsing. I didn’t see the owner, Jordan Thompson, anywhere, but the tall redhead would be easy to spot. Diesel meowed, and I knew he was urging me to go in search of Jordan.

  “No treats,” I told him as we moved farther into the store. I saw only four customers in the front area. I headed toward the back, where the mysteries were shelved. Jordan had a shelf there for the latest arrivals, and I wanted to see what new titles might tempt me.

  I heard the murmur of voices in the back corner of the section as I approached. I paused by the new arrivals shelf to scan the titles, and I picked up one hardcover with an intriguing cover illustration. An old house on the cover always snagged my interest, and this one looked promising. When I realized it was a ghost story, though, I put it back. I liked ghost stories occasionally, but I wasn’t in the mood for one now.

  Diesel muttered, but I ignored him. He wanted to find Jordan, but I wasn’t going to let him loose in here. He would have to wait. Besides, I realized, she might not even be here. One of her assistants could be running the store instead.

  I moved toward the back of the section against the wall and the beginning of the alphabet. A tall, freestanding set of shelves separated me from the continuation of the section around the corner. The sound of voices grew louder the closer I came to the back wall.

  With a start, I recognized the voices and halted.

  “How long before you find out anything worthwhile?” Jasper Singletary sounded impatient. “The evidence ought to be there somewhere; you just have to find it. My grandmother swears to it.”

  “I’m doing my best,” Kelly Grimes responded, sounding exasperated. “I told you, I have to have access if I’m going to look, and I haven’t been able to get access. If someone would just push Marie Steverton over a cliff, that would help.”

  Diesel chose that mom
ent to start chirping—loudly—and the conversation on the other side of the shelf ceased. I turned to see Jordan Thompson headed our way, and Diesel strained at the leash to go to her. I let him go and turned back to listen, hoping to hear more.

  I heard the sound of stealthy footsteps. I stepped around the shelf to the other side, but all I saw were the backs of the rapidly retreating pair.

  “Hey, there, Charlie.” Jordan Thompson claimed my attention, and I walked around the shelf to see her squatting down so that her head was level with the cat’s. They rubbed noses, and Jordan laughed, her short, curly red hair bouncing around her head.

  “Afternoon, Jordan,” I said. “Diesel and I thought we’d drop by, since we haven’t been here in at least a week.” Even though I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, I was sorry Diesel and Jordan had interrupted whatever was going on between Jasper Singletary and Kelly Grimes. I had a fleeting thought about the note—if that was what it was—Singletary picked up from the table in the bakery. Perhaps it set up this little assignation.

  “I know,” Jordan said, “and my cash register is feeling it.” She grinned. “Seriously, it’s always good to see you two. How about a T-R-E-A-T for my buddy here?”

  I shook my head. “No, your buddy has a tummy full of Helen Louise’s chicken, and he doesn’t need another bite.”

  Jordan looked down at the cat. Diesel gazed expectantly up at her, thinking his treat would soon be forthcoming. “Sorry, boy,” she said. “Next time make sure you drag Charlie in here before lunch, okay?”

  The cat meowed, and Jordan and I shared a grin. All he probably understood was that he wasn’t getting a treat. He continued to stare up at Jordan, however. He was an optimistic cat.

  “I’ll try to remember,” I promised.

  “Why don’t y’all come back up by the register?” Jordan cocked her head in that direction. “I’ve got a few things set aside for you that I think you might like.”

  That was all I needed to hear. Service like this was the reason I loved shopping at the bookstore, rather than online.