her tardiness.
“I just got so caught up in the stories. They’re so complex, so moving.”
“I’m sure you can buy your own copy at Georgia’s Books,” I said.
“Really? Do you think they’d have it there?”
“If not, they can order it for you.”
“I just never thought of that.”
“Success!” Jerry said as we drove back to the library, all four books secured. “Score one for Madeline Maclin Investigations.”
“Now if I could just find Patricia’s umbrella.”
Jerry leafed through Stories From Great Operas . “I think the Parkland Civic Opera is doing ‘Faust.’ Want to go?”
I’m not the opera fan Jerry is, but I’m not passing on any chance to be with him. “Sure.”
“Seattle’s doing the Ring Cycle this season. Wish I could afford to go see that.”
“Well, if you had a job you could afford it.”
“There’s always Mantis Man merchandise.”
I knew a giant insect was too intriguing. “You’d have to have a bankroll first.”
“Maybe.” He closed the book. “I know you don’t like Rick.”
“He’s much worse than any of your other partners. He’s just so slick. I’m afraid he’s going to slide right into jail and take you with him.”
“He’s not doing anything illegal.”
I’d given up trying to explain the finer points of fraud to Jerry. “Just don’t let him talk you into anything.”
“I’m not. I’ve got my séances. The Eberlin house is set to star in a major motion picture. I’m happy.”
“Good.” Maybe this time, he’d stay out of Rick’s schemes. “Now, what about Tucker’s wedding?”
“Can’t go.”
“Why not?”
“I’m busy that day.”
“All day? The wedding’s just an hour, maybe less.”
“You can tell me all about it.”
I don’t usually go for the low blow, but I know he loves Tucker. “Jerry, this is your little brother we’re talking about.”
“I know.”
“The wedding’s not even going to be in the house.”
Thunderclouds gathered in his eyes. “I’m not going.”
“What about Harriet? Have you gotten in touch with her yet?” I took out my cell phone. “What’s her number? I’ll call her.”
For a moment, I didn’t think he was going to answer. Then he told me Harriet’s number, and I punched it in. After three rings, Harriet answered. Her voice, as usual, was harsh, her tone suspicious.
“Who is it?”
“Good morning, Harriet. It’s Madeline Maclin.”
“What do you want?”
“Jerry and I would like to come visit. We have something to discuss with you.”
“What on earth would you have to discuss with me?”
“When would be a good time?” I figured that no time was a good time for Harriet Fairweather. I was right.
“I’m very busy,” she said.
“This won’t take long. It’s about the fire.”
Jerry looked alarmed by my bluntness. I couldn’t see Harriet’s face, of course, but imagined she looked just as horrified. “That’s none of your business.”
“Well, here, talk to Jerry.” I handed him the phone. “Tell her you have a few questions you’d like to ask.”
He tried to hand the phone back to me, but I wouldn’t let him. After a few minutes shoving the phone back and forth like a game of hot potato, he reluctantly put it to his ear.
“Hello, Harriet. Yes, I know she’s pushy.” He paused to listen. “I know it’s none of her business, but I need to know what happened. Exactly what happened.” He paused again, and I imagined Harriet repeating the Playing With Matches story. Then Jerry said, “Well, maybe I don’t believe that any more.”
There must have been shocked silence on the other end of the line. Jerry looked at me in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected to say that. “Harriet?”
She answered so forcefully, I could hear her voice. “Jeremyn Nicholas Fairweather, how dare you? After all I’ve done for you!”
“And I appreciate that,” he said, “but—”
“Why are you dragging all this up now? Will it change things? Will it
“I just got so caught up in the stories. They’re so complex, so moving.”
“I’m sure you can buy your own copy at Georgia’s Books,” I said.
“Really? Do you think they’d have it there?”
“If not, they can order it for you.”
“I just never thought of that.”
“Success!” Jerry said as we drove back to the library, all four books secured. “Score one for Madeline Maclin Investigations.”
“Now if I could just find Patricia’s umbrella.”
Jerry leafed through Stories From Great Operas . “I think the Parkland Civic Opera is doing ‘Faust.’ Want to go?”
I’m not the opera fan Jerry is, but I’m not passing on any chance to be with him. “Sure.”
“Seattle’s doing the Ring Cycle this season. Wish I could afford to go see that.”
“Well, if you had a job you could afford it.”
“There’s always Mantis Man merchandise.”
I knew a giant insect was too intriguing. “You’d have to have a bankroll first.”
“Maybe.” He closed the book. “I know you don’t like Rick.”
“He’s much worse than any of your other partners. He’s just so slick. I’m afraid he’s going to slide right into jail and take you with him.”
“He’s not doing anything illegal.”
I’d given up trying to explain the finer points of fraud to Jerry. “Just don’t let him talk you into anything.”
“I’m not. I’ve got my séances. The Eberlin house is set to star in a major motion picture. I’m happy.”
“Good.” Maybe this time, he’d stay out of Rick’s schemes. “Now, what about Tucker’s wedding?”
“Can’t go.”
“Why not?”
“I’m busy that day.”
“All day? The wedding’s just an hour, maybe less.”
“You can tell me all about it.”
I don’t usually go for the low blow, but I know he loves Tucker. “Jerry, this is your little brother we’re talking about.”
“I know.”
“The wedding’s not even going to be in the house.”
Thunderclouds gathered in his eyes. “I’m not going.”
“What about Harriet? Have you gotten in touch with her yet?” I took out my cell phone. “What’s her number? I’ll call her.”
For a moment, I didn’t think he was going to answer. Then he told me Harriet’s number, and I punched it in. After three rings, Harriet answered. Her voice, as usual, was harsh, her tone suspicious.
“Who is it?”
“Good morning, Harriet. It’s Madeline Maclin.”
“What do you want?”
“Jerry and I would like to come visit. We have something to discuss with you.”
“What on earth would you have to discuss with me?”
“When would be a good time?” I figured that no time was a good time for Harriet Fairweather. I was right.
“I’m very busy,” she said.
“This won’t take long. It’s about the fire.”
Jerry looked alarmed by my bluntness. I couldn’t see Harriet’s face, of course, but imagined she looked just as horrified. “That’s none of your business.”
“Well, here, talk to Jerry.” I handed him the phone. “Tell her you have a few questions you’d like to ask.”
He tried to hand the phone back to me, but I wouldn’t let him. After a few minutes shoving the phone back and forth like a game of hot potato, he reluctantly put it to his ear.
“Hello, Harriet. Yes, I know she’s pushy.” He paused to listen. “I know it’s none of her business, but I need to know what happened. Exactly what happened.” He paused again, and I imagined Harriet repeating the Playing With Matches story. Then Jerry said, “Well, maybe I don’t believe that any more.”
There must have been shocked silence on the other end of the line. Jerry looked at me in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected to say that. “Harriet?”
She answered so forcefully, I could hear her voice. “Jeremyn Nicholas Fairweather, how dare you? After all I’ve done for you!”
“And I appreciate that,” he said, “but—”
“Why are you dragging all this up now? Will it change things? Will it
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