Read Online Did You Declare the Corpse? by Patricia Sprinkle - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia Sprinkle
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Dorothy and Joyce will have to sit together, and that could be awkward. Why don’t we take that table for four near the window, where we can watch for Dorothy, too?” Laura has always been nicer than me. My strongest reason for agreeing with her was, I didn’t think I could stand another Sherry-and-Kenny duet about Scotland that night.
“What did I miss this afternoon?” I asked when we’d been served a pot of tea and warm, thick scones with butter and blackcurrant jam.
“Not much. Joyce doesn’t know a whole lot about Glasgow, but Watty and Kenny helped her out. Every time they stopped to breathe, Sherry told us about a place we’d rather have seen. Finally she and Brandi decided they’d prefer to shop than see more historic sites, so we went to a couple of stores. Joyce and I browsed while they bought everything in sight.”
“Jim and Kenny must have loved that.”
“They didn’t go. Jim had a meeting all afternoon, and Kenny left us at four to go for a fitting with a tailor for a wool suit—”
“Which he’ll get lots of wear out of in Savannah—”
She raised one eyebrow. “Who’s talking? Aren’t those new clothes I see?”
“Just a few things to make sure I survive long enough to get home. Besides, I figure if I have all these heavy woolens, it might inspire Joe Riddley to take me on a Baltic cruise.”
“Dream on.” She has, after all, known him all her life.
We sat nibbling scones and peering out into the gloom that was descending on the sidewalk. Nightfall, and Dorothy still not home.
With a worried sigh, I tried to concentrate on the menu. “Remind me what haggis is.”
“Ground-up unmentionable animal parts mixed with coarse meal and onions, boiled in a sheep’s stomach. It’s delicious.” She chuckled at my expression. “But not for the faint of heart. Try steak and kidney pie. That tastes like steak with gizzards, and I know you like gizzards.”
The food lived up to its promise, but we didn’t eat as much as we would have if we hadn’t been worried about Dorothy. Every time the door to the dining room opened, we both looked up, hoping to see her. We were always disappointed.
After several strangers came and found tables, Jim arrived at the same time as our dessert. We were discussing the wisdom of advising Joyce to call the police when Kenny lifted his head and said, loud enough for the whole dining room to hear, “The truant finally returns.”
Dorothy and Joyce stood at the door scanning the room. Joyce’s mouth was a tight line but Dorothy had the rosy, happy look of somebody who has just had a wonderful time. Her golden eyes glowed, and when Joyce steered her toward the larger table, she crossed the room like she had a cushion of air beneath her practical soles.
I leaned across the table to ask Laura softly, “Does she have a boyfriend over here?”
Laura shrugged, not knowing any more than I did about our Canadian companions.
Kenny said in a loud, bossy voice, “You really shouldn’t go wandering off like that.”
Dorothy turned bright red and stumbled as she took her seat.
Sherry gave an elegant shrug. “I told you she could find her way back.”
Brandi frowned at Dorothy. “But you really ought to have told Joyce where you were going. She’s been very worried.”
Jim went right on eating without looking up. As at dinner the night before, he ate like a man who feared this meal might be his last.
“Sorry.” Dorothy didn’t sound sorry at all. “There was somebody I needed to see. It didn’t occur to me that you’d all be worried, eh?” She slid into a vacant chair, pink with embarrassment.
Once Dorothy was settled, Joyce joined our table and dropped into a chair with a huff of relief. Laura motioned our waitress over, and I poured Joyce a cup of tea. She closed her eyes as she savored several swallows, black and hot. Then she spoke with a little moue of disgust. “Herding cats. I should have stuck with being a flight
“What did I miss this afternoon?” I asked when we’d been served a pot of tea and warm, thick scones with butter and blackcurrant jam.
“Not much. Joyce doesn’t know a whole lot about Glasgow, but Watty and Kenny helped her out. Every time they stopped to breathe, Sherry told us about a place we’d rather have seen. Finally she and Brandi decided they’d prefer to shop than see more historic sites, so we went to a couple of stores. Joyce and I browsed while they bought everything in sight.”
“Jim and Kenny must have loved that.”
“They didn’t go. Jim had a meeting all afternoon, and Kenny left us at four to go for a fitting with a tailor for a wool suit—”
“Which he’ll get lots of wear out of in Savannah—”
She raised one eyebrow. “Who’s talking? Aren’t those new clothes I see?”
“Just a few things to make sure I survive long enough to get home. Besides, I figure if I have all these heavy woolens, it might inspire Joe Riddley to take me on a Baltic cruise.”
“Dream on.” She has, after all, known him all her life.
We sat nibbling scones and peering out into the gloom that was descending on the sidewalk. Nightfall, and Dorothy still not home.
With a worried sigh, I tried to concentrate on the menu. “Remind me what haggis is.”
“Ground-up unmentionable animal parts mixed with coarse meal and onions, boiled in a sheep’s stomach. It’s delicious.” She chuckled at my expression. “But not for the faint of heart. Try steak and kidney pie. That tastes like steak with gizzards, and I know you like gizzards.”
The food lived up to its promise, but we didn’t eat as much as we would have if we hadn’t been worried about Dorothy. Every time the door to the dining room opened, we both looked up, hoping to see her. We were always disappointed.
After several strangers came and found tables, Jim arrived at the same time as our dessert. We were discussing the wisdom of advising Joyce to call the police when Kenny lifted his head and said, loud enough for the whole dining room to hear, “The truant finally returns.”
Dorothy and Joyce stood at the door scanning the room. Joyce’s mouth was a tight line but Dorothy had the rosy, happy look of somebody who has just had a wonderful time. Her golden eyes glowed, and when Joyce steered her toward the larger table, she crossed the room like she had a cushion of air beneath her practical soles.
I leaned across the table to ask Laura softly, “Does she have a boyfriend over here?”
Laura shrugged, not knowing any more than I did about our Canadian companions.
Kenny said in a loud, bossy voice, “You really shouldn’t go wandering off like that.”
Dorothy turned bright red and stumbled as she took her seat.
Sherry gave an elegant shrug. “I told you she could find her way back.”
Brandi frowned at Dorothy. “But you really ought to have told Joyce where you were going. She’s been very worried.”
Jim went right on eating without looking up. As at dinner the night before, he ate like a man who feared this meal might be his last.
“Sorry.” Dorothy didn’t sound sorry at all. “There was somebody I needed to see. It didn’t occur to me that you’d all be worried, eh?” She slid into a vacant chair, pink with embarrassment.
Once Dorothy was settled, Joyce joined our table and dropped into a chair with a huff of relief. Laura motioned our waitress over, and I poured Joyce a cup of tea. She closed her eyes as she savored several swallows, black and hot. Then she spoke with a little moue of disgust. “Herding cats. I should have stuck with being a flight
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