Read Online Fete Worse Than Death (9781101595138) by Claudia Bishop - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Claudia Bishop
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doormats and rubber-stamping everything, but he’s right! And it’s not that big a committee. Just me and Adela and Elmer, who’s a mess, of course. Dookie Shuttleworth is so gentle he can never put his foot down about a thing. So guess who’s been elected temporary chair?”
Myles bit his lip.
“It’s not funny, Myles! I was perfectly happy being a doormat. I’m totally fine with rubber-stamping. I do not, not,
not
want to run another damn committee!”
“What about this Althea Quince?”
“What about her?” Quill said crossly. “She was just super sympathetic when she and her husband finally got here, but she’s not a native, and she’s clueless about what needs to be done next.”
“Do I know her?”
“You met her. She’s that woman who’s renting the Federal Suite at the Inn for three months. That’s
not the problem
!” Quill wanted to pound the desk, which would wake up Jack, or throw something against the wall, which would also wake up Jack. Instead, she dug her fingers into her temples and took a long breath. “Where’s the money? If Adela moved it, where did she move it to? If she didn’t move it, who did?
“None of us had access to the checkbook. Adela guarded it like a lioness. She’s always been so proud of how much we’ve been able to donate to the literacy program. Handing over to the charity was one of the highlights of her year. No. Something else must have happened to the funds. A computing error, maybe, although Mark Anthony got really ruffled when I suggested that.”
“I should think he would. If it is a bank error, it’ll show up soon enough.”
“Mark Anthony won’t talk to me about it. I called him at home. All he said was: ‘the bank end checks out,’ whatever that may mean. And then ‘we’ve hired a fraud consultant,’ which says to me that the money’s actually gone and somebody actually took it.”
Myles maintained a diplomatic silence.
“Marge is going to put one of her tech guys on it, if she can get the bank to agree. Doesn’t think much of the bank’s consultant. Anyhow. All this will take enormous amounts of time, and since the money’s gone, and we can’t find Adela, it’s pretty clear that the fete will be toast if we don’t find the thief pretty soon.”
“So you’re pretty sure you’re looking for an embezzler.”
“But who?! Out of Adela, Elmer, Dookie Shuttleworth, and me, who would you pick? I didn’t do it. And for God’s sake, literally, we can’t suspect Dookie of all people…” She stopped and said, with emphasis. “Althea Quince.”
Myles smiled. “Tell me about Althea Quince.”
“Sure. Well, you’ve met her. She and her husband were the first to sign up for the Long-Term Let. They moved into the Federal Suite and the Colonial Suite last month.”
Myles looked a little startled. “Both suites?”
“Althea said she’s been happily married for forty years and living in two suites would insure that she and Nolan would make it forty-one.” Despite her agitation, Quill laughed. She’d liked the flamboyant Althea Quince. But not if she was a thief. “There’s your suspect, Myles. The day after she and Nolan moved in, she asked if there were any openings in community service. They’ve takenthe suites for three months, and she said she’d go stir-crazy if she didn’t have something interesting to do. And you know how hard it always is to get local people to serve on the fete committee. It’s strictly rubber-stamp. Adela’s show. Only wimps allowed, which is why Dookie and I get drafted every year. But we did need another body, and Althea was more than happy to take on the more tedious tasks, like the ads and the mailings. I could just kick myself.” She grabbed her hair with both hands and tugged at it. “Who likes to spend their time collating mailing lists? Nobody. I can’t believe I was so mistaken about her.”
“Quill…”
“I’ll bet she’s flown the coop—and she prepaid for the three
Myles bit his lip.
“It’s not funny, Myles! I was perfectly happy being a doormat. I’m totally fine with rubber-stamping. I do not, not,
not
want to run another damn committee!”
“What about this Althea Quince?”
“What about her?” Quill said crossly. “She was just super sympathetic when she and her husband finally got here, but she’s not a native, and she’s clueless about what needs to be done next.”
“Do I know her?”
“You met her. She’s that woman who’s renting the Federal Suite at the Inn for three months. That’s
not the problem
!” Quill wanted to pound the desk, which would wake up Jack, or throw something against the wall, which would also wake up Jack. Instead, she dug her fingers into her temples and took a long breath. “Where’s the money? If Adela moved it, where did she move it to? If she didn’t move it, who did?
“None of us had access to the checkbook. Adela guarded it like a lioness. She’s always been so proud of how much we’ve been able to donate to the literacy program. Handing over to the charity was one of the highlights of her year. No. Something else must have happened to the funds. A computing error, maybe, although Mark Anthony got really ruffled when I suggested that.”
“I should think he would. If it is a bank error, it’ll show up soon enough.”
“Mark Anthony won’t talk to me about it. I called him at home. All he said was: ‘the bank end checks out,’ whatever that may mean. And then ‘we’ve hired a fraud consultant,’ which says to me that the money’s actually gone and somebody actually took it.”
Myles maintained a diplomatic silence.
“Marge is going to put one of her tech guys on it, if she can get the bank to agree. Doesn’t think much of the bank’s consultant. Anyhow. All this will take enormous amounts of time, and since the money’s gone, and we can’t find Adela, it’s pretty clear that the fete will be toast if we don’t find the thief pretty soon.”
“So you’re pretty sure you’re looking for an embezzler.”
“But who?! Out of Adela, Elmer, Dookie Shuttleworth, and me, who would you pick? I didn’t do it. And for God’s sake, literally, we can’t suspect Dookie of all people…” She stopped and said, with emphasis. “Althea Quince.”
Myles smiled. “Tell me about Althea Quince.”
“Sure. Well, you’ve met her. She and her husband were the first to sign up for the Long-Term Let. They moved into the Federal Suite and the Colonial Suite last month.”
Myles looked a little startled. “Both suites?”
“Althea said she’s been happily married for forty years and living in two suites would insure that she and Nolan would make it forty-one.” Despite her agitation, Quill laughed. She’d liked the flamboyant Althea Quince. But not if she was a thief. “There’s your suspect, Myles. The day after she and Nolan moved in, she asked if there were any openings in community service. They’ve takenthe suites for three months, and she said she’d go stir-crazy if she didn’t have something interesting to do. And you know how hard it always is to get local people to serve on the fete committee. It’s strictly rubber-stamp. Adela’s show. Only wimps allowed, which is why Dookie and I get drafted every year. But we did need another body, and Althea was more than happy to take on the more tedious tasks, like the ads and the mailings. I could just kick myself.” She grabbed her hair with both hands and tugged at it. “Who likes to spend their time collating mailing lists? Nobody. I can’t believe I was so mistaken about her.”
“Quill…”
“I’ll bet she’s flown the coop—and she prepaid for the three
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