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Authors: Jill Churchill
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must not have worded it strongly enough in her efforts to keep from frightening him with the implications.
“I know, but she called and said her car won’t start and could you drive us today?“
“Oh, dear. All right. Hop in,“ Jane said, glancing at her watch. She’d wanted to be sure to be here when the cleaning lady arrived, but that was hardly reason to make the whole bunch of kids late for school.
Dorothy Wallenberg was in her driveway, pacing around on sturdy legs and slashing at grass blades with a tennis racket when Jane arrived. Obviously, this car problem was going to interfere with more than her car pool plans. “I’m so sorry, Jane.“
“No problem, I was up and out anyway. Do you need help getting your car to the shop or anything?“
“No, they’re supposed to be sending someone with a tow truck pretty soon, and I haven’t got anything going today that can’t be canceled. Stop back by and tell me what Shelley’s found out.“
“I can’t, Dorothy. I’ve got Edith coming myself today. Maybe later on.“
“You’re having Edith? Why?“
“Well, I’m told she’s terrific and I need somebody.“
“I keep hearing how wonderful she is, Jane, but I had her for a month once and it was a waste of money. The woman just slouched around, pretending to work. ‘A-lick-and-a-dab’ cleaning, as my mother used to say. I complained to the Happy Helper people and they sent me somebody else.“
“How odd. Robbie Jones says she’s terrific, and so does Mary Ellen Revere. Even Joyce Greenway swears by her, and you know what a cleaning fanatic she is.”
Dorothy laughed. “I went over once, and Joyce came to the door apologizing for taking so long. She’d been in the storeroom dusting the luggage, she told me. I thought she meant she was getting ready to go somewhere, so I said, ‘Oh, why is that?’ Do you know what she said? She said because it was Tuesday, of course.”
Jane was still chuckling when she dropped Todd and his car pool off at the grade school. She detoured by way of the grocery store to make a quick foray for cleaning materials. She’d meant to take a careful inventory the day before, but had naturally forgotten about it in all the upset. Not knowing what she might be nearly out of, she dashed down the aisle, grabbing one of anything that might clean floors, tubs, sink stains, carpet spots, ovens, windows, even silver polish. The stuff cost a fortune. She consoled herself with the thought that it would all come in handy sooner or later.
She passed the Staplers’ house. The red MG was parked in front. VanDyne must be questioning everyone. Her attention was soon diverted as she passed the Happy Helper van going the other way at the end of the street, and had a horrible shock as she pulled in her driveway. It was like yesterday, but a mirror image—her house instead of Shelley’s. Standing at her kitchen door was Mrs. Thurgood!
Jane slammed on the brakes and the woman turned. No, of course it wasn’t the dead cleaning lady, but she was of a similar build with frizzy, blond hair. That and the blue uniform gave a scary impression.
“You must be Edith,“ Jane said, hoping the fact that she was carrying a huge, heavy sack would account for her breathlessness.
“That’s right,“ Edith said, without offering to help. She merely stood back like company as Jane struggled to fit her key in the lock while balancing the cleaning materials. This didn’t bode well, but then the woman’s job didn’t really start until she got inside. Jane knew her opinions of the moment were being influenced by Dorothy Wallenberg’s claims. Still, it was odd that people had such widely different impressions of Edith.
While Jane showed her around and mentioned a few of the things she was particularly concerned about having done, Edith just sauntered along behind her, making the occasional affirmative noise. Jane couldn’t figure out whether the woman took it all as a matter of course, or whether
“I know, but she called and said her car won’t start and could you drive us today?“
“Oh, dear. All right. Hop in,“ Jane said, glancing at her watch. She’d wanted to be sure to be here when the cleaning lady arrived, but that was hardly reason to make the whole bunch of kids late for school.
Dorothy Wallenberg was in her driveway, pacing around on sturdy legs and slashing at grass blades with a tennis racket when Jane arrived. Obviously, this car problem was going to interfere with more than her car pool plans. “I’m so sorry, Jane.“
“No problem, I was up and out anyway. Do you need help getting your car to the shop or anything?“
“No, they’re supposed to be sending someone with a tow truck pretty soon, and I haven’t got anything going today that can’t be canceled. Stop back by and tell me what Shelley’s found out.“
“I can’t, Dorothy. I’ve got Edith coming myself today. Maybe later on.“
“You’re having Edith? Why?“
“Well, I’m told she’s terrific and I need somebody.“
“I keep hearing how wonderful she is, Jane, but I had her for a month once and it was a waste of money. The woman just slouched around, pretending to work. ‘A-lick-and-a-dab’ cleaning, as my mother used to say. I complained to the Happy Helper people and they sent me somebody else.“
“How odd. Robbie Jones says she’s terrific, and so does Mary Ellen Revere. Even Joyce Greenway swears by her, and you know what a cleaning fanatic she is.”
Dorothy laughed. “I went over once, and Joyce came to the door apologizing for taking so long. She’d been in the storeroom dusting the luggage, she told me. I thought she meant she was getting ready to go somewhere, so I said, ‘Oh, why is that?’ Do you know what she said? She said because it was Tuesday, of course.”
Jane was still chuckling when she dropped Todd and his car pool off at the grade school. She detoured by way of the grocery store to make a quick foray for cleaning materials. She’d meant to take a careful inventory the day before, but had naturally forgotten about it in all the upset. Not knowing what she might be nearly out of, she dashed down the aisle, grabbing one of anything that might clean floors, tubs, sink stains, carpet spots, ovens, windows, even silver polish. The stuff cost a fortune. She consoled herself with the thought that it would all come in handy sooner or later.
She passed the Staplers’ house. The red MG was parked in front. VanDyne must be questioning everyone. Her attention was soon diverted as she passed the Happy Helper van going the other way at the end of the street, and had a horrible shock as she pulled in her driveway. It was like yesterday, but a mirror image—her house instead of Shelley’s. Standing at her kitchen door was Mrs. Thurgood!
Jane slammed on the brakes and the woman turned. No, of course it wasn’t the dead cleaning lady, but she was of a similar build with frizzy, blond hair. That and the blue uniform gave a scary impression.
“You must be Edith,“ Jane said, hoping the fact that she was carrying a huge, heavy sack would account for her breathlessness.
“That’s right,“ Edith said, without offering to help. She merely stood back like company as Jane struggled to fit her key in the lock while balancing the cleaning materials. This didn’t bode well, but then the woman’s job didn’t really start until she got inside. Jane knew her opinions of the moment were being influenced by Dorothy Wallenberg’s claims. Still, it was odd that people had such widely different impressions of Edith.
While Jane showed her around and mentioned a few of the things she was particularly concerned about having done, Edith just sauntered along behind her, making the occasional affirmative noise. Jane couldn’t figure out whether the woman took it all as a matter of course, or whether
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