Read Online Murder by Artifact (Five Star Mystery Series) by Barbara Graham - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Graham
Tags: Novels
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the kitten up onto the window seat before putting the cat toy away. “I’ve been on the phone with the FBI and Cincinnati police for the last hour. If I leave now, I’ll have plenty of time to meet with them, check into my hotel, and put on my armor before the game.”
“You better call me. A lot.”
He nodded. Theo’s pretty face had gone pale, and her freckles appeared more pronounced than usual.
“What about Jamie’s game here?” Theo smiled. “Am I the coach tonight? I think Marjorie’s still out of town.”
Tony was proud of her smile. He knew it wasn’t always easy for her dealing with the hazards of his job. At least she stayed much calmer now.
He considered her question about Jamie’s game. In the flurry of preparations for the trip to Cincinnati, he had spaced out on his six-year-old’s baseball game that evening. He was glad she reminded him. She could coach it. She’d done it before when both Marjorie, the head coach, and he were unavailable. Still, he knew she preferred to sit on the bleachers. “I’ll stop and ask Gus if he’ll take my place. If he has to get back home to Townsend, I guess you’ll get to do it. Either way, I’ll put the bats and practice balls in your van.” He bent and gave her a kiss and ruffled her hair. “Keep your cell phone on. I’ll want updates on the game.”
C HAPTER T EN
----
On his way out of town, he stopped by the museum site to talk to his brother. The place looked like organized chaos. Tony grinned at the picture his brother made standing in the middle of the construction battlefield, his fists resting on his hips. All Gus needed was a breastplate, helmet, sword and short skirt to complete the picture. No Roman general ever had a more commanding attitude.
Their mom, a former Latin teacher, had classical ideas. Being named Jane probably encouraged her to steer clear of the ordinary names in the name-the-baby book. Even so, when she named her firstborn son, Caesar Augustus, she probably hadn't planned on people calling him Gus.
Tony glanced around the site. To him, it looked like a fair amount of progress had been made since his last visit, when he came out to talk to Doreen the previous week.
The hole vanished when the foundation was poured. Now Quentin and Mac, two of the day laborers, were framing a wall above it.
Quentin suffered from a long history of drug and alcohol problems. Recently returned from rehab, his health had noticeably improved. Still pencil-thin and a bit twitchy, he managed to hold a two-by-six in place while his coworker, Mac, used a nail gun to attach it to the cross board. A third workman, Kenny, carried a couple of five-gallon buckets down a wooden ladder propped in the space between the dirt and concrete. Kenny reminded Tony of an ant. Small, industrious and pound for pound stronger than anyone else he knew. Kenny was a foot shorter and nearly a hundred pounds lighter than Tony. He managed to haul pipe, boards and tools that probably outweighed him. Constant labor in the sun had eventually tanned his skin a reddish brown that matched his dark auburn hair and added to his antlike appearance.
Mac looked at Gus and pointed to the thing he and Quentin made. “How's this boss?” The well-muscled man wore his tool belt with the ease only years of practice could provide. He'd only recently moved here from Chattanooga and was already Gus's right-hand man.
“Okay, it looks good.” Gus called, “Mac, I want you and Quentin to make two more exactly like that one.”
Quentin looked bewildered. Tony wondered if he had a clue what he was supposed to do.
Mac saluted and grinned. Sweat darkened his sleeveless gray T-shirt. Removing his safety glasses for a moment, he dried them on his shirttail and nodded in Tony's direction. “You've got a visitor, boss.”
Gus turned. His smile made Tony think today was going pretty well. “Hey there, little brother.”
“Hey to you, too.” The sounds of the air gun
“You better call me. A lot.”
He nodded. Theo’s pretty face had gone pale, and her freckles appeared more pronounced than usual.
“What about Jamie’s game here?” Theo smiled. “Am I the coach tonight? I think Marjorie’s still out of town.”
Tony was proud of her smile. He knew it wasn’t always easy for her dealing with the hazards of his job. At least she stayed much calmer now.
He considered her question about Jamie’s game. In the flurry of preparations for the trip to Cincinnati, he had spaced out on his six-year-old’s baseball game that evening. He was glad she reminded him. She could coach it. She’d done it before when both Marjorie, the head coach, and he were unavailable. Still, he knew she preferred to sit on the bleachers. “I’ll stop and ask Gus if he’ll take my place. If he has to get back home to Townsend, I guess you’ll get to do it. Either way, I’ll put the bats and practice balls in your van.” He bent and gave her a kiss and ruffled her hair. “Keep your cell phone on. I’ll want updates on the game.”
C HAPTER T EN
----
On his way out of town, he stopped by the museum site to talk to his brother. The place looked like organized chaos. Tony grinned at the picture his brother made standing in the middle of the construction battlefield, his fists resting on his hips. All Gus needed was a breastplate, helmet, sword and short skirt to complete the picture. No Roman general ever had a more commanding attitude.
Their mom, a former Latin teacher, had classical ideas. Being named Jane probably encouraged her to steer clear of the ordinary names in the name-the-baby book. Even so, when she named her firstborn son, Caesar Augustus, she probably hadn't planned on people calling him Gus.
Tony glanced around the site. To him, it looked like a fair amount of progress had been made since his last visit, when he came out to talk to Doreen the previous week.
The hole vanished when the foundation was poured. Now Quentin and Mac, two of the day laborers, were framing a wall above it.
Quentin suffered from a long history of drug and alcohol problems. Recently returned from rehab, his health had noticeably improved. Still pencil-thin and a bit twitchy, he managed to hold a two-by-six in place while his coworker, Mac, used a nail gun to attach it to the cross board. A third workman, Kenny, carried a couple of five-gallon buckets down a wooden ladder propped in the space between the dirt and concrete. Kenny reminded Tony of an ant. Small, industrious and pound for pound stronger than anyone else he knew. Kenny was a foot shorter and nearly a hundred pounds lighter than Tony. He managed to haul pipe, boards and tools that probably outweighed him. Constant labor in the sun had eventually tanned his skin a reddish brown that matched his dark auburn hair and added to his antlike appearance.
Mac looked at Gus and pointed to the thing he and Quentin made. “How's this boss?” The well-muscled man wore his tool belt with the ease only years of practice could provide. He'd only recently moved here from Chattanooga and was already Gus's right-hand man.
“Okay, it looks good.” Gus called, “Mac, I want you and Quentin to make two more exactly like that one.”
Quentin looked bewildered. Tony wondered if he had a clue what he was supposed to do.
Mac saluted and grinned. Sweat darkened his sleeveless gray T-shirt. Removing his safety glasses for a moment, he dried them on his shirttail and nodded in Tony's direction. “You've got a visitor, boss.”
Gus turned. His smile made Tony think today was going pretty well. “Hey there, little brother.”
“Hey to you, too.” The sounds of the air gun
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