Read Online Murder in the Paperback Parlor by Ellery Adams - Free Book Online Page A

that yet, you might want to as soon as possible. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll get a chance to speak with Ms. York.”
    Maria’s face glowed. “This is going to be the best week of my life.” And with that, she rushed off toward Shakespeare’s Theater.
    â€œMine too,” said a familiar voice. Jane turned to find Eloise pressed against the wall to avoid the stream of women. Hooking her arm through Jane’s, Eloise led her down the hall to where the rest of the Cover Girls were gathered beneath a still life of irises.
    â€œThe best week of your life, eh?” Jane asked Eloise. “Are you expecting a record number of book sales?”
    Eloise beamed. “I am! I can’t believe how many customers I had today. I thought the ladies would spend all afternoon exploring Storyton Hall, but they visited Run for Cover in droves and left with armloads of books. Honestly, they were like locusts. Enthusiastic, credit-card-carrying locusts.”
    â€œThe same thing happened to me,” Mabel said. “It looks like a tornado hit La Grande Dame. However,
this
tornado left piles of money behind, so I’m not a bit troubled by the mess. It feels like we’re having two Christmases this winter.”
    Anna rolled her eyes. “Though I’m thrilled for you both,
I
had to dash around the pharmacy in search of obscure lipstick shades, unusual herbal remedies, and lavender hand lotion while Randall lectured any customer foolish enough to go near him on how to avoid the flu.”
    Jane started to laugh, but the sound came out as a strangled squeak.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Violet asked.
    â€œDon’t look now or the guests might follow your gaze, but Muffet Cat is heading our way,” Jane whispered. “And there’s something in his mouth.”
    Naturally, the Cover Girls glanced down the corridor.
    â€œI think he caught a mole,” Phoebe said.
    â€œIf one of the guests spies him with that . . .” Violet began, but Jane was already moving to intercept the portly tuxedo before he could reach the doorway to the theater.
    Fortunately, the women were so bent on securing seats near the front of the room that they failed to notice the approaching feline. However, the moment Muffet Cat spotted Jane, he dropped the small creature he’d been carrying, sat back on his haunches, and meowed. Knowing he expected to be praised, Jane bent over and stroked his head. “Good boy. Yes, you’re an excellent hunter. Well done.” She glanced over her shoulder and, to her horror, saw that one of Storyton’s few male guests had also caught sight of Muffet Cat.
    Damn it,
Jane thought. Seeing no other recourse, she scooped up the dead mole and dropped it into the pocket of her suit jacket.
    The Cover Girls released soft cries of horror and then ducked into the theater. At the same time, a tall man in his late forties made his way down the hall toward Jane. Squatting next to Muffet Cat, he held out his hand for the feline to sniff.
    â€œHe’s a handsome fellow,” the man said. “What’s his name?”
    â€œMuffet Cat,” Jane replied and inwardly sighed in relief for having managed to remove the mole corpse in time. “When we found him, we thought ‘he’ was a ‘she,’ so my sons named him Miss Muffet. He went by that name for months before the vet explained that Miss Muffet was a male.”
    â€œHow emasculating.” The man laughed. He was attractive in a bookish sort of way and Jane found herself smiling at him. He scratched Muffet Cat under the chin and the tuxedo arched his back in delight and rubbed up against the man’s pant leg. “I’m Nigel Poindexter,” the man said after giving Muffet Cat a final pat. “I’m a freelance journalist and one of the few men attending Romancing the Reader. Lucky me, right? To be surrounded by all these lovely ladies?”
    Jane moved to shake his