Read Online Pearls and Poison (A Consignment Shop Mystery) by Duffy Brown - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Duffy Brown
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already got enough work just like this to keep him busy.”
“Got that right.” Popeye added a behemoth bag of green nuts and gave another swirl with the paddle. “Got to cook them for a long time to kill the toxins, and you need a big old stove like this to get things hot enough. Archie Lee’s got this down to a science.”
Popeye glanced at me through the haze, little droplets of sweat collecting on his unibrow. “Why do you care about Archie Lee anyway? You think he’s not smart enough to be with those knuckleheads down at city hall? He didn’t finish high school, but he’s plenty smart enough. He’ll be great in politics; he’s honest and works for the little guy, not like that rich snotty judge or a hotshot builder with all his mountains of money and . . .”
His voice trailed off as a spark of recognition lit his black eyes. “Hey, I know you, you’re that judge’s daughter.” A sinister tone crept into Popeye’s voice. “What are you doing back here? What do you want from me?”
“Nuts.” I made my blue plastic basket do a little dance in the air and added a sugar-sweet smile. The smile never worked with teachers when I forgot to do my homework, but I was hoping for a better outcome now.
“You’re not here for nuts; you’re here for trouble. You’re thinking Archie Lee knocked off Seymour then framed your mamma. Archie Lee said that might happen. He figured that judge and her police friends would try and pin the murder on him. All you rich people stick together and screw us little guys, and you don’t care who gets hurt.”
“You want little guy, I’ll show you little guy.” I slid off my shoe and held it up. “Are you wearing stuff held together with super glue? You call that rich? I’m not rich, and my mamma is not snooty.”
Popeye stepped around the two-by-four holding up the stove and pointed his paddle to the door. “Get out while the getting’s good.” He backed me toward the hall, me hopping in that direction on one shoed foot. “Archie Lee and I are brothers, and don’t you forget it. Mind your own beeswax if you know what’s good for you and your mamma.”
I stopped and stood my ground. “No one threatens my mamma.”
“And who’s going to stop me? The scrawny likes of you?” Least he said I was scrawny.
“Hey,” came Archie Lee’s voice echoing down the hall. “What’s going on back here?”
“We got ourselves a pest problem,” Popeye said over his shoulder, giving me the chance to dart for the door, yank it open, and hobble out onto a rickety loading dock in the alley. Safe at last, except that Big Joey was crossing the street twenty feet away. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the Big Joey/Earlene situation. Heck, I had just escaped the Archie Lee/Popeye situation.
Hopping again, I ducked behind the Dumpster till something with beady black eyes, twitching whiskers, and a long skinny tail scurried across my one and only foot on the ground. I slapped my hand over my mouth and tried not to scream. I really did try, but the scream jumped out anyway, and I leaped from behind the Dumpster. Big Joey looked up, frowned, and headed my way. This was all Chantilly’s fault, I realized. She said it was going to be one of those nights. She’d jinxed it.
A lonely bulb lighting the back alley silhouetted Big Joey, proving beyond all doubt how he got the
big
attached to his name. Not that I was actually afraid of the guy, but I hated being on his bad side, and the Earlene state of affairs put me there big-time. On more than one occasion he had saved my butt; my reciprocity consisted mostly of comic relief and getting in the way.
“I’m sorry,” I said at the same time Big Joey blurted, “Apologies, babe.” We stared at each other for a beat, both of us confused.
“Why are you apologizing?” I said. “I’m the one who dropped Earlene on your doorstep.”
Big Joey nodded toward the back entrance of the bar. “Hanging with Earlene presently. No bird
“Got that right.” Popeye added a behemoth bag of green nuts and gave another swirl with the paddle. “Got to cook them for a long time to kill the toxins, and you need a big old stove like this to get things hot enough. Archie Lee’s got this down to a science.”
Popeye glanced at me through the haze, little droplets of sweat collecting on his unibrow. “Why do you care about Archie Lee anyway? You think he’s not smart enough to be with those knuckleheads down at city hall? He didn’t finish high school, but he’s plenty smart enough. He’ll be great in politics; he’s honest and works for the little guy, not like that rich snotty judge or a hotshot builder with all his mountains of money and . . .”
His voice trailed off as a spark of recognition lit his black eyes. “Hey, I know you, you’re that judge’s daughter.” A sinister tone crept into Popeye’s voice. “What are you doing back here? What do you want from me?”
“Nuts.” I made my blue plastic basket do a little dance in the air and added a sugar-sweet smile. The smile never worked with teachers when I forgot to do my homework, but I was hoping for a better outcome now.
“You’re not here for nuts; you’re here for trouble. You’re thinking Archie Lee knocked off Seymour then framed your mamma. Archie Lee said that might happen. He figured that judge and her police friends would try and pin the murder on him. All you rich people stick together and screw us little guys, and you don’t care who gets hurt.”
“You want little guy, I’ll show you little guy.” I slid off my shoe and held it up. “Are you wearing stuff held together with super glue? You call that rich? I’m not rich, and my mamma is not snooty.”
Popeye stepped around the two-by-four holding up the stove and pointed his paddle to the door. “Get out while the getting’s good.” He backed me toward the hall, me hopping in that direction on one shoed foot. “Archie Lee and I are brothers, and don’t you forget it. Mind your own beeswax if you know what’s good for you and your mamma.”
I stopped and stood my ground. “No one threatens my mamma.”
“And who’s going to stop me? The scrawny likes of you?” Least he said I was scrawny.
“Hey,” came Archie Lee’s voice echoing down the hall. “What’s going on back here?”
“We got ourselves a pest problem,” Popeye said over his shoulder, giving me the chance to dart for the door, yank it open, and hobble out onto a rickety loading dock in the alley. Safe at last, except that Big Joey was crossing the street twenty feet away. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the Big Joey/Earlene situation. Heck, I had just escaped the Archie Lee/Popeye situation.
Hopping again, I ducked behind the Dumpster till something with beady black eyes, twitching whiskers, and a long skinny tail scurried across my one and only foot on the ground. I slapped my hand over my mouth and tried not to scream. I really did try, but the scream jumped out anyway, and I leaped from behind the Dumpster. Big Joey looked up, frowned, and headed my way. This was all Chantilly’s fault, I realized. She said it was going to be one of those nights. She’d jinxed it.
A lonely bulb lighting the back alley silhouetted Big Joey, proving beyond all doubt how he got the
big
attached to his name. Not that I was actually afraid of the guy, but I hated being on his bad side, and the Earlene state of affairs put me there big-time. On more than one occasion he had saved my butt; my reciprocity consisted mostly of comic relief and getting in the way.
“I’m sorry,” I said at the same time Big Joey blurted, “Apologies, babe.” We stared at each other for a beat, both of us confused.
“Why are you apologizing?” I said. “I’m the one who dropped Earlene on your doorstep.”
Big Joey nodded toward the back entrance of the bar. “Hanging with Earlene presently. No bird
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