Read Online Pickled (An Alex Harris Mystery) by Elaine Macko - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elaine Macko
Tags: An Alex Harris Mystery
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this time?”
“She got the pictures I took the first week and then I’ve kind of been telling her that her husband wasn’t doing anything. Just going to work and pickleball and that was about it. Sometimes lunch with friends.”
“And what exactly was Mr. Bryson doing all this time?” I asked then.
“The usual. Stuff with the broads at the beach, pickleball, work. And he did take a trip to New York on the train. At least I think he went to New York. I only followed him to the station and he got on. Doesn’t mean he got off in New York, but I’m just assuming.”
“Did Mr. Bryson know you were still following him?”
Mr. Roder shook his head. “Nah. He told me to follow the broads and feed a line of crap to his wife.”
“Then why did you keep following him?”
“Look, the old guy was up to no good. So maybe I follow him and find out some stuff I can use, you know what I mean?”
I did know what Mr. Roder meant and maybe Humphrey found out and didn’t like being double crossed. Plus, if Terry Roder was still following Humphrey, then he was probably outside the hall the whole time we were all inside enjoying the German supper. It would have been very easy for Mr. Roder to sneak inside, lure Humphrey to the back under the pretense of some good dirt he dug up on one of the ladies, and shove a pickle in a most inconvenient place.
Chapter 17
I needed to speak with Sophie Bryson yet again. She lied to me about when she hired Terry Roder and if he fed her a bunch of lies, I wanted to know if she bought it. Plus, I still had no idea what Humphrey actually did for a living. I mean, the man was in his eighties, but he seemed to be busy all the time, so what did he do all day and why did he go to New York?
But right now it was getting late and I needed to get back to Indian Cove to meet John for dinner. It had been a hard day and I looked forward to some good pasta and conversation with my husband.
Forty-five minutes later I walked in Gianelli’s, one of our favorite restaurants. John was already seated at a booth by the fireplace and had ordered some fried dough and butter.
“This looks wonderful,” I said, as I took a piece and smeared it with some warm butter.
“You look good,” John smiled. “The talk with your mom obviously helped. And she put your mind at ease about the treatments?”
“She did. Meme was there and Sam stopped by with Henry, so I was surrounded by support and love.”
“You’re going to be fine. The doctor said you should have mostly good days. And sometimes you’ll wake up with a lot of pain and stiffness and we’ll just get through it.” My eyes misted and John took my hand. “What? Tell me.”
I placed my other hand over his. “I’ve been so afraid it was something more; that I would never walk again or would be totally dependent and you would leave me. I’m so relieved it’s RA. I’ve seen it up close with my mom since I was a kid and now I see how well she’s doing and I’m just so grateful it’s not more serious.”
“Alex, it is serious, and you’ll be taking some pretty strong drugs for it. They’ll have to monitor your blood and you’ll have regular checkups so we have to be diligent. I’m not trying to scare you, but I know how you try to ignore things. If you’re having a bad day, then you’re having a bad day and it’s okay to lean on people. And as for me leaving you, don’t ever think so little of me again. We’re a team. You’re stuck with me for life. Got it?”
I sniffled and wiped my nose on a tissue I pulled from my pocket. “Got it. My mom and I will be going to the infusion center together on Thursday and she told me how some foods, like all those good French cheeses, bother her. John, I can’t give up cheese.”
“Let’s just take it one day at a time. We’ll work through it and find what works and what doesn’t, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay. So, did you really mean it about us being a team?”
John rolled
“She got the pictures I took the first week and then I’ve kind of been telling her that her husband wasn’t doing anything. Just going to work and pickleball and that was about it. Sometimes lunch with friends.”
“And what exactly was Mr. Bryson doing all this time?” I asked then.
“The usual. Stuff with the broads at the beach, pickleball, work. And he did take a trip to New York on the train. At least I think he went to New York. I only followed him to the station and he got on. Doesn’t mean he got off in New York, but I’m just assuming.”
“Did Mr. Bryson know you were still following him?”
Mr. Roder shook his head. “Nah. He told me to follow the broads and feed a line of crap to his wife.”
“Then why did you keep following him?”
“Look, the old guy was up to no good. So maybe I follow him and find out some stuff I can use, you know what I mean?”
I did know what Mr. Roder meant and maybe Humphrey found out and didn’t like being double crossed. Plus, if Terry Roder was still following Humphrey, then he was probably outside the hall the whole time we were all inside enjoying the German supper. It would have been very easy for Mr. Roder to sneak inside, lure Humphrey to the back under the pretense of some good dirt he dug up on one of the ladies, and shove a pickle in a most inconvenient place.
Chapter 17
I needed to speak with Sophie Bryson yet again. She lied to me about when she hired Terry Roder and if he fed her a bunch of lies, I wanted to know if she bought it. Plus, I still had no idea what Humphrey actually did for a living. I mean, the man was in his eighties, but he seemed to be busy all the time, so what did he do all day and why did he go to New York?
But right now it was getting late and I needed to get back to Indian Cove to meet John for dinner. It had been a hard day and I looked forward to some good pasta and conversation with my husband.
Forty-five minutes later I walked in Gianelli’s, one of our favorite restaurants. John was already seated at a booth by the fireplace and had ordered some fried dough and butter.
“This looks wonderful,” I said, as I took a piece and smeared it with some warm butter.
“You look good,” John smiled. “The talk with your mom obviously helped. And she put your mind at ease about the treatments?”
“She did. Meme was there and Sam stopped by with Henry, so I was surrounded by support and love.”
“You’re going to be fine. The doctor said you should have mostly good days. And sometimes you’ll wake up with a lot of pain and stiffness and we’ll just get through it.” My eyes misted and John took my hand. “What? Tell me.”
I placed my other hand over his. “I’ve been so afraid it was something more; that I would never walk again or would be totally dependent and you would leave me. I’m so relieved it’s RA. I’ve seen it up close with my mom since I was a kid and now I see how well she’s doing and I’m just so grateful it’s not more serious.”
“Alex, it is serious, and you’ll be taking some pretty strong drugs for it. They’ll have to monitor your blood and you’ll have regular checkups so we have to be diligent. I’m not trying to scare you, but I know how you try to ignore things. If you’re having a bad day, then you’re having a bad day and it’s okay to lean on people. And as for me leaving you, don’t ever think so little of me again. We’re a team. You’re stuck with me for life. Got it?”
I sniffled and wiped my nose on a tissue I pulled from my pocket. “Got it. My mom and I will be going to the infusion center together on Thursday and she told me how some foods, like all those good French cheeses, bother her. John, I can’t give up cheese.”
“Let’s just take it one day at a time. We’ll work through it and find what works and what doesn’t, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay. So, did you really mean it about us being a team?”
John rolled
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