Read Online The Watercress File: Being the Further Adventures of That Man from C. A. M. P. by V. J. Banis - Free Book Online Page A

him and waved cheerfully. Jackie groaned inwardly and looked away, hoping Miss Temple had not been at her window to see the action.
    Nasturtia was fairly bubbling over with excitement as they went up in the elevator. Aunt Lily, however, had grown nervous now that the moment was at hand. She actually jumped when the door opened in response to her knock, and Miss Temple herself stood before them.
    â€œSavon calling,” Lily managed to chirp, swallowing weakly.
    â€œWe’ve come to show you how you too can be beautiful,” Nasturtia added with a toothy smile.
    Miss Temple surveyed the two of them. “You should practice what you preach,” she said coldly, starting to close the door.
    Aunt Lily recovered her senses in time to block the closing of the door with one foot. “Oh, we won’t take but a minute of your time, and we do have some wonderful things to show you.”
    â€œWould it matter in the least if I promised to believe it?” Miss Temple asked sarcastically. She was trying to force the door closed, but Aunt Lily had taken advantage of an opportunity to squeeze halfway inside. Now she was stubbornly holding her ground.
    â€œOh, all right,” Miss Temple surrendered finally, opening the door so quickly that Aunt Lily all but fell into the room. “But make it quick, will you?”
    The two swept triumphantly into the room. Aunt Lily’s eyes were everywhere, darting about in search of any clue she might find. Miss Temple had crossed the room to pour herself a drink from a crystal decanter.
    â€œPsst,” Aunt Nasturtia asked in a loud stage whisper that would easily have carried for blocks, “did you remember the camera?”
    Miss Temple looked up with her eyes wide. “What was that?” she demanded sharply.
    Aunt Lily shot a ferocious glance at Nasturtia, and sought desperately for an explanation. “Oh, I’m afraid my assistant is a bit presumptuous. You see, we sometimes carry a camera with us when we’re demonstrating Savon cosmetics, so that we can take before-and-after pictures. But I’m sure that’s hardly the sort of thing you’d want to participate in.”
    â€œHardly,” Miss Temple agreed. Although her tone was dry, she at least seemed to accept the explanation, to Aunt Lily’s relief. With Miss Temple watching her so closely, however, Aunt Lily had not yet had an opportunity to start the camera. Heaven only knew what important clues she was passing by.
    According to the plan, it should have been time for Nasturtia to faint. There was scarcely time for this to be attempted, however, before the doorbell rang again. Miss Temple glowered at it and at her two unwelcome guests before she went to answer it.
    Aunt Lily could not see who was at the door, but the voices carried clearly.
    â€œImportant message,” a male voice explained. “It’s from Bigelow himself.”
    Aunt Lily’s pulse quickened as she realized they might have arrived at a highly crucial moment. She strained her ears to hear more, but the conversation was rudely interrupted by the fact that Aunt Nasturtia did pick that precise moment, after all, to faint.
    â€œOh, Nasturtia,” Aunt Lily wailed, fighting down an urge to kick her sister bodily. “Get off that floor.”
    Miss Temple had returned from the door, and the messenger was gone—and as if things weren’t bad enough, Lily discovered that Nasturtia was not acting. She had really and truly fainted!
    â€œOh,” she wailed loudly, “she really has fainted”
    â€œWell you surely didn’t think she was just taking a nap, did you?” Miss Temple asked with sarcasm. “Maybe I should get her some water.”
    It would have been an ideal time to look about the room, except that, in her concern for her sister, Aunt Lily tried to loosen Nasturtia’s blouse, and managed instead to break the slender chain that held the little locket.
    â€œOh,