Irregardless of Murder (Miss Prentice Cozy Mysteries) by E. E. Kennedy
Authors: E. E. Kennedy
Ads: Link
off, allowing us to form our own images of his struggle with temptation. He removed the teabag from his cup, added a generous stream of sugar from a glass dispenser and stirred. “So I decided I could spare a wee moment.” He winked.
I could feel Lily stiffen beside me.
He began to stand. “But you must let me fetch you a cup—”
Abruptly, Lily pulled her purse on her shoulder and slid towards me. Clearly, she wanted out of the booth. I stood.
“Amelia,” she said, buttoning her coat, “may I borrow that scarf of yours? I left something in the car.”
“Of course.” I pulled the balled-up wad from my pocket. “It’s kind of wrinkled,” I admitted. “Are you sure you need to go down there? It’s awfully wet outside.”
Alec nodded agreement.
“I’m sure.” She tied a knot under her chin. “Real sure. And please drink that coffee for me, will you? I haven’t touched a drop. Mustn’t let it get cold. Bye.”
For about sixty uncomfortable seconds, I stared at the table and Alex whistled “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” under his breath.
“She has to take some medicine, I think,” I said.
Alec smiled gently. “She isn’t the first person to think me a humbug, you know.”
“But you’re not—I mean—nobody—” I trailed off.
He ran a large, badly-chapped hand over his head. His hair was cut in a strange variety of crew cut, with various tufts of salt-and-pepper hair sticking out at odd angles. His eyebrows matched, looking thick and wild, as though stray bits of hair had slid down from above. His scraggy, broad beard completed the ensemble perfectly.
“It’s all right. I’m accustomed to skeptics by now. Better be.” He took another speculative sip. “Actually, I welcome them. Keeps me fresh, on my mettle. Especially a fine woman like Miss Lily.” He tapped his forehead. “She’s shrewd. Won’t buy a pig in a poke, as they say. I admire that.”
I smiled back and sipped my coffee. Here was another thing I liked about Alec. He was generous to his detractors. Lily had an admirer, albeit an eccentric one. She could do worse, I thought, watching him wave greeting to a couple of passing crewmen.
“I like those new lads,” he remarked as two crew members passed through the Crew Only door. “They’re so young and eager even though they’ve only just come on. Reminds me, though—” He pulled his yellow slicker hood over his head. “Duty calls, dear lady,” he said, taking my hand and bowing slightly over it.
So courtly was his manner that for a moment I actually feared he was going to kiss it.
“Good hunting, Alec,” I said.
He smiled, rearranged his binoculars, squared his shoulders, and charged through the crowd after his fellow sailors. I thought I heard him whistling “Nearer My God to Thee,” but with the noise of the engine, it was hard to be sure.
I tasted my coffee again. Pretty bad. I poured a touch of sugar in it and wondered where to find some creamer.
“You’ll rot your teeth with that stuff,” said Vern, sliding in across from me.
“How do you know I don’t have false ones?” I shot back.
He leaned forward. “Your left canine is just the slightest bit crooked. Never happens in the fake ones. Yee?” he said, demonstrating in his own mouth. “Open up, I’ll show you.”
“Don’t be disgusting.”
“Sorry. You asked, though. Where’s your friend?”
“In the car. Alec gets on her nerves.”
“Too bad. He’s kind of a neat guy.” He pushed back his hood and shoved a damp blond lock of hair off his forehead. “I heard him lecture at the college. He was fascinating.”
“So you don’t think he’s wasting his time looking for this monster?”
Vern wiped spilled sugar onto the floor. “Well, lots of people around here claim they’ve seen the thing. The Professor said there’ve been more than 240 sightings. I know a guy who swears the monster nearly sank his fishing boat.”
“Did he say—”
I was interrupted by a loud blast
I could feel Lily stiffen beside me.
He began to stand. “But you must let me fetch you a cup—”
Abruptly, Lily pulled her purse on her shoulder and slid towards me. Clearly, she wanted out of the booth. I stood.
“Amelia,” she said, buttoning her coat, “may I borrow that scarf of yours? I left something in the car.”
“Of course.” I pulled the balled-up wad from my pocket. “It’s kind of wrinkled,” I admitted. “Are you sure you need to go down there? It’s awfully wet outside.”
Alec nodded agreement.
“I’m sure.” She tied a knot under her chin. “Real sure. And please drink that coffee for me, will you? I haven’t touched a drop. Mustn’t let it get cold. Bye.”
For about sixty uncomfortable seconds, I stared at the table and Alex whistled “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” under his breath.
“She has to take some medicine, I think,” I said.
Alec smiled gently. “She isn’t the first person to think me a humbug, you know.”
“But you’re not—I mean—nobody—” I trailed off.
He ran a large, badly-chapped hand over his head. His hair was cut in a strange variety of crew cut, with various tufts of salt-and-pepper hair sticking out at odd angles. His eyebrows matched, looking thick and wild, as though stray bits of hair had slid down from above. His scraggy, broad beard completed the ensemble perfectly.
“It’s all right. I’m accustomed to skeptics by now. Better be.” He took another speculative sip. “Actually, I welcome them. Keeps me fresh, on my mettle. Especially a fine woman like Miss Lily.” He tapped his forehead. “She’s shrewd. Won’t buy a pig in a poke, as they say. I admire that.”
I smiled back and sipped my coffee. Here was another thing I liked about Alec. He was generous to his detractors. Lily had an admirer, albeit an eccentric one. She could do worse, I thought, watching him wave greeting to a couple of passing crewmen.
“I like those new lads,” he remarked as two crew members passed through the Crew Only door. “They’re so young and eager even though they’ve only just come on. Reminds me, though—” He pulled his yellow slicker hood over his head. “Duty calls, dear lady,” he said, taking my hand and bowing slightly over it.
So courtly was his manner that for a moment I actually feared he was going to kiss it.
“Good hunting, Alec,” I said.
He smiled, rearranged his binoculars, squared his shoulders, and charged through the crowd after his fellow sailors. I thought I heard him whistling “Nearer My God to Thee,” but with the noise of the engine, it was hard to be sure.
I tasted my coffee again. Pretty bad. I poured a touch of sugar in it and wondered where to find some creamer.
“You’ll rot your teeth with that stuff,” said Vern, sliding in across from me.
“How do you know I don’t have false ones?” I shot back.
He leaned forward. “Your left canine is just the slightest bit crooked. Never happens in the fake ones. Yee?” he said, demonstrating in his own mouth. “Open up, I’ll show you.”
“Don’t be disgusting.”
“Sorry. You asked, though. Where’s your friend?”
“In the car. Alec gets on her nerves.”
“Too bad. He’s kind of a neat guy.” He pushed back his hood and shoved a damp blond lock of hair off his forehead. “I heard him lecture at the college. He was fascinating.”
“So you don’t think he’s wasting his time looking for this monster?”
Vern wiped spilled sugar onto the floor. “Well, lots of people around here claim they’ve seen the thing. The Professor said there’ve been more than 240 sightings. I know a guy who swears the monster nearly sank his fishing boat.”
“Did he say—”
I was interrupted by a loud blast
Similar Books
