The Stubborn Schoolhouse Spirit (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) by Judy Nickles Page A

crossed the room and sat down on the end of her bed. “It’s been a long day.”
    She sat up and hugged her knees. “Are you hungry?”
    “I got something on the way here.”
    “You’re tired.”
    “Beat.” He lay back across the foot of the bed and folded his hands on top of his broad chest. “I’m beat.”
    “Go to bed then.”
    “What did you do today, Nell?”
    “Had lunch with Shana and Mary Lynn and did the grocery shopping. Oh, and I made another find, or rather, Shana did. When Jessie Ruth Collier died, her nephew took
    a dozen boxes to the library. Miss Emma, who was the librarian then, never opened them. I think she was born old and tired. Anyway, Shana mentioned them to Mary Lynn and me, and I picked up the one marked ‘pictures’ after we had lunch.”
    “Who’s Jessie Ruth Collier?”
    “The niece of Jeremiah Bowden, the town founder.”
    “Oh.”
    “And she built the library.”
    “Oh. Tell me about the house on Sandalwood.”
    “The old Barnes place?”
    “If that’s the one Marlo Howard moved into.”
    “What do you want to know?”
    “Can you draw me a floor plan?”
    “I think so. When I was in high school, Mrs. Barnes’ niece was a classmate, and her aunt used to let her have parties there.”
    “In the morning then. Is there a basement?”
    “All the old homes had basements for the furnaces and to store fuel or wood.”
    “The B&B has one then.”
    “Right, but the furnace hasn’t been used since I had central heat and air installed.”
    “Do you mind me asking where you get the money to do everything you do?”
    “I mind, but I’ll tell you. Travis insisted on giving me a divorce settlement, and it’s well-invested.”
    “Conscience money.”
    “I suppose.”
    “Did you love him, Nell?”
    “I thought I did.”
    “What changed your mind?”
    “Maybe the night Bradley was born when he never showed up at the hospital, then came in the next morning with lipstick on his shirt.”
    “But you don’t regret your son.”
    “He was the only good thing to come out of my marriage, even if I nearly died having him.”
    Sam opened his eyes and rolled over on his side. “What happened?”
    “He was breech, and the doctor we had here then was past his prime. He got him out, but I hemorrhaged and had to have blood transfusions. If Mrs. Pembroke hadn’t been there to make the calls to find my blood type in Little Rock, I wouldn’t have made it.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “When Travis finally showed up, I was too weak and tired to even talk to him, much less cry over the lipstick.”
    “That was rotten for you.”
    “Well, I had Bradley, and he was all right, and I got better.”
    Sam lay back and closed his eyes again.
    “What about you, Sam? Were you ever married? Do you have children?”
    He didn’t answer her.
    “Is that something you just don’t want to talk about?”
    “Right.”
    “I’m sorry I asked.”
    He shrugged. “Was Travis Pembroke a good lover?”
    “No. I’ve told you that before.”
    “I could make it good for you, Nell.”
    “You’ve said that before, too, but I’m not going to be one of your conquests before you move on.”
    “You wouldn’t be.” He sat up. “I’m going to bed. I can’t believe you’re in bed, and I’m leaving you here unmolested.”
    “That’s a nasty word.”
    “Sorry.”
    “Will you be here for breakfast?”
    “I might, if I don’t get another call.”
    “You want clown waffles?”
    He opened the door. “Yeah. Lots of butter and syrup. Goodnight, Nell.”
    “Goodnight, Sam.”
    She scooted down in the bed again. He’d been different tonight, m aybe because he was tired. There was something about him, something sad and lonesome that made her want to put her arms around him in a purely platonic way. I could love you, Sam, if I’d let myself. But you’re such a mystery. I can’t let myself love a mystery. She thought briefly about getting up to lock her door, but instead she closed her eyes and drifted