2 Death at Crooked Creek by Mary Ann Cherry

Author:Mary Ann Cherry [Cherry, Mary Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Published: 2018-08-03T04:00:00+00:00

*.*.*

“Oh, Lordy,” Jessie exclaimed as the chubby waitress set the cinnamon roll down in front of her. She looked up at the server. “I can tell you right now I’m going to need a take-out box.”

“Most folks do,” the waitress said with a knowing look. Then she looked at Glen.

“Nope. No box here. I might even eat her extra half,” he said.

The waitress nodded and hurried off.

Jessie took a sip of coffee, then cut the roll in two, pushing one half to the side of the plate and slathering the other with butter. She cut off a piece and popped it into her mouth. “Yum. You were right. Best rolls ever, except for those my friend Shelly bakes.” She bit into another piece, savoring the cinnamon and raisin center thoughtfully. “Hmmm. A close tie, but Shelly wears the crown—queen of any kind of sweet roll. Of course, I give her extra credit because she and her husband own a couple of my paintings.” Her mouth turned down, remembering that she’d helped the couple find their daughter’s killer the year before.

“That doesn't count. You have to judge on the sweet roll alone." He seemed to register Jessie's thoughtful expression. "What are you thinking? You look sort of down. Are you getting soured like me? Sick of selling work you poured your whole heart into to people with so much money they don’t bother to count it? Seems like every time I sell a sculpture it’s to someone who packs it away in their collection and barely thinks about it afterward.”

“No. I wasn’t thinking that.” Jessie answered. She pushed thoughts of the dead Reynolds girl away and tried to smile. “I’m always tickled to sell my work, whether it’s a large expensive showpiece or a little 8 x 10." She frowned at Glen. "Don’t you think it’s obvious they love your work when they decide to buy? I don’t expect to be the only one whose work they appreciate. You're a wonderful sculptor. People buy your pieces because they're so good. Destined to be collector’s items or family heirlooms.”

“Hmph.” Glen frowned back at her. “Thanks, but it gets my goat. Like this guy who just bought the pack train sculpture. He won’t remember he even owns it once he puts it in his corporate office. He’s only there a few weeks out of the year. Hell, he probably thinks I’m like a clerk at the dollar store. My price tags are peanuts to people like that. You and I both know he could have afforded to pay full price. It costs a fortune to cast something that big in bronze.”

Jessie made murmuring sounds of agreement. She did indeed know how expensive it was to cast a bronze. “I do know. Framing a large painting costs quite a bit but not like casting a bronze sculpture. Especially a big one.”

“Two grand. I came down two grand because he wants to feel like a fabulous negotiator. It makes him feel important. And that’s the only time that jerk ever buys.

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