Beauty Shop Tales by Beth Pattillo

Author:Beth Pattillo
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780824907525
Publisher: Guideposts
Published: 2007-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The back stairwell of the Harrington County Courthouse in Pine Ridge smelled of lemon cleaning solution and cigarettes. Apparently more than one of the county employees had decided against complying with the smoking ban in public buildings.

Kate made her way down the stairs, favoring her still-sore knee as she followed a long corridor to the Register of Deed’s cramped, sterile office. A row of windows at the top of the room showed the feet of passersby on the sidewalk outside.

“Good morning, Mrs.Sedberry.” Kate greeted the older woman whom she’d met at a barbecue not long after she and Paul had arrived in Copper Mill.

Mrs.Sedberry was seated behind an ancient metal desk that filled up almost every available inch of the tiny room. Other than a phone and a large blotter, her desk was completely clear. A severe black nameplate, with the words ELEANOR SEDBERRY in large white letters, was the only form of decoration.

Mrs.Sedberry, who had to be seventy-five if she was a day, looked up at Kate over the top of her reading glasses. With a sigh, she set down the pen she’d been using to complete the crossword from the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

“May I help you?”

Kate stepped forward and extended her hand. “I’m Kate Hanlon, from Copper Mill. We met at the Richardson’s barbecue.”

The woman’s lined face remained impassive. Kate must not have made much of an impression at the barbecue.

“As I said, how can I help you?”

Kate lowered her hand. “I’m looking for some title or deed information about a house I’m considering purchasing. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction.”

No part of Mrs.Sedberry’s face moved except her lips. “Those documents are a matter of public record.”

If Kate had known this was going to be like pulling teeth, she would have brought along her dentist. “Yes, ma’am. That’s what I thought. Could you help me locate the deed to this particular house?” She held out a piece of paper with Mavis’ name and address written on it.

“If you buy the house, your title company will get the information for you.”

“Yes, thank you. I thought as much. But I’d really like to see that information now, if I could.”

“We don’t have those newfangled computers where I can look up the deed like that.” Mrs.Sedberry snapped her fingers for emphasis, startling Kate, who wasn’t expecting any sudden movements.

“You don’t? Well, I am sorry to trouble you, but if you wouldn’t mind . . .” Kate let her words trail off and stood her ground, smiling.

Persuading the reluctant was old hat to Kate. You simply had to use more than your average amount of patience. Even a mountain could be moved, one teaspoon at a time. Fortunately, Kate didn’t have anywhere she had to be for the rest of the day.

With another sigh, Mrs.Sedberry pushed back from the desk and rose to her feet. “This could take awhile.”

“I’ve been told I have the patience of Job.” Kate kept the smile pasted to her lips, but she wondered whether even Job could have withstood Mrs.

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