Busy Bodies by Joan Hess

Author:Joan Hess [Hess, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2009-04-27T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

As soon as I arrived at the bookstore, I called Peter and told him the purported location of the elusive weapon. He did not sound especially grateful for my civic-minded assistance, but I wrote it off to his lack of sleep. I made coffee, poured myself a mug, and settled down with the morning newspaper to see what was to be gleaned like golden nuggets of wheat (or whatever wheat comes in, anyway) from within its inky confines.

There was a large photograph of the burning house and a smaller one of Zeno, who had ignored the reporter’s questions in order to elaborate on the significance of interactive environmental art. The police had refused to comment on the ongoing investigation into the fire and the discovery of Ruthanne’s body.

Jasmine’s death had not merited the front page. The article buried toward the back related only the bare bones—that she had been found in her apartment by an unnamed friend. The police again had refused to comment.

Somebody needed to comment about all sorts of things, I thought as I sipped coffee. Melanie would be my witness of choice, but she was unavailable until the police nabbed her or she chose to resurface. Her track record was such that I’d put my money on the latter.

I finished the newspaper without finding any reports of unconventional backyard pillagers. After I’d done the crossword puzzle, I flipped to the real-estate section and scanned the agency ads for a reference to Anthony Leach’s house. When that proved futile, I dialed the number of the largest agency.

“I’m only interested in the historic district,” I said once I’d been transferred to an agent. “Do you have any listings on Willow Street?”

“No,” the woman said brightly, “but just this morning we listed a fantastic old house on Washington Avenue. It has four bedrooms, two—”

“Nothing on Willow Street?”

“There have been some problems in that area. Why don’t we run by this house on Washington so you can appreciate what a bargain it is? All it needs is a little bit of remodeling and—”

“I understand bears have been reported in the area,” I said, murmured a polite farewell in the ensuing silence, and moved on to the next agency. By the time I called the last of them, I’d pretty much figured out that Leach’s house was not listed in the customary fashion. I squinted at the row of FOR SALE BY OWNER ads, eliminated as many of them as I could based on the terse descriptions, and then dialed the number of the first of the remaining ones. It was located near the campus. The second was a mobile home, the third in a swanky new subdivision. My next several calls went unanswered.

I was beginning to question the brilliance of my scheme as I dialed yet another number.

“Anthony Leach and Associates,” said a woman in a transparently contrived British accent.

I mentally patted myself on the back. “I’m calling in response to an ad in the newspaper concerning a house for sale.

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